Pregnancy and Feeding

[RyeBarRez]

Hello Everyone!

This is my first initiated thread, please bear with me.

My wife and I are currently expecting a healthy baby, due January :-) . This will be our second kiddo, but my wife didn't get into shooting until the start of 2017. A few shooters we know have advised to not have her do any shooting time during her pregnancy and breastfeeding timeline due to chance and risks of lead poisoning.

Our questions are these:
Has anyone experienced the lead-free ammo? Can she use this at a private range and be okay?
Would she be allowed range time at commercial range locations?
What would be her abilities to apply for a CCW? (Solano County)

We understand that dry practice at home should be done in any case. Currently she has access to her M&P Shield and my Glock 19.


My wife and I both thank you for your advice from experience and good intentions.

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[movie zombie]

first, congrats re the 2nd kiddo!

and kudos for not shooting during pregnancy......sound carries into the womb........
.
then, of course, there is it the lead issue during pregnancy and while breast feeding.....again, kudos for not doing so.

having a healthy baby is more important than range time, imo, and can always be done when the child is weaned.

re lead free ammo: check with your local range.....unless by private you mean your own range that you set up on our own property.

the problem with a public/commercial range is that she will still be exposed to all the noise and gas off from other shooters pistol ammo.

and re CCW in Solano County: check with Solano County Sheriff Office.

again, imo, going w/o range practice to insure the health and well being of your child would outweigh any other consideration.

[rkt88edmo]

Lead exposure at the range isn't just from your shooting, it is also from everyone around you as that stuff is accumulating everywhere, particularly if it is an indoor range.

I would just avoid the range all together.

Dryfire and airguns.

[Creampuff]

Lead and other heavy metals found in bullets and primers have no place in fetal development. The lead you have absorbed gets deposited into your bones making it harder to detect. The lead that a pregnant woman absorbs also gets deposited into the bones which then gets resorbed and put to use into the baby at one of the most crucial times of fetal developement.



/edit/
Sorry I'm on my phone and didn't realize until now I'm posting in ladies forum. Mods feel free to delete my post.

[rbetts]

Most ranges have rules against pregnant women shooting there exactly for that reason.

[Jeepergeo]

^^^All the above is good advice.

IMHO, while the risk of lead poisoning is low with caution at the range and when shooting, it will not be zero. So why take any chance with your baby?

Hopefully this will be an easy decision....stay off the range from conception until end of breast feeding...heck, avoid the range while in the conception process and have a healthy baby.

[RyeBarRez]

Thanks Everyone for your thoughtful advice! My wife and I went over them and will definitely be taking these precautions for her and the little one.

I see it as downtime for them, only to have me save get ready for the kiddo to shoot in the distant future.

:-)

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[movie zombie]

and kudos to you, RyeBarRez, for find a positive in it all: healthy baby AND time to save more $ for shooting in the future.

[G.F.C.]

Your instincts are great, keep them that way!

[Snoopy47]

We had the same questions. So we actually got our blood levels tested, and now have fact, and not just opinions.

My wife's lead blood level was 3/1,000,000, and she was shooting indoors, and out.

Normal is 5 or less. In relation to lead in breast feeding, doctors are not worried about it until it is above 40 (which is insane danger zone).

Mine unfortunately is 10.

I reload, clean all the guns, and pick up all the brass. The lady literally only inserts the magazine and pulls the trigger. I even charge her magazines.

Her lead levels are no more than any random person on the street.

I now only use jacketed bullets and stopped shooting the cheap lead bullets for reloading.

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

You can't test the kiddo's blood until they are older than 6 months.

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

I'm doing stuff to push my number back down and get it tested every three months at the local Safeway Pharmacy.

https://www.personalabs.com/

It's $50 each time.

[meyerlemony]

I'm a fan of "reasonableness" - in all things.

Maybe some posters don't realize that staying off the range from conception to end of breastfeeding would mean a break of 3-5 YEARS in some cases.

I worked with my OB on this. No shooting after 20-ish weeks, unless on an outdoor range with .22s. The only testing on fetal hearing damage that has been done was with repeated blasts from a HOWITZER. So, loud. Right? But I had to quit shooting completely because I was pregnant in summer and was diagnosed with HG and was super sick. No teaching or shooting for me!

As for the lead issue- OB said no loading / unloading / handling ammo, no cleaning of guns, and shoot outside whenever possible. I've had my bloodwork done (have to because I'm super anemic) every 1-3 months for the past 3 years, and my lead levels have been either 0 or 1 the entire time. At my son's 1 year check, his was 0.

My son is now 23 months, I shoot indoors once per month for about an hour, lead levels are holding steady at 0 or 1 depending on the month. I use a lot of the lead-off soap and my clothes get bagged and washed separately. If I followed that rule, I'd still be off shooting, as he is still BF.

All that being said - it can be done safely as long as precautions are taken. Consult with your OB as well if you have additional concerns.