Drinking and smoking at 3 months postpartum by lactation history

Abstract

A spontaneous decrease in maternal drinking and smoking often occurs during pregnancy. The present study was conducted to determine if these lower levels of maternal drinking and smoking during pregnancy persist into the postpartum period, and if so, to determine if they are related to breastfeeding. Drinking and smoking were estimated in three cohorts of postpartum women who had been followed since pregnancy. The first group never breastfed their infants; the second group breastfed for less than 1 month; the third group breastfed for more than three months. (Women who weaned between one and three months were not studied). Drinking and smoking in all three groups decreased sharply during pregnancy but rose again in the 3 months after delivery, though not to levels that were reported before conception. Usual drinking in the third month postpartum did not differ significantly among the three lactation groups. However, women who were still nursing were less likely to report occasional episodes of heavy drinking (binges) in this month than women who had weaned early or never breastfed. Women nursing in the third month postpartum were also significantly less likely to smoke during the month; if smoking, they were less likely to smoke heavily. These differences in postpartum drinking and smoking were not due entirely to habits before conception or to the influence of other potentially confounding variables.

Postpartum and Alcohol-Related Factors Associated With the Relapse of Risky Drinking

“…This finding is consistent with a previous study that found that women who breast-fed were less likely to report heavy episodic drinking (Little et al, 1990). Possible explanations for this finding are that women who engage in risky drinking may choose not to breast-feed to avoid the potential transmission of alcohol to their child, or women drinkers may be less likely to breast-feed their child because of a potential effect of alcohol on lactation.…”

Maternal smoking and the risk of early weaning: a meta-analysis

“…Eight articles provided data sufficient to calculate odds ratios and their standard errors; for 5 others, the authors provided the necessary data.These 13 studies [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]29 composed the metaanalysis. Maternal smoking was assessed during the pregnancy in 7 studies and after delivery in 6 studies.All but 1 of the 13 studies were conducted in developed countries.…”

Alcohol and lactation: A systematic review

“…(evidence level-NHMRC III-2) investigated the relationship between levels of maternal smoking and drinking of 463 women at preconception, during pregnancy, and in the postpartum period. 8 Approximately 80% reported drinking some alcohol in the month before conception, with alcohol use dropping after conception, and only 40% of subjects reporting drinking in the last trimester. After delivery, drinking rose and by the end of the third month postpartum, 69% of the total sample reported some drinking, however, not to the level reported at preconception.…”

“…Little et al (1990) 8 Investigated levels of maternal drinking and smoking (n = 463) women prior to, during and post pregnancy. Women breastfeeding at three months postpartum reported less drinking, and less binge drinking than women who never breastfed or breastfed for less than one month.…”

“…3,5 Many studies report a reduced maternal alcohol intake during pregnancy and a return to prepregnancy levels, or at least higher intakes than during pregnancy, shortly following birth. [6][7][8] A report from the United States Institute of Medicine National Academy of Sciences concluded that alcohol consumption by lactating women in excess of 0.5 g/kg of maternal weight may be harmful to the infant, partly because of a potential reduction in milk volume. 9 Without giving specific recommendations, the American Academy of Pediatrics stated that alcohol intake is 'compatible with breastfeeding'.…”