Switching to Raw While Breastfeeding

[gettingskinny]

I think switching to all raw was releasing toxins in my milk b/c my baby started getting sick. Is this possible? Should I just eat high raw and transition slow???

[Ginger]

I think what's more likely is that your baby is detoxing too. Now that you are eating much more nutritious food, the baby is cleansing out the lesser stuff.

[gettingskinny]

I wasn't eating "bad" before, just not all raw. Do you think that's ok though? I keep going back and forth on what and how to eat. I'm thinking I might do high raw for a while and see how we do.

[Ginger]

I discovered raw at 5 months pregnant and went 100% raw that day. Went off and on 100% the whole time I was pregnant & breastfeeding till she was almost 4 years. My kid had been 'sick' twice in her life- both times after I let her eat standard food for a bit.

[gettingskinny]

I discovered raw at 5 months pregnant and went 100% raw that day. Went off and on 100% the whole time I was pregnant & breastfeeding till she was almost 4 years. My kid had been 'sick' twice in her life- both times after I let her eat standard food for a bit.

it must be from the cooked food then.

[elfinbaby]

This is what I've gathered from my reading and if I'm not mistaken (and I could be) it was from Gabriel Cousens' Conscious Eating book.

He said that going raw while pregnant would not be an issue since what the baby is getting are the nutrients you are consuming via the placenta. The healthier the better. Your body is detoxing the same old way - sweat, body fluids, all those glands, even breath, etc. You know what I'm talking about. Your body is doing the work.

However, while breastfeeding, the toxins are getting in your milk and exiting your body while nursing. The body uses whatever orifices, glands are available to get rid of toxins. My first mw felt the same way. I wanted to "cleanse" and she said she didn't feel it was safe b/c toxins would wind up in my milk.

April

[gettingskinny]

This is what I've gathered from my reading and if I'm not mistaken (and I could be) it was from Gabriel Cousens' Conscious Eating book.

He said that going raw while pregnant would not be an issue since what the baby is getting are the nutrients you are consuming via the placenta. The healthier the better. Your body is detoxing the same old way - sweat, body fluids, all those glands, even breath, etc. You know what I'm talking about. Your body is doing the work.

However, while breastfeeding, the toxins are getting in your milk and exiting your body while nursing. The body uses whatever orifices, glands are available to get rid of toxins. My first mw felt the same way. I wanted to "cleanse" and she said she didn't feel it was safe b/c toxins would wind up in my milk.

April

See, this is what I'm worried about. I posted about it on my blog today that maybe I should just eat high raw and transition to all raw. Frustrating!

[Ginger]

So it's better to make less nutritious milk and take in toxins while still excreting toxins the normal way or wouldn't it make sence to make the best possible nutritious milk so the baby can handle the toxins that do come through? A plant grown in highly mineralised soil can come in contact with all sorts of toxins and resist them but the same plant grown in lesser quality soil will succumb to disease.

[elfinbaby]

I don't think it has to be a strict either or situation. I wouldn't switch my kids cold turkey esp. if I saw they were feeling sick or what I interpreted to be detox. I'd transition a little more slowly. Just b/c you're not 100% raw doesn't mean you should fill the cooked portion with Snickers and Cokes. Maybe steaming some veggies might slow the process or different types of slightly cooked breads like Manna.

It's all a personal choice. Sure you are making nutritious milk going 100% raw and if my baby had no reactions I'd probably feel fine about it. But if I noticed signs of illness (I'm not sure what the OP meant by her baby has been sick) I'd slow down. I'd be careful. 1) I wouldn't feel okay "detoxing" my baby if that's what's going on. 2) There's no research, to my knowledge, what amount of toxins would be released from my breast milk going raw. There's no way to know how many harmful things (if any) are getting through - so I'd pay careful attention to my baby. It's possible that I'd rather eat those steamed veggies to slow the process down so I didn't overload my baby's system.

I'd actually love for a study to be done on this. How many moms could we find? 3 maybe 4:p It's an excellent question and it would be enlightening to know how much more nutritious was a raw foodist milk vs. vegan, etc. and what happens to the milk if a woman goes raw in the midst of bfing.

Everybody's guessing. I'd follow my intuition - that's a mother's strongest ally imo. There are two highly respected raw foodists (Jinjee and Shazzie) who at some cooked while pregnant. They just listened to their bodies. Somewhere on Shazzie's site she talks about it saying she was still not 100% raw but she felt great so she was happy. I don't know the date of that post - I'm not saying she's not 100% now. I have no idea. But my point is you go with what you know (in this case, no one really knows the answer to the question) and follow your gut.

April

[Ginger]

Very good points April, you make a lot of sense. I agree that transitioning is healthier, easier on the body, then jumping in 100%. The bottom line for me though, is that raw foods are not chemically altered and are not compromised and thus contain more nutrition and are higher quality which to me as a breastfeeding mother would be of great importance. Pretty much all standard eating babies 'get sick' and it's not usually a big deal or life threatening for a baby to have a cold aka detox. If transitioning avoids that cleansing crisis great, but how long is the childs nutrition going to be compromised in these critically important first years? Different things to consider, like you said. :)

[Ginger]

It just seems so strange to me that people would worry about feeding thier baby the best food ever yet have no problem with, or even think it's SAFER, to feed them man-altered foods! :confused:

[gettingskinny]

You both make great points! I think too that maybe I should jump right in and let us deal with it. Then I think maybe not.

When ppl eat bad food or even healthy, but cooked food, wouldn't you think the breast milk would still be healthy?

[Ginger]

Toxins are created when food is cooked, even a healthy cooked vegetable like a potato would then contain acrylimide for example (that's just one!) it's not just that the nutritional content diminishes from cooking the food. So if you are eating cooked, your baby IS getting toxins AND the milk isn't as nutritious as it could be. If you are raw you take in no unnatural toxins in your diet but since you are still living in a toxic world you will have some to process BUT your baby will be getting the nutrients it needs to resist disease.

[gettingskinny]

Toxins are created when food is cooked, even a healthy cooked vegetable like a potato would then contain acrylimide for example (that's just one!) it's not just that the nutritional content diminishes from cooking the food. So if you are eating cooked, your baby IS getting toxins AND the milk isn't as nutritious as it could be. If you are raw you take in no unnatural toxins in your diet but since you are still living in a toxic world you will have some to process BUT your baby will be getting the nutrients it needs to resist disease.

Interesting. Isn't it amazing how far we can go? Nowadays, just getting someone to breastfeed is a triumph (over formula), then eating healthy, instead of fast food, etc and then take it further to raw to get the least amt. of toxins in your body. Can be overwhelming. Ykwim? I do want my baby to be healthy. Heck, I fought hard to have a VBA2C and to breastfeed this one (my other 2 I pumped, then switched to homemade formulas). I should be giving her the best I can. I just don't want to release to much crap. However, it may be a rough week or so, but then it would be done, right? And we would both be healthier b/c of it.

[Ginger]

Ok I was reading your blog, LOVE the way you write BTW you had me smiling the whole time :D, and I saw you were eating sugar cookies and cooked foods etc after trying to be raw right? Then you said: "They left me tired, unfulfilled and bloated! I was so tired that night, I had to keep my eyelids open with toothpicks. The next morning I could not get out of bed until 10:40 am! When I eat all raw, I do not feel anywhere near this. I was cranky all day too. Ask the hubby. It was not a good day.

Something that I am concerned about it my daughter. She is 11 weeks old and I think all these changes are effecting her a bit. When I eat all raw, I wonder if I am releasing toxins in my breast milk. I can not be sure if she wasn’t feeling well on Christmas because of eating raw or eating cooked. I can not tell how long what I eat effects my milk."

So you think it was the fruits & greens you were eating that made your baby not feel well? Or could it be that going back and forth makes the reaction stronger and makes you guys feel unwell? I am willing to bet it was not lettuce that made your baby sick, but rather all that sugar etc.

[Ginger]

I just showed this thread to my (raw) mom.. :D No I can't leave this thread alone LOL! My mom said it's funny that people worry about toxins coming through the milk when they are eating fresh foods but they think they have nothing to worry about if they are eating altered food that contains toxins.

[gettingskinny]

Or could it be that going back and forth makes the reaction stronger and makes you guys feel unwell? I am willing to bet it was not lettuce that made your baby sick, but rather all that sugar etc.

I think you are right on with this statement. I think it's the going back and forth. Dh says I need to pick what I want to do and stick with it and stop making things so complicated! :rolleyes:

[gettingskinny]

I just showed this thread to my (raw) mom.. :D No I can't leave this thread alone LOL! My mom said it's funny that people worry about toxins coming through the milk when they are eating fresh foods but they think they have nothing to worry about if they are eating altered food that contains toxins.

LOL that is funny! I totally agree with your mom. That's what I was trying to get across in a pp. Here I am stinkin' worried about eating some cooked brown rice, when ppl eat McDonald's and don't even worry about it especially if their baby is breastfed. They probably think it's better then formula, so who cares! :eek:

[gettingskinny]

Oh, and for the record, eating the cookies, etc. is not normal for me even when eating cooked foods. ;)

[Ginger]

Yeah ok :rolleyes: LOL JK :D

[elfinbaby]

Looks like I can't leave this thread alone either, lol.

It's good food for thought though b/c there's no right or wrong answer. I look at this the same way I look at diff. raw foodists opinions about what they eat. Some are more strict than others.

The detox thing for me personally is the body is expelling toxins that it never intended to be re-ingested (is that a word?). It's also getting rid of toxins, not just from the cookie I ate yesterday, but from all that fast food that I ate for 7 yrs. in college. Seriously, it was a very large amount - I don't know if I'll ever clean that out. These are just my thoughts I would apply to myself. I don't know what op diet has been like. Mine - not good.

I also think about how the boards are full of adults coping with detox - is it over? is it always this bad? when will it stop? A baby's system is so young and still developing so I would take the toxins in the baked potato as opposed to the full quantity of toxins my body was getting rid of from my years at the Taco Bell drive thru.

It probably doesn't help either to go back and forth. That will most definitely extend this period of what you are going through. But I am guilty as well:o I'm 15 wks. pregnant and my first trimester was atrocious. I'm doing my best now b/c I do believe raw is the best I can give my baby. I'm crossing my fingers I can be 100% or very high at the point of bfing. That would be awesome!

I feel your pain! When your pregnant/bfing you get sooo hungry, tired, and sometimes so unmotivated. I hope everything goes well for you:D

April

[Ginger]

oooooh! VERY good point! :D But you are still detoxing all that through all the normal channels including breastmilk plus eating more toxins that go in the milk and getting less nutrients at the same time on top of all that. I think the least toxins, the better and that would be eating raw. Eating cooked does not stop detox, you still detox it constantly, you just have so many toxins coming in that your body gets backed up and can't deal with it appropriately.

[gettingskinny]

i guess i don't see how all cooked foods are toxic. if you cook something at a lower temp (yes, about 115) and it's let's say tomato sauce. how is that toxic?

are we the only breastfeeding moms on this board?:D

[elfinbaby]

I don't think there's many preg./bfing moms here period. Just the odds I guess.

It's like I said - it's really just a guess from this point but in my mind and people's experience of going cold turkey v. transitioning I figure that you'd get one of 2 things:
100% raw breast milk + lg amt of last years Taco Bell
vs.
90% rbm + toxins from steaming a carrot or whatever + less than the above amt.

But that's just a guess b/c I'm not a scientist:D I don't agree that you'd be putting fewer toxins in. I figure they'd be coming out fast and harsh like detox can be (thought not for everyone). And even though toxins are exiting through their usual routes as well, I figure the body will take advantage of a really easy route - the mammaries, since it's constantly producing lg. amts. of liquid. It's still an adult detox going in to a baby to me. With version #2 I'd feel like I was putting out fewer of the harshest toxins - the ones I can literally read off the back of a box from my years of poor eating habits.

I don't know much about toxins that occur if you cook a potato or anything else. I can't go that deep or my head will explode. But I'm also not a raw foodist who gets mad at myself b/c I eat a Lara Bar with chocolate or agave that might be questionable or nutritional yeast. That Lara Bar is better than me grabbing a Snickers.


Gettingskinny, nobody has a 100% full proof answer. I like that we're talking about raw and bfing period. Moms trying to give their baby the best. In all of the replies, one answer never changes and that's raw is best - whether you transition or go cold turkey.

April

[gettingskinny]

i just like talking about it. :D

i think for me i'm going to do high raw and eat good nutritious food and know my body and breast milk are healthy!;)

[momma-rawma]

I'm doing a slow transition.

Oddly though--as soon as I started, the boy got diarrhea. Maybe he had some toxins to release.:confused:
I have a friend who went raw while breastfeeding as well. She doesn't raise her kids fully raw--or vegetarian for that manner--but she did a transition to 100%...was for a bit and stepped back to mostly as she still has organic meats for her dinner.

I will admit that I have for all 3 kids drank alcohol while breastfeeding....and going raw has to put less into the milk than a beer IMHO.

I don't get all the detox worry anyway---I eat tons of fruit...I've now just included a veg.:D

And I'm eating way less sugar. Not sure why that would be a bad thing.

The important thing is to make sure you are eating enough--b/c the bf/pregnant momma would have to eat a bit more than someone who is not since you are sharing the food. :)


The only reason I am doing a slow transition--is for me..not for him. :)

[gettingskinny]

Yay another mama! Thanks for posting.

Ok, I'm just jumping (http://theskinnyonjanuary.com)in!

I know this is what is best for me and the baby will be ok. Why keep putting it off?:D

[momma-rawma]

Yeah for you! And your kids may appreciate the more attentive momma.

I've been doing green juices for almost a week now. And for the first time in 1 year, I finally feel like...hmmm...maybe it is NOW finally time to wean off of the anti-depressants. I am a PPD momma--and this last pregnancy, was knocked to my nose with it while still pregnant (though that wouldn't be POST-partum, now would it? :D ).

I've tried weaning a couple of times and boy was it not pretty. But now I feel like I did when I was ready to wean (and successfully was able to) the last time. (which includes--constantly forgetting to take the meds and not noticing any ill effects....took me 3 days to remember to pick up my refill today at Walgreens).

[herbalgirl]

Another nursing mama here! I am exclusively bfing my daughter, who is almost 5 months old. I am a part of the JanuRAWry 30 day challenge. I say, jump right in! ;)

[AvyB]

are we the only breastfeeding moms on this board?:D

I'm here but mostly lurking. :o I am nursing my 21 month old DD and am 27 weeks preg...so soon to be nursing two! :D

[gettingskinny]

herbalgirl and avyb...glad to see you're here! Thanks for speaking up!

momma-rawma...i think that is awesome that you are getting to the point of not needing meds anymore! keep up what you are doing. how wonderful!

[gettingskinny]

So, I've been all raw for 4 days. Well, the last 4 nights, my baby has stopped sleeping thru the night. She wants to suck all the time, like she's not satisfied. I pump my extra milk for a friend. My supply has gone down. Also, my milk is usually really creamy, but it's more watery now.

I know I can up my calories, but I don't want to eat more. Today I dont' even feel like eating at all. I think I need grains/beans/lentils. I know I can sprout these right? One way or another I need them.

I love eating all raw, but it's not just about me right now. I have a husband, 2 children and a nursing baby to think about. :confused:

[momma-rawma]

I am only 66%....when baby comes in bed with me at night--he nurses quite a bit all night long.

Could be just a growth spurt.

Yes you can sprout the items you mention (not that I have tried). I do cooked grains in the evening though. I spend the day eating like a rabbit.:D


Today though--I had brazil nuts. I don't think they agreed with me at all. BLECK!

[jules88]

I am bf my 7 month old almost exclusively. I say almost exclusively because last week or the week before he started to eat some raw fruit. I don't think it really filled his tummy, rather gave him something to do at the dinner table other than play with toys and intentionally drop them on the floor. I never thought out the whole toxin issue. I didn't eat very well the 1st trimester, and to be honest I was to tired and sick to eat much. What I did eat was whatever my husband picked up on his way home from work. As soon as my sickness was over, I immediately started to drink my green juice almost every morning. I could seriously feel the energy. I wasn't tired when I got up every morning and was very energetic until the very end of the day. I wasn't 100% raw, but I'd say after the 1st trimester I was 95%. I dropped to about 75% raw after his birth and have been fighting to go 100%. I know I can do it as I have before. That being said, I don't recall experiencing detox, unless you call being crabby detoxing, but that ended after the sugar craving went away after 3-5 days. Anyway, enough rambling on. I am going for it 100 %, I'm not going to worry about the toxins from detox. They can't be as bad as the toxins from eatting SAD!!! Right?

[4forme]

It's so great to see so many mommas giving thier babies great milk! I have been here for about 6 mo on and off. My dd is almost 14 mo and nurses about 5 times a day and 1-3 times a night. My diet is anywhere from 75% and upwards of raw.
Boy, I notice a difference in her attitude (and mine) when I am not eating optimally! It's amazing, and I thought surely, it's got to be coincidence! NOT. It has happened 3 times so far, not eating great for one reason or another. She ends up not going poo very well, and being very grumpy and clingy. She will also not nurse as much, I am noticing this time.
So, I feel more committed to doing this not just for me, but for her as well!

[momma-rawma]

I have noticed my baby pooing better as well. He is on solids--but it just got better after I improved my eating. :)

I will be pumping this weekend as I am in a marathon and have to leave a stash for daddy. I admit, I am curious if the tint of my milk will change. Way long ago, when I pumped for my oldest...you could see shades of orange from the carrots. I was eating carrots like crazy.:D

[4forme]

After a short period of eating quite poorly, my poor daughter is not "going", and needless to say, super cranky!
So, I went high raw again Yesterday and low and behold, tonight she "went" ALOT!
Why am I so thick headed sometimes, I do not know. But one thing I do know is RAW IS THE BEST!

[tumaro]

I had a baby on spetember 21st 2008. through my entire pregnancy and now I have been battling bulimia. in my 8th month of pregnancy I was able to stop purging and go raw, but with the stress of finding out my 2 1/2 year old has autism, some how out of no where after a month raw I was back to binging and purging. I was in therapy for a short while, but it didnt help whatsoever, and cost me a fortune. I can no longer afford therapy now even if I were to try again. my weight has dropped from 150 since the birth to 116 this morning. I have had such a hard time Bfeeding today because my milk supply was vannishing. I'm under so much stress trying to patient and yet control my 2 year old, on top of caring for my infant who absolutley refuses to take a bottle. and if I werent ashamed enough, I have actually been smoking a few cigarettes a day after feedings.
I realised today how awful things are because I got lost in my disorder. I'm absolutely done with the cigarettes and i'm ready to eat raw and good again. I cant be cured of bulimia but I can eat a lot of raw food and keep it down. I just want to give my baby nutritious milk again.

intake so far:
3 apples
1 heart of romaine

[Moretta]

Wishing you luck on your rawness journey.

[elfinbaby]

I can relate to some of your problems tumaro. I had baby #4 in late June and I have a dd w/Rett Syndrome, which is on the autism spectrum. Some believe it is the most severe form of autism. I have developed a very unhealthy relationship with food. I'm still working on it. I'm eating a lot of crap right now and wallowing in my unhappiness/bordering on depression. I'm simply overwhelmed by a number of things.

I posted a long time ago on this thread about my concern of toxins going through breastmilk when going 100% raw but I have changed my mind. I look at what I'm eating now and believe it's 10X better for me to go raw and have nutrients in my breastmilk than eat crap with no nutritional value and less detox. My problem is all or nothing. I'm either raw or totally eating crap. There's no mid ground for me.

I don't have time to prepare raw goodies right now so, recently, I just drank green smoothies and nutmilks for a few weeks. Neither the baby nor I had any problems. I need to do that again. The further I sink, the more junk I eat, the worse I feel. It's a terrible cycle. I've never had food issues like this in my life! But the things I'm dealing with in life have never been so difficult either. Maybe you could try the green smoothies and mylks. You'll actually get a great deal of nutrients from those drinks alone. Plus, I supplement with fresh fruit in between.

I know your pain first hand of a child being diagnosed with autism. It can be quite a slippery slope followed by a wild roller coaster ride. When Ilah was dxed I LITERALLY felt like a rug had been pulled out from beneath me. I felt like the wind was knocked out of me, there was a weight on my chest and I couldn't breathe. I guess that's where the saying comes from.

I will keep you in my prayers. You really need to reach out and find a place of strength from within. Contact me if you wish. Although our food issues are different, they are both unhealthy and maybe I can offer some support. I am very unhappy with my current state of mind and dependence on junk food to make me "feel better." Although I have a supportive dh and family, I don't feel like I can lean on them right now. Dh hurts just like I do about dd and the rest of my family is dealing with other health issues.

Although my days are rough right now, I want to let you know that dd is doing great - seriously. The dx is extremely difficult to deal with but, most of the past few years I've done really well. It's just getting me down recently b/c I have a lot on my plate - new baby, homeschooling, $$, holidays, sick aunt, and on and on. You can come out of this a healthier, happier person. Be strong for yourself and your kiddos. I'd be happy to "talk" with you:)

April

[LauraPaulsen]

I'm a nursing mom too. My baby is almost 4 months and is EBF. I am hoping to EBF for her first year.

I've been 100% raw for 3 days now and I think we're both doing better. She has a sensitivity to dairy and certain wheat berries. I do too. So with eating Raw I don't have to worry about what I eat. I don't drink caffeine of any kind, so I haven't had much of a detox , at least not yet. other then an extra bm from my baby..nothing to mention.

My vote: Go 100%, unless you see signs of a problem from the baby.

I have much more energy and for the first time can see that I will lose this baby weight!!