Should you be drinking raw milk while pregnant?
Recently I’ve had more than one of my herdshare members ask me the same question:
DID YOU STILL DRINK RAW MILK DURING YOUR PREGNANCIES?
I love this question so much. Because this is my chance to reiterate the nourishing power of raw milk through all stages of life.
But also, to remind these mothers that they made a wonderful decision already when they chose to start drinking it prior and then were blessed with a pregnancy!
The fear mongering around raw milk is powerful. If you’ve ever googled raw milk, you know what I mean. Then add “pregnancy” to the search… forget about it. So no wonder I get this question so much.
My simple answer: HECK YES!
I have continued to drink raw milk and make products for my family all through pregnancy and postpartum.
There are several reasons, one being that during the 1st trimesters of my 5 pregnancies I was very nauseous and not interested in many foods. And though sometimes it felt like I had to force myself to drink a glass, I knew that when I did, I was getting so much nutrition that my body needed.
Raw milk is perfectly designed to sustain life, and humans have been drinking it for at least 10,000 years, according to an article on the Raw Milk Institute website.
You’re seeking raw milk for your family because of all the goodness it has in it. And that will only support your body and help your growing baby.
Breast milk is a form of raw milk! And that’s what we choose to give our babies.
Another question to ask yourself is: Do I trust my farmer? Are they producing a clean, quality product?
If your raw milk lasts weeks and/or continues to taste good (while it is still in your fridge 😉), then you most likely have a good product with minimal levels of bad bacteria.
If your raw milk is tested for bacteria regularly by your farmer than you really have no reason to worry.
I’ve experienced food poisoning during pregnancy, but it wasn’t from our milk, it was from onions I bought at Costco. BARF.
I finish my spiel by sharing my two favorite online recourses. Ones that don’t make raw milk the enemy.
So scientific based
2) Articles written by the Weston A. Price Foundation
They recommend a pregnant woman consume 1 quart of raw milk per day.
Even though you may drink it on a regular basis, this question comes from a place of curiosity and concern for that growing life inside of you.