Concerns Over Breast Milk, What To Look For And Resolving The Problem

Breast milk is the most perfect digestible food known to man. However, with the toxic and chemical overload bombarded on our systems in today’s society this may not always be the case. 

“The epidemic of abnormal gut flora is escalating, it’s snowballing. We have many women now whose milk is very toxic,” says Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. (27:15)

McBride is a medical doctor, neurologist and neurosurgeon but is most well known for her GAPS protocol which heals the intestinal tract rebuilding the pathogen load relieving the person from the symptoms of autism, bipolar disorder, auto-immunity and other diseases. 

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Breastfeeding is always better than bottle-feeding.

However, when the milk is too toxic, and this is rare, McBride says, “They have to stop breast feeding. It’s counter productive for the baby.” (27:20) 

There are signs to look for indicating this situation is present.

“The baby just falls asleep on her breast after just one or two mouthfuls because she got such an abnormal amount of gut flora,” she says. “Those toxins produce opiates, just like morphine, heroine, cannabis. They absorb through the damaged gut wall of the woman, circulate in her blood.”

McBride says, “Milk from any animal is our white blood with the red blood cells removed. So it’s her blood basically flowing through her breasts. Whatever toxins are flowing in her blood will be in her milk and that’s what the baby gets.” 

Specifically, “If a baby got a mouth full of opiates of course the baby falls asleep.”

The predominance of white blood cells in breast milk is a powerful support for building the baby. 

Dr. William Sears says, “A drop of breast milk contains around one million white blood cells. These cells, called macrophages (“big eaters”), gobble up germs. Colostrum, the milk mothers produce in the first few days after birth, is especially rich in IgA, just at the time when the newborn is first exposed to the outside world and needs protection from germs and foreign substances entering his body. Colostrum also contains higher amounts of white blood cells and infection-fighting substances than mature milk.”

Pediatric Research says, “During active infection in nursing infants, the total number of white blood cells, specifically the number of macrophages, and TNFα levels increase in their mothers’ breast milk.”

Pediatric Alliance says, “Breast milk also contains cellular components that can never be duplicated. Included in this category are antibodies, stem cells and white blood cells.”

If the mother’s milk is toxic the process of breast feeding is altered as the milk does not contain the proper make-up for nursing. McBride says breast is best. The situation where breast milk is damaging is rare. Watching for signs, led by a qualified practitioner, can assist in the process.

Conventional lactation consultants today tell you to flick the foot of the baby to keep the baby awake during feeding. However, this is something for the mother to seriously consider, knowing the microbiome needs to be strengthened. There may be better options. Working with a knowledgeable practitioner, one who is specifically trained and supports the GAPS protocol can lead you in the right direction. 

Other signs of decline due to toxic breast milk are often prevalent. “These are the women who say they feed and feed 24 hours a day and the baby is not putting weight on,” McBride says. 

McBride says as the baby is born their gut flora is sterile. The first flora is introduced to the baby as it passes through the birth canal. From there, either the good or the bad is fed, more often than not the bad pathogenic flora is fed more than the good. This topic is still under debate, click here to read more. 

“It’s too toxic. Many babies develop illnesses such as diabetes type I, colitis, vomiting, diarrhea and all sorts of different problems because the mother’s milk is just too toxic,” she says (28:30).

Rebuilding the gut flora is essential in cases like this, however, it takes time. The decision is up to the mom whether she chooses to continue nursing and adding probiotics according to the baby’s needs or finds a healthy friend to stand in as a wet nurse, as it was done historically.

Mcbride says, “Trouble is it takes time for a woman’s gut flora to change. Pathogens have to removed, they have to be replaced with beneficial flora. If a woman has very toxic milk she has to stop breastfeeding. She can’t just remedy that.”

Formerly Dr. McBride said breastfeeding and pregnant moms should avoid the introductory stages of GAPS. Recently she has changed her position on waiting and says, “If she really wants to continue she can try stage 2.”

The problem is not getting better, it is getting worse.

When McBride wrote her“Many animals can be milked. The immune cells are there in the blood, that’s what will be coming in.” McBride says her patients from different areas of the world use, “Whatever milk is available to them. As long as it is raw, completely natural and very fresh it can be used as a substitute.” This includes donkey milk, goat milk, camel milk or deer milk.

“These are the foods babies should be weaned onto, not the baby rice for God’s sake! Not cereals. Not powdered milk. Not the commercial things that are pushed on us,” she says. “People in traditional societies knew this. The first thing they would give the baby that is coming off the breast is chicken stock, or beef stock.” (38:30)

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*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, GAPS who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia through food she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. This is not a news article published by a paper trying to make money. This blog is put out by a mom who sees first hand the effects of nourishing food vs food-ish items. No company pays her for writing these blogs, she considers this a form of missionary work. It is her desire to scream it from the rooftops so that others don’t suffer from the damaging effect of today’s “food”.