I Smoked Marijuana While Pregnant and Breastfeeding

My pregnancy journey with the help of Marijuana
By Lemon Knowles

I Smoked Weed While Pregnant and Breastfeeding, Here is Why... from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

Before I jump right into the subject, let me give you a brief history on my relationship with marijuana. I met Mary Jane when I was in high school, the old-fashioned way where I was influenced by a peer. I barely remember what I felt the first time I tried it, but I remember I finishing a large bag of Ruffles potato chips so I must’ve been hungry.

Today, I smoke marijuana almost every day. I believe I am not addicted to the plant because I had no problem living without it when I worked in Japan for 4 years, several years back.

Now on to the topic: my pregnancy journey with marijuana. Before I started smoking during pregnancy, I spent a lot of time researching about the effects of marijuana use on expectant mothers. The information available on the internet on this subject is limited, and most American health associations discouraged the use of the drug during pregnancy. Their verdict was usually based on studies of marijuana users who were also exposed to alcohol and other drugs and it was inconclusive which substance has affected the subject. Other than the few American studies I found, I realized that the studies must have been so limited because marijuana is completely illegal. I also found one health related website that suggested that marijuana intake during pregnancy is advisable – only if it was suggested by your doctor.

Then I stumbled upon the research done in Jamaica, where they gathered data on the development of 59 Jamaican children from birth to age 5years whose mothers used marijuana during pregnancy. The result of the study showed no significant differences in developmental testing outcomes between children of marijuana-using and non-using mothers except at 30 days of age, when the babies of users had more favorable scores on autonomic stability and reflexes.

I thought real hard before I started taking marijuana after I found out I was pregnant, but I felt like my body needed it. I lost 10 pounds during the first trimester of my pregnancy because of morning sickness, and when I started to smoke marijuana, I was able to get my appetite back. I felt guilty when I lost weight because I felt like I wasn’t giving my baby the nutrients that were much needed from me. Once I started smoking regularly during my pregnancy again, my nausea and vomiting from morning sickness was much less and it felt good to finally be able to eat and keep food in.

Marijuana use also helped me a lot with my anxiety. Your body changes during pregnancy, and you are restricted from a lot of activities, it is impossible not to get stressed out. This is especially true for me since prior to my pregnancy I was living a lifestyle where I could do anything I wanted, I didn’t have a corporate 9 to 5 job anymore and each day was different and I loved it. I smoked marijuana around 4 days out of a week for the rest of my pregnancy but I did it in moderation compared to my usual intake because I was afraid, there was this “what if” at back of my mind. I took half to 1 bowl on days that I smoked marijuana, while on a regular day if I was not pregnant I usually smoke several bowls – at least three on average.

My baby is turning one-year-old in December, and she is perfectly healthy. I didn’t have any complications at all during my pregnancy; I delivered normal and we were both completely fine. In fact, my baby has not been sick at all since I gave birth to her. She is obviously happy AND healthy.

I breastfed until my baby was 6 months old, and I also smoked marijuana when I was breastfeeding too. I raised a lot of brows when friends found out that I smoked marijuana during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. People can be very judgmental and as much as possible, I keep that fact to myself. I do not encourage or discourage the use of marijuana during pregnancy. In the end, you know your body the best and should know what is best for you. In my case, I ate healthy and smoked marijuana during pregnancy, and I would do it all over again if I get pregnant again in the future.

I Smoked Cannabis while Pregnant and Breastfeeding