Is it safe to Detox Body while Breastfeeding?

Are you potentially harming your child?

Is it safe to Detox Body while Breastfeeding?
Written by Our: Morning Runner
Medical Fact Checked by: Dr. Bryan Havoc
Last updated:

Becoming pregnant means, you’ll need to make a few different changes in order to get enough nutrients, not only for your growing body but for the child as well. In order to detox, you need to try to avoid certain food and drinks, but does avoiding these foods mean you’ll be depriving your child of the nutrients they need? Will it harm your body to the point where it affects your child, not only during pregnancy but while breastfeeding as well?

Let’s take a look at why it is safe to detox the body while breastfeeding.


What Is Detox?

Your body is exposed to harmful substances called toxins every day. Whether they’re in the environment, in your food and drink, or on the body washes or topical creams you use, it’s nearly impossible to avoid these harmful toxins.

When you think of the word detox, you’re thinking of your body’s natural ability to detoxify itself. If your body wasn’t able to detoxify itself then we would easily succumb to the crushing weight of toxins we take in daily.

From your liver to your lungs, almost every organ in the body has a role in keeping itself clean.

However, your body could always use a boost. Just like anything in life that regulates itself, there’s nothing wrong with additional help. Some experts might believe that helping your body detoxify is a waste of time, but detoxifying is merely consuming natural and healthy supplements, foods, and drinks, what could be wrong with that?


Can These Toxins Affect Your Child?

When you are pregnant, everything that enters your body has the potential to affect your developing child. Even the toxins from the air you breathe could lead to low birth weight and other diseases.

Imagine your body expending the energy that it does detoxify itself on top of trying to provide nutrients and a healthy environment for your child when you’re pregnant. It can be very draining not only physically, but mentally, and even emotionally as well.

Now imagine your child, whether you’re pregnant with them now or they’re newborn and ready for breastfeeding, is still developing their bodies. Their organs are still growing, they’re still learning how to work, and your child’s body is still developing. They need help from your developed body, whether you’re breastfeeding or still have them in your womb, to do what it can to stay clean.

With governments around the world staying stagnant on environmental regulations to lackluster food or drug regulations, it can be hard to shelter our children from the dangers of toxins.


Which Toxins Can Affect Your Child?

The biggest toxic threat to your child is environmental toxins. They’re almost entirely unavoidable, especially if you’re not able to move from where you are. Some cities, especially bigger cities with low regulations, have more toxic air, water, or soil. Even if they’re already born and are ready for breastfeeding, their organs are still very sensitive to toxic material. Not only is it important to limit their exposure to environmental toxins but limit their exposure to possible toxins transferred from your breastfeeding.


Does That Mean It’s Safe To Detox While Breastfeeding?

Yes, it is perfectly safe to follow a detox regimen while you’re breastfeeding. In fact, it’s recommended for a lot of reasons. After you give birth, your body is going to try to re-balance itself after carrying a child for nine months. You’re probably going to be trying to any weight gained while carrying a baby as well. When you’re breastfeeding, a lot of the toxins, such as heavy metals or air pollutants can actually transfer through the breast milk into your child’s developing body.


A good clean diet of natural ingredients will be great for your body, but also be great for your breast milk as well.

However, you need to make sure you do not confuse a detox diet with caloric restriction. Caloric restriction is exactly what the name implies, you’re limiting the calories you’re taking in every day. While that may work for some, you’re actually depriving yourself, and your child of essential nutrients that you both needs.

A detox regimen is not cutting your calories. It simply means you’re eating healthier and more natural ingredients. It also means the supplements or other products that you’re taking are natural and healthy as well.


How Can I Take While Breastfeeding?

Now that you know that it’s perfectly safe to do a detox while breastfeeding, or even if you're still pregnant (though you may still want to speak with your doctor, let’s take a look at a couple of tips that will help not just your body, but your child’s body as well.


Drink Plenty Of Water

You should already be staying hydrated anyway because water is absolutely essential to life, but it’s especially important when breastfeeding. Keeping your water intake up helps increase your supply of breast milk while also helping your body remove toxins. The more toxins your body removes, the less it will accumulate in your breast milk.


Eating The Right Foods

You’ll want to make sure that the food you eat is packed with nutrients while making sure it’s healthy and natural. You don’t want to deprive your body of certain foods because your breast milk needs as much nutrition as it can, so it transfers to your baby.


Keep Your Gut Clean

Eating plenty of fiber ensures that your waste is moving smoothly through and then out of your digestive system. The fiber also helps remove waste that may have found a home in your digestive system that could be carrying loads of toxins. Those toxins could leak into your breast milk and cause issues for your child.


Take The Right Supplements


Finally, make sure the supplements that you’re taking are natural. There are a lot of detox products and supplements out there, but you have to take a closer look at the ingredients to make sure they’re natural and healthy for not only your body but your child’s body as well.

Don’t let experts tell you that there’s no point in aiding your body with a healthy detox regimen. There’s nothing wrong with keeping your body free from toxins. Following this advice will ensure that your breast milk is as healthy and toxin-free as it can be for your child

*This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.