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Fifteen Strategies for Reducing Chemical Exposures when Pregnant, Planning a Pregnancy, or Breastfeeding

If ever there was a time to try and dramatically reduce chemical exposures it is when you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or breastfeeding. This is a time when individuals and couples tend to be taking stock of their lives and are looking forward. It is also a time when people tend to do a good deal of shopping in preparation for a new baby and are nesting which is generally accompanied by painting, cleaning and the like.

Here we share fifteen strategies for reducing chemical exposures when pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or breastfeeding. Keep in mind that even if you only implement one suggestion you will be doing yourself, your baby, and the environment a big favor. The key is to identify the strategies you feel you can implement easily and then work your way into those you might characterize as next steps. In the end you may find that most on the list are quite doable. Keep in mind though - we have marked some of the strategies as “CRITICAL MUST DO” meaning that for the health of a pregnant woman, an unborn baby, or a young infant, these are must do and failing to do so could cause serious birth defects or other developmental problems. If any of these apply to you start here and for goodness sake, seek help from a medical professional as soon as possible if you need it.

 

 


Yep, this is the standard rant about smoking and pregnancy. We have all heard it but it is critical to start any discussion of chemicals and pregnancy with a discussion about smoking. Babies born to women who smoke are more likely to be born preterm or underweight, to have a serious birth defect, and are more likely to have asthma and other health and behavioral problems in childhood. The risks of having these problems is also substantially higher for women and babies living in the homes of smokers even when the mother doesn’t smoke.

The very best strategy is for everyone (especially the mother) is to quit smoking before a woman gets pregnant but if this isn’t possible everyone should stop just as soon as possible. If you do this before pregnancy (or you are a family member) there are many options available that can help you ease off nicotine in a gradual way including using nicotine patches, nicotine gum, nicotine lozenges, or proscribed medications. Ideally if you are a woman who is trying to get pregnant and considering using these items you will want to use some sort of pregnancy protection given possible effects of these substances on a developing fetus – especially in the first few weeks of pregnancy. If you are already pregnant the best way to quit is to stop immediately. There are many books, CDs, DVD's, and hypnosis techniques that may help make this easier.

 

Books with More Information about Stopping Smoking

CDs that Help You Quit Smoking

DVDs that Help You Quit Smoking

Products to help You Quit Smoking



Like smoking, the fact that alcohol is bad for pregnancy is well known yet, we all know people who have done it. Still, it is absolutely critical to remember that alcohol readily passes to the fetus from a woman’s bloodstream and as such, when a woman drinks, the fetus drinks. No safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been identified nor has a “safe time” for drinking during pregnancy. Both heavy and light drinking during pregnancy has been shown to be associated with serious problems during pregnancy and with developmental difficulties in infants and children. The risks of alcohol intake continue after the birth of a baby given the transfer of alcohol from breast milk to baby. As such, even after birth, the best advice is to avoid alcohol consumption until after you are done breastfeeding.
 

Origins Online (ELC)