Breastfeeding while on drugs and alcohol
August 21, 2006 – 10:19 amby Darren
I have a true story of an acquaintance of mine who breast feeds her kid while she drinks and smokes pot. The custom didn’t just start one day and end quickly. Instead, it’s gone on for years! No matter how much you might try and reason with her, she insists that all of her “studies” have led her to believe that the bad elements of her consumption can’t be passed on to her child.
It’s bad enough we’re dealing with an issue that’s controversial, but on top of it, she’s a belligerent breast feeder. She won’t quit no matter what. And as we all know, there’s no “rules” on exactly when a woman a should quit breast feeding her baby. The most common advice I’ve seen is they’ll quit “when they’re both ready”. Well it’s been a few years now, and the little angel is quitting, and I think I know why.
I’m sure you’ve been around someone breast feeding their kid before. If you’re a man, you just have to “play it cool” and act like you don’t notice the kid slide under the woman’s shirt and start the slurping sounds. In reality, I can’t help feeling a bit uneasy. I keep hoping not to look over, but the sounds make you veer your head in the natural direction. But not only did I get bothered by the actual act of the breast feeding. I started to notice something: the kid looked drunk when we was done!
Now I know this is probably an exageration but when the little bugger finally comes up for air, he has a genuinely wasted look on his face. That’s why he never wants to quit breast feeding. To do so would mean he’d have to ‘go sober’.
I know others have tried to talk to her about this issue. One even called the Child Services on her, but it didn’t change her attitude. To her, breast feeding is completely natural, and can’t hurt the child, no matter what the mother ingest.
What are your feelings on this subject? Don’t you feel the mother has an extra responsibility to stay sober when breast feeding?
8 Responses to “Breastfeeding while on drugs and alcohol”
That’s totally insane! The poor child is most definitely already an addict. Just think about the withdrawals that this child is going to go through when he has to attend school. He’ll be branded with a behavior problem and will most likely end up on the ADHD list and be put on yet more drugs!!! Not to mention that the child may have or will have some brain damage from the constant diet of alcohol and drugs…..along with possible developmental problems too. Why is this child still in her care if childrens services were involved?
By Nova on Aug 21, 2006
I think they came out, she lied, and they went away.
I’ll be honest, I haven’t talked to her for months, because I think it’s ridiculous. I try not to be judgmental, but come on, you know that doesn’t work when you see this.
By Darren on Aug 21, 2006
Totally insane. As an expectant mom the thought of a women doing that to her child makes me sick. It has been proven that virtually everthing a women puts in her body while breastfeeding will be passed to the child. I am glad that my family and I places the health of my baby first. All the ones that do smoke cigarettes do so outdoors only, and never around me. Infact both my mom and my husband has cut down from 2 packs a day to 10 cigarettes a day. They plan to be totally off of them in about a month. I wont even allow myself or my child to be around cigarette smoke.
By fallen angel on Aug 21, 2006
Yes, parents absolutely have a responsibility to provide good nutrition for their children, be it breast milk or table food. This woman knows better, but I think it somehow salves her guilt about what she’s doing. She shouldn’t be taking drugs around her children or excessively drinking anyway. By breast feeding she can convince herself that she’s being a good mommy so she doesn’t have to address her own issues. I’m sure she wouldn’t serve food them food seasoned with marijuana or put vodka in their juice cups. It’s a very sad situation, but until she comes to grips with her problems, it probably won’t change.
By Rhonda on Aug 21, 2006
Rhonda,
You hit the nail on the head, I think. She is convinced she’s a great mother and that the breast milk is super-premium organic baby food. But she doesn’t think her actions affect the quality of the breast milk.
I’m sure she’s not alone in this category.
By Darren on Aug 22, 2006
O my goodness!! That makes me MAD! I bf my son and I would never do something like that! Of course he gets what I take into my body! About 6 weeks ago I had an orange soft drink. I did not realize till after that it had caffiene in it. My son usually goes to bed at 9 pm. He stayed up till 12:30 am! It did not have that much caffiene in it, AND I didnt even drink the whole thing! I really doubt she thinks that what she does will not effect her child. She just does not CARE! She is an adict and cares more for herself than her child. She may try to convice everyone else that she is doing whats best b/c she is really trying to convince herself.
By Megan on Aug 22, 2006
Sadly, I’m sure she’s not.
By Rhonda on Aug 22, 2006
I have an acquaintance that is 7 months pregnant right now and is smoking and drinking during her pregnancy. She is absolutely convinced she is doing the “right thing” by NOT quitting because according to her, quitting cigs while pregnant would “stress the baby too much”. Yeah, probably not as much as smoking does. I really hope her baby is okay, but no one will know for sure until she delivers.
By Spectra on Aug 23, 2006