Good morning!

I saw the topic about radiation and breastfeeding and had to respond.
We are located within the "danger zone" of a nuclear power plant
(Indian Point, in NY) and I am also a member of the U.S. Army so I've
been trained on what MY role might be in the event of a nuclear
emergency. My training came a few years ago when I had an infant, so I
learned as much as I could.  I found this in my notes from back then,
which, again, was maybe 3 years ago?

Potassium iodide Breastfeeding Warnings

In 2001 the FDA issued a guidance document for the use of potassium
iodide (KI) in radiation emergencies. The FDA stated lactating women
should be given potassium iodide for their own protection, as for
other young adults, and potentially to reduce the radioiodine content
of the breast milk, but not as a means to deliver KI to infants, who
should get their KI directly. As for direct administration of KI,
stable iodine as a component of breast milk may also pose a risk of
hypothyroidism in nursing neonates. Therefore, repeat dosing with KI
should be avoided in the lactating mother, except during continuing
severe contamination. If repeat dosing of the mother is necessary, the
nursing neonate should be monitored for the potential development of
hypothyroidism.

Potassium iodide (KI) is excreted into and concentrated in human milk.
While the American Academy of Pediatrics considers potassium iodide to
be compatible with breast-feeding, many experts caution against the
use of KI--or any iodide--during breast-feeding because of the risk of
neonatal goiter and hypothyroidism. The effect of high concentration
iodide ingestion on the nursing infant is not known.

So, I think, like anything else, it's a risk vs. benefit thing.  When
we were trained, we learned about "the plume" and wind patterns and
variables that might make the risk level different.  I also asked
about my own personal risk (since part of my job could be to handle
and process the heavily "dusted" radioactive clothing and belongings
of people coming to a shelter I'm staffing) as a lactating mother and
was told that I would want to remove exposed clothing, properly clean
exposed skin, and take other precautions before nursing my baby or
pumping.  Of course, had they told me I couldn't breastfeed anymore, I
would have probably freaked out right there in the training and I'd
still be in the institution right now.

I also know that what happened at Chernobyl was on an order of
magnitude that today's reactor sites probably couldn't duplicate
except in the case of total destruction; and that the real problem
there was that it was kept secret for as long as it was.

(Even knowing all of this, I don't particularly like living so close
to Indian Point.)

I don't know if this is helpful but it might be a jumping-off place
for more information.

--Diana Cassar-Uhl, IBCLC and LLLL in upstate NY

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome