According to the American Academy of Pediatrics smoking pot while breastfeeding should be avoided. THC, the active ingredient in pot/marijuana, is fat soluble and goes directly to brain tissues and is stored there for a lengthy amount of time. Breast milk will contain concentrations of THC eight times higher than that of the mother's blood. An infant exposed to THC through breast milk will test positive for the substance in its urine for two to three weeks after the initial exposure.

Animal studies show significant structural changes in the brains of animals exposed to THC through breast milk. THC inhibits neural development in infants (that's doctor code for "the baby's brain doesn't grow as fast") and motor development is inhibited. Exposure to THC through breast milk has been shown to lead to sedation and lethargy in infants which can increase the chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrom and it causes infrequent and shorter feeding periods.

So, in summary, breast milk is the best milk for baby unless that milk is getting baby high. Everyone has an unalienable right to do what they like to themselves, but, considering the evidence, we probably shouldn't force baby to smoke up with us. It's okay to switch to formula if you have to work. It's okay to switch to formula if breastfeeding is making you crazy. It's OK to switch to formula if you don't want to give up the habit. Our babies are our future. Let's give them every advantage we can.

The above information can be found on the Web sites of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institute of Health.

Billeen Carlson