Breastfeeding Week 2022: Foods you should avoid while breastfeeding

Neelam Mishra August 1, 2022

841 3 minutes read

Breastfeeding Week 2022: Here is a list of foods that mothers should not eat

Highlights:

Breastfeeding week 2022
Foods that mothers should avoid

Every year August 1 – August 7, we celebrate breastfeeding week. It was first started in 1992 to promote the benefits of breastfeeding on both mother and child. Pregnancy is a time when you can eat various foods to satiate your cravings. But when the baby is finally born your liberty of eating anything gets over. Some nursing moms think they can eat whatever they like while it is true that some strongly flavored foods may change the taste of your milk and babies like flavored milk, but that doesn’t mean you can eat anything which might harm your child. Here is a list of foods that mothers should not eat while breastfeeding.

It’s important to understand how breast milk is made? Breast milk is made from what passes into mom’s blood. There are some things that do pass into your milk and affect your baby in some instances. These include foods that a baby can have an allergic reaction to, or substances that can affect babies negatively if consumed in a large quantity.

Here are 10 foods that might cause symptoms in your baby, or are general concerns for breastfeeding moms sometimes. Here is what you need to know about consuming them.

Coffee

Avoid consuming coffee as it can make your baby agitated and prevent your baby from sleeping. You can consume one- two cups of coffee a day.

Alcohol

The smallest amount of alcohol can hamper your child’s growth. If you want to consume a glass of alcohol, stop breastfeeding till the alcohol is completely washed from your system.

Fish

While they are really good for you as it contains proteins, some of the fishes contain mercury. While proteins are beneficial for development , mercury is detrimental for the nervous system. Follow the same rules for eating fish as you did when you were pregnant. Shark, swordfish, tilefish and king mackerel. These older, top predator fish contain the highest levels of mercury so eliminate those foods from your diet completely.

Peppermint

Garnish and peppermint make a fabulous tea, the problem with these herbs is they both come with the risk of reducing your supply. High doses of peppermint have been known to inhibit milk production. In fact, peppermint is an herb that’s sometimes used by moms who are ready to stop breastfeeding and want to dry up their milk supply.

Acidic foods

Some babies can have a negative reaction to vitamin C which is found in oranges, lime, etc. The baby may experience gastrointestinal problems with the citric foods.

Peanuts

If there is a history of peanut allergy in your family, make sure to avoid eating peanuts until after your baby is weaned. The allergic compound in peanuts and tree nuts can be transmitted through breast milk.

Chocolate

Chocolate is a source of caffeine. Some nursing mothers have found that eating chocolate has a laxative effect on the baby. And while you may think binge eating chocolates to sooth your frayed nerves, we suggest you do not try this at home.

Dairy products

Dairy products have been known to cause allergies and gas in a lot of kids because it is difficult to digest.

Mangoes

When you eat mango, your baby may not be able to digest it smoothly and that might cause stomach problems. When your baby feeds on your breast milk, your baby will also face the same problem. So avoid mangoes while breastfeeding.

Eggs

While it is generally okay to consume eggs while you breastfeed your baby, you must never consume raw eggs. Eating raw eggs while breastfeeding will increase the risk of salmonella infection, which can lead to symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, nausea and fever.