It's important to breastfeed your baby if you smoke.
Worried that you shouldn’t breastfeed if you smoke or vape? Breastfeeding is still the safest option for your baby. Here’s why.
If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or caring for a young baby, it’s best not to smoke or vape. But if you can’t stop, breastfeeding is still recommended.1,2
Breastfeeding helps protect your baby from the harmful effects of smoking.3,4 Babies exposed to cigarette smoke or vapour have a higher risk of chest and ear infections, asthma and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).5 Breastmilk contains important factors that help babies fight these illnesses.
Is vaping safer for my baby than smoking?
Some women vape because they are trying to quit smoking or believe it’s safer for their baby than cigarettes, but these claims aren't supported by research.
Vapes (e-cigarettes) are known to be harmful. They often contain nicotine (even when labelled ‘nicotine-free’) and many other toxic substances that can cause cancer in users.6,7 Babies may be exposed to these chemicals in their surroundings or through their mum's breastmilk, and we don't yet know how this may impact their health.
If you smoke or vape
There are ways to breastfeed so your baby gets less nicotine from your milk. The following tips apply to vaping as well as smoking.
Breastfeed first, then smoke
Nicotine levels in your breastmilk drop over time after you smoke. About 1½ hours after a cigarette, the amount of nicotine in your milk is about half what it was right after smoking.8,9 If you can avoid smoking when your baby may need to feed soon, they’ll get less nicotine from your milk.
Other tips to reduce harm for your baby
- Keep your home and car smoke-free and vape-free. Don’t let anyone smoke or vape near your baby.
- Never smoke where your baby sleeps and don’t sleep on the same surface as your baby.10
- Cover up and clean up. Chemicals stick to your clothes, hair, and skin so do what you can to reduce this. For example, change your outer clothes, wash your face and hands and brush your teeth before you hold your baby.
Thinking about quitting?
Quitting smoking or vaping at any time during pregnancy or breastfeeding will give your baby a healthier start in life.
There are different ways to help you quit. Visit www.quitnow.gov.au or talk to your doctor. Let them know you’re breastfeeding so they can help you choose the safest option.
- Some people use nicotine patches. If you use low milligram (i.e. 7 mg or 14 mg instead of 21 mg) nicotine patches and don’t smoke, you’ll have less nicotine in your breastmilk.11 Don’t smoke or vape when using nicotine patches and follow the guidelines for the product you are using.
- If you are using nicotine gum, breastfeed first then chew the gum after so there is less nicotine in your breast milk.
- If you’re thinking about using a vape to quit smoking, you’ll need to talk to your doctor or pharmacist first. Vapes are not risk-free and are not recommended as the first option for quitting.12 You’ll need a prescription from your doctor to use nicotine vapes to help quit.
- Dorea J. G. (2007). Maternal smoking and infant feeding: Breastfeeding is better and safer. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 11(3), 287–291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-006-0172-1
- National Health and Medical Research Council. (2012). Infant Feeding Guidelines: Information for health workers. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/infant-feeding-guidelines-information-health-workers
- Hauck, F. R., Thompson, J. M., Tanabe, K. O., Moon, R. Y. & Vennemann, M. M. (2011). Breastfeeding and reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome: A meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 128(1), 103–110. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-3000
- Ip, S., Chung, M., Raman, G., Chew, P., Magula, N., DeVine, D., Trikalinos, T., & Lau, J. (2007). Breastfeeding and maternal and infant health outcomes in developed countries. Evidence Reports/Technology Assessments, 153, 1–186. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK38337/
- Australian Government Department of Health. (2024). Children and smoking, vaping and tobacco. https://www.health.gov.au/topics/smoking-vaping-and-tobacco/audiences/children?language=en
- Stewart, B. W., Marshall, H., Bonevski, B., Griffin, H. J., Hopkins, A. M., Itchins, M., ... & Sitas, F. (2026). The carcinogenicity of e-cigarettes: A qualitative risk assessment. Carcinogenesis, 47(1), bgag015. https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgag015
- NHMRC CEO Statement Summary on Electronic Cigarettes. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/all-topics/electronic-cigarettes/ceo-statement-summary
- Dahlström, A., Ebersjö, C., & Lundell, B. (2004). Nicotine exposure in breastfed infants. Acta Paediatrica, 93(6), 810–816. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2004.tb03023.x
- Luck, W. & Nau, H. (1984). Nicotine and cotinine concentrations in serum and milk of nursing smokers. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 18(1), 9–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.1984.tb05014.x
- Red Nose Australia. (2024). Safe Sleeping. https://rednose.org.au/resources/safe-sleeping/
- Ilett, K. F., Hale, T. W., Page-Sharp, M., Kristensen, J. H., Kohan, R. & Hackett, L. P. (2003). Use of nicotine patches in breast-feeding mothers: Transfer of nicotine and cotinine into human milk. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 74(6), 516–524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clpt.2003.08.003
- Australian Government Department of Health. (2024). Vapes: Information for individuals and patients. Therapeutic Goods Administration. https://www.tga.gov.au/products/unapproved-therapeutic-goods/vaping-hub/vapes-information-individuals-and-patients
The information on this website does not replace advice from your health care providers.
© Australian Breastfeeding Association April 2026
