Are there any foods to avoid when you are nursing?

Answer 1

From kellymom.com: " Most babies have no problems with anything that mom eats. It's generally recommended that you eat whatever you like, whenever you like, in the amounts that you like and continue to do this unless you notice an obvious reaction in your baby.

"There is no list of "foods that every nursing mom should avoid" because most nursing mothers can eat anything they want, and because the babies who are sensitive to certain foods are each unique - what bothers one may not bother another. "

Answer 2

Some nursing moms find they can eat whatever they like. While it's true that some strongly flavored foods may change the taste of your milk, most babies seem to enjoy a variety of breast milk flavors! Generally, the dominant flavors of your diet — whether soy sauce or chili peppers — were in your amniotic fluid during pregnancy. Fetuses swallow a fair amount of amniotic fluid before birth, so when they taste those flavors again in their mother's breast milk, they're already accustomed to them.

Occasionally a baby will be fussy at the breast or gassy after you eat a particular food. If you notice a pattern, avoid that food for a few days. To test whether that food really was the cause, reintroduce it once and see if there's an effect. Mothers report that babies most often object to chocolate; spices (cinnamon, garlic, curry, chili pepper); citrus fruits and their juices, like oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit; strawberries; kiwifruit; pineapple; the gassy veggies (onion, cabbage, garlic, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers, and peppers); and fruits with a laxative effect, such as cherries and prunes.

A daily cup or two of coffee is fine, but too much caffeine can interfere with your baby's sleep or make him fussy. Remember that caffeine is also found in some sodas, teas, and over-the-counter medicines.

It's also okay to have an occasional alcoholic drink. But having more than one drink increases your blood alcohol level to the point that the alcohol gets into your milk. If you plan on having more than one drink at a time, wait two hours per drink before resuming nursing (or nurse, then have your glass of wine). There's no need to pump and dump unless your breasts are full and it's still not time to feed your baby. Moderate or heavy drinking is definitely not recommended while breastfeeding. An old wive's tale suggests that dark beer increases milk production, but recent studies suggest this is not true and that alcohol, in fact, reduces milk production.

If your baby has allergy symptoms (such as eczema, fussiness, congestion, or diarrhea), they may be caused by something he's in regular contact with, such as soap, mildew, or foods he's eating himself. Or he may be reacting to foods you eat that get into his system via your breast milk. It usually requires a bit of detective work to figure out exactly what's causing the sensitivity.

If you think that something you're eating is causing problems for your baby, it's usually something you've eaten two to six hours before feeding. The most common culprits include cows' milk products, followed by soy, wheat, egg, nuts, and corn or corn syrup.

Talk to your baby's doctor before you omit any foods from your diet. If avoiding a food could cause a nutritional imbalance (for example, if you eliminate all dairy products), you may need to see a nutritionist for advice on substituting other foods or taking nutritional supplements. Continue taking your prenatal vitamin as long as your baby's fully breastfed to cover any gaps in your own diet.

Answer 3

I learned the hard way to avoid strong flavours like tons of garlic etc. (They may make your baby fussy... or stinky!!) I ate a bunch of curried noodles one time and my baby stank! I called my Mom and said I don't know why Mikaela smells terrible and she laughed at me and said what have YOU been eating???

Too much caffeine can make your baby jittery, restless or agitated too.

Orange and other citrus fruits are great for a new mom to eat and drink, but some mothers find that if they drink several large glasses a day, especially during a nursing session, the juice may bother the baby. For the first few months of your baby's life, her intestinal tract is immature and can be sensitive to large amounts of certain foods, including citrus. If you notice that she's unusually fussy or gassy, or is spitting up within a couple of hours of breastfeeding, try cutting back on citrus to a glass at breakfast, and drink water while you're nursing until your baby's intestinal tract is more developed, usually around 3 to 4 months of age.

And of course don't take any medications (herbal or otherwise) without consulting a doctor or pharmacist first.

Just make sure you're eating as good a diet as you can and you should be fine. And drink lots of water to keep your milk supply up.

Take care.

Answer 4

Good nutrition means eating a well-balanced and varied diet of foods in as close to their natural state as possible." Thus, in general, no food is excluded from the list of foods a breastfeeding mother should eat. Obviously, it is best to make sure the foods you eat are fresh and healthy. The concept of variety is important, because by eating a number of foods, you can be sure to obtain different nutrients and do not eat too much of any one food.

Every culture has lists of foods that are "good" and "bad" for breastfeeding mothers. It happens very often that foods believed to be good in one culture are considered bad in others! In Italy, mothers are often told not to eat garlic, cauliflower, lentils and red peppers. In India most mothers eat all these things and breastfeed very happily. Actually, in parts of India they believe that garlic helps a mother to breastfeed successfully!

Generally, anything you are happy eating is okay for you to eat while you are breastfeeding. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. If you have a family medical history of allergy, it is worth being careful about your diet and avoiding known allergens during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you notice that your baby reacts badly after you have eaten something, it may be best to leave that food out of your diet for a while.

Answer 5

Caffeine in limited quantity, alcohol and medication not at all (except if approved by Dr).... the rest is really up to your baby. I love spicy things, and I never had a problem with my girl reacting negative to my spicy curry dinner. As for giving up chocolate, yeah right! I have heard orange juice is to be limited, too citric I guess. I tried to drink only water to keep hydrated, and juice has a lot of extra calories that I just didnt need at the time! For my girl, I think it was green beans that got to her - although the culprit was hard to pinpoint.

Answer 6

The more diverse the diet the better grounded a child will be when it comes time for solids. But to avoid things like salt would be good for the baby as well as the mother.

Answer 7

You should probably start out avoiding dairy; many babies are born with a sensitivity to it that will make the child pull away from the breast or have gas/stomach issues. If you regulate your dairy beforehand, it makes figuring out potential allergies easier.

Answer 8

garlic, onions, pizza, any spicy foods. These should all be avoid for at least the baby is 6 weeks old or maybe a little longer...

if you don't they will get colic really bad...

Answer 9

Chocolates,spices,junk food,sauces like mayonnaise etc,caffeine,

Answer 10

No.
Anything and everything is fine in moderation unless you notice that your baby seems to have a specific problem.