Vaping and Smoking While Breastfeeding

No matter how long you’ve been breastfeeding (or chestfeeding), the health benefits of stopping vaping and smoking start right away for you ?and your baby.

If you’re able to quit and avoid vape aerosol and tobacco smoke, you’ll improve your health and give your baby a healthier start in life.

Benefits for you

When you’re able to quit for your own reasons, you're more likely to quit for life after you've stopped breastfeeding.

Quitting will help you:

• lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and health risks
• improve your chances of living a healthier, longer life
• break the cycle of addiction
• save money for other things
• be a healthy role model for your children

Benefits for your baby

When you quit and avoid vape aerosol and tobacco smoke, your baby:

• is more likely to grow up healthy and strong
• is less likely to have breathing illnesses and infections
• has less risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Effects on breastmilk

?When you vape or smoke, nicotine can reduce the nutrition in your breastmilk and lower your milk supply. Nicotine gets into your breastmilk and can cause your baby to refuse feedings, be fussy, sleep poorly, and spit up.

Timing your use

If you’re not able to stop vaping or smoking, continue to breastfeed your baby.

Time your nicotine or tobacco product use to right after your baby is done feeding. This gives your body more time to remove nicotine from your breastmilk before the next feeding.

When your baby breastfeeds for hours at a time, do your best to skip vaping or smoking. Never skip a feeding.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns.???

Reducing harm and quitting?

Vaping and smoking release nicotine and cancer-causing chemicals into the air. These toxic chemicals stick onto indoor surfaces. Over time, people breathe in or touch these harmful chemicals.

There are ways to reduce harm:

• Make your home and vehicle vape and smoke free. Keep outdoor use away from doorways, windows, air intakes, and your family.
• Wash surfaces, walls, bedding, toys, and curtains to remove the chemicals.
• Before vaping or smoking outside, put on clothing like a jacket to be a barrier to the chemicals. Take it off when you go inside. Wash chemicals off your hands and face before cuddling your children.

Ready to quit

Where to get help

When planning to reduce and quit, visit albertaquits.ca or call the AlbertaQuits Helpline (1-866-710-7848) for help. You can learn more about free quit support options in Alberta.

Counselling and NRT

When breastfeeding, counselling alone is recommended as the first option to help you quit. If you think you need medicine to quit, talk to your healthcare provider about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other options.

Using less

If you can’t quit all at once, try using lower-nicotine vape liquid or smoking fewer cigarettes per day.

Note: In this information, "tobacco" refers to commercial tobacco products, like cigarettes sold in stores. It does not include the traditional tobacco used by First Nations and some Métis groups for ceremonial purposes and as a sacred medicine.

"Nicotine products" does not refer to or include medical nicotine replacement therapies.

To see this information online and learn more, visit MyHealth.Alberta.ca/health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=custom.ab_vaping_smoking_breastfeeding_inst.

For 24/7 nurse advice and general health information call Health Link at 811.

Current as of: June 4, 2026

Author: Tobacco, Vaping and Cannabis Program, Primary Care Alberta

This material is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified health professional. This material is intended for general information only and is provided on an "as is", "where is" basis. Although reasonable efforts were made to confirm the accuracy of the information, Alberta Health Services does not make any representation or warranty, express, implied or statutory, as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, applicability or fitness for a particular purpose of such information. Alberta Health Services expressly disclaims all liability for the use of these materials, and for any claims, actions, demands or suits arising from such use.