Which Foods Should You Avoid When Breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding is a method of giving a baby all the nutrients that it needs.

22:42 03 April 2023

Breastfeeding is a method of giving a baby all the nutrients that it needs. Small quantities of the food that you eat can end up in your breast milk, which can affect the health of your baby. 

As a result, brand-new mothers need to follow a balanced diet that is filled with essential nutrients. There are certain foods that women should avoid or reduce their consumption of when they are breastfeeding.

If you want to find out more about selling baby formula, be sure to visit https://sellformula.com/.

Which Foods Should You Avoid When Breastfeeding?

• Caffeine 

If you adore coffee, you may be disappointed to learn that caffeine should be avoided when breastfeeding. Caffeine is believed to harmfully affect babies. Your baby may absorb this caffeine through breastfeeding. This caffeine can keep your baby awake and affects its sleep schedule.

Caffeine is consumed in a plethora of different foods and drinks, including coffee, tea, energy drinks, and even chocolate. Thus, it is advised that breastfeeding mothers remove these sources of caffeine from their diet.

• Processed Foods

Processed foods are also not suitable for breastfeeding. These foods are high in sugar and calories. Not to mention, they lack the nutritional value that your baby needs. As a result, the health of a baby can be negatively impacted when a breastfeeding mother consumes lots of processed foods. 

Breastfeeding mothers do not need to worry about cutting processed foods out of their diet fully. They can still have sugary drinks or foods as an occasional treat. 

• Fish

Fish not only tastes great, but it can also be a superb source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Yet, many foods are high in mercury. This can lead to mercury poisoning, which occurs when an individual is exposed to excessive amounts of mercury. 

In large quantities, mercury is toxic to humans. Mercury can be passed onto a baby through breastfeeding. Mercury poisoning symptoms can include headaches, nausea, and coughing.

Certain types of fish are high in mercury, such as swordfish, shark, marlin, and king mackerel. Mothers should steer clear of high-mercury fish. Though other types of fish can be safely consumed, they should be eaten in moderation. 

• Some Herbs

Herbs are a great addition to dishes as they can provide a delectable flavor. Unfortunately, pregnant women may need to restrict their consumption of certain herbs, since they have been associated with decreased lactation. As a consequence, mothers may struggle to produce sufficient breast milk.

In particular, it is recommended that mothers refrain from eating parsley, sage, and peppermint in large quantities. All three of these herbs have been linked to decreased milk production. 

This does not mean that you need to cut them out of your diet entirely. After all, these herbs are widely used in cooking. Yet, mothers should guarantee that they do not eat dishes that are rich in these three ingredients.

• Nuts

There is limited evidence to suggest that eating nuts can be harmful to babies. Generally, nuts are considered safe to eat when breastfeeding. Unless you are allergic to these foods, you should not avoid foods that could trigger an allergic reaction. 

However, if you have been medically advised not to eat nuts when breastfeeding, you must avoid them. This will likely be due to concerns about allergic reactions.

• Alcohol 

It is recommended that you completely abstain from alcohol when breastfeeding. An occasional splash of alcohol is unlikely to do much harm to babies, but many new mothers prefer to completely cut alcohol from their diet. This is because alcohol can pass on to the baby through breastfeeding. 

If a breastfeeding mother has alcohol, it’s recommended that they carefully time the feeding. Alcohol can remain in breast milk for a couple of hours, though the length of time will differ depending on the amount of alcohol consumed. 

After having a single drink, women should wait 2 or 3 hours before breastfeeding their child. If two drinks have been consumed, a mother should allow at least 4 hours to pass before breastfeeding. You can also use expressed milk to avoid this issue.

It’s also worth noting that excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to decreased breast milk supply. As a result, mothers should limit their consumption of alcohol and foods that have been cooked with alcohol, such as certain sauces.

Final Thoughts

Many mothers will be excited to consume certain foods and drinks that they were unable to consume during pregnancy. Yet, mothers need to consider their diet to ensure that their baby gets all of the nutrients it deserves. By avoiding or limiting the consumption of these six foods, mothers can raise healthy babies.