Food (and drink) to avoid when breastfeeding
This is the part that really grates on my own daughter (who hates being pregnant and all the restrictions in your diet that come with it) she thinks it’s so unfair
After two decades working with breastfeeding mums, 10 of those years spent living-in 24 hours a day 6 days a week with families, I have got to know those serial offenders that either upset a baby’s tummy or send them completely into orbit with pain. Here are my top foods to avoid while breastfeeding;
CHILLI – This is a big one! I haven’t met a baby yet that was not upset by drinking breastmilk laced with chilli. From a few hours of crying to a whole 24 hours before they settle again. It’s a banned substance when I’m maternity nursing for a family. To the point where I would not take on a job when mum said it was a part of her diet she was not willing to give up.
COFFEE – I’m so sorry about this one but it does upset babies tummies. Can cause considerable pain and gas not nice for them or you to deal with.
FIZZY STUFF – Heavily carbonated drinks. Weirdly the bubbles can pass through your milk and in to the babies tummy making them, you guessed it, more gassy.
DAIRY– The number one offender! When babies are milk intolerant breastfeeding mums must cut dairy completely. However no baby really appreciates a lot of dairy. If you can reduce your intake as much as possible (keeping the foods you really enjoy) your babies tummy will thank you. I have found that milk is the main culprit. Cheese and butter not as much (unless of course there is a milk intolerance issue)
I really do hate being the bad news fairy giving my breastfeeding mums this information when they’ve already restricted their lives for 9 long months. But for me a happy baby with less gastrointestinal pain is the aim here. It’s really up to you how far you want to go to ensure ease on what they have to digest in their immature gut. After around three months of age their digestive system matures and is a lot more robust so that’s the time you can relax a lot more go back to having the odd curry washed down with a fizzy drink!
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