Women who want the purest, healthiest breastmilk possible need to know that certain toxins are present in the environment which may negatively impact breastmilk quality. However, the risks don't stop with environmental factors. It's also possible to taint breastmilk by consuming the wrong food and drink, smoking or using food containers that emit harmful chemicals.
Women need to be aware of the risks and try to limit their exposure to contaminants before, during and after pregnancy.
Today, I'm going to talk about fifteen things which may make breastmilk toxic. Some are worse threats than others. Knowing what to avoid is half the battle. While a woman may not be able to stay away from everything on the list (for example, it's hard to avoid pollution in the air!), knowledge is power, so understanding what may be harmful is helpful and important.
Ladies who believe that "breast is best" love nursing their babies! It's easy for some women and a lot harder for others. Nursing is such a great way to bond with babies. However, there are ladies who struggle to breastfeed and these women may choose to bottle-feed instead. Every woman is different and every woman's choices should be respected. Now, let's look at an array of elements which may affect the purity of mother's milk.
15 Pollution Plays A Role
A study which was published by Scientific American showed that pollution in the environment definitely impacts the purity of breast milk. When moms live in areas that more are polluted than the national average, the risk of tainted mother's milk goes up.
So, which American cities are the most polluted? Well, Erie, Pennsylvania tops the list. At number two is New York City. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is at number three, followed by Birmingham, Alabama and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Particles in the air trigger smog and pollute the world around us. The least polluted American city is Wilmington, North Carolina. Other "clean air" cities include Burlington, Vermont and Fort Myers, Florida.
While moving to keep your breast milk clear of toxins may not be feasible, living in a city with cleaner air is going to be good for your breast milk quality, as well as your general health and the general health of your infant.
14 Exposure To Chemicals Before, During And After Pregnancy
There is an advocacy group, MOMS (Make Our Milk Safe), which helps women discover which chemicals have the capacity to make breast milk toxic...and how to limit exposure. Examples of bad chemicals include certain cleaning supplies and some personal care products.
An important article about this topic was published in 2005, in the New York Times. It was written by Florence Williams and helped a lot of concerned Moms learn about the ways that breast milk may attract contaminants and heavy metals, because mother's milk has high protein and fat content.
Examples of products with chemicals that may get into breast milk include flame retardants, toilet deoderizers, wood preservatives and cosmetics which contain chemical additives. This just scratches the surface! Try to keep life as chemical-free as possible during pregnancy and afterwards, when you are nursing!
13 Food Storage Containers Emit Chemicals
If you regularly use food containers to store lunches or leftovers, you should know that staying away from food containers that contain BPA may help you produce the purest breast milk. Food storage containers which are BPA-free are better for nursing Moms, as they won't emit chemicals which might taint breast milk.
BPA is short for Bisphenol A. It's a chemical of the industrial type and it's used to create particular resins and plastics. BPA has been around for decades now. You'll find it in a host of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. It's quite common for BPA to be present in drink bottles and food containers (including lower-quality baby bottles!).
Some people think that BPA is toxic and others think that it isn't. No matter what you think, why take the risk? There are BPA-free bottles and containers out there and they generally cost the same, or just a little more, than the versions which do contain BPA. People who believe that BPA is harmful feel that the chemical is linked with the development of cancer.
12 Percholate Gets Into Breastmilk
Some experts believe that the chemical, Percholate, is a neuro-developmental toxin. This chemical is naturally-occurring in soil. These days, there is more Percholate in soil than there used to be and this is because Percholate is utilized to get spacecraft up into the atmosphere (and beyond). The chemical is a component in rocket fuel.
Since food is grown within soil and soil makes its way into the water supply, Percholate is a threat to breast milk purity. Studies show that higher levels of Percholate in breast milk raise the risk of developmental problems in infants and kids.
There are many ways to be exposed to this chemical. You may eat food which is contaminated or drink water that's contaminated. You might also breathe in dust which is contaminated or touch soil which contains Percholate. Also, certain products, including bleaches, matches and chlorine for disinfecting swimming pools may contain the chemical.
11 Alcohol Consumption Makes Breastmilk Toxic
When you drink booze while you're pregnant or nursing, your unborn or born baby will get the same amount of alcohol that you do. This is why pregnant women aren't supposed to drink, and breastfeeding Moms should also lay off the sauce - unless they don't mind a pump and dump!
Doctors recommend that nursing Moms stop at single glasses of wine if they do feel compelled to drink. One glass of vino should be the maximum, and pregnant women shouldn't even have that much.
Your baby doesn't need alcohol. He or she has a liver organ which isn't fully-developed, so processing the booze will be very difficult.
Alcohol does have the capacity to make breast milk toxic. Staying away from cocktails, wine and beer during pregnancy and while nursing will be a caring and responsible decision. Once you've finished nursing, feel free to go out for a wild girl's night that includes a few girly drinks, such as Apple Martinis or Cosmopolitans!
Until nursing is complete, pretend that Prohibition is still in place.
10 Social And Prescription-Strength Meds
If you’re pregnant or nursing, taking medication or using "social drugs" will mean that everything that you take or use gets into your bloodstream.
Medication or social drugs will get into your breastmilk, too! Whatever you take may have the capacity to poison your breast milk by making it toxic.
While the nursing baby will get less of the drug than you get, because the substance in question will be filtered via your breasts, the baby will still get at least a little of what you are taking or using.
Medication and its effects on breast milk are something that you should talk about with your doctor. You should get "cleared" to take medication while you're pregnant or nursing and this includes OTC (over-the-counter) medications. Don't assume that what you're taking is safe, just because you grabbed it off of a drugstore shelf.
Talk to your doctor before you take prescription medications and stay away from social drugs. Social drugs are optional. If you're struggling with addiction during pregnancy or while nursing, you need to get help.
9 Spicy Foods Make Baby Gassy
If you’re fond of spicy foods, it might be wise to eat less of them while you’re nursing, because heavy spices tend to get into breast milk and may cause your beloved baby boy or girl to get a little gassy. We know that you don't want your infant to feel uncomfortable, so leaving the hot sauce behind while you're nursing (and giving pungent curries a miss) may be a smart decision.
While spice isn’t technically a toxin, anything that makes breast milk harder for your baby to digest is not a good thing. Caffeine may also affect your baby, so think about restricting your daily caffeine intake, while you also skip the Buffalo wings or stuffed Jalapeno peppers.
While your nursing diet doesn't need to be totally bland, it shouldn't be too fiery in terms of its spice level. There will be plenty of time to indulge to "feel the burn" later on, once you're done breastfeeding.
8 Smoking Is Bad For Breastmilk
This is a bit of a no-brainer, isn’t it? If you smoke, you’re going to pollute your breast milk with some harmful substances, including acetone, which is also found in nail polish remover.
If you're pregnant or nursing and the urge to smoke becomes overpowering, you should know that there are lots of people and organizations to reach out to. Your first step should be talking to your physician about your craving for tobacco. He or she should be able to recommend smoking cessation treatments which are appropriate for you while you're expecting or breastfeeding.
You'll need to be strong enough to go out there and get the help that you need.
Addiction to cigarettes is a tough addiction to break, but you can do it. Your baby doesn't need the many toxic substances in cigarettes and neither do you! So, butt out for the sake of your baby...and for the sake of your breast milk quality. Also, if you don't smoke, try to avoid secondhand smoke.
7 Pesticides Are Breastmilk Toxins
Going organic while you breastfeed will be the best way to protect your breast milk from pesticide toxins. The issue is that organic food is often pricey. Some new Moms can afford it and some can't. If you can't afford it, forgive yourself. Buy the non-organic food which is affordable and then wash your fruits and veggies well before you consume them.
To wash the chemicals (which may get into your breast milk) off of produce, get a big, non-BPA bowl and fill it with one part white vinegar and four parts water. Then, soak the fruits and/or veggies in the vinegar-water solution for twenty minutes.
Once twenty minutes passes, rinse off the veggies and fruit with water. Make sure that you rinse them really well! Some women grow their own fruits and veggies at home to avoid the pesticides.
6 Your Dairy Consumption Affects Your Baby
If you consume cow’s milk and your baby is allergic to it, it’s going to make it into your breast milk, where it may trigger an allergic reaction in your baby.
If your baby isn’t allergic to dairy, the cow’s milk that you consume won’t render your breast milk toxic.
Allergies to dairy products are all too common. Even if a baby's not technically allergic to the dairy in your breast milk, he or she may not tolerate it well. Symptoms of dairy allergies in infants include colic-like health issues, such as wheezing, diarrhea which may or may not be bloody, hives, stuffy nose, itchy nose, vomiting and eczema.
Going lactose-free won't stop your baby from reacting to the cow's milk in your daily diet. To purify your breast milk, you'll need to stop consuming dairy products.
5 Paint, Glue And Gas Fumes
Products that have harsh and acrid scents are generally toxic to breast milk, so you should avoid them while you are nursing. Three examples include gas fumes, glue and paint. If you want to paint the nursery before you give birth, it might be better to ask someone to do the job for you.
If you must do it yourself, wear a mask and use low-fume paints, such as latex paints. When you breathe in fumes from paint, glue and gas, you may be also breathing in minute particles which make it into your breast milk.
After childbirth, you should also take care to stay away from these three products.
If there is lead-based paint in your home, it should be removed before you become pregnant. Lead is very bad for your baby and may make it into your breast milk.
4 Dry-Cleaned Clothing Present Risks
Skip wearing dry-cleaned clothing when you’re pregnant or nursing. Try to avoid exposure to any clothing that is dry-cleaned, as dry-cleaning is a chemical process and the chemicals used to dry-clean clothes may get into breast milk.
Studies have been conducted which show that men and women who have their garments dry-cleaned just two times per week get cancer at much higher rates than those who don't.
There is a chemical, Perchloroethylene, which is used as a solvent during the dry-cleaning process and it stays in clothes in the form of a residue. Women who are breastfeeding may have Perc in their breast milk if they live near dry cleaning establishments or get their clothes dry-cleaned often.
When you're shopping for maternity wear or clothes to wear after you give birth, look for designs that don't require dry-cleaning, because the risk of exposure to dry cleaning chemicals just isn't worth it.
3 Marlin, Swordfish And Shark Are Loaded With Toxins
These types of fish aren’t right for you while you’re pregnant or nursing. They have higher-than-average levels of toxins which may taint your breast milk. These aren't the most common forms of fish that women eat, so it should be fairly simple to stay away from them all during pregnancy and while you nurse. However, you may find swordfish steaks at some restaurants and be tempted. It's better to enjoy this delicacy after nursing is complete.
Also, be aware that consuming fish or other forms of seafood from waterways which are considered to be contaminated is a bad idea. The pollutants in the water may make it into your breast milk.
As far as tuna (which gets bad press for its mercury content) goes, pregnant and nursing women may consume twelve ounces of light, canned tuna per week. Twelve ounces per week of shrimp, salmon, pollock, fish sticks and catfish are considered safe. Albacore tuna, which is fresh or canned, is safe, as long as you consume only six ounces per week.
2 Nail Polish Should Be Avoided
Most of us love getting manicures or doing home manicures. If you’re pregnant and want to nurse, or you’re breastfeeding right now, you should avoid nail polish, unless it’s certified organic. Non-organic nail polish has chemicals which may enter breast milk and boost the toxin count of breast milk.
In the past, it was very hard to find organic nail polishes. However, women are becoming more demanding as consumers. They want more organic products, including nail enamels, and manufacturers are stepping in to offer organic nail care lines. There are also non-organic brands which are non-toxic and considered to be safe for pregnant/nursing mothers.
Overall, it's probably best to skip the nail polish, unless you know for sure that it's one hundred percent safe. There'll be plenty of time after nursing to paint your nails or visit a local manicurist. Most new Moms don't have a lot of time to do their nails, anyway!
1 Hair Dye Chemicals Get Into Breastmilk
It’s true that very few chemicals from hair dye make it into breast milk. However, some do make it into breast milk and this may be reason enough to skip the hair dye during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
One alternative is to utilize vegetable dyes which are completely natural, such as Henna. Also, low lights and high lights don't contain as many chemicals as typical, non-natural hair dyes. If you're determined to color your own hair during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, stick to hair dye formulas which are free of ammonia. Also, never color your hair while your infant is close by.
Taking a break from hair color during pregnancy and breastfeeding is probably the safest strategy for purer breast milk. Just be natural for a while. Your natural hair color probably suits you the best, anyway!
Sources: Modern Mom, The Bump, Scientific American