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Foods to avoid while Breastfeeding your Baby (Researched in 2022)

As a breastfeeding mom, you must need to ensure the sufficient supply of your breast milk to your baby. On one of my previous posts, I have talked about some foods as well as some ways that can increase your breast milk. Now, in my today’s post, I will be talking about several types of foods to avoid while you breastfeeding. Moreover, the writing will also be including foods to avoid while breastfeeding gassy baby, foods to avoid when breastfeeding windy baby and foods to avoid during breastfeeding to prevent colic.

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Why you should avoid some particular foods?

Although, it is important to maintain a balanced diet for a breastfeeding mother, it is also important to make sure that, is there any food in your diet whether it creates problems to your baby or not. In that case, you need to cut those foods from your diet. The nutrition of the foods that you used to consume, also shifts to your breast milk. Later on I will talk about some foods to avoid while the mom breastfeeding. 

Note: For a Pregnant women, there need different type of vitamins & minerals, Here read more about Iron rich foods for Pregnancy.

Moreover, breastfeeding moms should follow a diet plan that ensures the adequate supply of breast milk along with nutrition to the baby.

• Lactose intolerance: Your baby may be intolerant to lactose. Generally, lactose is the milk sugar. Lactose intolerance is usually a genetic disease and the baby with lactose intolerance cannot digest lactose and this occurs due to the insufficient production of “lactase” enzyme. Therefore, if you can find that your baby is intolerant to lactose, you have to avoid consuming lactose-containing foods.

• Allergy: Your baby may also be allergic to several foods. An allergic reaction includes itching on the skin, breathing problems, etc. So, you also should avoid consuming those foods that cause allergic reactions to your baby.

• Gluten intolerance: You can also observe that, your baby is gluten intolerant. In gluten intolerant children, consuming gluten-containing foods can create some health problems.

All these aspects will make you understand why you should avoid some foods while breastfeeding.

You need not to get much worried about your diet while breastfeeding, but you just need to be concerned how many of the foods you are consuming which cause problems to your baby. If you highly consume the foods that create problems to your baby, you definitely need to reduce the intake of those foods.

Check: Along with that we “The Colourful Baby recommend you to check the List of calcium Supplement for Pregnancy.

Now, I am going to suggest you some foods to avoid while breastfeeding.

Foods to avoid while you Breastfeeding your Baby

1. Alcohol: If you are alcoholic, then you have to keep in mind that, alcohol can get into your breast milk and thus it can pass through your baby’s system to create harmful consequences. A little amount of drink might not have dangerous effect, but it is better not to drink alcohol during breastfeeding. Moreover, alcohol remains a shorter period in your breast milk while it remains for a longer period in your bloodstream. So, if you drink, then wait for a period so that it gets cleared from your blood and breast milk.

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2. Caffeine: Although having coffee has not such a contradiction with your breast milk, but you need to have coffee at a particular time. Moreover, a moderate amount does not have that much effect on your breast milk. But, the thing is that, the way your digestive system process the caffeine, your baby cannot. Along with that, caffeine shifts to your breast milk as alcohol does. So, about 3 cups of caffeinated beverages are alright, but you should not exceed the limit. Besides these, a higher amount of caffeine intake can make your baby agitated as well, so, it is better to take caffeinated beverages while your baby fall asleep.

In addition to that, chocolates also contain caffeine. So, you also need to follow the directions as per caffeine intake.

3. Fish: Fishes are alright in your diet, but you need to be selective while consuming fish. Fresh water fishes are better options, but some sea water fishes should be cut from your breastfeeding diet. Some sea water fishes such as shark, swordfish, tilefish and king mackerel contain a high level of mercury. Moreover, water can be polluted by the industrial waste which contains a huge amount of mercury and thus fishes of water can also be contaminated. Mercury is a common pollutant which is a neurotoxin and it can cause harmful effects on your baby’s brain.

Besides these, fishes which are top-predators, contain a large amount of mercury. So, you should eliminate those from your diet and you can consume shrimp, salmon, or catfishes, etc.

4. Spicy foods: It is true that, Asian people (especially South Asian) people use lots of spices while making a dish. Eating a lot of spicy foods will affect your digestive system and it may cause harm to your breast milk supply. Moreover, you have to check how your baby responds to your spicy food intake while breastfeeding. So, it is better to use a moderate amount of spices on your foods.

5. Parsley or peppermint: Parsley is nice decorative and peppermint makes your tea more magnificent. But, it can effect on your breast milk supply. So, you need to use a small amount of those.

6. Garlic: Although consumption of garlic has a lot of beneficial health impact, but garlic has a characteristic flavor which is not preferable by someone. Moreover, consumption of garlic may flavors your breast milk and your baby may not like it at all and he/she may refuse. On the other hand, if you take a lot amount of garlic during your pregnancy, your baby may become used to it and start to like it. So, you need to observe the situation, how your baby reacts and do as required.

7. Dairy: I said earlier that, your baby may have allergies to some foods. Cow’s milk is one the common foods that cause allergic reactions to babies which includes itching or rash on the skin. Moreover, dairy is one of the most common problems causing foods for babies. On the other hand, itching or skin rash can also be caused by other issues. So, to check the problem, you stay away dairy foods for a few days and observe your baby. If your baby is alright as you remove dairy foods, it is clear that your baby has a dairy allergy.

8. Citrus fruits: Consumption of citrus fruits can cause problems to your baby’s gastrointestinal tract as it still developing. Moreover, citrus can cause fussiness, diaper rash or spitting up. But, if you are very craving for citrus, you can have some mangoes or pineapples.

9. Peanuts and tree nuts: If you have a family history of peanut or tree nut allergy, then you need to avoid it. Because, the allergic reaction causing compounds can shift to your breast milk and thus it can cause problems for your baby.

10. Wheat: Earlier I have also talked about gluten intolerance. People with gluten intolerance, cannot digest gluten and it creates digestive problem to them. Wheat contains a lot of fiber and carbohydrate, which is good for your digestive system, but it also contains gluten. If your baby is gluten intolerant, then consumption of wheat can cause irritation, bloody stool or belly pain to your baby. So, the identification of whether your baby is gluten intolerant or not, is same as dairy. If there is a positive result, you should remove gluten-containing foods from your diet.

Foods to avoid while breastfeeding gassy baby

Since your baby’s digestive system is still developing, some foods can cause gas problem with your baby. Moreover, consumption of foods that make you gassy, can also make your baby like as you. Now, I am going to give you a list of foods that you should cut from your diet to prevent the problem.

Fiber-rich foods

Apricots

Prunes

Peaches

Pears

Plums

Citrus fruits

Green vegetables

Brussels

Sprouts

Broccoli

Cabbage

Artichokes

Asparagus

Cauliflower

Onions

Garlic

Starch group

Potato, corn and pasta

Foods to avoid when Breastfeeding windy Baby

Wind in baby means the entrapment of air bubbles in the baby’s stomach. Crying can also be responsible for the phenomenon which causes pain. Moreover, there are some foods which cause this problem. Therefore, you should cut of these foods from your diet for a few days and see what happen. The foods that cause wind in breastfeeding babies are as follows:

Cabbage

Onion

Garlic

Broccoli

Brussels

Sprouts

Turnips

Foods to avoid during breastfeeding to prevent colic

Colic in babies refers to a painful tightening of your baby’s muscle. Moreover, colic leads your baby to uncontrollable crying.

Doctors usually diagnose colic in your baby based on the following:

1. Crying lasts for three hours continuously
2. Your baby cries at least three days in a week
3. Crying remains for at least three weeks in a row

Since colic is a problem, you need to avoid some foods from your diet and the foods include:

• Berries
• Grapes
• Stone fruit
• Strawberries
• Mangoes
• Cabbage
• Tomatoes
• Lentils
• Garlic
• Pineapple
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Cucumber
• Radish
• Cauliflower
• Raw Onion
• Strong herbs and spices
• Powdered yeasts
• Stimulants

To conclude, I want to say that, you need to be concerned about you and your breastfeeding baby’s health. Try to avoid the foods that I have suggested and follow a diet plan and some guidelines to increase your breast milk supply. To learn more about how to increase breast milk supply….. My attempts were to make the article more informative and I believe it will be helpful for you.