CBD oil has many great health benefits, including stress and pain relief, relaxation, and a better night’s sleep. CBD oil is also an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties.
In this article, we’ll dive into how CBD oil, hemp, and cannabis can affect a pregnant woman and her baby, as well as CBD oil’s potential effects on breastfeeding mothers. By the end, you’ll know everything you need to know about taking CBD oil while pregnant or breastfeeding.
What are the benefits of CBD oil while pregnant or breastfeeding?
There are plenty of reasons why a woman might want to take CBD oil while pregnant or breastfeeding. Taking CBD oil or supplements has been shown to help alleviate some of the worst symptoms felt by pregnant mothers. CBD can help mitigate anxiety, postpartum depression, morning sickness, insomnia, and chronic pain, all of which are potential side effects of being pregnant or of recently giving birth.
CBD (cannabidiol) acts as an analgesic (pain relief), as well as having anti-inflammatory properties. It’s also an antioxidant and has been shown to relieve anxiety and stress. Furthermore, CBD has been shown to help decrease muscle spasms and mood swings, both of which are common in pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.
Here’s a list of the benefits for CBD and pregnancy and CBD and breastfeeding:
CBD and Pregnancy
A lot of people are asking if is it safe to take CBD oil while pregnant? Being pregnant can be one of the most stressful times in a woman’s life. As the body undergoes massive hormonal and physical changes, it can leave a lot of mothers feeling uncomfortable, in pain, and even depressed.
Not only that, but the anxiety that comes with choosing what or what not to put into your body can make a lot of women feel stressed and paranoid that they will ingest something that could potentially harm their baby or hinder its development.
There is plenty of fear surrounding the use of cannabinoids before, during, and after pregnancy, but is it justified? A lot of the negative press around cannabinoids and pregnancy comes from studies on smoking marijuana and its effects on pregnancy, not on CBD and pregnancy.
Studies have found that smoking marijuana and ingesting THC can negatively impact both men’s and women’s fertility levels. THC has been shown to negatively impact male’s sperm motility (ability to move) as well as having negative effects on the baby’s development in the female uterus, including low birth weight, premature birth, small head circumference, and small length.
However, these negative effects are exclusively linked to smoking marijuana. Taking CBD oil either topically or sublingually (under the tongue) has been shown to increase a woman’s chances of conception.
A lot of people are don’t know if CBD oil affects getting pregnant or not and are justifiably worried. Recent studies on CBD and pregnancy have shown that CBD can positively affect implantation, ovulation, and even reduce the chances of a miscarriage.
CBD can also help mothers during the physical act of giving birth. A recent study at the University of Ireland Galway found that CBD is effective in reducing uterine contractions during labor and delivery. So another way CBD and pregnancy is a good combination is that CBD helps ease the pain during delivery.
CBD and Breastfeeding
Another common question is if CBD oil is safe while breastfeeding. Even after a woman gives birth, it’s still extremely important to regulate what she does or doesn’t put in her body, especially if she is breastfeeding. Because a woman passes nutrients, compounds, and ingredients of what she ingests through her breastmilk to her baby, it’s vital to know what’s safe and what’s not.
Numerous studies on CBD and breastfeeding have shown that cannabinoids are already present naturally in women’s breastmilk. Even if a mother isn’t taking CBD oil, her body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS) turns out to be an integral system involved in the baby’s development.
While most studies on nursing mothers and marijuana have focused mainly on THC, it is apparent that, if ingested by the mother, THC and CBD are transmitted into the baby via the mother’s breastmilk. Doctors agree that while women shouldn’t expose their babies to THC, there is little or no evidence to show that CBD has any negative effects on a breastfeeding baby.
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding CBD and breastfeeding is that CBD will get you or your baby high. This is simply not the case. Unlike its cousin THC, CBD isn’t psychoactive in any way, meaning that taking CBD won’t get you or your baby stoned or high.
Furthermore, scientists agree that, while they may not actively promote taking CBD while breastfeeding, the historical evidence shows that mothers have been taking CBD and breastfeeding for hundreds if not thousands of years. CBD is by no means a new discovery and most doctors leave it up to the mother’s discretion.
Many breastfeeding women suffer from postpartum depression and are prescribed anti-anxiety medication or antidepressants. One of the biggest advantages of CBD and breastfeeding is the fact that a harmless or even beneficial compound is being transferred to the baby instead of harmful ingredients and side effects from prescription medications.
Prescription medications, especially those prescribed for anxiety and depression can be highly addictive. Another benefit of taking CBD oil as opposed to an antidepressant like an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) is the fact that there is no chance of developing an addiction or dependency.
What are alternatives to CBD oil during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
If you don’t want to combine CBD and pregnancy or CBD and breastfeeding, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy the benefits of CBD. You can get CBD skincare products and CBD muscle balms that can help with relaxation and relieving sore muscles. You can also get CBD bath bombs that are popular for helping pregnant women relax and d
e-stress.
Many people are also smoking CBD flowers because of their benefits, so there comes the question – can I smoke CBD while pregnant? We highly advise against smoking CBD while pregnant, as every kind of smoke is harmful to our health and especially lungs. If you are a devoted “inhaler”, please consider using vaporizers as it is much healthier alternative to smoking.
Or, if you want to take a break from all CBD products while pregnant or breastfeeding, you can naturally boost your endocannabinoid system by eating plenty of leafy greens like kale and spinach, as well as more foods high in omega-3 fatty acids. These are naturally found in food like walnuts, soybeans, fish, flaxseed, and chia seeds.
Exercise is another great way to stimulate the ECS. While strenuous exercise isn’t recommended when you’re pregnant, there are plenty of light exercises you can do. Yoga and pilates are particularly popular with pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and most studios offer specific prenatal and postnatal classes.
While some foods and activities are beneficial for pregnancy and breastfeeding, there are also things you want to avoid. Try to avoid foods that are high in pesticides. Studies have shown that some cannabinoid receptors are inhibited by pesticides as well as heavy metals. Try to eat organic foods as often as possible.
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding then you should avoid alcohol. Alcohol is harmful to developing babies in numerous ways, one of which is reducing their cannabinoid receptor sensitivity.
Stress is also terrible for our endocannabinoid system. Pregnancy and childbirth can often be very stressful times in a woman’s life, so it’s important to compensate for these increased stress levels. Yoga, mindfulness, and meditation are great natural ways to alleviate stress and anxiety by switching on the ECS.
CBD, Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding
While there’s no evidence to show CBD is harmful to a developing fetus or newborn baby, it’s always good to exercise caution. CBD oil has been shown to help alleviate some of the negative symptoms of pregnancy and breastfeeding and it might be something you want to add to your health or diet plan.
If you are new to CBD, start with a low dose and work your way up. If you were taking CBD before you got pregnant, you might want to reduce the dosage as your baby won’t have built up the same tolerance. Whatever dosage you decide is right for you, make sure to get a quality CBD product. The quality varies hugely from company to company, so it’s important you do your research.
There is still plenty of debate when it comes to CBD and pregnancy, as well as CBD and breastfeeding, and we’re just starting to see scientific studies being published on the subject. So, if you’ve used hemp products or CBD oil while you were pregnant or breastfeeding, we would love to hear your personal story.
Please share your experiences in the comment section and let us know what it was like for you to take CBD oil while you were pregnant and/or breastfeeding.
Author: B. W.
Source(s):
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