Overview

If you are breastfeeding, many things that you eat, drink, or take into your body end up in your breast milk and may harm your baby.

• Tobacco. Smoking cigarettes, vaping, or chewing tobacco may reduce your milk production. It also may make your baby fussy. Babies who are exposed to second-hand smoke are at increased risk for many problems, including ear infections, asthma, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). While you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should not smoke, vape, or be around those who do. If you smoke or vape, do so as little as possible. To give your baby the least exposure to the smoke or vapour, smoke or vape outside and right after you have breastfed.
• Alcohol. If you drink a lot of alcohol, it can cause a lack of energy and other health problems for your baby. It can also get in the way of your ability to feed and care for your baby. There isn't a lot of research about exactly how much alcohol can harm a baby. Having no alcohol is the safest choice for your baby. If you choose to have a drink now and then, have only one drink, and limit the number of occasions that you have a drink. Avoid breastfeeding or pumping milk right after you have a drink. Your body needs time to clear some of the alcohol from your system. It's a good idea to pump or express milk before you drink any alcohol. You can use that milk to feed your baby if you've been drinking.
• Drugs. You can pass drugs in some amount to your baby through your breast milk. Drug use can cause harm to your baby, such as a lack of energy, intoxication, hyperactivity, or other health problems. Drug use can also cause poor milk let-down and get in the way of caring for your baby. If you are not able to stop using harmful substances and drugs, the safest option is not to breastfeed.
  Using these drugs can create an unsafe environment for your baby. Exposure to even a tiny amount of any drugs, including ecstasy, methamphetamines, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, can make your baby very sick or cause death. Exposure can happen in different ways, including being exposed through breastfeeding or breastmilk; transferring from hands or skin to a baby or child’s body, bottles, toys, and other items; or accidentally eating or touching drugs. Babies and children are in contact with their caregivers and everything in their environment, so exposure can also happen in many places, like in your home and other homes, in vehicles, and in public places.
  Keep all drugs and drug-related items, like bongs, pipes, lighters, needles, spoons, and fentanyl patches, locked up, out of sight, and out of reach of children. Anyone who comes in contact with drugs or drug-related items should wash their hands and change their clothes before handling or feeding a baby or child or touching toys or other items.