What foods should I avoid when breastfeeding?

Katrina - posted on 08/04/2010

I have 3 kids that I have breast fed. I never avoided anything. Anything you ate while pregnant they have already tasted from the amniotic fluid. I ate things like curry and Mexican before and after without any problems at all. The whole limiting what you eat is an outdated fallacy. It's a Western Culture thing that bland is better, and now we're a culture of a bunch of picky eaters. Unless your baby has a proven reaction to something in your breastmilk you're fine eating anything you want. There is no set list.

Gery - posted on 08/04/2010

I've read that strawberries,seafood,honey and milk are things you should avoid especially in the begining.Also peaches,raspberries,exotic fruits like orange,lemon,grapefruit

Ashley - posted on 08/04/2010

i have 2 babies and breastfeed both my son was a lot easier then my daughter he would only get fuzzy with the items a lot of other people are saying onions garlic etc. with my daughter no matter what i ate she was gassy so it depends on the baby. what i did with my daughter was a tried to write down what i ate in the day to see if there was anything that was the same as the day before, that did help a little but she was still a gassy baby no matter what i ate.

Anita - posted on 08/03/2010

I learned this from a lactation specialist -- ginger and garlic affect the taste of your milk, so go easy on them

Winnie Takyiwah - posted on 08/03/2010

All babies are different. My baby had upset stomach when I ate any kind of beans, when she was a newborn. But after two months, she became fine. She has no issues with what I eat. I guess you will have to try and see.Cabbage doesn't upset her or me either.

Nicole - posted on 08/02/2010

Just limit caffeine to no more than the equivalent of 2 small cups (no more than 16 ounces) per day. But, everything else is fine unless you find a problem (like your baby is diagnosed with an intolerance to something). Don't stress about it. Your baby is going to have tummy troubles from time to time, gas from time to time, and so on, but usually it's not enough to cause any major discomforts or health problems.

I have personally never avoided any kinds of foods, other than really unhealthy stuff (just from personal preference) and foods containing caffeine and I haven't ran into any problems yet.

I'm sure you will be fine to eat as much cabbage as you want. ;o)

Jessica - posted on 08/02/2010

In response to your question, Sara, caffeine of all types can pass through your milk to your baby and could cause fussiness. I personally have not noticed either of my girls having a problem when I have my morning cup of coffee. But they recommend limiting caffeine intake to less than 2 cups a day, I think.

Oh, and Anneke, if you are watching for reactions, usually what you eat gets through your milk and to your baby about 3 hours after you eat it (if I remember right). I know that info is on kellymom.com as well.

Jessica - posted on 08/02/2010

Coffee - no more than two cups a day. Most other foods all are ok in moderation unless your baby has a sensitivity. My daughter had reflux and by doing the elimination diet I found that she had difficulty with dairy so I went on a dairy free diet until she was around a year old (and able to eat dairy on her own). She is still sensitive, though. About the only dairy she can have is yogurt. Kellymom.com has a great article on food sensitivity in the nursing infant and the elimination diet.

Melissa - posted on 08/02/2010

im a vegetarian. i eat a lot of fruits veggies and seafood. my son has no issues with any of them. hot sauce is where i have my issues. and of course caffeine alcohol should be avoided. i only give my son the very best of best. i try to eat a wide variety to get him used to different tastes. so it will be easier when we start baby food. he is 2 months and still no problems

Dora - posted on 08/02/2010

Definitely check with your doctor first. My doctor didn't give me any restrictions. She recommened eating what i normally ate and see how my son react. If he changes in anyway then avoid the food that made him uncomfortable. I don't recommend any caffeine or alcohol. I just believe that anything that generally has a negative affect on adults is just NOT good for a baby.

Rachael - posted on 08/02/2010

be careful with mylicon and other gas relief drops, they work by making bubbles bigger so they can be burped up. If the gas has already passed into the intestines the drops will make it so much worse.

Holly Jo - posted on 08/02/2010

I wouldn't worry about cutting anything out of your diet. I ate everything, except for peanuts. My daughter eats so good. If your baby has gas just massage her tummy(clockwise Never counterclockwise) and use mylicon drops at every feeding.

Rachael - posted on 08/02/2010

spicy food is good for digestion, there are many old wives tales about food, many of which are NOT based in fact. Certain babies may get fussy with different things, but veggies are good for you and baby so do not stop eating broccoli, cabbage,ect unless YOUR baby has a reaction. You NEED dairy as well to keep your bones healthy and strong. As far as spicy foods go, I ate mexican, and sushi with wasabi while nursing, now my 15 month old loves spicy food too. Only reaction he had was he got a little fussy with macadamia nuts, but that doesn't mean all babies will have the same reaction, when I have #2 I will not limit intake of nuts just because of the reaction #1 had.

Karisa - posted on 08/02/2010

his doctor said avoid caffiene dairy chocolate and spicy food they all can cause him to act differently like fussyness gassyness etc

Aicha - posted on 08/01/2010

any foods you are allergic to or any foods that seem to make the baby fussy after you eat them

Chantelle - posted on 08/01/2010

anything that makes you gassy passes to the baby. sugar, milk, yougart, cheese, broccolli,etc. if the baby gets colicky try natural camamille tea. make a cup and let brew for 15 mins until strong and cool then give your baby some. helps releave their stomach of gas.

Lara - posted on 08/01/2010

Everything! *grin* But seriously, eat as your normally would just pay attention to what foods seem to upset your baby's tummy. Some foods (such as cabbages, dairy, or certain proteins) have a greater tendancy to upset baby tummies, but it really comes down to watch how your child reacts to your milk.

Nothing is off limits, but do limit your caffine and alcohol intake. Good luck!

Jacquelyn - posted on 08/01/2010

I don't avoid any foods - if your baby seems happy then there is no need to cut foods out :)

Sarah - posted on 08/01/2010

My babes does not like it when I have any artificial sweetner such as the stuff found in diet soda. Painfully gassy. She also has a tendancy to spit up a lot more if I've had a bit too much caffine or milk.

Lakia - posted on 08/01/2010

Beware of beans and brocolli. I had both one night and my baby was miserable. Should have known, but I didn't think about it!

Sara - posted on 08/01/2010

What exactly does caffeine do? Or chocolate? I've heard people talk about that. But I eat chocolate [not a lot, not my fave, but I still eat it]. And my mom drank Mt. Dew often when she was breastfeeding all three of us. So I'm adding questions to the original poster's... lol. Thanks!

As far as me, I haven't changed my diet since I was pregnant. I eat what I like, and I try to avoid things I KNOW are harmful. Obviously, alcohol and certain medicines and things I stay away from. The only thing that has ever constipated my son is formula when I've had to supplement. He's overall a pretty good baby... [not to brag :/] Wish I could be of more help! But definitely pay attention to his attitude if you've eaten a particular thing. :)

Anneke - posted on 08/01/2010

Thanx, I appreciate your help. Will have a look on the website.

Wendy - posted on 07/30/2010

Definitely avoid mint. It reduces milk supply

Mandy - posted on 07/30/2010

Every baby is different. Just pay attention to if they get fussy or gassy after you eat a particular food. My daughter gets gassy if I have a lot of eggs, so I stay clear for the most part. Also I have found that if she gets constipated I will eat a lot of high fiber fruit for a day and then she starts pooping really well. The website www.kellymom.com has so good info on the topic. At the beginning it is just trial and error. Your little one will let you know if they don't care for something.

Wendy - posted on 07/30/2010

Every baby is different just like every person is different. If you notice your baby is getting gassy or fussy after or while eating that may be a good indicator that something is not sitting well with them. The first culprit most moms find is dairy. I am sure you can google to find a list of common foods that upset breastfed babies.

Brianna - posted on 07/30/2010

My had really bad gas cramps with I had onion or broccoli, so if you notice that yours has a problem the feeding or two after you have eaten just look at what you ate and see if anything might be causing it.

Kimberly - posted on 07/30/2010

Tomato is said to make babies gassy, and you might want to avoid seafood as well.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 07/30/2010

In general you don't have to avoid anything. You should limit caffeine and alcohol. If your baby seems to have symptoms of a food allergy then you should avoid that food, but if your baby seems to be fine then I wouldn't stress. Here's some great info about your diet and breastfeeding:
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mo...