breastfeeding and thc
It’s no secret that there is an increased curiosity surrounding the medicinal properties of the cannabis plant, and how it can be used to treat a number of ailments ranging from appetite loss to possibly stunting the growths of tumors. However, with the rise in curiosity, there is no doubt that there is a severe lack of understanding of human cannabis metabolism. In this blog, I will break down my own personal methods of consumption as well as debunk the concept that THC is somehow concentrated in breast milk.
During my pregnancy, I experienced Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). Many people are unaware of what HG even is, and many that have even a basic understanding of what it is, have a common misconception that the symptoms cease the moment after birth. Sadly, this is extremely false. In fact, according to the HER foundation, more than half of the women who experience Hyperemesis Gravidarum experience trauma-related symptoms, such as avoidance, numbing, hypervigilance, re-experiencing HG sensations, and being easily triggered by distressful reminders of HG. Nearly 20% of HG moms experience full-criteria Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
I personally struggled severely with not only my appetite but food aversions, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, as well as PPD and the onset of worsening BPD (borderline personality disorder) symptoms. It didn’t make sense to stop using the one medication that helped to alleviate some if not all of the symptoms I was experiencing postpartum. Or to trade it in for a pharmaceutical cocktail that would have either most certainly denied both my son AND myself the experience of breastfeeding, or I would have lacked extremely important education. In my position, I felt like a risk was being taken either way and so I went with the risks I was familiar with and most importantly, COMFORTABLE with. During my pregnancy, I consumed mainly tincture. I would take a few hits of a vaporizer to kill the initial need to toss my cookies, and when I felt able to, I would consume my dropper full of homemade tincture. This method was most effective for me and left me with the least amount of psychoactive effects while still giving me enough relief to function normally. Postpartum, however, things got more complicated in ways no one could have prepared me for.
I was no longer pregnant. Now I had to breastfeed my son round the clock while cooking meals for my husband that I, not only could not stand the smell of but couldn’t stomach. I had to be a mother after experiencing something like HG without fully understanding what I had just been through. I had to process some really extreme emotions that my body was physically reacting to in ways I have never experienced. I was losing myself in motherhood, and not in the ways you typically hear moms talk about on TikTok. I lost all of my baby weight in a matter of a few weeks. My body was eating itself to the point that I was losing chunks of hair. My skin was so inflamed from the number of psoriasis plaques that broke out all over my body from the sheer amount of stress that it would crack and bleed. When I would discuss my symptoms at my postpartum visits it was always,
”Have you considered antidepressants? Medications can help. What about Xanax? Oh, you’re breastfeeding? In the short term, you should be fine, it’s prolonged use where we see problems.”
The great thing about no longer being pregnant was the comfort of knowing that my son was born healthy and with no complications. If I had taken a big risk, that risk was behind me, and common sense told me that it wouldn’t be any MORE risky to use my medicine while breastfeeding. Upon doing a little bit of research, my mind was put even more at ease.
According to this small study, they tested the breastmilk of mothers who used cannabis regularly. What they found was that in an 8 oz bottle of breastmilk, there was only about 6.6 MICRO GRAMS of THC. That is a total daily dose of less than ONE-TENTH of a milligram. DAILY.
According to Dr. Thomas Hale, babies may be exposed to THC in breast milk in the first hour(s) after smoking, but they are not exposed to THC long-term. Any active THC they consume through breast milk is most likely quickly converted into inactive THC-COOH. In fact, Dr. Hale goes into great detail about THC, its metabolites, and how they are cleared quickly from human plasma. Generally, less than 60 minutes to be exact when smoked (which was my preferred method of consumption AFTER pregnancy as the tincture became quite pricy to make with inflation). They are THEN initially redistributed to highly vascular tissues such as the lungs, heart, and liver, with only 1% initially distributed to the brain.
The metabolites are THEN distributed to more fatty tissues, primarily adipose tissue, where they are completely broken down and metabolized to THC-COOH, the inactive metabolite. Breastmilk content reflects plasma content in real-time. This suggests that THC is cleared from breast milk in much of the same ways and in the same timeframe as THC is cleared from the bloodstream. It also suggests that THC might be difficult to detect in breast milk up to an hour after smoking. Any long-term storage of cannabis metabolites that MAY occur in breast tissue would be very low and exist in the form THC-COOH.
“But THC stores in fat, babies are full of fat.”
While it is true babies tend to be more on the fatty side, this does not actually increase the overall exposure to psychoactive THC, according to Dr. Thomas Hale. He goes on to further explain that it is more likely that most of the inactive THC-COOH is stored in the parent’s adipose tissue, not in the adipose tissue of the baby. He also states the importance of differentiating between adipose tissue and fat cells. Cannabis metabolites prefer adipose tissue but are not concentrated in particular fat cells (such as those found in breast tissue or breastmilk).
While THC is the primary psychoactive component in the cannabis plant, it is quickly converted into 11-OH-THC and then into the inactive metabolite THC-COOH, which is the primary metabolite used in detection even though it is not psychoactive, meaning it does not get you “high.”
Even if small amounts of THC-COOH are stored in babies’ adipose tissue, they are slowly metabolized and excreted through the urine. This would mean that the baby is not “stoned” during this metabolism process as the inactive metabolite is … inactive.
So what does this mean for breastfeeding?
Well, it means that much like any other medication, there is going to be evidence of its use found in both your bloodstream and breast milk at some point. However, like with other medications moms are encouraged to use while breastfeeding, this is not an indication that what is being transferred is impairing, only that a certain medication is being USED. As for the long-term effects of THC on baby, well that gets a little fuzzy. We lack clinical studies and research in a professional setting to be able to determine if there ARE any long-term negative side effects. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have a tone of self-accounts and historical evidence to help us form an educated opinion. It’s not a new trend for moms to use cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding despite what the media may push, it’s the conversation that’s new, and it’s HEAVILY stigmatized based on decades of fear-mongering and false information. The system has attempted to brainwash the masses into believing Cannabis is a recreational drug with no medicinal value. That it has no place being used for pregnancy-related illnesses such as Hyperemesis Gravidarum under the guide of the unknown. However, we KNOW that the pharmaceutical industry is corrupt. We have seen them cause harm single-handedly numerous times all throughout our history with little to no repercussions. We have SEEN scandal after scandal swept under the rug and the political tactics used to distract us and make us forget. The question is not whether or not Cannabis SHOULD be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding. But if it is SUITABLE to the individual needs and circumstances. And if it’s a suitable treatment, you should have the right to use it. If there’s no medical need, then save the tree. Because cannabis is more than a medicine but it IS a medicine FIRST. And we should respect it and treat it as such if we want it to be looked at as a valid medical treatment.
Sources/References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33469174/
DISCLAIMER:
All of the information you see here is based on my OWN research, experiences and opinions on such. I HIGHLY encourage everyone to do the same, which is why I am taking my time to provide these sources as best as I can to help you get started. Just because this information is not easy to find, and just because it’s not the first thing that pops up in a Google search, DOES NOT MEAN the information does not exist. IT’S RIGHT HERE!
Side Note:
This information is also aimed at mothers with a serious need for medical intervention during pregnancy. If you do not have a valid medical reason to rely on medication to ensure a healthy pregnancy, this information is not aimed at you and your opinion is not warranted PARTICULARLY if it is based on propaganda. Blessed be!
