Breast feeding is associated with postpartum smoking abstinence among women who quit smoking due to pregnancy

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to characterize the relationship between breast feeding and postpartum smoking abstinence among women who quit smoking due to pregnancy and who were participating in a randomized clinical trial of an intervention designed to prevent postpartum relapse. Methods:A total of 251 women were enrolled in the intervention between 30 and 33 weeks postpartum and were followed through 26 weeks postpartum. Participant characteristics were assessed at the prepartum baseline visit, any breast feeding was assessed at 8 weeks postpartum, and smoking abstinence was assessed at 8 and 26 weeks postpartum.Results: Although 79.1% of participants intended to breast feed, only 40.2% reported breast feeding at 8 weeks postpartum. Characteristics associated with breast feeding at 8 weeks postpartum included Caucasian race/ethnicity, greater education, higher household income, and being married/living with a significant other. Logistic regression analysis indicated that breast feeding at 8 weeks postpartum was significantly associated with smoking abstinence at 8 weeks postpartum, odds ratio (OR) = 7.27 (95% CI = 3.27, 16.13), p < .001. Breast feeding at 8 weeks postpartum was also associated with abstinence at 26 weeks postpartum after controlling for smoking status at 8 weeks postpartum, OR = 2.64 (95% CI = 1.14, 6.10), p = .02.Discussion: Encouraging breast feeding among women who quit smoking due to pregnancy may facilitate postpartum smoking abstinence while increasing adherence to current infant feeding guidelines. Original InvestigationBreast feeding is associated with postpartum smoking abstinence among women who quit smoking due to pregnancy

Benefits of Incentives for Breastfeeding and Smoking cessation in pregnancy (BIBS): a mixed-methods study to inform trial design

“…For behaviour maintenance, there is a need to tailor support to tie into 'pivotal points' (the times when support is most needed), such as the early days after birth, stressful situations, social events and return to work. 288 It could be argued that this supports the findings that smoking and breastfeeding are not independent behaviours and/or outcomes [68][69][70] but rather are bound up in the complexity of women's everyday lives. Rather than applying an individually targeted incentive programme there may be merit in applying ecological and systems approaches to behaviour change, 19,292 thus pointing to the potential for complex interventions to address multiple behaviours.…”

“…[68][69][70] Women who quit smoking in pregnancy and who breastfeed are more likely to abstain from smoking post partum for up to 12 months, 69,70 and data from incentive intervention studies suggest a causal relationship between stopping smoking and increased breastfeeding duration. 68 UK data (2009/10) report that 41.5% of non-smoking mothers exclusively breastfed their babies at 10-14 days compared with 13.6% of mothers who smoked, with a similar pattern observed for partial breastfeeding rates and across maternal age groups and deprivation categories.…”

Progesterone and Postpartum Smoking Relapse: A Pilot Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Trial

“…Although the reasoning behind breastfeeding supporting substance abstinence is not completely understood, some hypotheses include more maternal bonding and personal investment in baby's health, or more time spent with baby equals less time spent smoking. 54 Breastfeeding has been highly associated with postpartum cigarette abstinence and duration of breastfeeding is proven to positively correlate with duration of smoking abstinence. 55,56 This warrants further study.…”

A Comparison of Parents of Healthy Versus Sick Neonates: Is There a Difference in Readiness and/or Success in Quitting Smoking?

“…In a randomized-controlled trial (RCT) of 251 women, breastfeeding at 8 weeks postpartum was significantly associated with smoking abstinence (odds ratio 5 7.27 (95% confidence interval 5 3.27, 16.13), P , .001). 17 Similarly, in a smaller RCT of 54 women, Collins et al found that maternal smokers who remained abstinent were more likely to initiate breastfeeding postpartum. 7 In another RCT of 54 mothers of infants in the NICU, breastfeeding and maintenance of smoking cessation were both improved when mother-infant bonding was encouraged in the first 8 weeks postpartum.…”