While many will agree that breastfeeding is very beneficial for your little one, there are however, a number of restrictions that go along with it – especially the type of foods that you should not eat.
It’s been nine months and you really need a stiff one. One drink or less per day likely poses little risk for babies, experts agree. But if your drinking habits fall into the moderate or heavy category, you are treading on dangerous grounds.
Anything with caffeine, means that some of it ends up in your breast milk. Because babies aren’t able to excrete caffeine as quickly or efficiently as adults, too much in their systems may lead to irritation, crankiness, and sleeplessness. So, it’s best to cut back or skip it completely.
Most lactation consultants might tell you that it’s just an old wives’ tale that eating broccoli and cauliflower would lead to fussy babies. But if you approach any any nursing mother about broccoli, the answer will be a lot different.
Egg allergies (usually in the form of a sensitivity to egg whites) are common in young children. It may be a difficult allergy to pinpoint as eggs are found in everything from bread and snacks to ice cream,
Mercury found in fish can find its way into breast milk; the same rules apply here – do not consume fish with high mercury content.
Eating garlicky foods often leads to breast milk taking on the slight flavor of garlic (garlic odour can enter milk up to two hours after a meal).
According to the La Leche League International (LLLI), if you have a family medical history of allergy, it is worth being careful about your diet and avoiding known allergens, like peanuts.
Experts have found that the stronger the family history is for a particular food allergy, the greater the risk and the earlier the infant is likely to show symptoms. So, if you or the baby’s father have a shellfish allergy, it’s best to give the shellfish a pass while breastfeeding.
If you love drinking peppermint tea, do not try to guzzle down several cups a day. Certain compounds in the herb may reduce your milk supply, says a herbalists.
Stella Pang, mother of a three-year-old used to add chilli padi to every single dish and did not have any issues with her baby. Her sister however was not so fortunate. Her baby used to fuss for hours even with just a dash of pepper added to her food. So what can you do? Try to add zing without the heat.
Babies are still developing and their still immature GI tract may be irritated by some compounds found in citrus fruits and juices. It may cause your babies fussiness, diaper rash and even spitting up. Do cut down on citrus fruits if necessary and compensate with other vitamin-C rich foods.