7 Types of Food Nursing Mothers Should Avoid
During your pregnancy, you stick to a strict diet to ensure that your unborn baby’s development is not affected in any way. Now, the time has come; after all the stressing out and cravings, your bundle of joy has arrived and you couldn’t be happier! Shortly, after the delivery when both, you and your baby are stable, not much time is wasted before breastfeeding he or she begins.
Now, to get to the question that many nursing mothers are asking, there are a couple of foods that doctors advise against while breastfeeding a baby. While most of them are safe to eat in moderation, it’s really a case of the lesser the better where these foods are concerned.
Caroline, Mother & Professional Cleaner at Simply Maid says “Eating regular, healthy meals is critically important to supply your breast milk with the nutrients it needs, as well as to increase lactation. It should also be pointed out that not all infants are affected by certain foods in their mummy’s diet; however, it’s best to be enlightened about the same.” Let’s talk about the types of foods that you should avoid while breastfeeding your baby.
Certain Types of Fish
Whether you’re nursing or not, it’s good to choose your fish wisely. We all know that certain types of fish have a much higher level of mercury than others, but what many lactating mothers don’t realize is that this chemical can be present in breast milk if consumed in high amounts. Here’s a look at some types of fish that contain high levels of mercury:
- Tuna
- Orange Roughy
- King Mackerel
- Bluefish
- Marlin
- Swordfish
- Shark
- Sea Bass
- Halibut
It’s advisable to stay off the above fish when nursing (or even otherwise) and eat other types of fish in moderation.
Caffeine
Does your baby have trouble sleeping or napping? That could be owed to those cups of
Excess Garlic
Garlic has a very strong smell that can even be evident in your breast milk when eaten in excess or too often. While most of us love a little extra garlicky flavor in our food, your baby’s sensitive palate may thoroughly dislike it and be fussy about drinking your milk. For this reason, it’s best to lay off the complementary garlic bread you get when waiting for your pizza order!
Dairy Products
Some babies develop dairy allergies which can lead to crankiness, skin irritation, sleep problems and more. The best way to test if your baby is allergic to dairy is by avoiding dairy products as much as you possibly can and observing any changes in his or her skin, sleep patterns and behavior. If you see improvements, dairy could very well be the reason behind it all!
Chocolate
Firstly, chocolate contains caffeine which can also find its way to breast milk; secondly, chocolate can act as a laxative for your baby, causing him or her to have loose motions. This, however, depends on your chocolate intake which, if limited to 10-15 grams a day, will generally not have any effect on your baby. Nevertheless, observe your baby’s diaper on days when you eat chocolate to check whether loose motions coincide with you consuming chocolate.
Parsley/Peppermint
While most of us love a little peppermint or parsley to garnish a meal, these herbs can affect your levels of breast milk. You may not notice it in the beginning because your baby’s milk intake is lesser during the first three months; however, as the following months pass by, your lactation needs to keep up with your baby’s appetite. Hence, any foods that may cause your milk supply to decrease must be avoided.
Anything Alcoholic
This is obvious but nevertheless, we feel the need to point out that anything that contains alcohol must be avoided. If you do, however, have a drink once in a while, make sure that you don’t nurse your baby for the next 2-3 hours to ensure that the alcohol has metabolized.
These are just seven of the most common foods to avoid when breastfeeding, however, it’s advisable to do your research or consult with your doctor to get a list of possible problematic foods to avoid during this time.
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