A study titled, “Breastfeeding and Smoking: Short-term Effects on Infant Feeding and Sleep,” appeared in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics.

The study was conducted at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. Fifteen mother-infant pairs were tested on two days a week apart. Mothers were asked to smoke on one test day and refrain from smoking on the other. For the next 3 and one-half hours, infants breastfed on request (demand). The researchers monitored sleep and activity patterns, milk intake, and nicotine content of the milk.

The authors reported no difference in breastmilk intake, despite changes in the taste of the milk. However, infants spent considerably less time sleeping during the hours immediately after their mothers smoked than when their mothers refrained from smoking - 53.4 minutes versus 84.5 minutes. The reduction was attributed to shortening of the longest sleep episode and lesser amounts of active and quiet sleep.

Because this is a small sample, more studies are needed, but given the widespread concern among parents over infant sleep patterns, the results might serve as a useful tool for motivating moms to stop smoking.