Can I breast feed my baby if I used drugs such as cocaine and marijuana when I was pregnant or in the past?
Yes. You can breast feed if you used these drugs before the birth of your baby. It must be clear that your baby’s health is the top priority and that you are no longer using these drugs. You can work with the health care givers who are caring for your baby. They may advise you to enroll in a drug treatment program.

Can the use of cocaine before I deliver my baby affect my breast milk?
Yes. Most drugs stay in the breast milk for many days, or even weeks, after delivery. Talk to your health care givers about your concerns. You may be advised to express your breast milk and discard it until the drug is no longer present in it.

Will cocaine affect my breast milk?
Yes. Cocaine is found in breast milk up to 2½ to 3 days after use. It is passed to your baby during breast feeding. When a baby breast feeds from a mother who uses cocaine the baby might have:

• Sudden onset of vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Irritability.
• Poor response to light and inability to focus eyes.
• Trembling of arms and legs.
• High-pitched cry.
• Seizures.
• Strokes (bleeding in the brain).
• A 5 to 10-times greater chance of crib death (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS).

We believe that breast milk is best for babies. But if you are still using cocaine, you should not breast feed your baby.*

Will marijuana affect my breast milk?
Yes. Large amounts of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, have been found in the breast milk of mothers who use the drug. There are some reports that babies are very drowsy when the drug is used by their mothers.

Will heroin, amphetamines and PCP affect my breast milk ?
Mothers who use heroin should not breast feed. It can cause addiction and withdrawal in babies. Amphetamines not prescribed by a doctor for health problems should not be used while breast feeding.

Mothers who use PCP should not breast feed. PCP remains in the breast milk for long periods of time.

Can I still breast feed if I am taking methadone?
If you are taking low doses of methadone (80 mg or less in 24 hours), you can breast feed. With higher doses, the health care team will decide if breast feeding is safe.

What drugs can I take if I am going to breast feed my baby?
You should not use any drugs when you are breast feeding your baby unless you have the approval of your baby’s doctor. Ask your health care giver about any storebought or prescription medicines you are taking while you are breast feeding. Most of these can be taken while breast feeding.