Dear all,

Louise Denhez wrote:

"According to the information readily available here (if my translation is
correct, the info being in french), this product is volatile, and absorbed
with inhalation. It is also suspected as cancerogenic and mutagenic, and
passes through placental barrier and maternal milk. I would recommend
that the lady avoid breathing the stuff..."

My husband who is also a toxicologists agrees with the previous response on
the subject which I have copied below:


 "Judith S. Schreiber, Ph.D. wrote re: methylene chloride:

Many volatile organic chemicals, including methylene chloride and
tetrachloroethene, are lipophilic (fat soluble) and readily absorbed when
inhaled.  After inhalation, the chemicals are present in blood and distributed
to fatty tissue.  Breastfeeding mom's who are exposed to such chemicals are
likely to have elevated levels in blood, fat and breastmilk since milk fats
are drawn from the mother's fat stores.  However, the benefits of breastmilk
generally far exceed the risks of the relatively small amounts of chemicals in
breastmilk.  I have done considerable work on tetrachloroethene (the dry
cleaning solvent) and have estimated milk levels based on pharmacokinetic
modeling situations and also measured levels in milk samples from exposed
moms.  The 'bad' news is that tetra levels are elevated in moms exposed to it
in indoor air. The good news is that  the levels, although elevated, do not
approach levels of exposure from the air itself, and that the benefits of
breastmilk far exceed the risks.
Methylene chloride's characteristics (volatility, lipid solubility, excretion)
are similar to tetrachoroethene and I would expect a similar scenario.  Of
course, the nursing mom should try to reduce or eliminate any exposure to
chemicals if she can.  Working under a fume hood and avoiding skin contact are
a must.  Hope this helps.  Judy Schreiber, Ph.D., NYS Dept"

If you have any other questions he would be happy to answer them.

See ya,
Yvonne
*************************************
Yvonne C. Bannister, IBCLC
Private Practice/Baby's BestFeeding
"A mother holds her baby . . . who holds her breast and gets the best!"