Staying quit after pregnancy

Here are some simple tips to help you stay on track:

• Give yourself credit for being smoke and vape free.
• Think about the benefits - a healthier baby, better health for you, more energy, better taste and smell, and saving money.
• Remember how important it is to stay quit while breastfeeding or chest feeding.
• If you’ve had a slip-up, don’t be too hard on yourself. Read about managing slip-ups. Think about how far you’ve come and go back to your quit plan.
• Try ways to manage stress - like going for a walk, deep breathing, listening to music or a podcast, reading or gardening.
• Call Quitline for free, non-judgemental support.

Smoking and breastfeeding or chest feeding

Breast milk helps protect your baby from illness. But smoking can reduce the amount and quality of breast milk you produce. Harmful chemicals from tobacco smoke can also pass into your breast milk and affect your baby’s health.

Nicotine passed through breast milk can cause:

• Restlessness
• Trouble sleeping
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Fast heartbeat
• Changes to how their heart and body respond to stress

If you are struggling to quit:

• Don’t smoke before or during feeds
• Only smoke outside, and wear a special “smoking jacket” and hair cover – remove these before coming back inside
• Wash your face and hands before touching your baby

Even if you smoke, it’s still better to breastfeed than not, because your milk has nutrients and protection your baby needs.

But quitting is the best way to protect your baby. Smoking after your baby is born increases their risk of sudden infant death (SIDS), and they are more likely to get sick with things like asthma or ear infections.

Using NRT while breastfeeding or chest feeding

It’s best to stay smoke-free without using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Read more about NRT. But if cravings are too strong and leading you back to smoking, oral NRT like gum or lozenges is safer than smoking.

NRT has less nicotine than cigarettes and doesn’t contain the other harmful poisons. Talk to your doctor or health professional before using NRT to check it’s safe for you.