apr 15 
Question by Mother
Send this post to a friendDr Gina,
I am a Canadian breast feeding Mother. I will be returning back to work when my son will be 10 months. I am fortunate enough to have the luxury of being able to continue breastfeeding. However, I am a fruit picker in British Columbia's Okanogan Valley. I will be picking cherries, apples & grapes. I have been trying to decide if going back to work will cause harm to my baby. I, unfortunately, do not know what kinds of pesticides are used or which ones to look out for. I would really appreciate any extra advice or information you could offer.
Thank you very much!
From a Mother madly in Love with her baby!
Comments (1) |  |
1. 04/15/2008 06:21:35 PM
Thanks for your inquiry and congratulations on successfully breastfeeding your son for 10 months! As you obviously know, breastfeeding is the best possible nutrition for your baby, and you have given him the best you can give him for a healthy start and a long life.
Returning to work can pose problems for breastfeeding moms -- and I'm not just talking about finding a private space to pump the milk and a cool place to store it. Many workplaces contain chemicals that can get into breast milk. High on the list of workplace chemicals of concern are pesticides and solvents. The latter chemicals are often used as "inert ingredients" in pesticides. The good news from your email is that it seems that you are not likely to be entering freshly-sprayed fields, or handling pesticides directly. That will certainly minimize your contact with the solvents (since these chemicals evaporate quickly after the pesticides are applied). The pesticides themselves may or may not be a problem. That's because pesticides are a motley mix of chemicals; some pesticides can get into breast milk and others can't; some pesticides are dangerous for babies and others probably aren't. So I can't give you a single answer.
For example, the pesticide that's used most heavily on grapes is sulfur. Sulfur is used as a fungicide, and it can cause problems for workers because it is irritating to the skin and can also cause allergic reactions. However it's not something I worry about for a breastfeeding mom. On the other hand, apples and cherries are frequently sprayed with insecticides in the organophosphate class. These chemicals (with names like chlorpyrifos (Lorsban), methyl-parathion, and azinphos-methyl (Guthion)) can be really dangerous. They can be absorbed through the skin, and they most likely do get into breast milk. Studies have shown that these chemicals interfere with normal nerve development in the brain.
I suggest that you try the following things: (1) try to find out what has been sprayed in the days prior to when you are picking the fruit; (2) check out www.pesticideinfo.org for information about what is used on these same crops in California, recognizing that it may be different where you work; this site also has some useful information on toxicity. (3) wear gloves and long-sleeved coveralls when you pick, if at all possible. The best gloves are ones made of nitrile, since those are more chemically-resistant than latex or cloth gloves. The biggest exposure pathway will probably be from skin absorption (unless someone is actually spraying near you), so if you protect your skin then you will help protect your baby.
One other thing: I know it will be difficult, but try not to hug your baby until after you shower and change out of your work clothes. It's best to keep your work clothes separate from other clothes (especially baby things) in the laundry. Work shoes should obviously not be worn in the home, since the floor where your child may crawl should be kept free of dirt from the fields.
Good luck and I hope you have a smooth transition back to work.
Returning to work can pose problems for breastfeeding moms -- and I'm not just talking about finding a private space to pump the milk and a cool place to store it. Many workplaces contain chemicals that can get into breast milk. High on the list of workplace chemicals of concern are pesticides and solvents. The latter chemicals are often used as "inert ingredients" in pesticides. The good news from your email is that it seems that you are not likely to be entering freshly-sprayed fields, or handling pesticides directly. That will certainly minimize your contact with the solvents (since these chemicals evaporate quickly after the pesticides are applied). The pesticides themselves may or may not be a problem. That's because pesticides are a motley mix of chemicals; some pesticides can get into breast milk and others can't; some pesticides are dangerous for babies and others probably aren't. So I can't give you a single answer.
For example, the pesticide that's used most heavily on grapes is sulfur. Sulfur is used as a fungicide, and it can cause problems for workers because it is irritating to the skin and can also cause allergic reactions. However it's not something I worry about for a breastfeeding mom. On the other hand, apples and cherries are frequently sprayed with insecticides in the organophosphate class. These chemicals (with names like chlorpyrifos (Lorsban), methyl-parathion, and azinphos-methyl (Guthion)) can be really dangerous. They can be absorbed through the skin, and they most likely do get into breast milk. Studies have shown that these chemicals interfere with normal nerve development in the brain.
I suggest that you try the following things: (1) try to find out what has been sprayed in the days prior to when you are picking the fruit; (2) check out www.pesticideinfo.org for information about what is used on these same crops in California, recognizing that it may be different where you work; this site also has some useful information on toxicity. (3) wear gloves and long-sleeved coveralls when you pick, if at all possible. The best gloves are ones made of nitrile, since those are more chemically-resistant than latex or cloth gloves. The biggest exposure pathway will probably be from skin absorption (unless someone is actually spraying near you), so if you protect your skin then you will help protect your baby.
One other thing: I know it will be difficult, but try not to hug your baby until after you shower and change out of your work clothes. It's best to keep your work clothes separate from other clothes (especially baby things) in the laundry. Work shoes should obviously not be worn in the home, since the floor where your child may crawl should be kept free of dirt from the fields.
Good luck and I hope you have a smooth transition back to work.
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