# Raw Milk while pregnant??



## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

I know it's a personal decision, and really depends on cleanliness, but I just am curious how many did or would drink their raw milk while pregnant? I'm about 6 months pregnant and am just today going to start milking my girls. We try to keep everything as clean as possible, and have never gotten sick from our milk. I'm just curious if I'm crazy to not pasteurize just until I have the baby?? Does pasteurizing change the taste at all?? Thanks


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I just wanted to say something about goat milk and pregnancy. Goat milk contains less folic acid than cow milk, so while pregnant you may want to take a supplement or eat other foods rich in folic acid.
I don't know about the raw question. Hopefully someone else can help you there.


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks! I didn't know that! I am taking a prenatal, and do eat lots of green veggies so I think I should be ok with my folic acid. Interesting though.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

I am pregnant, due in 2.5 weeks! I chose NOT to drink raw milk, as listeria is one of the few bacteria that can get to the baby directly through the placenta. I read that even if you are not effected because of your immune system, the baby can be. My choice was based on feeling that it was probably OK to do so, but IF something were to happen I would never forgive myself over something so preventable.


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks Devin! That's kind of where I am thinking right now. Did you just pasteurize yours? Or did you choose to buy store bought during that time? Also, congratulations! Wishing you a smooth and easy delivery


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

You too! We had been milking her all summer when I became pregnant. I milked her a little while longer, tried pasturizing (didn't really like it, but we don't have a pasturizer, we were doing it on the stove) and ended up deciding to dry her up a couple months early. We've been drinking cow milk. She is milking again, but I let the babies have her. I milked her for the first time just this morning, and can't wait until I can enjoy her milk again! Hers is sweet and creamy (Nubian)! 

I have to warn you that if you are used to raw goat milk then the cow milk will taste funny for a while. I took me about 2 months to really switch back over where I didn't notice the taste so much, but for a long time store bought cow milk tasted sour! 

Try pasturizing, if you don't like it then use the raw milk for cooking, and buy a little for drinking. If the milk is cooked it won't hurt anything at all and most of us use milk in our baking!


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## mlktrkdrvr (Dec 7, 2012)

I drank raw milk when I was pregnant with my last boy. No problems whatsoever. I would do it again also. I read a very interesting article from a women's health specialist about raw milk when I was pregnant. She stated that professionally she never advocated raw milk for a pregnant woman but did in fact drink it herself when she was expecting her children. It has been about 3 years ago so I do not know where I found it. If you know the animal and you know the way it was handled that is added reassurance.
Just my opinion


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

Thank you! That is also great to hear. I really don't want to go through the hassle of pasteurizing...and we have been drinking store bought cows since we dried our doe off in October. So I've been looking forward to not have to do that. Decisions decisions


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## Rev144 (Jan 22, 2011)

Out of curiosity, why is it ok for a new born baby to drink raw goats milk, but its not ok for mom to drink it when she is carrying that same baby. Up until 100 years ago everyone drank raw milk and most of the time that milk was not kept cold.


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## WalshKidsGoats (Nov 27, 2012)

As long as the doe is healthy that the milk came from it's fine. Pasteurizing damages the enzymes and the proteins in the milk due to the high temperatures used to kill harmful bacteria. As long as the doe is healthy there won't be any bad bacteria in her milk. Raw milk is very very healthy!


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## DesertRose (Apr 12, 2013)

Five human kids and I drank raw milk with all five. Not one of three different doctors ever told me not to either. It has to be whatever you decide for yourself ... which ever way you go is what is right for you.


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks everyone! I drank some that I milked this morning and it was delicious! I know my goats are healthy and do everything as clean as possible, so I'm sure it is fine  it's just really good to know other moms who have done the same.


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

You can do vat, or low-temp pasteurization. It would be a sort of "middle of the road" option. http://www.draxe.com/video/pasteurization-homogenization-raw-milk/


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

Since you have decided already, I just wanted to say congratulations on the baby! Good Luck!


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

Rev144 said:


> Out of curiosity, why is it ok for a new born baby to drink raw goats milk, but its not ok for mom to drink it when she is carrying that same baby. Up until 100 years ago everyone drank raw milk and most of the time that milk was not kept cold.


It ISN'T OK for a newborn baby to drink raw or pasturized goat or cow milk . . . 100 years ago babies drank from their own mothers. Many babies died from "milk fever" from parents who had dried up giving their too young children unpasteurized milk, its one of the reasons they started to pasturize in the first place. Beyond that issue is a human baby can not digest cow or goat milk properly, not until at least *1 year of age*, it creates digestion issues and colic even if it is pasturized. Can some children tolerate it, yes, and a whole lot more can't. Those who do tolerate it are put at risk of death if it is raw from listeria, ecoli etc . . . Pregnant mothers are advised to NOT drink raw milk because Listeria can have zero effect on mom, not even make her sick at all, but can get straight to the baby through the placenta and kill the child, causing still born babies.

100+ years ago people kept their milk cool in cellars or cool water streams, many times when possible they built their homes over a natural spring so that their cellar had natural "refrigeration". they also used what they had faster, it didn't sit around for a week or even days. They used it for cooking, cream, butter and drinking, cottage cheese, cheese etc . . . What they had that day was used.

An older child and esp an adult have developed an immune system that protects them. a new born child is born pretty much without an immune system, and it has to have TIME to develop. Giving a newborn raw milk (any kind except mom's) is not wise at all. Giving them any milk beyond their mothers milk is also very hard on their tummies until at least 1 year old. Even cow milk based formulas are hard on a LOT of babies, and many babies grow to have digestion issues such as milk allergies, lactos intolerance or sensitivities. Mothers used to breastfeed up to 2+ years before giving their children cow or goat milk.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

Having said all that, say mother dies, did they give raw cow or goat milk? Of course, better to take a risk than allow certain death . . . 

Back in the really old days they used to find another woman who was breast feeding or had just finished breastfeeding, called a wet nurse, to feed the baby.


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

My friend had a baby, and the baby had issues with acid reflux (so they thought, it wound up being pertussis) so she was put on formula. Her mom didn't want to keep her on formula, and by the time they'd figured out what was causing the issue, Momma had dried up (and found out she was pregnant again) so she put her on raw goats milk - Baby is 10 months old and thriving.


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

Try pasteurizing by heating to 165, hold for 15 seconds, then chill in ice water. See how you like that. It is not worth it for you to be stressed and worried about this, you should do what you feel secure about.


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

Through 4 pregnancies with 4 healthy sons, I drank raw goat and cows milk. Healthy as a horse, never sick and the kids were almost never sick either. My third son was raised from birth on raw goat milk and never had colic, colds, or any type of bug that went around and he slept the night through from the day he came home from the hospital at 3 days of age.


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## Curious (Feb 6, 2013)

Rev144 said:


> Out of curiosity, why is it ok for a new born baby to drink raw goats milk, but its not ok for mom to drink it when she is carrying that same baby. Up until 100 years ago everyone drank raw milk and most of the time that milk was not kept cold.


From what I've read, the general rule of thumb is that infants and those with compromised immune systems (those on chemo, etc.) shouldn't drink it, but you raise a good point. There are lots of debates over Raw vs. Pasteurized that would probably be more suitable for a different thread. I found that a lot of the time people argue based on how they feel instead of actual facts. I found Realmilk.com had some useful articles, but be careful of articles that are all pro for Raw or Pasteurized.


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## Kimv143 (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks everyone for all of your responses! After milking for about a week now, I've decided I'm not going to take the "risk". I just don't think it's worth me worrying about it. I'll probably try pasteurizing one day a week for myself to drink, and my family can have the rest. I trust that it's clean, but just don't think it's worth me worrying over the next 3 months! I'm sad, because we've finally gotten our chilling routine down so that the milk tastes SO GOOD!! Hopefully pasteurizing doesn't change the flavor too much


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Pasteurizing takes but a few minutes of your day.


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## rosawoodsii (Feb 20, 2013)

I would have no hesitation drinking raw milk while pregnant. In fact, for all of my life, including when I was pregnant, I've drunk nothing but raw milk. Personally, I have an issue with dead (pasteurized) milk. I won't and don't drink it. If I don't have a source of raw milk, I go without altogether.


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