Can You Take CBD While Breastfeeding?

Life after delivery is not as easy as people usually consider it. Once the baby is out of your body, you are not only supposed to carry it all the time but also be readily available whenever required, which is nothing less than 24 hours a day. There are justified reasons why the majority of nursing women suffer from postpartum depression and anxiety and even rely on pharmaceuticals for treatments. 

There has been a significant debate about the consumption of medical marijuana or cannabis products during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Though cannabis products are easily available from an online CBD store, people wonder if they should take those products while breastfeeding. 

While it is understandable why medical marijuana doctors don’t suggest consuming cannabis, can you take CBD while breastfeeding or pregnancy remains a mystery?

CBD and Breastfeeding: What Does Research Suggest?

Before starting a conversation around this topic, we believe it is extremely necessary to mention that anything that enters the bloodstream of a breastfeeding mother can enter the breast milk and thus can be transferred to the infant’s system. This is something that should be considered at all times a nursing mother consumes any debatable product or substance and is not limited to just cannabis or its compounds. 

The research and study about cannabis and breastfeeding majorly revolve around the potential effects of THC cannabinoids as that has a significant role to play when it comes to consuming the substance during breastfeeding. No specific attention has been given to the effects and impact of CBD alone in a nursing mother. 

As per the research, when a new mom consumes marijuana or marijuana-based product, the THC cannabinoid can stay for as long as six days in the system and can easily enter the infant through breast milk. So, the ‘pump and dump’ method may not be a great way to handle this situation. This is the reason why it is advised to not consume cannabis as a pregnant or new mom.

But there is no supporting evidence or research that specifically suggests ‘CBD is not good for new moms. Or if the cannabinoid was found in a significant amount in the breast milk samples that were tested.

However, this does not imply that nursing moms are safe to consume the cannabinoid as there is no evidence that suggests it did not or would not enter the infant’s system either. 

Is CBD Safe for Breastfeeding?

Consuming CBD while breastfeeding is not suggested by doctors as there is not enough research that would clarify the possible effects of CBD in infants. But there are a few points that need to be taken into consideration before claiming if it is a big no-no to consume the supplement while breastfeeding.

• Postpartum depression is as real as any other condition and to cope with symptoms women take antidepressants and sleeping pills which honestly can have adverse effects on both mother and the infant. This is something that cannot be ignored. CBD is generally considered a better, natural alternative to these pharmaceuticals.
• CBD is derived from hemp and not the cannabis plant. Hemp does not contain THC, the compound that is known for its psychoactive, intoxicating properties.
• inhaling and ingesting are not the only ways of consuming CBD. This suggests that mothers can use CBD in the form of topicals that won’t enter the bloodstream. A product that won’t enter the bloodstream won’t get a chance to enter the breast milk and hence there shall not be any transfer of the substance from mother to child. 

Now, the information we have provided above is factually correct, and very reliable research and study supports all these claims that we have made but, this information is applicable for the general public and not breastfeeding mothers specifically. This means that the studies have been conducted keeping in mind the compound and how it generally reacts to the animal and human body. The same information cannot be directly and completely applied to a pregnant or breastfeeding mother as there is a baby involved in this scenario that may get affected by the substance. And that is something none of us can ignore. 

Topical CBD While Breastfeeding

CBD for breastfeeding mothers may help them with their conditions but the risk of the substance entering the infant’s body is not yet known. So, by topically applying CBD breastfeeding moms can treat pain, which is also very common in new moms. Using a CBD topical product would ensure that the content won’t get absorbed into the bloodstream and would only bind with cannabinoid receptors present under the skin. However, it is obvious that topical CBD shall not be able to treat mental health issues and conditions such as postpartum stress, anxiety, and insomnia. This can be considered as a drawback of using CBD topicals as it may not be able to solve the problem that the majority of women face.

When Can You Start Consuming CBD?

Since the initial stage of the baby is crucial to build the infant’s immunity, it is often suggested to consider the health and safety of the baby before consuming literally anything and it is not restricted to just medication. So, even if a breastfeeding mother has to consume CBD for her own condition, it is highly recommended to start after at least six months of delivery. This would ensure that the baby’s body is somewhat safe from the outer world.

But, in the case of CBD topicals, since they are not entering the bloodstream, they can be used whenever the mother wants and as per the recommendations of a medical marijuana doctor.

Bottom Line

It won’t be wrong to say that there is no evidence that can prove CBD has any side effects in general. But when it comes to the life and health of a newborn, taking a risk just because there is ‘not enough evidence’ sounds irresponsible. So, while we say CBD is a better alternative to a number of pharmaceuticals that your doctor might be recommending to treat your conditions, we highly recommend talking to a reliable medical marijuana doctor so that they can help you understand how CBD shall work for you, personally.