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1st Trimester
mocha4040
member
Safe to shoot handguns?
mocha4040
member
Does anyone have any advice/stories on shooting handguns while pregnant? My DH wants to go shooting this weekend out at our friend's little range on their land. It'd be outside, but of course, worried about the noise and any possible lead exposure?
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Re: Safe to shoot handguns?
I did call and am, of course, waiting on a call back.
I can't wait to hear the answer to this because I was planning on asking at my next appt!
This is an article I found about it:
Lead exposure: We know that research has found lead to be toxic to adult and children in the womb. This toxicity has lead to a number of problems involving pregnancy. Knowing this, the authors agreed that this lead exposure could be easily avoided when shooting. Most of the lead exposure when shooting a firearm occurs when shooting lead ammunition on a range with many other people, shooting on an indoor range, or reloading the ammunition. Most of this deals with shooting a lot more than necessary to sight a gun in or to hunt. After reading the dangers, I felt that lead poisoning from shooting a gun while hunting is not realistic.
2. Noise: As a hunter and a shooter I know well the sound of ringing ears suffered from not wearing hearing protection when shooting. The intensity of sound coming from a gun shot varies depending on the gun that is being shot. Kennedy and Czarnecki found studies showing that chronic exposure to loud noise could be harmful during pregnancy. Noises that can be heard by the baby could possibly cause hearing damage or other problems. Again, this was based on the repeated exposure to loud shots that would be heard at a shooting range.
3. Stress: The authors suggest that the mindset of the mother may have an effect on how the baby reacts to the shots. If the mother enjoys shooting and finds it fun then the baby may react differently than if the mother was nervous and stressed out over shooting.
The article did not recommend that pregnant women go to shooting ranges. But offered the following tips that I found could be applied to hunting:
I did research on this as well because my man and I love to go shooting.
What I found is that it's best to avoid indoor gun ranges while you're pg. You're breathing in lead and that's terrible for the LO.
If you really want to shoot, the outdoor range is the way to go since it's ventilated. I'll probably hit the outdoor range this Spring, once I'm further along. That should make quite a picture!
it's fine, just make sure the range is well ventilated, have fun!
I have no input. This thread just made me think of this picture.
Thank you for posting this.
I was also planning on going this weekend with DH and didn't even think about it this early on during pg. I do remember asking dr about it with dd2 when I was in 3rd tri and it was actually the first time in his 30 yrs delivering babies that it was asked! He advised against it due to noise and possible damage to baby's hearing.
Will be doing some research now to see if it's ok this early
'Til He returns, or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I stand.
That early, it is not going to hurt LO. Fetus can't hear yet.
Later on, it may startle him/her. Lately when my dog barks, she jumps, but this just started recently. Even now though she is in a bag of water, surrounded by my fat/skin and the outside noises are drown out by my bodily noises - I can't imagine it would do harm...
As far as lead, just handle the ammo with caution as you would always. Don't lick your fingers until you wash your hands
Why is that weird? I plan on kayaking as long as possible. Although I have to put any white water trips on hold.
Yea I'm even gonna take a 2-3 day trip in june or july, and one friend is freaked out by that. Some ppl need to get a life, its not gonna hurt me or the baby.