# Raw milk during pregnancy? Yay or nay?



## HereComesTheSun (Jan 14, 2013)

So, I'm not sure where this should go, but I was interested in opinions.

I started drinking raw milk, occasionally, a couple of years ago. It's the only raw milk that I've seen in the area and is sold at a local health food store. I'm not a huuuge milk drinker and the milk itself is pretty pricey for my expense range, so I never bought more than a half gallon every couple months.

I'm ten weeks pregnant now and, because of the morning sickness I've been having, haven't been able to eat much in the last...ten weeks, haha. But the last couple of days I've been feeling great (if you don't count the face rash, exhaustion and *mustache *- where is this glow at?!). But now I'm actually hungry and keeping things down and it's great!

And I've been craving milk like no one's business. But not store bought milk - raw milk. After I started drinking the raw, I can barely stomach a glass of store bought milk. It honestly tastes different - and not in a good way.

So I've been thinking of picking up a half gallon from the health food store. But I'm wary. I've always been a big supporter of raw milk and cheese. I never thought it was as dangerous as people make it out to be. I never once got sick from drinking it and know people who drink it morning, noon and night without getting ill. Plus, I've been to this dairy. I actually spent ten hours milking the very cows this milk comes from. So I'm aware of the precautions they take and the cleanliness of the facilities.

But I'm still sort of nervous - then again, I've been made to feel like I'm going to end up killing this baby if I eat lunch meat or soft served ice cream or have a soda/cup of coffee. I would ask my doctor, but I'm almost 99% sure she'd say it would be awful and dangerous and too much of a risk. I'm even afraid of being judged by family for "taking risks when [I'm] responsible for this new life."

So what are the opinions of you fine folk? Is it too dangerous to risk it? Is it a bunch of scare tactics? Or should I just suck it up and wait until the baby's born to get my milk fix?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

For me, if the animals are healthy and the milk is handled well, raw has SO many benefits. If you're unsure while pregnant, you could pasteurize during your pregnancy. Are you able to see the condition of the animals you buy from?


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## HereComesTheSun (Jan 14, 2013)

Yeah, I actually was suppose to work on the farm they sale from, but I was told the second day that they didn't need me. So I actually got to spend a day milking the cows. Everyone was healthy and well taken care of, and the facility was clean (well, as clean as a farm can be ). They took a lot of precautions when it came to the milking, store and cleaning of the machines.


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## serenityfarmnm (Jan 6, 2013)

Ok, the best I can do is tell you about my DDs very high risk pregnancy. Full labor @ 24 weeks and had lost 20 pounds by then due to "morning" sickness.

Her Super high risk only OB pulled me aside and "suggested" that after she came home from hosp, on full bed rest, that if I could "manage" to get her one hit off of a "Marijuana Cig" (his words) a day we would have a much better chance of making 28-30 weeks.
He was sure we wouldn't make it farther....She went 37 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!! He is 2 & PERFECT!!

My take: Natural is always better


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## HereComesTheSun (Jan 14, 2013)

Fabulous! That's my general take on it, too. It's difficult to form an unbiased opinion on something like this where most people seem to equate raw milk with poison.


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## Sunny Daze (May 18, 2010)

I did not drink the milk raw when I was pregnant but I wasn't crazy about it or anything...I did skim raw cream off for my coffee (gasp...yes I drank coffee now and again). I also ate subs with deli meat but had them toasted...I know, I am a rebel LOL Anyway, will all that there is a risk. The main risk being listeria I believe with raw milk. Your risk is not any higher than when you are not pregnant except if you do get it your immune system is not as strong while pregnant and of course the harm it could cause the baby. 

In my opinion not worth the risk so I pasturized...


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## HereComesTheSun (Jan 14, 2013)

Yes, better-safe-than-sorry is definitely on my mind lately.


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## mjgh06 (Sep 4, 2012)

I can say I drank raw goat's milk from birth to grown and when pregnant - never had any issues. I was allergic to everything including soy as a newborn and finally the doc told my mom to get some raw goat's milk. It worked. I also should say I have an autoimmune disorder - Systemic Lupus - and when it go so bad that I had a stroke at 17 I started drinking raw goat's milk again. My lupus went into remission and I won't go back to regular milk.

Another thing I just recently read that in US the dairy cows we use are A2 cows that have a beta casein in the milk which has now been linked to increased autism, schizophrenia, and other illnesses http://thebovine.wordpress.com/2009...e-enough-of-an-improvement-over-store-bought/

So it's all in how you look at it and what risks on what product are you willing to take. Me with my health history I am staying with the raw goat's milk.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I know the raw goat's milk has done wonders for my health as well. I just feel better on it. I'm sure if I pasteurized my milk it would still be wonderful, as it came from healthy, happy animals


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## YacoltMtn (Jan 17, 2013)

I wouldn't start drinking raw milk when pregnant, since you don't know how your body will react. But if raw milk is what you always drink, I would not see why all of a sudden it will be create problems for you. Indeed as long as you know your source has consistently great practices.


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## HereComesTheSun (Jan 14, 2013)

Well, I think I've decided not to drink any milk until after the baby's born. I just may make my fiance bring me a huge glass post delivery. I figure I'll just be better safe than sorry. Plus, I don't think I can deal with the amount of judgement from those who may find out I'm drinking the milk - I'm already getting comments about my coffee consumption and every food decision I make and it sucks. :hair:

Another thing that sort of sealed the deal was the fact that the dairy I was buying from/had worked on for a day actually stopped their milk production. Which makes sense, because I believe that's what the farmer had told me when they said they wouldn't be needing my help after all. Which is an absolute shame - I'm pretty sure they were being harassed by government/inspectors, etc, for their raw milk production.  But I don't want to search for a new dairy I would trust at the moment. So, easier decision  

Thanks for the advice, all!


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I was chatting with my husband just now about your question. I've not had a chance to read all the posts.

His opinion (and he's a man but very very smart) is that 1. If you drink raw milk on a regular basis BEFORE you were pregnant you probably shouldn't change your diet. 2. If you are producing the milk or are very familiar with where the milk comes from it should be fine. But if you are getting RAW milk from an unknown place you should pause and think about that.

We all know how easy it is to contaminate milk. Now I would never drink milk or serve someone milk I screwed up, but is everyone so honest?


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

We had a dairy farm and I grew up drinking raw milk, drank raw milk through 3 of my pregnancies and had healthy babies- but doctors had different ideas 30 yrs. ago. The doctor told me, if I had cramping or false labor to drink a glass of wine! 
I never had an ultrasound in any of my kids. (I have 4) and drank a couple of cups of coffee daily.
But, times are different. You are wise to not risk drinking the unpasteurized
milk.


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## onehorse_2000 (Sep 17, 2012)

YacoltMtn said:


> I wouldn't start drinking raw milk when pregnant, since you don't know how your body will react. But if raw milk is what you always drink, I would not see why all of a sudden it will be create problems for you. Indeed as long as you know your source has consistently great practices.


This is what I was thinking. I am a raw milk advocate, but if you didn't drink it regularly before and you don't have a history with a particular farm, I am not sure that I would be willing to say go for it when newly pregnant.


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## HereComesTheSun (Jan 14, 2013)

onehorse_2000 said:


> This is what I was thinking. I am a raw milk advocate, but if you didn't drink it regularly before and you don't have a history with a particular farm, I am not sure that I would be willing to say go for it when newly pregnant.


I didn't drink it regularly, no, only a couple of times a month at most. I did have a history with a farm originally as, when I posted the thread I was getting milk from a farm I had worked on, bought from in the past and knew their practices. Sadly, they've stopped producing milk, so I'm opting to wait until after the baby's born to start drinking it again.


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