I never realized what a detox junkie I am until I got pregnant and couldn’t detox.
Thankfully I had done a deep cleanse just a couple of months before getting pregnant, but once we had conceived, my focus was on deep nourishment and a “building” diet– lots of good fats, healthy meats, nutrient-dense bone broths, and cultured foods. Of course I ate my fair share of veggies and did a lot of juicing as well, but my primary focus was on foods that build: healthy fats and proteins.
None of this changed when Sia was born. Breastfeeding is no small job and takes a lot out of you on every level. And as any breastfeeding mama knows, it’s not the time to cleanse. For one, you don’t have the energy for it. More importantly, the last thing you want to do is mobilize toxins that could end up in your breast milk and thus in your baby.
Depending on how long you breastfeed, this could mean you don’t have the opportunity for a deep detox for a long time. My daughter just turned 13 months a couple of weeks ago, and we’re nowhere close to weaning. I expect we’ll go up to at least her 2nd birthday. When you add the months of pregnancy into that total, we’re getting close to three years without a detox. I started itching to “clean house” many months ago.
A few important things to know about detoxing:
- Your body is always detoxifying. This isn’t something it only does on a juice fast. Everything from the hormones your body naturally produces, to the supplements you take, to any toxins in your food and environment… Every moment of every day your body is cleaning house. It’s just not doing it on an extremely deep level. Think of it like the day-to-day housekeeping you do versus the deep spring cleaning you only do once or twice a year.
- One of the most important things you can do to support your body’s everyday housekeeping efforts is to make sure your elimination pathways are running clear and smooth. Once those toxins have been dealt with by your body, you want them to have a speedy exit route. When you take out the kitchen trash you don’t want the hallway blocked with junk preventing you from taking the garbage outside. Just like you with your busy schedule, your body doesn’t always have the time to clean up those elimination pathways on top of everything else it’s got to do, so preventing that back up in the first place is the best strategy.
- While you don’t want to do a deep cleaning when you’re still breastfeeding, what you can do is reduce the number of toxins that are going in on a regular basis (and thus reduce your toxic load) and support your elimination pathways to flow freely.
Young woman breast feeding a baby — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis
Here are nine strategies you can safely use while breastfeeding to keep your inner house clean:
1) Make sure you’re digesting and eliminating well – In other words: ensure you’re pooping at least once daily. Your digestion is one of the primary vehicles for your body to eliminate toxins – both food waste and the toxins your liver has neutralized. Here’s the connection: your liver neutralizes toxins, which are excreted from the body in bile. The bile is stored in your gallbladder, where it waits until you’ve eaten a meal containing fat. When your digestive system senses fat is present, your gallbladder squirts the stored bile into the top of the small intestine, where it breaks down the fats and escorts toxins out of the body in your poop. Kinda cool, right?
{Interesting side bar totally not relevant to breastfeeding mamas: you know how if you’ve had one too many drinks you crave greasy food? Well, that’s your body’s natural and totally appropriate response to getting those toxins OUT in a hurry. Eating a meal high in fat will cause your gallbladder to squirt out bile to emulsify those fats, while at the same time conveniently removing those extra toxins from the alcohol out of your body.}
If pooping daily is something you struggle with – and please know that many breastfeeding mamas get constipated – then getting things moving should be a top priority. Try adding beets to your daily diet (beet kvass – a fermented beet drink – is an even better option) to help thin the bile flow. There are lots of natural strategies for getting things moving, but this gets more clinical so we’d recommend you work with a practitioner if what you’ve tried so far hasn’t worked.
2) Make sure you’re well hydrated – Another key elimination vehicle is urine, and thus your kidneys. The best and easiest way to take care of your kidneys is to stay well hydrated. This is especially important (and difficult) to do when you’re breastfeeding and losing so much of your liquid through your breast milk. My strategy is to drink 8-12oz of water every time I breastfeed in addition to sipping water throughout the day. Try adding a pinch of unrefined sea salt to your water to add electrolytes for better absorption. Also, staying really well hydrated will help you poop and makes everything in your body run more smoothly. If you only do one thing on this list, get hydrated.
3) Keep your skin clear – Many don’t realize that our skin is a major detoxifying organ. Lots of stuff leaves our body via sweat, which means it’s a good thing to get sweaty. You can do this through good old fashioned daily exercise, or you can take a hot Epsom salt bath. I’d be careful with saunas and hot tubs – they’re obviously off limits when you’re pregnant, but even when you’re breastfeeding they can mobilize more of those toxins than you’d like.
Another way to keep your skin clear is a technique called dry brushing. This is where you use a skin brush with natural bristles (like this one) on dry skin before showering. I emphasize dry skin because it really doesn’t work on wet skin and can actually pull or tear the skin, and you want to do this before showering so you can wash off all that dead skin the brush stirs up. Start at your extremities (hands and feet) and move in strong swift strokes up to your torso, always moving in the direction of your heart. Your skin will be a little pink, but not red. It’s not super comfy at first but you’ll get used it and it actually starts to feel really good over time. Not only will this help your skin breathe and eliminate toxins more easily, you will look and feel amazing!
4) Keep that lymph flowing – a side benefit of skin brushing and exercise is that you keep your lymph flowing. Lymph is the fluid of your immune system, another important element of your detoxification system, and it circulates through the body in a system that parallels your main circulatory system (your blood). The difference is that your lymph doesn’t have the benefit of a heart pumping to move it around – it depends on your movement.
The best way to get your lymph moving is to bounce: skip rope, do some jumping jacks, go for a jog, jump on a rebounder or trampoline – do anything that has gravity and requires you to bounce. Runners have excellent lymphatic flow because they do all that bouncing and they’re also pumping their arms at the same time, stimulating lymph flow in the nodes in their armpits. Time to break out the baby jogger?
5) Deep breathing – Our lungs are an often-neglected detoxification organ, but with every exhale we’re ridding our body of toxins. Exercise can do the trick, or try some restorative yoga and focus on deep, cleansing ujjayi breaths. Never under-estimate the power of breath. It is life giving and can be an amazing tool if you harness its power and breathe with intention and awareness.
6) Oil pulling – Your mouth is big source of toxins and bacteria. Oil pulling is an ancient ayurvedic technique based on the principle that toxins and bacteria are attracted to oil.
Here’s how it works: first thing in the morning (ideally before you’ve brushed your teeth or eaten any food) you take a spoonful of good quality oil (I prefer coconut oil but any good quality oil will do) and swish it around your mouth for a good 20-30 minutes. As you swish, toxins and bacteria that are in your mouth get pulled into the oil. You might find that your nose starts running. When you’re done, spit the oil into the garbage. DO NOT SWALLOW IT!! as it’s loaded with toxins, and don’t spit it in the sink as it will clog it. You can then rinse your mouth with some warm salt water, brush your teeth, and proceed with your day as usual.
If you do this regularly you’ll notice over time that your teeth get whiter, feel cleaner, and your breath is fresher. By removing the burden of extra toxins and bacteria in your mouth, you’re freeing up your immune system and other detoxification organs to attend to other business in your body.
7) Reduce the number of toxins going in through your diet – Last but certainly not least is what you’re putting into your body. This is a time to be really mindful of how you nourish yourself and your baby. A diet filled with nutrient-dense whole foods is paramount. Steer clear of processed or “faux” health foods (you know – those “health” foods that you couldn’t grow or cook yourself and that come in fancy packaging with all sorts of health promises on it). The more homemade, the better. This is precious time in your baby’s life that you won’t get back. Deep nourishment for both of you is a top priority.
The one nutrient-dense real food cleanse you can do while breastfeeding is our Sugar Control Detox. We don’t recommend you try it until your baby is at least three months old, but it’s less of a cleanse and more of a deep commitment to eating exclusively nutrient-dense whole foods. And, of course, we take out any and all forms of sugar (and foods that convert to sugar in the blood quickly) in the process. Many breastfeeding mamas (including myself) have done this protocol with great success. It’s a great way to ensure you’re eating only the highest quality real food, and conveniently it eliminates a lot of the foods that contribute to colicky behavior in babies (like gluten and dairy) so your baby will love it, too. Oh yeah, and it’s an excellent and safe way to get rid of those last few stubborn pounds of baby weight.
8) Eat more veggies. Most of us don’t eat enough vegetables (even, ironically, many vegetarians!) and it’s a rare person I don’t have to overtly cajole into increasing their intake. Vegetables are very cleansing and jam-packed with micronutrients, antioxidants, fiber and flavanoids your body needs to thrive. Your goal should be 2-4 cups of vegetables per meal. See, I told you you’re not eating enough.
This guideline comes from Dr. Terry Wahls, author of The Wahls Protocol (exceptional book on healing autoimmune disease through food), who reversed her severe Multiple Sclerosis through diet and lifestyle changes that included this significant intake of vegetables and fruits.
If you’re thinking “how on earth am I going to eat that many vegetables?” here’s a way to divide it up so that you’re getting a good diversity and not eating the same thing over and over again. At each meal, strive for:
- 1 cup of dark leafy greens (lots to choose from here: spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, swiss chard, arugula, watercress, etc)
- 1 cup of brightly colored fruits vegetables (beets, carrots, berries, eggplant, olives, tomatoes, peppers, radishes, etc)
- 1 cup of cruciferous, alliums, and/or mushrooms (cruciferous are vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, radishes, brussels sprouts; alliums are garlic, onions, leeks)
Eating so many vegetables will naturally displace other less-important things on your plate, most notably the starchy carbohydrates like grains, legumes and white potatoes, and will significantly increase your body’s cleansing potential without mobilizing toxins in a dangerous way.
9) Coffee enema. If you’re feeling brave, this is a lovely way to open up a key elimination pathway without mobilizing more toxins, making it safe to do while breastfeeding. It’s a big, controversial topic, which I wrote about here.
Written by Margaret Floyd, NTP HHC CHFS
Such valuable information for expectant mothers, mothers, or anyone who wants to become a mother! Thank you!
I’ve adopted the brushing routine most times that I’m in the shower since I learned about it on the last Sugar Detox. I use a small baby brush over my face, neck and hands, and a shower brush for the body. It is very invigorating so I’m wondering if doing it before I shower will make a huge difference? Any thoughts on that Margaret?
@Isabella – brushing before the shower will make a huge difference. I used to scrub vigorously during the shower but I’ve noticed a real difference since switching over.
What kind of face brush your using for detoxing?
Thanks, from a breastfeeding mother of a toddler. I’ve wondered about this topic, though I don’t have acute detox urges regularly. Do you really swish oil in your mouth for 20-30 minutes or do you mean seconds?
@Jaime – I actually do mean 20-30 minutes. I know it sounds like a lot of time and thank goodness for multi-tasking 🙂 It takes at least a good 15-20 to get the full benefits. sometimes I forget i’m doing it and have gone as long as 45 minutes. I think 20 minutes is a good goal.
I’ve tried this but feel like there is extra spit in my mouth after doing it for such a long period of time. Am I using too much oil to start with or do you spit as you go?
You might be using a little too much oil. It definitely does generate saliva, so that’s not unusual. I just take enough oil so that the additional saliva isn’t too much of a hassle.
Hi Margaret –
I love that you did a post on detoxification while nursing. 🙂 Everyone likes to say that you ‘can’t detox while nursing’ – nor can you let that stuff build up in your system! Your recommendations are great and now I think I need to add dry brushing to my routine.
Detox is a good thing! The only thype of Detox I have done ever ( and it was while nursing) was a natural one through using Essential Oils in a Raindrop therapy massage. It was great and helped my RA symptoms improve for a time as well.
Over time chemicals and things in the environment build up in our systems, it is a good thing to clear those out occasionally. It can bring great health changes and improve immune function as well.
Such great information! Thank you for a great article! Shared and Pinned!
Great ideas. Thank you!
I’ve read conflicting ideas on whether or not it’s safe to begin oil pulling while breastfeeding. I started doing it a few days ago and coincidentally came down with a cold (my husband was fighting something off last week) but I’m nervous that it’s the “detox effect”. I’m nursing my 7 week old, and plan to for a while so… I’m just curious what you think about the safety of me continuing??
@Jull – I’d go easy with it at first. Maybe once or twice a week, then build up gradually to daily. It is a very very gentle form of detoxification and I did it regularly while pregnant. Follow your instincts. If it feels like it’s too much, either stop or go slowly.
This is great info as I’ve suffered greatly with allergies since my last pregnancy. I’ve never had them in my life, but when I got pregnant with my second, they jumped on me out of nowhere and have annoyingly become a part of my life ever since, and my baby is now 10 months. I know it must be my liver, as I am generally quite healthy, but was in the middle of detoxing when I got pregnant. You talk a lot about mobilizing toxins: by adding fresh beet concoctions to diet to flush liver, will that still mobilize toxins to breast milk? Also, I’m so curious how you hold oil in your mouth that long without needing to swallow?
@Anla – beet is certainly incredibly helpful to mobilize toxins as it helps nurture the liver/gallbladder pathway, which is critical to detoxification. In terms of holding the oil in your mouth that long without swallowing, it takes a little practice and it definitely feels weird at first, but once you’re used to it, it’s actually mindless and effortless. Starting with a very small spoonful of oil will help.
Hi Margaret,
I have been diagnosed with fatty liver shortly after giving birth. I currently breast feeding and my baby is 5 months old. Can u please advise me what to do?
Hi @Lima – this is a much more complicated issue than I can address via a simple blog comment. i’m happy to point you in the direction of more support – why don’t you write to info at eatnakednow dot com and we’ll get you the support you’re looking for.
Great article with loads of information, thank you froma breast feeding mama! Curious about the sugar detox and waiting for the the 3 month mark with infants. My son is 8 weeks and I’d love to starts, any more insight on possible negative effects would be great.. Thank you again!
Hi Lindsey – Ultimately it’s up to you when you start the detox. We recommend waiting for 3 months so that you’re a little more recovered from the birth and that your baby is into a better sleep routine. The first few days on the detox can be hard as your body makes the switch metabolically from predominantly carb-burning to more fat-burning, and often with a newborn this can be more taxing on the mama than you’d like. But every woman is different so if you’re feeling good and want to go for it, then there’s no reason you can’t. Just listen to your body and make sure it’s the right time.
I need help! I’m breastfeeding my 13 month old and I was just diagnosed with IBS and put on the Autoimmune Paleo diet. My baby boy got a really bad cold that doesn’t seem to be getting better! I only just discovered that maybe I could be detoxing into my milk. Since he has been sick he hasn’t been interested in solids, he just wants to nurse all of the time. I don’t have a problem with that, but right now, I’m struggling to get enough calories for just myself! I’m not really willing to give up breastfeeding! I’m on day 3 of this diet, I have to keep going, but it there something I can do to help him? He is miserable! I’m considering calling a LLL leader.
Kelly – I’m so sorry you’re struggling with this! It’s hard to advise without knowing more details of your situation. It could be that you’ve moved too quickly into this new protocol, or it could be other things totally unrelated to your breastmilk. I’d highly recommend you work with a skilled natural practitioner who knows the protocol and has lots of experience working with nursing mothers. I’m happy to make some recommendations. Email us at info (at) eatnakednow (dot) com if you’d like some help finding someone good.
It’s refreshing to read an article that’s solid in truth and written with a real life perspective. Thank you! Do you know if when a breastfeeding mother consumes ozonated water from an at home generator if it might create a detox affect which could affect a nursing baby?
Hi there. I have a question. Im a nursing mom and I have been taking baths with green tea or peppermint leaves in them. Ive noticed stuff in the bottom of my tub once I get out. I know these baths are for detoxing but now im not so sure they’re okay for me to do while breastfeeding. Are you familiar with these baths? And am I harming my baby?
Brie, I have to say, I’m not an expert in detox baths. My recommendation would be to follow your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable with it, then I’d hold off until you’ve finished breastfeeding. Better safe than sorry!
Good to know oil pulling is ok while nursing! I’ve read conflicting things. What about wheat grass shots? I’ve read they are a no no because of the heavy metal detoxifying, but I would love to try it sometime.
I’d be cautious about wheat grass shots. Stick with homemade green juice. Still a great boost of antioxidants, but not the same chelating effect.
Hi Margaret,
I wanted to ask if we can’t do detox while nursing ‘at all’? My baby is 2 years and I nurse usually twice a day. I juice once a day and don’t eat processed foods. I feel good but would like to get rid of migraine headaches and frequent colds. Can I try detox or is it better to wait until he’s totally weaned? Please advise…
Ewa, I’d recommend waiting until he’s fully weaned. Start with doing all the suggestions that are in this post and make sure your detox pathways are nice and open. That’s an important first step. You can do a gentle cleansing program that doesn’t involve any major restrictions – like our sugar control detox – but anything beyond that isn’t a good idea while you’re still nursing. Re: migraines and frequent colds – a detox is probably less of what you need and some other major dietary shifts are. Have you seen my post on the topic? Here it is:
Hi I did a foot detox but I didn’t know that I shouldn’t had if I’m breastfeeding. How soon can I begin to breastfeed again?
What do you mean by a foot detox specifically?
Hi,my name is Victoria.my baby is eight months old.I’d really love to wait until she is a year old before weaning her but my health seems to be in a really bad state….asthma,severe body pains,stomach ulcers,insomnia,dail fevers…name it….I’m always fatigued,always having to sleep.I haven’t actively been involved in my other two childrens’ lives,I’m not always strong enough to do fun things with my husband,my businesses have suffered due to neglect. I need to take charge of my life now. Im on day 3 of a juice fast. I would like to know if breastfeeding my baby every 2 days will reduce the risk if transferring toxins to her or maybe I could do the fast I bits….fast 1 wk,wait for another week and fast again until I have completed the 30 days fast,I have no intentions of ending the fast
Toria, I would strongly encourage you to not fast while breastfeeding at the same time. If your body is as depleted as it sounds that it is, an intense detoxification such as this will only drain your body more. I’d recommend working with a nutrition professional on rebuilding your body’s stores and eating a nutrient-dense diet.
The absolute best way to remove bacteria from the mouth is through thorough brushing of the teeth for at least 2 minutes 2x/day with emphasis on lightly brushing the back of your tongue to remove volatile sulfur compounds and flossing at least 1x/day. There haven’t been any valid, independent studies showing oil pulling being very effective, if at all. Even if it was, brushing and/or can only penetrate 1mm deep into the pocket of the gums. Gingival pockets range anywhere from 2mm-4mm pockets in all human beings so there is still 2-3mm of bacteria in pockets that hasn’t been removed. Thus the need for floss because floss can remove the harmful bacteria/toxins that cause periodontal issues.
So my question is why oil pull for 20-30 minutes when thorough brushing and flossing effectively removes bacteria in 5 minutes or less?
Danielle, Registered Dental Hygienist
*brushing and/or rinsing
Danielle – I wouldn’t ever recommend to anyone that they give up brushing and flossing for oil pulling. I agree that both of those are vitally important part of an oral health protocol.
Great article/blog whatever it is. It was jam packed with great information! I have a nursing 9 month old and ever since she’s been born I’ve had crazy face acne (I’ve never really had acne like this in my life… minus my puberty back acne (since you really wanted to know that)). Anyway. I’ve been searching for a decent cleanse during breastfeeding. I know the acne is gut related. It has to be. I feel fat, tired, & sluggish. During pregnancy I took papaya enzymes, probiotics, chlorophyll, apple cider vinegar etc.. etc… all daily. Now I just got lazy. So… long story short, I’ve been looking for a way to safely jump start a full gut cleanse. This article gave me some helpful hints. Much appreciated! Thanks
Great article! I’d like to try oil pulling but I don’t think Ican do it for 20-30 minutes. Is this something I can work up to?
Absolutely. Start with 5 minutes and go up from there. 🙂
Great article! I am currently bfing 6 month old twins. My health has not been good since their birth. I only started researching detoxing and healthy eating. Has anybody heard of or tried diatomaceous earth for detoxing/daily health?
Hi! I am currently nursing a 7 week old. I have dramatically changed my diet to organic foods and non GMO. I have learned that by eliminating the toxins we put in our body, we release those pesky chemicals in through it bloodstream anyways. I will gladly do the things you mentioned to cleanse my body but I am wondering if a cleansing and revitalizing tea (no caffeine) would help hurry the process but be mess harsh of a cleanse?? They are all natural ingredients. What do you think? I could send the ingredients list of you need it. ? Thank you for your help!
I’d be careful about adding anything to “speed up the process” of detox while you’re breastfeeding. The best approach is to do exactly what you’re doing: minimize toxic exposure while really working on opening up those detox pathways so that they have a speedy exit route. When you’re done breastfeeding, you can do a deeper cleanse and lots of things to speed up the detox process.
I am curious to hear your thoughts on yoga postures that detox your system (deep twists and heated classes for example).
Detoxifying postures (like the deep twists) are wonderful and can be great adjuncts to other detoxification methods. I like them because they’re gentle. I’m a bit more leery about the heated classes and my one recommendation here would be to go slowly. If it’s something you’re used to doing, that’s one thing – your body is acclimated to it. But if it’s new for you, it can push toxins out too quickly and push them into breastmilk. Same thing for saunas… I’m not saying don’t do it, but go slow.
Hello. I am reaching out to you because I feel you might be able to help me with something.I recently took a trip to the ER with pain in my lower back and abdominal cramping. The pain I describe was worse for me than that of being in labor. The doctor ran several tests on me including: blood work, a urine sample, x-rays and a CAT scan. In the x-ray he found my colon was backed up with a lot of stool. He also found a little blood in my urine so that’s why he wanted me to perform a CAT scan. In the CAT scan he found a cystic mass on my left ovary that measured 7 cm.
They offered me pain medication at the beginning of the visit but I turned it down. Once I learned they wanted me to follow up with a gynecologist I knew I wasn’t going to make it until then so they prescribed me Tylenol 3. I was told to follow up with a gynecologist within two days. I called to schedule an appointment with the gynecologist the doctor referred me to and they couldn’t get me in until over two weeks. I finally kept calling around with hopes of a sooner appointment and found a a place that could see me in five days. About a 40 minute drive but I really needed to see someone.
The medicine I was prescribed did excellent the first day but after that it started to wear off before the next dose was up. I got extremely bloated and the pain was just too unbearable to take anymore. I could hardly walk or stand up straight. I finally decided I needed to get myself to the hospital, so my husband took me to the ER once again.
They did another x-ray and found there was stool backing up my system again. Prescribed me another type of pain medication and was ordered to get a bottle of magnesium citrate. They sent me home with constipation.
The pain medication did great getting me by and I was finally pain free. A few days past and I went to my appointment to see a gynecologist and just by her asking me the size of the cyst, she said I needed surgery and there wasn’t any other option but for it to come out.She also told me I needed a transvaginal ultrasound so I got that at another place in my town the next day.
My son just turned two and I have had several mysterious episodes on and off since he was born. Have you you ever heard of a cyst bigger than 7 cm go away on its own or have used a natural remedy or something else for it to shrink or go away? Everyone I’ve talked to says it’s impossible for a cyst that big to shrink or go away. And there’s no other way but to have the surgery.
I’m really scared to have the surgery and am trying to stay positive about the whole thing. I appreciate any information of your experiences as I need all the help I can get at this point. Also I ave been nursing my son, he turned two in August. I did talk to somebody and he wanted to start me out on a 28 day detox. Do you think it’s safe for me to continue nursing and follow this program? I feel we’re not anywhere ready to give up on nursing.
Thanks,
Danza
Danza, I’d strongly encourage you to seek out a functional health care practitioner and do this work under their supervision. In your case, I don’t think it would be a good idea to embark on a detox program of any kind if one of your most critical detox pathways – your colon – is being obstructed like this. You need to get to the root of that problem and a functional health care practitioner can support you.
Is it okay to do the cheyenne pepper and apple cider vinegar cleanse while breastfeeding? My third daughter put weight on me post baby unlike my first two and I was in need to drop a few pounds not much but just enough to be comfortable please help!
Do you mean literally only drinking warm water with cayenne pepper and apple cider vinegar, or do you mean adding a little of that to your diet and then otherwise keeping foods as normal? If the former, definitely not during pregnancy. That’s way too intense. If the latter, that should be fine, although go easy on the cayenne pepper in case your baby struggles with its taste in the breastmilk (or sometimes it may disturb their digestion systems).
Loved reading the article. However, I just did an herbal supplement detox cleanse and didn’t realize I couldn’t breastfeed. How long before I can breastfeed again? I drank the cleanse over 24 hours ago. Thank you!
I would ask your practitioner, but waiting 48hrs should be sufficient.
would you recommend this detox while you are pregnant.. when is a good time to start.
Regarding the coconut oil.. is there a specific brand that is a better quality than others? What is best to use?
Is juicing also a healthy nutrient supply.. carrot apple beet?
To be clear: I don’t recommend ANY detoxing while pregnant – but it’s always a good idea to keep elimination pathways open so that you can eliminate the toxins your body is naturally and continually getting rid of. And yes, this applies to pregnancy as well.
For coconut oil, use the cleanest brand you can find. I like Nutiva or Spectrum, but there are lots of them out there.
Juicing is fine but go easy on it because it’s a lot of sugar (especially the carrot/apple/beet combo you mentioned – extremely sweet). Here’s a post I wrote about the ideal combo for juicing.
Swish the oil for 20-30 MINUTES??
I do it for ten minutes and still see and feel a difference. I have 3 kids.. So its hard to swish or twenty.
My son 4 months. I feel like I’m bloated and i want to try a detox but i am breastfeeding. Whats a good detox and safe to still breastfeed?
Emma – there is really no safe detox to do during breastfeeding. What I’d recommend is doing the things I list in the article. Eliminate all processed foods, cut down on starches and simple sugars, and eat as many vegetables as you can get in (3 cups per meal is a great goal). That will all do you very well.
What are your thoughts on ‘pumping and dumping’ during a cleanse?
You can absolutely do it but it seems like a lot of work. And you’d need to pump and dump for the duration of the cleanse… which means a lot of pumping beforehand to make sure baby has his/her full supply during that time. I think unless you’re in real dire straights you might as well focus on the things you can do while breastfeeding, and then do a full-blown cleanse afterwards. That’s what I always do.
My baby is 9 months old, can i detox im feeling bloated.
It has less to do with the age of your baby, and more to do with whether you’re breastfeeding or not. If you’re still nursing, no matter what the baby’s age, it’s not safe to detox. You can do the things in this post, and they will go a long way to helping you feel better. If you’re not nursing, that’s a different question. As long as your elimination pathways are open, then yes, it’s safe to detox.
You are SO patient wow. And thanks for great article!
Patience in not my strong point. I just noticed too and will try to implement in my life too.
I have a 1year old baby and I breastfeed him.
I am drinking Turbo Detox.
is it safe???
do reply me
i don’t know that product specifically, but I would strongly encourage you to NOT drink any detox drinks while you’re breastfeeding.
I’ve had an ion foot bath today and I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to have it if I’m breastfeeding!
I got home and pump and dump but I’m still worried ! My baby is 7 months old ? Should be okay to feed him
Tonight ?
Quite honestly I haven’t done a lot with ion foot baths, so I would ask the practitioner who did it for you, but I’d say pump and dump at least twice. But the person who can best advise you is the practitioner who did the foot bath.
My baby is 21 months and only feeds at night is ok if I detox during the day
No. The body’s detoxification processes don’t start and stop on a cycle like that. I’d wait until your baby is fully weaned.
I’m breastfeeding my almost two month old. After reading your article (and all these comments), I know of course that I shouldn’t do a detox. 😉 However, I really want to start doing a daily Veggie Flush Smoothie again. Since what is in this is vegetables that I should be doing anyway, is it dangerous for baby? I wasn’t wanting to take it because of detoxing, but because I miss the freshness of it. It’s a good way to get some spinach in. What do you think?
http://www.today.com/recipes/dr-oz-s-veggie-flush-smoothie-t89196
This is fine and a great way to get more veggies into your diet. You’re basically just pureeing the veggies. It would be the same as eating a gigantic salad. I say go for it!
Oh, good. I was so worried. 🙂 Thanks!
Hi Margaret, I’m still nursing my daughter who just turned 2. I started drinking 2-3 tablespoons of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother per day about a week ago. I wasn’t even considering the possibility it would stir up trapped toxins and release into my breastmilk. What is your take on ACV while breastfeeding? Thank you! Alicia
I think ACV is gentle enough not to stir up too much of a detox reaction. I think you’ll be fine!
Hello,
I am a Vegan and have been for 2 years. I also regularly support my liver and kidney with various herbal teas. I breastfeed my son who is now 6 months and have had no issues but would love to do a juice cleanse for a few days. If all I already eat is fruit and veggies wouldnt this be ok to do? To just huice it instead of eat it whole so my body gets more of the nutrients and has an easier time digesting the food? Thanks
I strongly encourage you not to just do a juice fast while nursing. You’ll be missing out on important nutrients, even if you’re predominantly vegan now.
I have same idea as well, breast feeding mom have to eat all of vege.Eating is good for the breast feeding and detox juice which making with some Vege are no good for baby.
I am confuse and some body can explain pls
I read that Epsom salt baths can dry up your milk supply. Have you not experienced your milk supply changing with these baths?
Not at all…
Is Oil pulling safe while Breastfeeding?
Can I drink Sassy Water while breastfeeding?
I don’t know what that is — sorry.
These are great guidelines for ALL of us. thanks!
Do detoxing herbs get into the breast milk? Is that the harm of detoxing while breastfeeding? I have a two…almost 3 year old. He nurses for comfort only..I am not his main meal source. Since I feel he does not get much milk, is it safe to detox in this situation?
Any supplement you take will end up in trace amounts in your breastmilk. That’s actually one way practitioners supplement infants who aren’t eating food yet – via the mother through her breastmilk. So yes, some of the herbs will get in the milk, but more importantly the milk will contain toxins that the body is eliminating, so you don’t want to mobilize more toxins than the body is naturally getting rid of. I’d wait until he’s fully weaned.
Hi! You mentioned ACV was a gentle enough detox to be safe while breastfeeding…have you heard or know if Plexus is safe? I’ve been told (by the people trying to sell it 😉 ) that is is gentle enough to do while breastfeeding and that many of them use it themselves (not enough for me to know that THEY do it). I’m specifically thinking of their “Cleanse” product. Although I’m wondering about their pink drink Slim and ProBiotic. I did ask my practitioner and all I got was that there is not enough evidence to say one way or the other. Thanks!
I’m not familiar with that product, but I would be very cautious with any kind of detoxing / cleansing like this during breastfeeding. My inclination would be to avoid it.
Can i drink epsom salt water while breastfeeding?
I wouldn’t recommend that.
….. I just switched to a natural deodorant, and based on what I’ve been reading I’m assuming my body is detoxing. Anyway am I better off to continue using the natural deodorant, or to go back to the chemical deodorant? Now I’m kind of freaking out. Thank you in advance!
Kim, what is it that you’re experiencing specifically?
Its said that ginger water and lemon juice helps detox.my baby is 3 months.is there any harm if I take this combination given its natural.
If you’re still eating food and not pushing detoxification in any other way, then yes, drinking some of this in addition to your regular diet is fine for the baby
Hello. My doctor has told me I need to take a liver support as I have high ALT levels but I am breastfeeding. She wants me to get an expensive treatment from her. Could you recomend any natural supplements I can take please? Thanks
Liver support is really challenging when you’re nursing as so many supplements push detoxification, and you absolutely don’t want to do that. I’d recommend adding in lots of liver-loving foods like dandelion greens, beets, ginger, lemon, lots of dark leafy greens and cruciferous veggies, berries, artichokes, and garlic, and at the same time avoid things that stress the liver like alcohol, processed foods, sugar, and poor quality fats. I’d also make sure to stay really well hydrated. With these things alone, you can make a big difference and lighten the load on your liver. ALT can take a bit of time to come down, but I’d start with these things and see how you do.
Margaret,
Thank you for your time and knowledge! I just read this article and the posts and am very concerned about my nurseling. I have been going to a chiropractor that also does nutrition response testing. My body has been moving toxins, most recently chromium and hydrocarbons. My hands have a terrible rash that is testing as the toxins I listed above. Now I’m reading that detoxing while nursing is dangerous…. what am I to do for my son?? How do I proceed? I’ve already been detoxing. I was told that bacteria and viruses don’t get into my breast milk, I guess I thought what I’ve been doing with my practioner has been safe and toxins wouldn’t get into my milk either. I feel very irresponsible and am seriously concerned for my son. How do I proceed?
Have you been working with your practitioner to actively push the toxins out? Or is s/he simply supporting what your body is already doing? (as in: supporting elimination pathways so that the body can clear what it’s naturally detoxing). There’s a very big difference. As long as you’re not actively pushing the body to detoxify more than it is naturally doing, and as long as you’re simply opening up elimination pathways, your baby should be fine. What you don’t want to be doing is pushing the detoxification processes any faster than they’re naturally going. If you’re concerned, I’d definitely bring this to the practitioner that you’re working with. Make sure s/he knows you’re nursing.
Thanks for this info! I’m also trying to support my liver , my daughter is 19 months nursing 3x a day.. and I would like to get pregnant within a few months again. My AST & ALT enzymes are elevated. I eat very healthy, paleo and organic, no sugar etc .. I was thinking to add dandelion tea or Powdered burdock root from dr, cowans garden.. would these be too harsh to take while nursing a bit still? Thanks so much!
I would be very cautious adding herbs while still nursing. If you want to get pregnant again, my recommendation would be to wean, do a bit of cleansing while your body is your own for a few months, then start eating a very nutrient-dense diet and go into pre-conception mode and trying to conceive again. it is so hard on the body to just go from baby to baby with no rest and recovery in between. You have just created a new life! That is enormously taxing and energy- / nutrient-intensive. For your sake and the sake of your next baby, I strongly recommend some time in between the two if at all possible.
My baby is 3months old .Using ginger, lemon juice, mint leave , honey and cucumber to detox my body while breastfeeding is it good.
Please make sure you are eating a normal diet during this time. You absolutely don’t want to mobilize toxins when you are the sole source of nutrition for an infant.
Is it ok to have celery,apple,carrots,beetroot juice, ginger,kale juice in morning in place of breakfast while breastfeeding
As long as you don’t feel hungry and are eating plenty the rest of the day, that should be fine.
my son is 7months plus I gained a lot of weight during pregnancy and I didn’t loose even a kg after delivery what should I do? currently am weighing 116 kgs I started gym and clean eating last month but instead of loosing weight am gaining what should I do please
Tiwonge, first and foremost I’d follow all the steps in this article — especially the diet. Make sure you’ve removed grains, dairy, and sugar from your diet – that will go a long way. Increase your veggie content to 2-3 cups per meal. If it’s still not budging, then I’d work with a functional practitioner to get to the root of why. There can be a lot of different factors: digestive issues, hormonal issues, thyroid issues… it would be impossible to know without testing and more in-depth review of your health history. make sure you’re doing the basics first and if still no results, then I’d look in some of these other areas.
Is it safe to drink IASO detox tea while breastfeeding 5month old?
I wouldn’t…
WHEN SHOULD I TRY TO DETOX AFTER DELIVERY
Wait until you have stopped breastfeeding.
I have been doing coffee enemas a couple times now I the past week. I started to because my liver needs help. Every time After I eat a meal, I get real dizzy and hot for a bit. I read up that it’s the liver overloaded and it’s working really hard, hence the heat. Plus I’m constipated. I go about every 3-4 days if not longer. I m breastfeeding a 2 month old.
So coffee enemas still okay for me??
Nadia – you might start with an enema that has probiotics in it rather than the coffee enema to loosen things up. Also, make sure you’re doing all the things in this article to help with constipation. You want to make sure those toxins have an easy exit out of the body.
Thank you for your enlightening article Margaret. I have a 7 month old baby. I have done water enema cleansing twice now within 2 weeks, as I struggled with constipation since having my 2nd child. Should I continue and what is the safest way to do this? I’m still b/feeding
I am nursing a 22lb 6 month old but am having some issues with bile and stomach acid would it be safe to use beet flow (the green tops of beets) as well as hcl to help get things moving or would this be too much?
That should be fine, Ashlee. You can also try beet kvass. That’s a really good way to get things moving – it’s so therapeutic for the gallbladder.
Breastfeeding a 9 month old. I have recently given up meat(more like I completely lost all desire for it). Now I’m eating a lot more veggies & fruits. Is it safe to consume a carrot/pear/cabbage “detoxifying” drink? I am drinking a lot more water as well.
It’s fine to drink that kind of drink as long as you’re still getting sufficient fat and protein to sustain you. If that’s all you were consuming, it would not be safe.
I plan on doing a 7 day detox comprised of juices, smoothies and soups-all clean. I have a 4 month old that Im breastfeeding. This should be fine, right?
As long as those soups have protein and good fats in them, then yes, but if not then save it for after you’ve weaned.
Excellent article, thanks for compiling it.
I want to do a detox and digest cleanse with a 5 day meal plan. It’s through amazing grass. Do you think it’s ok while breastfeeding? My doctor said ok to the green powder itself.
I don’t know that program, but I’d be leary of anything that’s pushing detox pathways while breastfeeding. It’s better to play it safe and wait until you’re done.
Hi Margaret! I’m nursing a 5 month old (taking a break from my postnatal vitamin) and I started taking about 5-7 mg of liquid ionic zinc and I feel like my body is starting to detox it’s heavy metals. (Joint pain, brain fog, slight headaches, some anxiety, metal taste in mouth) Same symptoms I get after a deep massage. Should I stop taking it??? I don’t want my breast milk to have my metals/toxins in it!!! I do almost everything else on your list except enemas. I have several healthy bm’s every day. I also drink dandelion tea to support my liver. Would love your thoughts. Thank you!
Kelly, if you notice these symptoms after starting this (or any other supplement), then stop the supplement and see if those symptoms go away. That’s a very high dose zinc and just pushing one mineral can cause imbalance in the others. I’d stop it and see how you feel.
Hi Margaret, I’ve started drinking a detox water that’s all natural (oranges, grapefruit, mint, and strawberries for a bit of sweetness). I’ve read that peppermint can slow milk production, because of the menthol. However, I haven’t been able to find anything about the effects of fresh mint. Would you consider the mint along with these other ingredients to be safe? Thanks!
As long as you’re still eating otherwise, it should be fine. I certainly drank peppermint tea while nursing and it had no effect on my milk supply, but every body is a little different so just pay attention and go slowly.
How can you tell if the detox you’re doing will push toxins through breast milk? I started (only 1) doing the 10 day green smoothie clease by J Smith. I have a 3 month old and admittedly did not research this enough before starting. Can I continue the clease and just modify by adding in more protein?
Assume it will and wait until you’ve weaned to detox.
Im Nursing a 7moth old i buy detoxic Just Now i didn’t realize it’s its ok for me to take this medicine thank you
Hi Margaret
Thankyou this article is great.
Definitely keen to increase my intake of vegetables. You mentioned they would eventually displace other things such as grains and I assume sugar and dairy etc which is fine… I’m just wondering about the detox effect this would have and is it ok as I know from past experience eliminating these things from my diet had a huge shift on my body but did give me detox ‘symptoms’.
Just increasing your veggie intake and decreasing grains/sugar/dairy shouldn’t push you into too much of a detox. It will mostly recalibrate your sugar handling (which is good) so you might feel a bit wonky for a few days, but it’s not necessarily due to a big detox. If you’re worried about it, do it in stages: start with increasing veggies and remove other things a bit at a time, starting with the sugar.
hi im breastfiding a 8 months old baby, is it ok to start a 7 day detox comprised of juices ?
Definitely not. Wait until you’ve weaned.
Please help I would like to detox by drink a detoxing tea made with roasted dandelion. Will that be safe while breastfeeding.
If it’s a tea that is to inspire detoxification, then I’d hold until you’ve finished breastfeeding.
Dear Margaret,
I want to lose weight and beside this i have 4 Months baby and breastfeeding him. My question is this that can I drink detox of mint, Gegner, lemon, green tea and cinnamon ? Is this have any affect to the baby?
Waiting for ur kind reply
Regards
You can drink the tea, but you want to make sure you’re not doing anything else like significantly restricting food intake or taking supplements that push detoxification.
Hi Margaret,
I am nursing an 18 month 20 pound baby. I am on day 3 of a detox diet. It’s juicing, lots of fruits , avocados, salads, but just brown rice and veg for dinner for the first 7 days. The detox is 21 day program and you slowly add in nuts, fish , meat and dairy. Is this safe?
I wouldn’t do it until you’ve fully weaned your baby…
If I detox while breastfeeding we’ll all the bad toxins go through my milk to come out???
I would caution against new mothers doing high impact exercises such as jogging and jumping as that puts a lot of pressure on the pelvic floor and can cause or worsen pelvic floor prolapse. For a gentle workout I would recommend Fit2Be.
im breastfeeding a 3 months old and planning on feeding her till shes 2 yrs old. can i start drinking water with mint lemon and cucumber?
Absolutely. That’s not going to push any kind of detoxification.
I want to do a one day juice detox from a local juice bar… if I added protein into the plan will that be ok to do while i nurse my 9 month old?
It really depends on the detox and what’s is included in the juice… I’d lean to being on the safe side and just not doing it.
I am 31 years old, breastfeeding a 15 month old, and TTCing baby #2. I suffer from chronic constipation and my recent Zyto scan showed parasites. I’m going to implement the tips above, but what type of enema should I try? I would hate to wean but should I give my body a break before baby #2 and do a complete detox?
I’d strongly encourage you to give your body a break between babies, do some GI stool testing, address any pathogens, and heal up that gut before having baby #2. It will only benefit you and the next baby long term.
Thanks for the great article. I am a cancer survivor of 8 years but I think it’s coming back. I want to do all natural treatment but I’m worried about the detoxing affect for my 9 month old. I’m not ready to wean, however I also don’t want to hold off on healing. I appreciate any thoughts you might have? Thanks
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for sharing. I’m so sorry you’re in this situation. This is a really tough call. Honestly, you’re going to have to make some hard choices of your health or continuing to nurse. I know making a choice like this can be challenging.
I’m not an expert by any means in working with cancer so I recommend you seek out the advise and support of someone that has extensive experience in this area. Just to in case you haven’t thought about it, I want to make sure you are aware that you can still give your child breast milk that you’ve pre-pumped. I wish you the best of luck.
Shall I have cucumber, coriander leaves, ginger juice while breastfeeding the 3 month old baby
Hi Advika, None of those are usually an issue when breastfeeding. Most of them are staples in many people’s diets. That said, it’s really up to the baby. I’ve seen many babies react to all types of foods. If there is any concern that the baby may react to these items, don’t eat them all at once or in large quantities. Maybe try one for a day and see if the baby has a reaction. Then wait a day or two before trying a different ingredient. I do recommend peeling the cucumber since the skins can sometimes be an issue for people. Congrats on your 3 month old! Wishing you all the best!
Activated charcoal is specially treated charcoal which has some pores in it which can soak in anything it encounters. It acts as a sponge and takes in everything. This property is known as adsorption and has been used since olden times to cure poisonings. The same concept can be used in pregnancy as well. Are activated charcoal pills safe during pregnancy, is a question most often enquired about and the answer is yes, it is safe if taken in a controlled amount.
I am an exheroin addict who has about a year clean. I started on methadone maintenance at 4months pregnant and I am still on maintenance while nursing my 7month old son who was consiquentially had a low birth weight because of my poor choices the first few months i was unaware of my pregnancy . He is very healthy and growing beautifully, with no health issues but I wanted to know what affect the methadone may be having on him and what type of cleanse might potentially be beneficial or if I should actually even continue to breast fed despite my doctors beliefs since the breastfeeding benefits far out way the minute amouth of methadone is absorbed into breastmilk. I can’t help but to feel guilty for subjecting my infant to nursing from me. HELP!
I can understand your dilemma – it’s an extremely personal decision and ultimately only one you can make. I’m not an expert in that drug so I really don’t know its impact or how much of it gets through to the baby via breastmilk. From what I can see from the drug information I’ve read, it’s not going to affect the baby much at all and so I’d feel comfortable continuing to nurse him, especially given your doctor’s recommendations. We know the benefits of nursing are enormous. Also, I’m sure it’s easy to be hard on yourself about past choices, but remember that this beautiful little baby boy chose you for a reason — and babies are surprisingly resilient! Your concern shows what a good and loving mother you are!
Can I drink parsley, lemon and cucumber while breastfeeding? My baby is 10 months.
Yes, absolutely you can, as long as you’re also eating as well. This drink alone won’t push your detox pathways excessively.
I want to do a 12 day smoothie slim detox and I still breastfeed my 28 month old 24 pound baby is it safe to do this detox even though I’m still breastfeeding ?
Hi Ally – I strongly encourage you to wait on this detox until you’ve finished breastfeeding. A smoothie-only detox can certainly mobilize toxins that will dump into the breastmilk and affect the baby.
Do you know anything about food grade diatomaceous earth? Would that be safe to consume while breastfeeding? According to the manufacturer, it is safe but I’ve read conflicting opinions.
Yes, that’s fine. This is a binding agent that will absorb toxins and help them leave the body – it’s not “pushing” the detoxification pathways in any way.
Would doing a raw food cleanse be a heavy detox? Only consuming raw fruits veggies and water for a month?
Yes, that would be too heavy of a detox while breastfeeding. You and your baby need healthy fats.
Hi Leanne-
I have recently bought DE and have yet to take it as I’m BF my 10 month baby. Reading your post, I’m thinking to start! Have you had any side effects? How much do you take daily that proves to be safe for breastfeeding?
TIA!
Tracy
Hi Margaret,
Im breastfeeding a 3 months and im drinking moringa leaves with ginger is it safe?
There’s insufficient research either way to show that there is any benefit or adverse risk for moringa when nursing. I’d error the cautious side and avoid it. Ginger is fine, though.
Moringa is fine here, we eat it here in nogeria like vegetable and it actually helped me with breast feeding, loaded with iron
My daughter is 3 months old, is it safe to drink 16oz of celery juice in the morning on an empty stomach while breastfeeding? Matched with plenty of whole foods throughout the day. Not a juice cleanse, just incorporating celery juice in the morning. Thank you!
Hi Jessica,
That should be fine. I would be careful of doing any one juice all the time though. Just monitor how your daughter reacts to anything you put in your body. Also, a healthier option to juicing is blending the vegetables. You can’t do it with celery but a great green smoothie can be found here.
hello there I purchased a detoxifying cleanse by the brand Prestige Lab it is called “last minute cleanse” can you please let me know if this would be ok to take I’m BF my 4 month old
Hi Crystal, best to contact Prestige Labs to confirm this information. I’m not familiar with their product.
Hi,
With the swishing of coonut oil, did you mean 2-3 minutes or 20-30 minutes?
Hi Jessica, No, its 20-30 minutes. It will feel like a long time at first, but just go about your business while you swish and it will feel faster.
Am breastfeeding and my baby is 2 months now,…I had a caesarian session,….what should I drink to loose weight
While we can’t blanketly recommend one thing for everyone, it is safe to say, drinking lots of water is key for weight management. Your baby will appreciate you being well hydrated too! If you want to dig deeper and get support please feel free to reach out to work with me. You can do so here.
If your gallbladder has been removed, how does your body get rid of the toxins that would be excreted through your gallbladder? Any advice on helping my body with this process (while nursing)?
When you have your gallbladder removed, the common bile duct, which usually would go from gallbladder to the duodenum (the upper part of your small intestine), now goes directly from your liver to your duodenum. The gallbladder was simply a sac to hold the bile salts, which escort the toxins from your body, until you need them. Having no gallbladder has its own issues for sure, but you are still able to get rid of those toxins via the common bile duct. Great question!
Hey i am mursing two months old baby and want to take salt water flush in the morning is it safe to do so ?? Will it be fine with my baby
I would recommend waiting until you have weaned to do the more aggressive flushes like this.
I am nursing my 9 month old. I was told that a ionic foot bath bypasses the milk and is safe. Is this true?
I don’t know. You might want to contact the ionic foot bath manufacturer.
I know you can’t speak to the quality of the activated charcoal itself. but my curiosity is if it is a binder like DE, would it be considered safe as well for any detoxing
Activated charcoal is a binder, and so it will grab onto any toxins and help pull them out of the body. It is often used with detoxing, but it shouldn’t be used long-term as it will grab onto minerals and other important nutrients in the body as well. Always take it (or any other binder) at least 1hr away from any food, other supplements, and any medications.
Wow this has helped me sooo much. I’m breastfeeding and I am struggling to get my body feeling right again especially before being pregnant i use to workout and eat super healthy.You have given me a starting point.
I feed my baby alot of legumes and nut butters I need to increase her veg. What is the best veg to give her please? Thanks for your time
Depends on your child’s age, but cooked spinach with some butter (or other fat), cooked carrot, and baked sweet potatoes are a good start.
Hello, what a wonderful article! I am breastfeeding my 2 month old and I love your advice.
My problem is, my gallbladder was removed 14 years ago. How will this affect my body’s elimination paths and what can I do to help it along?
Pls a mother of a two month baby does it mean I should stop the ginger,cucumber ,lemon detox
Thank you for sharing this information. So valuable and critical for breastfeeding moms.