Shooting and Nursing

[lagrangian]

My wife's not a member of the forums, so I'm the lucky person who gets deputized to ask...

What's known about any dangers of shooting as a nursing mother? There's certainly the possibility for some pretty nasty things to get into your body, either from breathing or from residue on the skin (though of course one would wash ASAP after a shooting session). If you've been in this position, how have you approached it? Just laid off shooting until that phase of your life was over? Shoot, but with extra precautions such as using long sleeves, maybe gloves, and using TMJ ammo so that no lead at all is exposed to either the burning powder or to the rifling of the gun?

My wife would really like to get back into shooting, but the baby's health comes first...

 

[hminsky]

Definitely don't shoot while nursing, at least not without eye and ear protection for the infant

 

[SiameseRat]

I'm 6 months pregnant right now, and will be nursing also.

I am an Instructor, and spend lots of time on the range so my lead levels are already elevated, so this is what I've had to do:

1) Haven't gone shooting since we started trying to conceive.

2) Take extra calcium supplements. Lead never leaves your body, it only leaves your blood stream. It binds with calcium and then is stored in your bones. When you need calcium (to make a baby, and to make breast milk you need TONS of calcium) as soon as the circulating calcium is gone your body will use calcium stored in your bones (which will have lead in it [sad2]) so lead will be passed on to baby. If there is extra calcium circulating this will minimize passing lead to the little one.

3) Double wash all range clothing, store all range gear in one area, preferably a closet away from where baby will be, and shower immediately after shooting. Wash hands immediately if moving range bags.

4) I plan on doing a "pump and dump" session after shooting when baby is here.


There is lead everywhere on the range. With primer gasses it gets on your hands, in the air,, on your clothes. It's everywhere. Shooting outside will help to minimize contact somewhat, but to protect baby you and your wife should shower before touching your baby, and your wife should take extra calcium (Taking 2 tums a day will help!).

Hope that helped!

 

[lagrangian]

Thanks for the info!

 

[KMaurer]

I do more than my share of shooting, and have for the past 50+ years. I've shot on clean ranges and filthy ones, indoors and out. The only precautions that I've always taken are to avoid eating or drinking while I'm shooting (and smoking back when I smoked, though that's a half-way health measure if I ever heard of one), and to wash immediately afterwards. Since lead exposure is cumulative, I had assumed that my levels would be rather high. I mentioned to my physician a few of years ago that I shot a lot, and she ordered a blood test. I was rather surprised to find that, while my level was noticeably higher than average, it was still well within the "normal" range. YMMV, but be safe.

Ken

 

[Len-2A Training]

I am certainly no expert here, but I would imagine that an indoor range with a negative-pressure/HEPA filtration system would also be a big help on minimizing the shooter's lead exposure while shooting. Braintree R&P has one indoor range with this system in place.

Don't know where other ranges may also have this feature.

 

[TY43215]

Some products I use:

Heavy Metal Cleanse

D LEAD WIPES

 

[pipmaster1971]

What about when pregnant? My wife and I are thinking of having another child, but she would also like to start shooting. There is a lot of info on-line, but much of it seems contradictory, especially the effect of gun-fire noise on a developing fetus.

Do you folks have an opinion? Our current opinion is that she should hold off for another 12 months (the shooting that is). Better being safe than sorry.

 

[sksguns]

better safe than sorry......

 

[vellnueve]

Don't shoot until the baby is born. One of the few things more important than running off 300 rounds a day.

 

[SiameseRat]

What about when pregnant? My wife and I are thinking of having another child, but she would also like to start shooting. There is a lot of info on-line, but much of it seems contradictory, especially the effect of gun-fire noise on a developing fetus.

Do you folks have an opinion? Our current opinion is that she should hold off for another 12 months (the shooting that is). Better being safe than sorry.

I'm avoiding the range because of lead and noise. Hearing doesn't develop in the fetus until somewhere between 16-22 weeks gestation, so before that the noise shouldn't be an issue. But after that, I wouldn't want to expose my baby to it.

 

[Chris]

And they do hear. We were amazed when our pooch's barking never caused my son to even wake up. Only thing I can guess is that he got used to it before birth.