Foods to avoid while breastfeeding. Once you have given birth, all parents and doctors suggest that breastfeeding is the best option and is highly beneficial for your baby. However, there are numerous restrictions and guidelines that a mother has to abide by if she is willing to nurse her baby. The nutrients and toxins in food that you consume are transferred to the baby through breast milk and this is the reason why you need to monitor your food intake as some chemicals can be dangerous owing to their negative impact on a baby’s body.
Listed below are the foods to avoid while breastfeeding:
Coffee
When you start drinking tea, coffee or soda, some quantity of caffeine gets transferred to your breast milk. An adult body has the ability to excrete quickly and efficiently, which is why too much does not stay in their system. Babies are unable to excrete it as effectively which results in high levels of caffeine that their body is unable to bear, and your baby becomes cranky, sleepless and irritated. Thus, try avoiding coffee since a cranky baby is much more difficult to handle.
Chocolate
If you love eating chocolate and it is the sweetness that you often crave you should be cautious as chocolate also contain caffeine however the quantity is very low in comparison to coffee and tea. If it so happens that owing to the chocolate you and your baby both have been sleeping less add chocolate to the list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding.
Citrus fruits
The juices and compounds found in citrus fruits might at times irritate your baby’s GI tract which results in spitting up, fussiness, and also diaper rash in some cases. If by reducing the consumption of citrus food you can keep your baby healthy it is better to do so. However, ensure to substitute it with food items rich in vitamin C so that you do not have to miss out on it. Mango and papaya are the other two options that will provide the required quantity of vitamin C.
Broccoli
It is a popular belief that has been carried on through generations which states that cauliflower and broccoli and other similar vegetables might make your babies grassy and irritable. Even though the babies do not become grassy it is true that most babies are irritated when traces of broccoli end up in breast milk.
Alcohol
It is a beverage that is banned even when a woman is pregnant, however after giving birth drinking wine occasionally is not risky as the body is accustomed to it and it does not have any impact on breast milk when present in very low quantity in blood. Even if it is one drink a day there is little to no risk however if a nursing mother consumes moderate quantity or more of alcohol the risks of it affecting the baby increase. Also, a mother when too inebriated is unable to look after her baby since; alcohol affects the cognitive ability of a human being. Thus, mothers should avoid drinking heavily and also moderately as it is one of the foods to avoid while breastfeeding.
Spicy food
Spices that add both zest and heat should also be avoided as babies oftentimes get irritated due to the heat. Since heat of the spices is able to get to the baby through breast milk so nursing moms are advised to add only spices which add only zest so that the child does not have to get bothered owing to the heat.
Garlic
The smell of garlic is something that offends most individuals and it surely is an odour they would like to ignore. Even though garlic bread might taste scrumptious to you when eaten warmly it will not be equally appealing to your baby. There are chances that breast milk can take up taste of garlic and even the odour can enter milk just a mere two hours after eating it. While some babies might just make a face and try to ignore it some outright refuse to feed owing to the strong smell. Thus, garlic should definitely be on the list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding.
Peanuts
Does anyone in your family have any food allergies? If yes you should be careful to while including peanut in your diet as it might affect your baby. Also, if there are any other foods allergens that have affected members of the family previously find out and try to avoid them as well.
Wheat
Your baby might be allergic to wheat and if that is the case you should surely add to it to the list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding. If you observe that your baby cries a lot and cannot be consoled or has bloody stools and is definitely suffering from pain after nursing when you have eaten a sandwich or pasta. You can test it yourself by removing wheat from your diet for at least two to three weeks.
Dairy products
Babies are often intolerant to dairy products since it contains cow’s milk based formula. However, when a mother consumes dairy products the allergy causing agents definitely enter breast milk. If you have observed your child experiencing colic or vomiting after you have consumed dairy products, you should abstain from consuming them till you are nursing and consider it as one of the foods to avoid while breastfeeding.
Corn
Allergies to numerous food products are quite common with kids these days. Since, there are many foods allergens mothers often cannot be sure which food to avoid and which to consider safe. It is due to this reason why mothers should maintain a food diary when they are nursing. By mentioning specific food items mothers ensure that their child is comfortable and does not have to suffer an unknown allergy attack.
Shellfish
There are numerous researches proving that if a family has a strong history of allergy to a particular food item, it is more likely for a baby to also have the same. Suppose, the father’s side of family is allergic to shellfish, but you do not, it is advisable not to take risks when nursing.
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