Cannabis & Motherhood -

It’s no secret that the drugs OB’s prescribe pregnant women can cause birth defects, but did you know that about 30% of babies whose mothers take antidepressants/SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) will experience neonatal adaptation syndrome, which can cause increased jitteriness, irritability and respiratory distress (difficulty breathing), among other symptoms.

Doctors aren’t sure whether this effect is due to the baby’s withdrawal from the SSRI after birth or exposure to the drug itself before birth.

Now, what about alternative medicines? What if, instead of Zofran (which is known to cause birth defects, including cleft palate and heart defects), plant medicine was used for morning sickness? What if, instead of fentanyl drips down your spine, you were able to smoke a joint or consume an edible?

Did you even know there are risks from epidurals that can cause lifelong complications and chronic pain? They don’t tell you that when you’re in your most vulnerable state, in an immense amount of pain, and looking for anything to take the edge off.

In fact, epidurals have been known to cause long term complications, such as:

Permanent neurologic deficit due to spinal cord or nerve root damage from the epidural injection.
Chronic pain due to due to spinal cord or nerve root damage from the epidural injection.
Permanent paralysis from a hematoma that occurs when there’s a buildup of blood between the dura mater and the spinal cord.

Not only that, but the epidural (and the other drugs given during labor such as pitocin and narcotics) hinder the bond of mother and baby.

According to Evidence Based Birth:

Researchers have theorized that there’s a couple different ways that epidurals could theoretically affect breastfeeding.

First, the medications cross the placenta and could potentially affect the newborn’s ability to suck and latch onto the breast.

Second, the medications could lead to the mother developing a fever during labor. Fevers in the mother are linked to lower Apgar scores in the baby, and potentially more health problems in the newborn that could make breastfeeding more difficult for the baby.

Third, the medications could potentially influence the mother’s hormones, which may impact breastfeeding.

Fourth, epidurals are linked to higher rates of vacuum and forceps delivery, which could impact breastfeeding because often those mothers need to have more stitches done down there after the vacuum or forceps, and because they’re having to have that repair done of their perineum, that might delay breastfeeding or skin to skin contact in some cases. Or the baby may have head or neck bruising that makes it more difficult for them to breastfeed.

Another potential link are the longer second stages of labor- the longer pushing phases that we see with an epidural. This could potentially tire the mother and baby and make it more difficult for them to breastfeed.

Finally, IV fluids are given in higher amounts when you have an epidural. They give the IV fluids to help keep your blood pressure up because low blood pressure is a side effect of the epidural. Having excessive IV fluids during labor could lead to painful breast swelling after the birth, also known as engorgement, or edema, a more severe form where you have extremely swollen breasts. This can make it more difficult for you to breastfeed your baby.

Also, IV fluids given during labor mean that the baby’s going to be born with a little bit extra fluid onboard, and when the baby urinates off that fluid or pees off that fluid, healthcare professionals might think the baby is losing weight and they might recommend formula, which might then influence the breastfeeding relationship.

Now that we’ve talked about whats “normally given” during pregnancy and labor, let’s dive into the alternative: plant medicine.

Cannabis in pregnancy

In the United States and in most countries around the world, cannabis is illegal. Still, according to recent data from the U.S., more than 25 million people reported past month cannabis use, easily outpacing the number of current cocaine (2.2 million) and heroin users (494,000).

11 states in the United States have legalized adult cannabis use, while 33 states now allow medical use of the plant. As a result of these recent developments, increased concerns have been raised about cannabis use by pregnant individuals and the impact it may have on the developing fetus.

Indeed, cannabis is the most frequently used “illicit substance” by reproductive aged women in the U.S.

Unfortunately, across the United States, children and their parents routinely face separation and other forms of punishment due to legal and medical policies around prenatal cannabis exposure, and the notion that cannabis use during pregnancy may harm children’s development.

But, according to a review of research to date, there’s no evidence to support this belief about cannabis, nor the inarguably harmful policies which rely on it.

After nearly six years of comparing study results, researchers at Columbia University, the New York State Psychiatric Institute, and Swinburne University have found that prenatal cannabis exposure does not lead to cognitive impairment in children, based on data from decades’ worth of studies on this issue.

Information from a Washington State University summarized by Science Daily indicated that:

“Participants reported using marijuana as a way to manage their health issues, from physical issues such as nausea, pain, and difficulty sleeping to psychological issues such as stress, anxiety, and trauma. Many made this decision not just for themselves, but also for their baby.”

And that:

“Many carefully weighed their decision to continue marijuana use during pregnancy and reevaluated their use through each phase of the pregnancy and after giving birth. One common reason why they used marijuana was to avoid using other medications they felt were more harmful to their baby, such as opioids, anti-nausea drugs, and anti-psychotic medications.”

As medical marijuana becomes more readily available, it has become an increasingly popular option for the treatment of nausea and morning sickness during pregnancy. A study of expectant mothers in Hawaii showed that some 21% reported severe nausea during pregnancy, and that those suffering from nausea were nearly twice as likely to use marijuana during pregnancy.

A similar small-scale study from British Columbia indicated that more than two-thirds of female medical marijuana users continued their therapies during pregnancy, and those who experienced morning sickness rated cannabis as “effective to extremely effective” for controlling symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.

Denver Health reports that some 70% of Colorado dispensaries recommended cannabis products for morning sickness.

Cannabis use while breastfeeding

The Endocannabinoids in Breast Milk

Are cannabinoids naturally found in breast milk? Yes. Breast milk contains endocannabinoids.

Endocannabinoids are neurotransmitters that are naturally produced in the body and vital for fetal development. However, these compounds are not the same as the cannabinoids that you’ll find in marijuana. The endocannabinoid system and their receptors are vital during prenatal development and after childbirth. Not many people are aware that there are natural cannabinoids in the breast milk or the important role they play in development, but these cannabinoids are very different from the cannabinoids in cannabis.

There are two cannabinoid receptors, deemed CB1 and CB2. CB1 is predominant in the central nervous system but is also present in the liver, the uterus, the prostate, and the cardiovascular system. In comparison, the CB2 receptors are most commonly found in the immune cells.

The most predominantly abundant cannabinoid surveyed in breast milk is known as 2-arachidonoylglycerol or 2-AG. This is the endocannabinoid that’s also responsible for stimulating the same cell receptors that THC does. 2-AG is the endocannabinoid that plays a vital role in keeping newborn infants alive since it’s the one that’s responsible for the tongue muscles and suckling response. The CB1 receptors in the brain are what controls both of these functions. A baby could develop a disease known as non-organic ability to thrive, without these endocannabinoids. This type of condition occurs when a baby is not able to eat enough food to grow and thrive.

Phytocannabinoids, however, are the cannabinoids found in marijuana plants. The phyto in phytocannabinoids means plant. While phytocannabinoids and endocannabinoids have a chemical structure that’s similar, it’s not the same. The endo in endocannabinoids means naturally occurring. Unlike endocannabinoids, phytocannabinoids are not vital for human development. The endocannabinoid system in the human body is very involved in terms of emotional responses, cognition, motor control, and regulating brain development.

Although much is known, there is still a lot to understand about the relationship between cannabinoids and breast milk.

One of the main characteristics of cannabinoids is that it easily attaches to fat. This is why it effortlessly combines with the abundantly-fatty breast milk. Knowing this, there is some interest in what would happen if a lactating female were exposed to additional cannabis levels.

If exposure were higher during the lactation period, would there be a transmission of the cannabis components to the newborn child? Scientists are still trying to uncover this answer; however, it has been challenging to separate the fats and cannabinoids.

A method called saponification has helped to expose some answers. Saponification is a process that has assisted in isolating the cannabinoids, thereby revealing its presence in the mother’s milk.

The outcome showed that various parts of the cannabis plant, including THC, were found in the milk. Additional findings suggest that cannabinoids in milk may decrease a child’s vulnerability to the psychoactive effects compared to the impact on adults.

Unfortunately, while endocannabinoids are naturally found in breast milk, they are not found in baby formula, which may cause some women to reconsider bottle feeding.

Overall, it’s ideal to come to your own informed decision on things like this where the science just isn’t sufficient enough for a definite answer.

Below I’ll provide links to more resources where you can research more in depth yourself, if you’d like.

My biggest piece of advice while researching, don’t use Google! Use DuckDuckGo, as it’s less biased towards “Big Pharma” and focuses more on the science backed evidence.

References

Evidence Based Birth

Forbes

Frontiers

CannaMD

JamaNetwork

American Journal of Obstetric Gynecology

Prenatal Marijuana Exposure and Neonatal Outcomes in Jamaica: An Ethnographic Study

Five-year follow-up of rural Jamaican children whose mothers used marijuana during pregnancy

Drugs.com

CannabisCure

Cannabis & Motherhood

Doctors aren’t sure whether this effect is due to the baby’s withdrawal from the SSRI after birth or exposure to the drug itself before birth.

Now, what about alternative medicines? What if, instead of Zofran (which is known to cause birth defects, including cleft palate and heart defects), plant medicine was used for morning sickness? What if, instead of fentanyl drips down your spine, you were able to smoke a joint or consume an edible?

Did you even know there are risks from epidurals that can cause lifelong complications and chronic pain? They don’t tell you that when you’re in your most vulnerable state, in an immense amount of pain, and looking for anything to take the edge off.

In fact, epidurals have been known to cause long term complications, such as:

Permanent neurologic deficit due to spinal cord or nerve root damage from the epidural injection.

Chronic pain due to due to spinal cord or nerve root damage from the epidural injection.

Permanent paralysis from a hematoma that occurs when there’s a buildup of blood between the dura mater and the spinal cord.

Not only that, but the epidural (and the other drugs given during labor such as pitocin and narcotics) hinder the bond of mother and baby.

According to Evidence Based Birth:

Researchers have theorized that there’s a couple different ways that epidurals could theoretically affect breastfeeding.

First, the medications cross the placenta and could potentially affect the newborn’s ability to suck and latch onto the breast.

Second, the medications could lead to the mother developing a fever during labor. Fevers in the mother are linked to lower Apgar scores in the baby, and potentially more health problems in the newborn that could make breastfeeding more difficult for the baby.

Third, the medications could potentially influence the mother’s hormones, which may impact breastfeeding.

Another potential link are the longer second stages of labor- the longer pushing phases that we see with an epidural. This could potentially tire the mother and baby and make it more difficult for them to breastfeed.

Now that we’ve talked about whats “normally given” during pregnancy and labor, let’s dive into the alternative: plant medicine.

Cannabis in pregnancy

In the United States and in most countries around the world, cannabis is illegal. Still, according to recent data from the U.S., more than 25 million people reported past month cannabis use, easily outpacing the number of current cocaine (2.2 million) and heroin users (494,000).

11 states in the United States have legalized adult cannabis use, while 33 states now allow medical use of the plant. As a result of these recent developments, increased concerns have been raised about cannabis use by pregnant individuals and the impact it may have on the developing fetus.

Indeed, cannabis is the most frequently used “illicit substance” by reproductive aged women in the U.S.

Unfortunately, across the United States, children and their parents routinely face separation and other forms of punishment due to legal and medical policies around prenatal cannabis exposure, and the notion that cannabis use during pregnancy may harm children’s development.

But, according to a review of research to date, there’s no evidence to support this belief about cannabis, nor the inarguably harmful policies which rely on it.

Information from a Washington State University summarized by Science Daily indicated that:

And that:

Denver Health reports that some 70% of Colorado dispensaries recommended cannabis products for morning sickness.

Cannabis use while breastfeeding

The Endocannabinoids in Breast Milk

Are cannabinoids naturally found in breast milk? Yes. Breast milk contains endocannabinoids.

There are two cannabinoid receptors, deemed CB1 and CB2. CB1 is predominant in the central nervous system but is also present in the liver, the uterus, the prostate, and the cardiovascular system. In comparison, the CB2 receptors are most commonly found in the immune cells.

Although much is known, there is still a lot to understand about the relationship between cannabinoids and breast milk.

One of the main characteristics of cannabinoids is that it easily attaches to fat. This is why it effortlessly combines with the abundantly-fatty breast milk. Knowing this, there is some interest in what would happen if a lactating female were exposed to additional cannabis levels.

If exposure were higher during the lactation period, would there be a transmission of the cannabis components to the newborn child? Scientists are still trying to uncover this answer; however, it has been challenging to separate the fats and cannabinoids.

A method called saponification has helped to expose some answers. Saponification is a process that has assisted in isolating the cannabinoids, thereby revealing its presence in the mother’s milk.

The outcome showed that various parts of the cannabis plant, including THC, were found in the milk. Additional findings suggest that cannabinoids in milk may decrease a child’s vulnerability to the psychoactive effects compared to the impact on adults.

Unfortunately, while endocannabinoids are naturally found in breast milk, they are not found in baby formula, which may cause some women to reconsider bottle feeding.

Overall, it’s ideal to come to your own informed decision on things like this where the science just isn’t sufficient enough for a definite answer.

Below I’ll provide links to more resources where you can research more in depth yourself, if you’d like.

My biggest piece of advice while researching, don’t use Google! Use DuckDuckGo, as it’s less biased towards “Big Pharma” and focuses more on the science backed evidence.

References