Hi,
I am currently 8 months pregnant. I was taking prereqs to take MCAT through May. I decided not to attempt any class work for this Summer (well, I have one online class and some volunteer work but that's about it.). My plan is to take Biochem online and Animal Phys evening class in Fall so I can care for the baby during day time.

There is a disection lab that goes w/ Animal Physiology. They use formaldehyde in the lab. Is this lab a no no if I want to nurse the baby in Fall? I know, I can ask my doctor but my next appt with him is not till next wednesday so thought I would post it here.
Thanks!

I thin kit would be very difficult to get enough formaldehyde into your bloodstream that a significant amount of it would get into your breastmilk. There is extensive literature out there on meds and breastmilk. I have no idea how much info there is about other chemical exposure.

Good luck to you, and congrats on planning ahead to breastfeed. I have a lot of personal experience breastfeeding and pumping, and trained as a lactation consultant when I was studying to be a midwife. If you (or anyone else) needs any help, feel free to PM me.

Ask your professor for written information on the chemicals you are using, the amounts, etc. Your school has a responsibility to provide lab safety information sufficient to make educated decisions in this type of scenario. Please do press for information. Certainly the answer to your question hinges on the amounts of formaldehyde used, the length of time for which you'll be exposed, the state of air circulation, etc.

Here the excerpt from Dr. Hale's Medications and Mother's Milk. He's a Ph.D who is considered the expert among the lactation community regarding safety of drugs/chemicals during lactation. It's up to you to make a decision based on this information.


It is in lactation category L4 - "possibly hazardous". Pregnancy category X (contraindicated).

Here is the entire description taken from the book -

"Formaldehyde exposure in laboratory or embalming environmentd is strictly controlled by federal regulations to a permissible level of 2 ppm. At room temperature it is a colorless gas with a pungent, irritating odor detectable at 0.5 ppm. At exposure to 1-4 ppm, formaldehyde is a strong mucous membrane irritant, producing burning and lacrimation. Formaldehye is rapidly destroyed by plasma and tissue enzymes and it is very unlikely that any would enter human milk following environmental exposures. However, acute intoxications following high oral or inhaled doses could lead to significant levels of maternal plasma formic acid which could enter milk. There are no data suggesting untoward side effects in nursing infants as a result of mild to minimal environmental exposure of the mother."

I hope that helps. I'm personally still undecided. My 22.5 month old is nursing about 4-5 times a week still. I would like to keep nursing her to possibly keep her a bit healthier when she first starts day care in a couple months but at the same time the formaldehyde exposure in gross anatomy does concern me. So we'll see. I'm leaning towards weaning at this point.

Is there any way you can take the class later, or take another class? I was in anatomy starting last November and I chose to wean my then 15-month old before I started. He was only nursing once a day at that point, but your little one will still be nursing a whole lot...

Also, he/she may refuse the breast, not necessarily because of the taste but because YOU will smell too, if only a little. The smell tends to "stick" to your skin and hair, and my husband could still smell it a little even after I showered. Now this was human anatomy lab and I spent hours in there, so the concentrations may be much higher than in your animal physiology class, I don't know.

Thanks Rock_see! That was the book I was thinking of.