When I was breastfeeding, I feel hungry almost every time. Do you feel the same too? I even thought that I have been feeding my baby more often than I need to. How I wish that I could eat anything that I crave for the sake of my baby and myself. However, I was perfectly aware of the foods to avoid while breastfeeding!
Whatever flavor of the food I eat will influence the milk I give to my little one when nursing. Although I imagine that my child may enjoy a variety of flavors, I was scared that it would bring harm to her as well. I knew that the taste of my favorite tang stays in my amniotic fluid while I was pregnant. Well, my baby must have swallowed a lot of those while I was carrying her in my womb, that the tang was already familiar when she had my breast milk.
However, if I happen to eat food that is new to me, I tend to observe my baby for some reactions. Per my experience, some food causes gas and makes my child uncomfortable and irritable. Do you know any food to avoid while breastfeeding? I can share with you a list that you must remember.
Foods to avoid when you are nursing:
I made this list out from the experiences that I had when I was breastfeeding along with the inputs from my friends that are mothers of sweet little kids as well. These foods cause allergic reactions or gassy condition to newborns.
- Wheat: Wheat is high in gluten. When you are not sure about gluten intolerance, you might as well avoid eating plenty of wheat products to avoid the issue. Symptoms of gluten intolerance is a fussy baby, sensitive tummy, and bloody stools. Like dairies, you can try diet elimination to address the problem.
- Chocolate: Chocolates contain theobromine, a stimulant that makes your baby touchy, fussy, and finds it hard to sleep than usual. You may find yourself having a hard time calming down your baby when you overeat.
- Fish: I love fish! It was a relief knowing that I only need to avoid fish that are high in mercury. Hence, you need to be selective and careful when choosing fish to eat. Mercury may pass through the milk supply that your baby feeds.
- Citrus: You must know that your baby’s GI tract still premature that it cannot withstand the compounds found in citrus foods. Citrus can make your baby spit up, fussy, and even worse, diaper rash.
- Dairy: Dairy is the most common cause of allergy. When you notice your baby being fussy, has sleeping issues, and skin allergies, you may have plenty of dairy in your diet. Start eliminating dairy products from your diet to address the problem.
- Caffeine: Just like the chocolate, overeating food with caffeine will keep your child awake, hyperactive, and highly sensitive. Caffeine is also a stimulant like theobromine. Remember that caffeine is also present in sodas and chocolates too.
Garlic: It is not all about the taste. However, when it is garlic, you should know that we mean the scent. Do you know that the smell of garlic can find its way through your breast milk? Observe your baby after eating garlic. The tendency, she may pull away and would not want to feed.
- Parsley and Peppermint: Although parsley makes the dish more delicious and peppermint is an excellent tea, it is not a good idea to partake when breastfeeding. These useful herbs cause a reduction in your milk supply. Hence, when milk supply is low, limit your intake if you like to, especially when your baby is in the stage that she needs your milk more than ever.
Peanuts: Usually, it is genetic when we talk about peanut allergies. If the allergy runs in your family, you might as well avoid eating it for the sake of your baby. If you are uncertain, check for allergic reactions, wheezing, rash or hives since those are common signs.
Conclusion
It is not that easy when you are breastfeeding. Whatever you eat, you should think about your baby’s health. There are times when you need to avoid your favorite foods and eat those that you do not like. It is essential to monitor your baby’s reaction after feeding, mainly when you ate something new.
It is our responsibility to be aware of foods to avoid while breastfeeding. Negligence can cause harm to your baby. Before, I make my medical diary so that I can monitor the food I ate and the reactions of my newborn. Try it; it helps a lot, especially when you need to bring the baby to the doctor.
