Is It Okay to Eat Raw Eggs While Breastfeeding?

Option 1:
Local eggs are fine 99.99% of the time (it's the ginourmous warehouses that contaminate nearly all eggs with salmonella). I used to eat raw eggs in Japan almost every day (came from 2 blocks over...each store has contracts with local families and small farmers... we're talking 20-50 chickens kind of farms, lots of Japanese dishes have either whole raw egg or raw egg yolks), and periodically eat raw eggs from local chickens.

Option 2:

But the milk carton eggs. They've been pasteurized, which kills the salmonella. They're still raw egg, but the salmonella has been killed off.

Option 3: Buy the premade Nestle dough. Again, all the ingredients have been pasteruized before they've been made into dough.

Option 4: Buy Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

1 mom found this helpful

you can eat peanuts..

no one should eat raw cookie dough that contains raw eggs.. that doesnt matter if you are preg nursing or not.. I do eat raw cookie dough.. but I shouldnt and neither should you.

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You have plently of reponse on the cookie dough already so I am just going to say that I lived on peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches when I was breastfeeding and both my kids and fine. I believe that the doctors have changed the whole nut thing in the past two years and it is better to expose them when they are young to nuts so they won't be alergic to them.

When i was in college we used to make a batch without the eggs and just leave it in the freezer/fridge for such an occasion. We'd just pull out a spoon and dig in without worrying. Give it a try!

Ditto what Vicky E said - the latest research suggests that it is not harmful to introduce potentially allergenic foods while breast feeding, and that you don't have to wait to introduce them directly to your baby once he/she is eating solids either. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/12...

I just add the eggs last! It's great for two reasons: one, it keeps me less paranoid, and two, my kids, who are a little older now (3 and 6) know that after the eggs are added, the time for snitching is over--so it stops all three of us from being completely sick! it's hard to stir them in, but it works for our family! :)

I ate raw eggs throughout my pregnancy (not a lot, but a Caesar dressing here, licking the cake batter spoon there...), and continue to do so now that I'm breastfeeding. My mom had horrid morning sickness throughout both her pregnancies and survived on daily protein shakes made with raw eggs. (She advised me to do the same, but I didn't want to push my luck.) You just need to be careful.

I forget the exact numbers, but the chances of actually getting salmonella from a raw egg are very low. The salmonella is concentrated more on the shell of the egg (the part that touches an infected chicken) so as you crack eggs, be careful not to have it touch the shell. Also look for organic/free range eggs. Those aren't as great as the label would have you think, but in general the less boxed in the chickens, the healthier they will be, and thus less salmonella.

Pasturized eggs are a fantastic idea if you can get them. As of a few months ago, they weren't available anywhere near me, so I had to stick with the "dangerous" kind.

Obviously you always run a risk, but outbreaks aside, it's a tiny risk. My vote is go for it, you deserve a treat.

Well, it's generally not a good idea to eat raw eggs anyway, since there is risk of you getting salmonella. But you didn't ask for a lecture on that :) If you are concerned about the safety of the cookie dough, could you substitute Egg Beaters in place of the regular eggs? They are made from pasteurized egg so any harmful bacteria should have been killed in the process. Enjoy!

Incidentally, I thought it was OK to eat peanuts now- check with your doctor, but the last I heard was that the recommendation is to actually expose kids early rather than waiting until they're older like we were told a few years ago. Either way, don't beat yourself up about it!

Not sure, but why don't you try cookie dough ice cream? The cookie dough is not really raw in there right?

It's never a good idea pregnant, nursing, or just regular old you. Salmonella is always a risk. Nursing I'd be most concerned about puking and not being able to feed the baby period.

With having said that I love cookie dough. So I make it all up and don't put the egg in till the end and eat it without the egg. Doesn't taste any different. Sure it add's another step and a bit more work but it's so worth it for cookie dough and no vomiting.

I don't see why not and what's wrong with peanuts? Unless your kid is spitting up after bfing then you don't necessarily have to cut much out of your diet but caffeen(sp?)

I would not even worry about it for one second, but if you are concerned buy pasteurized eggs.
But why can't you eat peanuts? I'm really curious who told you you shouldn't.

Is there anywhere you can get fresh eggs? We have 7 chickens, and fresh eggs are safe. I would look online and see if there is a backyard chicken group in your area, and you could post to see if anyone is interested in selling you their eggs. Here in Atlanta, we charge about $3/doz, but all of our chicks are free range and organic fed. Most people who own chicks want them to have the best life possible, so your eggs will reflect that. Enjoy your baking!

I'm nursing my daughter and I eat peanuts and peanut butter all the time and would not hesitate to try raw cookie dough, but I agree no one should eat it nursing or not.

I dont think it will hurt anything.... except your butt and thighs maybe :)

I dont think it will hurt anything.... except your butt and thighs maybe :)

Bacteria in any raw food COULD make you ill, but will not be transmitted into the breast milk.
You could get really sick and be unable to feed your baby, but the barriers exist that prevent bacteria from being absorbed into your milk.

Although I don't know the impact on breastfeeding, I know two ways to make raw eggs safer.

1) Did you know you can purchase pasturized eggs at most grocery stores? They cost more than the regular eggs, but why chance it? These days, when I make a dish using raw eggs for guests/company, I always purchase the pasturized eggs.

2) You can also pasturize your own eggs:
Place the eggs in a pot with cold water. Put the water on medium heat and stand by to watch as the temperature rises. You don’t want the temperature of the water to exceed 150 degrees (becuase you don't want to cook the eggs!) If you want to be exact, you can keep a thermometer probe in the water, if not 140-150 degrees is the stage before bubbles start to form. At that temperature, you can just about keep your finger in the water for a few seconds before you burn yourself. When you reach this temperature, try to keep it. So lower the heat, and watch so the temperature doesn’t rise, then keep the eggs in the water for about 3-5 minutes. Since you don't want to cook/soft boil the eggs, so you really have to watch the temperature and cooking time carefully!

Once those eggs are pasturized, enjoy your cookie dough!!

What about cookie dough without the eggs? Or use egg substitute? I mean, you just want to eat the cookie dough... not baking it.

I would not eat raw eggs.... what if you get salmonella? There are people who eat raw eggs... but it is an increased risk for salmonella.