Breastfeeding is an amazing experience for both you and your little one. However, it’s also important to take note of what types of food you’re eating, since while some foods help improve your breast milk, other foods can make it taste bad for your little one, and can even adversely affect your milk supply. Here’s what you need to know.
What can you read in this article?
- List of foods to avoid while breastfeeding
- What to eat when breastfeeding
If you breastfeed, you’re providing your baby with nutrients that will help him or she grow and thrive. However, you may have concerns about what meals and beverages are the healthiest for you, as well as how your diet may affect your breast milk and your kid.
Breastfeeding nutrition can be difficult to understand. How much food should you consume? What should you stay away from? What impact might your diet have on your child? Follow these important nutrition tips.
What not to eat when breastfeeding
You may need to avoid some meals or drinks if your kid is allergic to them. This is due to the fact that traces of everything you eat and drink can enter your breast milk. Talk to your physician if you have any questions and concerns. Here’s a list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding.
What you should avoid
1. Alcohol
Breastfeeding, food to avoid. | Image from Pexels
One of the food you should need to avoid while breastfeeding is alcohol. It should be avoided whenever you’re breastfeeding since alcohol can make its way into your breast milk and cause a lot of problems for your child.
2. Chocolates and coffee
One of the food to avoid while breastfeeding is caffeine. It can be found in chocolate, energy drinks, and soft drinks in addition to tea and coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant that can make your baby restless, so it’s best to avoid it when breastfeeding.
If you must use caffeine, limit yourself to 300mg per day. To give you an idea of what that looks like, consider the following:
- 1 mug of filter coffee = 140mg
- a 1 mug of instant coffee = 100mg
- 1 (250ml) can of energy drink = 80mg (larger cans may contain up to 160mg caffeine)
- a 1 mug of tea = 75mg
- 1 (50g) plain chocolate bar = up to 50mg
- a 1 (354mls) cola drink = 40mg
They might be tasty, but chocolates and coffee contain caffeine, which can get into your breast milk and causes your child to become sleepless and fussy. Caffeine also dehydrates you and can reduce your milk production.
3. Spicy food
Also, the food or foods to avoid while breastfeeding are spicy foods. It’s best to lay off the spicy food if you’re breastfeeding. That’s because babies are sometimes sensitive to the food you eat, and it’s best to avoid food that has a lot of spices, as well as garlic in order to avoid any reactions.
4. Glassy foods
Gas and fiber pass from mother to child through her bowel, but they are prevented by breast milk absorption and digestion. Breastfeeding mothers in these cultures should therefore avoid cold foods so as not to interfere with them.
Food items prone to gas include beans, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts, and others. Bloating and burping are normal, as are gas symptoms. But stay away from these foods for a few weeks if your baby is irritated by gases or colic.
Breastfeeding, food to avoid. | Image from Shutterstock
Here are some examples of gassy food or foods to avoid while breastfeeding:
- Citrus fruits – Drinking a glass of juice while you’re breastfeeding is fine, but drinking too much juice or eating a lot of citrus fruits can bother your child and make them gassy or fussy since their sensitive tummies are not yet used to citrus fruits.
- Veggies that cause gas – Onions, cabbage, garlic, cauliflower, and broccoli should be avoided whenever you’re breastfeeding since those foods can make both you and your baby gassy.
- Pineapples – Just like citrus fruits, pineapples can make your child gassy and can even affect how your breast milk tastes, which can sometimes put off your newborn from feeding.
4. Fish high in mercury
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are two forms of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish that are vital for baby brain development but difficult to come by in other meals.
However, some fish and seafood contain high levels of mercury, a hazardous element that is especially harmful to newborns and children, who are more susceptible to mercury poisoning.
Acute mercury poisoning can have a long-term effect on your child’s central nervous system. They may experience delays or impairments in cognition, fine motor abilities, speech and language development, and visual-spatial awareness as a result. Breastfeeding mothers should avoid high-mercury fish due to worries about mercury toxicity in their babies. Examples include:
- bigeye tuna
- king mackerel
- marlin
- orange roughy
- shark
- swordfish
- tilefish
READ MORE:
Easy home remedies for sore, cracked nipples that makes breastfeeding difficult
Exclusive breastfeeding: What it is and how it benefits you and your baby
On the hunt for stylish nursing clothes? Here are 7 chic breastfeeding outfits
What to eat when breastfeeding
You don’t need to follow a particular diet when breastfeeding; simply eat a well-balanced, nutritious range of the following foods:
Aim for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Fresh, frozen, canned, dry, or juiced foods can all be included in your daily quota; however, anything with extra salt or sugar should be avoided.
Fruits are high in a variety of nutrients. They may also aid in the relief of constipation, which some women have following childbirth. Aim for roughly 2 cups of fruit every day, with a wide variety of fruits.
The following fruits are recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) because they are all high in potassium and some also contain vitamin A:
- cantaloupe
- honeydew melon
- bananas
- mangoes
- apricots
- prunes
- oranges
- red or pink grape
Image from Pexels
Vegetables
Breastfeeding women should aim for three cups of vegetables every day. Breastfeeding mothers who also use formula should eat 2.5 cups of vegetables every day.
Vegetables are high in vitamins and antioxidants. Your body will be able to replenish the nutrients it requires to produce milk if you eat enough.
The USDA recommends the following vegetables for their potassium and vitamin A content:
- Spinach – Spinach has a lot of folic acid, iron, and calcium. All these nutrients are important for your baby’s development, and iron can help prevent you from having anemia.
- Carrots – Carrots are high in vitamin A which helps your child’s eye development, as well as prevents night blindness. It has also been said to improve your milk production.
- Potatoes – Potatoes also contain minerals such as iron, calcium, vitamin C, and potassium, all of which are healthy to new mothers. Potatoes also have half soluble and soluble fiber, which can assist new mothers avoid constipation.
- Pumpkin – Beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fiber are all abundant in pumpkin. Fiber can aid in the prevention of constipation, while vitamin C can aid in the strengthening of the immune system. These are advantageous to nursing women and their growing children.
- Tomatoes – Lycopene, which gives tomatoes their deep red color, has been associated to a lower risk of prostate, pancreatic, lung, and stomach cancers, as well as heart disease and age-related eye issues. Breastfeeding mothers who consume tomato products have a higher content of lycopene in their breast milk.
- Bell peppers – Vitamin C is required for the proper functioning of bones, teeth, ligaments, and blood vessels. It also aids in the absorption of iron and may assist to avoid some illnesses.
- Cooked greens, such as kale and collards – Dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collard greens are high in fiber, folate, calcium, and a variety of vitamins that are beneficial to both mom and baby. They’re very adaptable, as you can use them in salads, soups, and casseroles, or incorporate them with fruit in a smoothie.
Grains
Grains, especially whole grains like brown rice and whole-wheat bread, are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Aim for 8 ounces (oz) per day if you’re solely breastfeeding, or 6 oz if you’re also formula-feeding.
Protein is essential for breastfeeding mothers, and some grains, such as quinoa, are abundant in it.
Cereals that have been fortified with vitamins and minerals are also a good option. It’s preferable to stick to whole-grain cereals that don’t have any added sugar.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is not only great for your digestion and overall health, but it also helps increase your milk supply.
Salmon
Image from Pexels
Salmon has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, which are a healthy type of fat. Eating a lot of salmon helps improve your milk quality so that your child can also benefit from the nutrients that you get from salmon.
Dairy products
Calcium can be leached from the bones during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If people do not obtain enough calcium and vitamin D, they are at danger of developing osteoporosis. Dairy products are a great source of protein and calcium and helps with your child’s development. Dairy products, such as cheese and milk, are high in calcium and many have vitamin D added to them.
Breastfeeding mothers should consume at least 3 cups of dairy products every day. Vitamin D and calcium can be found in the following foods:
- milk
- yogurt
- unprocessed or natural cheese
It’s high in calcium and other important elements. Choose low-fat variants whenever possible, such as semi-skimmed, 1% fat, or skimmed milk, low-fat yoghurt, and reduced-fat hard cheese. Choose the unsweetened, calcium-fortified versions of dairy-free alternatives such soya drinks and yoghurts.
Dark leafy greens, legumes, and fortified orange juice are all good sources of calcium for people who don’t eat dairy. Breastfeeding mothers should eat 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium each day, according to the National Academy of Sciences.
The sun is the best source of vitamin D, although mushrooms and fatty salmon can help you get more. Supplements may be effective as well.
Protein-rich foods
Breastfeeding requires an additional 25 grams of protein per day, for a total of at least 65 grams per day. Every meal should include some protein, according to experts. The USDA recommends the following protein sources:
- peas with beans
- seeds and nuts
- lean beef, pork, and lamb
- mussels, oysters, and crab
- trout, salmon, herring, pollock, sardines
Seafood is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial to a baby’s brain development. Salmon, sardines, and trout are all high in omega-3s but low in mercury, making them good choices.
Other mercury-rich seafood, such as albacore tuna, swordfish, shark, and king mackerel, should be avoided by breastfeeding mothers. Tuna in other forms is safe to eat.
Eggs
Image from Pexels
Just like dairy products, eggs are a great source of protein that your growing baby needs.
Breastfeeding is difficult, especially in the first few weeks. Many new parents and caregivers are overworked to the point of forgetting to eat. Others may be concerned that spending time for themselves implies neglecting the infant.
A baby’s health is frequently dependent on the well-being of its caretakers. Mothers can practice self-care to ensure they have the energy and emotional resources to care for the newborn.
Both babies and people who are breastfeeding require proper nourishment. Pay attention to your body and consume what feels right.
Updates by Matt Doctor
Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. theAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.
