Several years ago I was introduced to the benefits of Raw Milk – at the time, I was pregnant with my 4th child.
Just like any mother, I wanted to take advantage of the benefits OF Raw Milk, and incorporate them into my diet, and the diet of my children and husband here at home.
I’m now on my 5th child, and due to deliver any day ~ and I drink at least a quart a day. Since I drink so much, it seems more important than ever to talk about the reasons why I drink Raw Milk during my pregnancy.
When mentioning to others that I drink Raw Milk, including my OB-GYN, I get the typical response…
It’s dangerous….
You are putting yourself at risk…
You are going to get e-Coli and listeria…
And the biggest one “The FDA says that Raw Milk isn’t safe for pregnant women OR anyone for that matter…”
Contrary to the pregnancy advice out there swirling around, I believe raw milk is an important part of my diet as an expectant mother. Raw is the ONLY way to go — whether or not you are pregnant.
Here are THREE reasons I choose to drink raw milk while pregnant:
#1 — My Body LOVES It
Although I can’t say it’s quite like a craving, I want it – constantly. It tastes amazing to drink and my body has to have it several times a day.
When it comes to my body, I’m more knowledgeable on what it needs than anyone else – being that this is my fifth child, this experience of childbirth is not new to me… My body will tell me what works and what doesn’t. My last two pregnancies have been extremely positive, healthful experiences. My body is healthy, rarely sick (in fact, haven’t been sick for the last year or more), and I can honestly attribute that to great nutrition – excellent, nutrient-rich foods.
#2 — Raw Milk is an Immune Booster
One of the worst things about processed (pasteurized) milk, is that when you kill the bad stuff, you kill the GOOd stuff too. Pasteurization does some horrible things to the milk and renders it useless. Although synthetic vitamins are added back in, NO synthetic add in is better than the original vitamins that are there before pasteurization.
Raw milk has beneficial bacteria (probiotics that we are ALL trying to get back into our diet) that are a wonderful immune booster. Pasteurized milk, on the other hand, does not have the same immune boosting properties because they have been wiped out with pasteurization.
Pasteurization destroys part of the Vitamin C contained in Raw Milk. That same pasteurization leads to loss of phosphorus associated with calcium with allows setbacks in bone & brian formation. Those effects are NOT associated with drinking RAW milk, however, because those nutrients (vitamins, enzymes and bacteria) are ALL present.
#3 — Raw Milk is a Nutrient-Dense Food
Clean, raw unprocessed milk is highly nutritious food – it’s great for boosting immune system, and is a valuable source of nutrients including proteins, probiotics, enzymes, phosphorus and more.
CLA, short for conjugated linoleic acid and abundant in milk from grass-fed cows, is a heavily studied, polyunsaturated Omega-6 fatty acid with promising health benefits (33).
Among CLA’s many potential benefits: it raises metabolic rate, helps remove abdominal fat, boosts muscle growth, reduces resistance to insulin, strengthens the immune system and lowers food allergy reactions. As luck would have it, grass-fed raw milk has from 3-5 times the amount found in the milk from feed lot cows (35)(36) (Source)
Since the milk is not pasteurized, enzymes are kept in tact – they are very beneficial to your body in that they help absorb nutrients. Likewise, beneficial bacteria is also present – that bacteria (which is not in pasteurized milk) helps your body ward off infections and keeps you healthy.
Unlike processed milk, all 8 of the essential amino needed by the human body are found in raw milk.
So why does the FDA Warn Against Raw Milk?
Oddly enough, the FDA has a double standard when it comes to warning pregnant women about what foods to avoid when pregnant.
Formal warnings are NOT issued against the dangers of deli meats … nor are they warned against eating cantaloupe.. and both of those foods are a big no for women who are pregnant.
In 2011, 147 people contracted listeriosis from cantaloupe – 33 died and 1 pregnant woman miscarried.
But the CDC has admitted that NOBODY has died from drinking raw milk from year 2000 to 2011.
The Raw Milk Revolution is a GREAT book to read if you can pick it up … it speaks about the history behind Raw Milk, health benefits and the battle over food rights.
If you DO opt for Raw Milk .. it’s important to know where the milk is coming from – the diet, and living conditions of the animals as well. Raw milk requires sanitary dairies – whereas pasteurized milk comes from animals that are cows that are crammed in confined feeding operations, with little space to move, and often times dirty conditions – pasteurization in itself just kills the filth from the milk – but doesn’t create anything near clean.
I have been drinking raw milk during the last two pregnancies – I have had no ill effects, and both pregnancies have been healthy, and carried to full term. After doing considerable research and thinking, I have personally concluded that the benefits of drinking raw milk far outweigh the risk.
The problem with the CDC’s official statistics and warnings is that any study can be shaped to produce ANY desired results. Politics drives the raw milk debate – any risk to unprocessed milk has more to do with the environment of the cows and handling of the milk.
In Europe, the same raw milk that is so “risky” here is sold {safely} in vending machines to the public.
Where to Find Raw Milk
Want to buy raw milk? Find a local farmer in your area – just remember that each state has different requirements on the sale of raw milk, so you will want to check with your state to see if they allow.
1. Learn your local State Laws
Real Milk – summaries by state
The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund
2. Find a Farmer
You can look at LocalHarvest.org to find your nearest Farmer who sells Raw Milk; or you can call the Weston Price Foundation and talk to your local chapter leader to find out more.
Thank for the article. We have been drinking raw milk for years now and We just found out that we are pregnant! We both are so happy but we also concern about continuing with raw milk since doctors and everyone against it. Raw milk improves my allergy and over all health so I always think why not drink it while pregnant
I drank it while I was pregnant for all 5 kids… no issues. I will say my OB was … kind of anti-raw milk, as well as everyone else. But there are much greater risks than raw milk for pregnancy in my opinion. I was confident in my farm and they were very transparent, making my decision very solid. You do what you feel is best for you and don’t worry about others – my kids are now ages 5-15 and they are all healthy and have absolutely zero allergies or medical issues. I’m not sure if I can attribute that to the raw milk, but it definitely has played a part in their overall health. Congrats on your pregnancy!
Thank you!! We have a family dairy cow but since I’ve been pregnant I have stopped drinking milk. It’s been such a bummer because All I want is some chocolate ice cream with some milk drizzled all over it. 😂 tonight I’m having some! I know where our milk comes from. I know what our cow eats and I know how everything is processed but my OB FLIPPED over the milk! Totally freaked me out!
Oh my.. so did my OB. But I didn’t let it affect me too much… I don’t have my own cows, but the dairy I get my raw milk from permits us to visit and be very involved. So I felt comfortable! I have 5 kids and they are all raw milk drinkers, once the smallest was done breastfeeding she went straight to raw milk and we haven’t had issues. Obviously it doesn’t sit well with everyone though so I rarely (ever) mention it just because I don’t like to deal with the flack. Congrats on the pregnancy!
That’s great to hear. I heard from Sally Fallon of the Weston A Price foundation that soft cheeses cause miscarriages. I don’t know how true that is. I was wondering do you if you know if raw cream is safe?
Raw cream has the same safety concerns as raw milk. Weston A Price Foundation encourages raw milk, but are also advocates of safe handling practices. I have 5 kids and I never had issues with miscarriages — but then, I think that miscarriages can be a combination of many things (not just raw milk or cream) – anything from environmental factors, genetics, lifestyle factors, perhaps even medical procedures (some vaccines are not and haven’t been tested on pregnant women yet are still highly administered). I love and use raw cream without any problems – but I am and have been a really firm believer in transparency. I was getting my raw milk from a farm that did not have any transparency – and I had my concerns… It was a large scale dairy in town, the cows were not pastured, though they were given hay and supplements – but upon visiting to pick up my milk in person one week, the cows were licking the metal fencing. While I know that sometimes that can help cows “feel good”, other times it can be a sign of a mineral deficiency, and given the sight of the farm and cows … I knew they weren’t healthy. So I switched to a farm that had Brown Swiss Cows, outside of town, that pastured their cattle and had them grazing on green – I felt better knowing that this farm allowed their customers to come and visit their operation. I would encourage you to do the same if you can, too. I hope that helps! Have a blessed week 🙂