Is Using Deodorant Safe While Breastfeeding?

Who likes going around places with stinky or fishy body odour? Well, nobody likes to smell bad, and for the same reason, we may choose various kinds of antiperspirants, deodorants or perfumes to suppress the body odour. You may never have raised an eyebrow before, but when your baby is at stake, your mind may be bubbling with all possible concerns about using such products. So, what is the reality behind this? Is it safe to use deodorants when you are breastfeeding your munchkin, or is it a complete no-no? Let us find out more about whether choosing deodorant for the breastfeeding phase is ideal or not in this topic.

Can You Use Deodorant While Breastfeeding?

Yes, you can put deodorants or antiperspirants to use while breastfeeding to clean up sweat and body odour (1). In fact, using a deodorant for breastfeeding phase will even make you feel confident about stepping out instead of fearing body odour from postpartum sweating. Remember to avoid the ones with harsh fragrances or perfumes.

Why Are Deodorants Hazardous for Breastfeeding Women?

You may not be aware, but your underarm skin is one of the most delicate areas of your body, and it is comparatively thinner. The deodorants that are available in the market may have many objectionable ingredients, aluminium being one of the main ingredients. Whenever you apply any deodorants with these harmful chemicals, they may be easily absorbed by your underarm skin and may also easily reach your bloodstream.

Nursing mothers may get it in their breast milk, too, which they may unknowingly pass on to their babies too. Another aspect that calls for concern is that these deodorants come in spray bottles, which inevitably cause them to spread to other body parts, too, such as breasts, arms, etc., during the application, and your baby may come directly in contact with it. For this very reason, any breastfeeding mother needs to be extra cautious of her beauty regime and check what ingredients her body may be unknowingly ingesting.

Why You Should Choose Safe Deodorant During Breastfeeding?

No doubt that you love to smell good all the time, but certainly not at the cost of causing harm to the little one. The best thing that you can do is choose safer options, like breastfeeding-friendly deodorants, and here’s why you should do that:

1. Get Rid of the Toxins

Whenever you spray deodorant on your body, you are trapping the toxins inside your body. This is because the pores of your skin and the sweat glands get blocked with the deodorant, making it difficult for the toxins to get an outlet.

2. Because Being Natural Is Great

With the world going all crazy with natural and organic products, why would you want to stick to something that is nothing but all chemicals.? Let go of your chemical deodorants and switch to safer organic options.

3. Lesser Risk of Breast Cancer

The harmful chemicals present in all these chemical-based deodorants may put you at risk of having breast cancer. Protect yourself and switch to natural products.

4. Takes Toll on Your Hormones

Sometimes, these chemical-based deodorants also contain parabens, which are estrogenic. When these get inside our bodies, they fiddle with our hormones, causing hormonal imbalance.

5. Lesser Risk of Alzheimer

It has been observed that constant exposure to aluminium may put you at an increased risk of Alzheimer’s. Therefore, save yourself from something so dreadful in the future by not using deodorants.

6. For a Happy Skin

You may not have realised it, but the harsh chemicals may harm your delicate skin, making it appear dull, lifeless, and even dark. Stopping deodorant use may make your skin feel healthy and fresh.

7. Fewer Toxins in Your Body

You may not even know by which means and ways various harmful toxins may be entering your body, and deodorants may be one of them, too. Eliminating it from your daily regime may reduce the toxins in your body.

8. For Your Baby

Not only you but your baby may be ingesting the harmful chemicals indirectly. For the sake of your little munchkin, stop using the chemical deodorants.

9. Other Harmful Chemicals

These big-shot companies may not be listing all the chemicals that go into making these chemical-based deodorants. The fragrance that you adore so much may have many other harmful chemicals that you may be unaware of.

10. Less Chemical Exposure to Babies

Babies put their hands wherever they get hold of – on faces, clothes, arms, etc. By choosing an all-natural or less chemical deodorant, you ensure your baby is exposed to fewer toxins that are there in the environment.

11. Confusion in Maternal Fragrance for Babies

Babies have a scent factor which they use to associate their mothers. Spray-on or aerosol deodorants can spread in to the air in seconds and may even travel to your breast zone where babies have their maternal fragrance factor going on, and if they smell a new strong fragrance, it could lead to confusion.

You may quit smoking and make other such lifestyle changes for the well-being of your baby but you may seldom think about not using deodorants. However, sometimes you may be required to make such smaller considerations too for the sake of your baby.

Safe Deodorant Options to Consider

You must be thinking what choices you may have if you cannot use deodorants. You may be surprised to know there are many natural deodorants for breastfeeding mommies that you may choose from. Here are some guidelines for picking out a suitable deodorant for breastfeeding moms:

• You can use activated charcoal deodorant. The charcoal may help reduce the sticky and wet feelings that you may get after sweating and remove body odour.
• You may use deodorants or perfumes while breastfeeding that contain various essential oils, such as lavender, tea tree, and others. The essential oils not only help keep your underarm skin soft and supple but may also help keep body stink at bay.
• You may use mineral deodorants or body antiperspirants while breastfeeding, which may contain mineral salts. The antioxidants present in the minerals may help battle any skin irritation and may also hinder the growth of body odour-causing bacteria.

FAQs

1. Are deodorants and antiperspirants the same?

Deodorant keeps away bad smells, while antiperspirant stops sweat and bad smells. Deodorant keeps you smelling nice, while antiperspirant also helps to stop sweating, which is great if you don’t want wet underarms.

2. Are antiperspirants safe for breastfeeding moms?

Deodorants are much preferred over antiperspirants since aluminium is known for aluminium toxicity, which could cause a wide range of neurological impairments in babies. In a 2021 study aimed to determine whether the use of aluminium-based antiperspirants affects aluminium levels in human milk, it was concluded that the use of aluminium-based antiperspirants (ABA) by lactating mothers does not increase aluminium content in their breast milk (2).

Breastfeeding and deodorant have a happy relationship. Be a smart mommy and know about everything you use while breastfeeding. Being aware really helps in saving yourself from many unforeseen dangers. Using chemical-based deodorants may lead to many harmful effects for you and your baby. Make smart choices, shift to natural or organic products, and sync with the changing world.

References/Resources:

1. It’s Not Just You: Postpartum Sweating and Body Odor Are Normal; Cleveland Clinic; https://health.clevelandclinic.org/postpartum-sweating

2. Rochman. M, Mangel. L, et al.; Aluminum Content of Human Milk and Antiperspirant Use; Breastfeed Med.; PubMed; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33861633/; August 2021

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