Sushi and breastfeeding?

Question

I know you were not supposed to eat sushi while pregnant. Is it ok to eat sushi when breastfeeding? thanx

Answer 1

I spoke with the some people (nurses, doctors, lactation consultants) when my babies were in the NICU -- I had SO missed eating sushi during my pregnancy, and was looking forward to eating sushi again during our one night out... The answers I received were consistent: eating some sushi was fine, but 1) I should avoid certain fish, such as tuna, which is very high in mercury, and 2) I shouldn't eat that much of it. Actually, I think the word used was "moderation," which shouldn't be difficult, but for me and my husband (especially after the months of not eating sushi at all) that word was a big blow!

One thing to keep in mind: if you do have sushi and breastfeed, see how your baby reacts to it. I had a friend whose baby had terrible gas from it, so she knew she couldn't breastfeed while there was sushi in her system.

If you can, check with a lacation consultant beforehand and don't rely on any one of us here. But, from my experience: it's okay to eat it provided you are very careful about quality, careful about the types of fish you eat, and eat it in moderation. Also, you can pump beforehand so there's breastmilk for your baby on hand; that way, if you have any misgivings about your sushi intake after you've already eaten, you can give your baby the expressed milk and forego the breastfeeding session (and while "pump and dump" may not be something you want to do, it IS an option if you ever worry about something you ate, to give your body time to metabolize it and get it our of your system).

Hope that helps. Enjoy the sushi!

Answer 2

Since I was unable to locate anything in the literature, I discussed this issue with my colleagues. To begin answering your question, it appears that the main concern with eating sushi, prepared with raw fish, is that it may not be fresh, and that it may have been obtained from a place where the water is polluted. There is a concern in this case that raw fish could contain parasites or high levels of bacteria.

Regarding toxomplasmosis, if a mother is infected, it is safe, and important (because of antibodies passed through her milk) to continue breastfeeding. Toxoplasmosis can be contracted by eating uncooked or undercooked meat, but I not sure if it is of concern when eating fresh raw fish.

In Japan, sushi is a regular part of many women's diets. I am not aware of any studies/warnings to nursing mothers who consume sushi on a regular basis. If you are still concerned about the safety of eating sushi during lactation, I would recommend you continue to enjoy sushi prepared without raw fish. You might try a vegetarian sushi or sushi prepared with cooked fish.

If you decide to eat raw fish, it would be wise to frequent a sushi-bar/restaurant where you trust that the food is very fresh and well-prepared. Don't feel uncomfortable about inquiring as to the source of their fish, the method of delivery and its freshness.

Answer 3

The rule is not to consume fish high in mercury. The fish that are typically high in mercury are large fish that eat a lot of little fish. Avoid swordfish in sushi for example. You can eat whatever you want while breastfeeding. The only negative repercussion will be from your baby getting gassy or not like the taste of your milk. Even people in the past saying you should avoid nuts, etc... has been proven wrong. It just doesn't transfer that much. I agree, enjoy yourself. There are worse things you could be eating like trans fat.

Answer 4

Some technical stuff: fish, especially predatory fish can have large amounts of high molecular weight compounds like pcbs, pbdes, and mercury. This is due to bioconcentration and Biomagnification.

So the take home message is you should limit your fish consumption sushi and otherwise through your entire reproductive years. That is, women should limit fish consumption form the moment they are born until they are done having children, Including breastfeeding. The limit depends on the fish but is normally 1 meal a week.

Answer 5

I had no idea that you aren't supposed to eat sushi while pregnant. Good thing I don't like sushi. I would ask my obstetrician whether or not it's safe to eat while breastfeeding.

Answer 6

Anything that can be potentially dangerous for you could also be dangerous for your baby. If you got ahold of some bad sushi, it would make you both ill. You probably should wait until you aren't breastfeeding anymore.

Answer 7

You're not supposed to eat sushi now?

I ate sushi all the time during my pregnancy... it's fine. Go ahead... enjoy!!

Answer 8

No... what you pump out is a direct result of what you take in. Leave the sushi for when you aren't breastfeeding anymore.

Answer 9

I ate sushi and was fine besides it is healthy for you. But make sure that you get it from a real authentic place.

Answer 10

It's perfectly fine as long as you're eating at a reputable place. And just stay away from too much tuna because of the mercury.