Using CBD While Pregnant or Breastfeeding

cbd and pregnancy

UPDATED ON September 2, 2019

Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, however, it may come with some unpleasant symptoms. Expectant mothers should be careful in treating those symptoms because everything the mother touches, breathes in, and ingests will affect her unborn baby. After birth, the baby will be impacted by what the mother has consumed through breast milk. Research has shown that some medications, over-the-counter drugs, and illegal substances can negatively impact the fetus and baby. 

Benefits of CBD for Mothers

A 2010 study from the Society for Reproduction and Fertility concluded that CBD can be a muscle relaxant and can help mothers with contractions before childbirth. It’s also been reported by many women that it helps with nausea, anxiety, morning sickness, postpartum depression, and insomnia. But there’s been very little research on the effects of CBD on fetuses and babies drinking breast milk. There’s been more research on THC use and pregnancy.

THC

Regarding THC, the psychoactive component that makes people high that is can occur in CBD at levels from .3% (or three-tenths of 1%) all the way to 0%, there is research from the University of California San Diego that it’s unsafe for fetuses and babies breastfeeding. Researchers were able to find THC in 63% of the breast milk samples 6 days later. According to a study published on the National Institutes of Health, it’s likely that the levels found (an average of 9.5 nanograms of THC per milliliter) is enough to cause decreased motor function in 1-year-old infants.

Another study out of Australia studied 25,000 women who gave birth at a hospital. 2.6% of the women were using cannabis and their babies were associated with low birth weight, preterm labor, small size for gestational age, and more frequent admission to neonatal intensive care unit.

A study published in European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that baby’s brains can be negatively affected in that it can cause a dopamine imbalance which can increase the chance of depression, drug abuse, and schizophrenia. It should also be taken into consideration that THC strains have been increasing in potency over time which may increase the negative effects.

THC use may also reduce breast milk production by reducing the hormone prolactin, which has over 300 functions in the body, one of which is to help women produce milk. The study was published in Psychopharmacology.

Zero-THC CBD Hemp Oil

Many CBD products contain less than .3% THC, and there are CBD products with no THC. .3% THC isn’t enough to make an adult high, yet not enough research has been done to have a definitive answer as to how it will affect a fetus or newborn baby drinking breast milk. If you’re pregnant or nursing, using a CBD oil with 0% THC is a good option. Speak to your doctor to see if this is a good option for you.