Toxins in Breast Milk
My son recently hit the one-year mark and we’re still nursing, albeit not as frequently anymore. While the emphasis on diet is huge in pregnancy, I feel the train loses steam when it comes to nutrition and breastfeeding. Apart from the 500 extra calories you’re told to consume, there is little guidance as to how best to support the nutritional needs of a growing, developing baby and a recovering new mom.
During my pregnancy I avoided soft cheeses, only ate fish twice a week, and conformed to every recommendation ever made on the matter. So when my son was born I marched my husband straight over to my favorite restaurant for something I was forbidden to eat during my pregnancy….a huge tuna sandwich! While breastfeeding opens up a world of culinary liberties, it’s important to keep in mind that your baby is what you eat. Since everything consumed ends up in breast milk, it’s important to regularly make wise food choices. Because I had already been accustomed to eating "green," both literally and figuratively, it was a practice I just continued.
The benefits of human milk are numerous. But recent research has questioned the safety of breast milk after several studies demonstrated the presence of environmental toxins in breast milk. PCBs, PBDEs, DDT, lead, and mercury are just a few of the chemicals that can enter and persist in human milk. The very nature of living means that we are exposed to these and many more chemicals. The concern is their potential to damage babies’ mental and motor development. Unless a mother has had an unusually high level of exposure to toxins in the home or work environments, mommy’s milk is still best. There is a wealth of information regarding this topic and I encourage you to check out the National Resources Defense Council for detailed information about chemical pollution and breast milk.
I made several lifestyle changes when I became pregnant that I just continued after my son was born. Here are some tips on keeping your milk pure, compiled from my research and experience:
Detox!
-Women who consume alcohol or smoke cigarettes retain more chemical contaminants
-Avoid the consumption of fish from contaminated lakes and rivers to minimize PCB and mercury exposure. Check out the Environmental Protection Agency and the Environmental Working Group for tips on choosing fish lowest in mercury
-With the price of gas as it is, I can’t in good conscious recommend full-service, but try to have that man in your life pump gas to avoid volatile solvents.
-Convince him to stop by and pick up the dry cleaning while he’s at it! Check out the EPA’s list of greener dry cleaners in your area. Or avoid dry cleaning all together by choosing fabrics derived from natural fibers.
-Also avoid these sources of volatile solvents: non-water-based glues, paints, furniture strippers, nail polish
-Limit your consumption of animal fats, which tend to accumulate toxins. Choose organic dairy and meats when possible
-Avoid the use of pesticides in the home AND in your backyard. There are several alternatives for managing pests that don’t involve chemicals. Check them out here!
-Choose cosmetics free of phthalates. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics provides numerous safe alternatives.
-Be wise with plastics. The Green Guide has an excellent article on avoiding Bisphenol-A.
Remember, exposure to these toxins has occurred over a long period of time. For advocacy information, check out MOMS (Making Our Milk Safe), whose efforts are focused on reducing the growing threat of toxic chemicals and industrial pollutants in human breast milk.
August 9th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Great article! My son is 11 months today and we will nurse until he’s ready to stop (there is no end in sight, which is great for both of us!). It’s good to have a reminder that just because he’s not still inside doesn’t mean that he’s not still getting what’s inside me! Enjoy the nursing ; )