You may constantly be looking for ways to nourish and energize your body to support your breastfeeding journey.
It’s only normal to want to reward yourself every now and then, and cookie dough can be just the thing.
However, as a mother, you have the additional responsibility of maintaining the safety of your breast milk and your baby’s health.
So, can you eat some cookie dough while breastfeeding, or should you avoid it entirely?
In this post, we’ll look at the hazards and benefits of eating cookie dough while breastfeeding and some options for when a sweet need strikes.
Risks of eating raw cookie dough
Raw eggs and food poisoning are the main culprits here.
If you do not already know, consuming raw eggs can cause salmonella infection and the symptoms include fever, stomach problems, and vomiting.
This can be pretty dangerous for young and elder family members.
While the danger of salmonella infection from eggs is pretty small, it is still present, and the risk increases if eggs are not handled or cooked properly.
As a result, the general advice is to avoid eating food that contains raw eggs, such as raw cookie dough.
If you decide (insist) that you want to eat raw cookie dough, you got to be aware of the potential risk of food poisoning and take necessary precautions to avoid infection.
For example, properly cleaning your hands before handling the raw cookie dough and avoiding consuming it if you have a weakened immune system.
Definitely avoid cookie dough if you are pregnant, though.
Potential effects on breast milk
Due to a lack of study on this topic, it is difficult to accurately say how uncooked cookie dough may influence breast milk or nursing infants.
On the other hand, bacteria could be passed to breast milk.
This could happen via the mother’s digestive tract if bacteria from raw dough are subsequently secreted into the breast milk.
The bacteria may also be introduced to breast milk via the mother’s hands if she handles the uncooked dough and then touches her breasts.
Breast milk contamination by bacteria is a worry since the germs can cause disease in breastfeeding infants.
This is especially significant because breast milk safety is critical to the health and well-being of nursing newborns.
While there isn’t enough data on this topic to state the risks, it’s always a good idea to err on the side of caution and avoid eating raw cookie dough while breastfeeding.
Alternatives to raw cookie dough
It is understandable to want to enjoy a delightful pleasure without jeopardizing the safety of your breast milk or your baby’s health.
If the cravings for cookie dough are too much to bear, there are a few options to consider.
Heat-treated flour
If you want to get rid of bacteria on the floor, you can do it by cooking it in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring regularly, until it reaches a temperature of 160°F.
Doing this will surely lower the danger of bacterial contamination.
Egg-free recipes
Another alternative is to make egg-free cookie dough. This eliminates the possibility of salmonella contamination from raw eggs and other types of bacterial contamination.
Many egg-free cookie dough recipes are available online, including those intended for baking and those intended to be eaten raw.
Pre-made options
Pre-made, store-bought cookie dough can be a fantastic option if you are after something more convenient.
You can also find heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggs readily in stores.
These alternatives can be a terrific way for nursing mothers to enjoy a sweet pleasure without jeopardizing the safety of their breast milk or their baby’s health.
Conclusion
While eating raw cookie dough may appeal to nursing mothers, there are potential hazards to the mother and baby.
Raw cookie dough may contain harmful bacteria, and there has been little research about its potential effects on breast milk.
Given these risks, nursing moms should choose safer alternatives, such as heat-treated flour, egg-free recipes, or pre-made, store-bought cookie dough that has been safety-tested.
While these substitutes may not be exactly the same as raw cookie dough, they can nevertheless deliver a tasty and pleasant treat without the risk of bacterial contamination.