Best4Future: DD’s baby blog since conception!

A few months ago, US toy company and Chinese toy manufacturer recalled millions of toys sold in the US, due to the excess lead on the paintings of the surface of the toys. Why lead is so dangerous and harmful for people, especially children?

The hand-outs from my practitioner gave me detailed information about the damage caused by exposing to lead. I put down in today’s post, hoping it will help you and your baby to be aware of lead safety.

What is Lead? Lead is a shiny colored metal. It is found naturally in the earth’s crust. Lead has been used in paint, and some vinyl products, such as mini-blinds. Lead and/or lead dust become a health hazard when it is taken into the body through breathing or swallowing.

Effects of Lead Exposure: Lead is not typically considered harmful in its natural state. It is only processed or recycled lead that can become a health hazard. Fine particles of processed or recycled lead and/or lead dust becomes a health hazard when it is taken into the body through inhalation (breathing) and/or ingestion (swallowing).

Lead affects almost every organ and system in the body. The effects are the same whether it is breathed or swallowed. Lead damages the brain, central nervous system, kidneys, and immune system.

Sources of Lead Exposure:

• Paint-lead dust can be formed when lead based painted surfaces/objects rub together or are dry scraped, sanded or heated. This dust can get on things that we touch. Lead based paint may be a hazard on surfaces that get a lot of use/work such as doors, windows and sills, railing, porches, stairs, fences, etc. Lead dust from lead based paint can get into the air and settle on objects in our environment. This dust can re-enter the air when we sweep, vacuum, or walk through it.
• Water-sources such as pipes and faucets either made with lead or joined together with lead can contaminate the water we use.
• Food-food that is grown in soil that contains lead is a source of lead exposure. Lead can get into food or liquids when they are stored in stored in lead crystal, ceramic ware, or in cans with lead seams.
• Soil- sources of soil exposures include previous highway pollution from back when gasoline contained lead and the fumes settled on the nearby soil areas. Also lead from lead painted buildings that are peeling/flaking fall into the soil.
• Other sources- sources of lead exposure can include making stained glass or refinishing of furniture, pottery making, folk remedies that contain lead such as “Azarcon”, “Greta”, Pay-loo-ah”, “Marie Luisa”, “bali-goli”. Mini-blinds and some cosmetics can be sources of lead exposure.

Symptoms of Lead Exposure:
Many times there are NO symptoms of lead exposure, especially at low exposure levels. When symptoms are present they can include:

• Headaches
• Abdominal pain
• Changes in mood
• Anemia (low iron in the blood)
• Muscle or joint pain
• Tiredness

Lead in Pregnancy: As is well known, lead in a pregnant woman’s body does cross the placenta and enters the body of the fetus. This crossing over is thought to occur at all levels including less than 10 micrograms per deciliter.

Placental transfer of lead can begin within the first trimester of gestation and can continue throughout fetal development. Changes that occur during pregnancy can call upon the body to release stored minerals. Because the body is unable to distinguish between calcium and lead stores, lead is often released along with other minerals.

Lead stored in the pregnant woman’s bones can be released into the fetus’ brain, bones and other organs.Unborn babies that are exposed to lead may be more likely to be born prematurely and can be of smaller birth weight. There are studies that suggest that lead exposure may be a contributing factor to miscarriage, fetuses exposed to lead can have both learning and behavior problems.

The level of concern in pregnant women has not been clearly identified. At present there is insufficient clinical knowledge or experience with any chelating regimen(s) to recommend treating pregnant women who have elevated blood lead levels. Until clinical research is conducted and results evaluated, no recommendations can be made. Regardless, it still remains important to educate the pregnant woman regarding lead poisoning inclusive of prevention strategies.

Present Exposure: A pregnant women who breathes in or swallows lead, gets it into her blood stream and passes it though the placenta (the organ that supplies oxygen and nutrients to the baby). The lead gets into the unborn baby’s bones and organs including the brain.

Past Exposure: Lead enters the mothers’ blood stream and some gets stored in her bones where it can remain for many years. During pregnancy, the body needs minerals stored in the bones.

Lead may be released along with other minerals, and pass through the placenta into the baby’s bones, organs and brain. Past exposure to lead should be a consideration in terms of a possible risk factor. This information should be communicated to the pregnant woman’s physician/specialist along with discussion regarding blood lead testing.

Children exposed to lead before birth may have learning and behavior problems. Lead may also increase the risk of a premature birth, a low birth weight baby, or a miscarriage.

Ways to Reduce Lead Exposure in Pregnancy:

• Consider getting tested for lead. A physician or local health department can do testing. Blood tests can measure the amount of lead in the blood. If there is lead in the blood, steps can be taken by you to limit the exposure, help lower the amount of lead in the system, and reduce the family’s exposure. Regular prenatal check ups are important to both the pregnant woman and the unborn child.
• Clean floors, window sills/frames and other suspect areas by mopping or sponge cleaning with warm water and a general all-purpose cleaner weekly. Rinse sponges and mops well after cleaning any dusty/dirty areas.
• Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter. This type of vacuum will trap lead particles, carefully empty the contents collected. Use water to moisten contents and limit the spread of dust particles.
• Eat nutritious meals that are high in folic acid, calcium and iron. Eat a good variety of foods from the five (5) food groups whenever possible.
• Hot water directly from the faucet is more likely to contain higher levels of lead if there is lead in the water or piping. Avoid making coffee, cocoa, soups or other drinks using hot tap water. Once the baby is born, AVOID USING HOT TAP WATER TO MAKE FORMULA, CEREALS, OR OTHER FOODS/DRINKS FOR THE BABY/CHILD. Have your water tested; contact your Local Health Department for information, if you suspect a problem. Let the cold water run for at least 30 seconds before drinking it or using it in cooking.
• Foods and liquids should not be served or left in open cans with lead seams, in lead crystal or ceramic ware/pottery that could be lead glazed. Avoid drinking hot liquids out of ceramic type containers if you are not sure about the type of glazing it may have had.
• Wash hands especially after cleaning and before meals/snacks. Remove shoes before entering your home to reduce bringing lead from soil into your home.
• Be choosy about the types of hobbies you do that could expose you to lead, for example: Refinishing furniture, making leaded stained glass.
• Avoid using products that contain lead such as cosmetics and folk remedies that are not made here in the United States.
• Mini blinds that are made outside the United States may contain Lead. If you are unsure where yours were made replace them with blinds that are “Lead-Free or made without lead additives”.
• Don’t remove lead paint; let trained professionals remove it. If remodeling is necessary, find temporary place to stay, until the remodeling is finished and the work area is cleaned properly.
• If you do not own your home or are renting, be sure to let your landlord know if you have painted surfaces that are chipping, peeling or worn.
• If your job has lead hazards, talk with your doctor or supervisor right away if you are pregnant or may be planning a future pregnancy. If a household member works with lead on their job, make sure the person showers and changes clothes BEFORE coming home. Wash work clothes separately from all other laundry. Be aware that household members can also have hobbies that involve exposure to lead.

I never smoke and don’t drink any alcohol. But when my practitioner handed me the materials about the information of the damage of alcohol, drugs, smoking to pregnancy, I still carefully read it over.

I think this information might benefit other expectant mothers; therefore I share this information here, hoping it will be helpful to you and your baby. 

Alcohol:. The World Health Organization recommends that alcohol should be avoided entirely during pregnancy, given the relatively unknown effects of even small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy.

When you drink an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol is quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. The alcohol circulates in the blood until it is completely broken down by the liver. It may take more than an hour for the liver to break down the alcohol in one mixed drink, glass of wine or can of beer.

If you are pregnant, the alcohol in your bloodstream passes through the placenta to the baby so that when you have a drink, the baby has one equal in strength. Because of the baby’s size and its developing system, this “drink” of alcohol can be more harmful to the baby than to you.

A woman who drinks alcohol during pregnancy risks giving birth to an abnormal child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). A child born with FAS has a pattern of mental and physical defects.

Growth deficiency is one of the most common physical defects of FAS. Most infants with FAS weigh less and are shorter than normal infants. The head size is smaller than normal too. These youngsters never catch up to normal growth and will always be smaller than other children of the same age.

FAS babies may have malformed faces. They have narrow eyes, low nasal bridges, short upturned noses and thin upper lips. Many of these babies also have heart and joint abnormalities.

Mental retardation is the most serious mental defect associated with FAS. In Seattle, Washington where much of the research on FAS has taken place, FAS has been reported to be the third most frequently recognized disorder involving retardation.

It seems that intellectual development is related to physical malformation - the most severely malformed children also have the greatest intellectual handicap. Many FAS children are poorly coordinated and have short attention spans and behavioral problems.

None of these defects corrects itself as the child grows older.

Drugs:. Don’t use drugs of any kind, unelss they are ordered by the doctor. This includes over the counter drugs, prescription drugs, street drugs (crack, cocaine, marijuana,…), and etc.

Babies born to moms who take drugs may:

• not grow well
• be mentally retarded
• have more sickness as an infant with a greater chance of death
• be addicted to dthe drugs taken by the mother
• look different from other children

Smoking:. Tobacco has detrimental effects that are dose related upon pregnancy.

There is increasing evidence that the harmful products of tobacco smoking kill sperm cells. Smoking tobacco increases intake of cadmium, because the tobacco plant absorbs the metal. Cadmium, being chemically similar to zinc, may replace zinc in the DNA polymerase, which plays a critical role in sperm production. Zinc replaced by cadmium in DNA polymerase can be particularly damaging to the testes.

A number of studies have shown that tobacco use is a significant factor in spontaneous abortions (miscarriage) among pregnant smokers, and that it contributes to a number of other threats to the health of the fetus.

Second-hand smoke appears to present an equal danger to the fetus. Secondhand smoke is connected to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Infants who die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome tend to have higher concentrations of nicotine and cotinine (a biological marker for secondhand smoke exposure) in their lungs than those who die from other causes.

While smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, infants exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are also at a greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome whether or not the parent(s) smoked during pregnancy.

Other problems have been associated with the use of tobacco in pregnancy include:

• Growth retardation in the baby
• Abnomal of the placenta (previa)
• bruption of the placenta (coming loose from the uterine wall)
• Abnomal bleeding in pregnancy
• Premature labor
• Preterm delivery (ealry delivery)

Switching from regular cigarettes to low tar, low nicotine cigarettes is also not good because it increases the carbon monoxide level in the mother’s blood.

Caffeine:. The Food Standards Agency has recommended that pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to less than 300 mg of caffeine a day – the equivalent of four cups of coffee a day. A higher intake may be associated with miscarriage.

Pregnant mothers should limit caffeinated beverages such as tea, coffee and soda to no more than 1-2 cups per day.

Artificial Sweeteners:. Avoid artificial sweeteners such as Equal or NutraSweet during pregnancy, especially if you have never used them before. If you have used them prior to pregnancy, limit your intake to 2-3 servings per day.

This month is my sixth month of gestation. The tummy bump is quite obvious. How to wear seat belt and feel comfortable at the same time is becoming an issue. The following are the tips told by my practitioner. Hope they are helpful to other mothers-to-be.

Don’t wear the seatbelt or shoulder harness high over your abdomen. The jerk caused by a sudden stop can cause damage to your uterus and the fetus. Do not fasten the belt loosely, doing so not only affords no protection but also may cause additional injury during the accident.

If there is no shoulder harness, as in many backseats, adjust the seatbelt to fit under your protruding abdomen and across your pelvis. Many physicians felt that sudden stops present an additional danger to your unborn child if the seatbelt buckle rests on your abdomen. Most new cars have buckles on the side, resting near the hip, but if yours has a front fastening, you may wish to have it replaced with a safer system.

The shoulder harness is probably the safest and most protective feature of any automobile restraint system. Be sure to wear your seatbelt whenever you are in a car.