Baby Nursing Nutrition: Foods and Drinks To Avoid If You Are Breastfeeding

Key takeaways:

• Foods and drinks can affect a mother's breast milk production, as well as a breastfeeding infant's digestion, sleep, and overall comfort.
• A mother's diet can introduce common allergens into her breast milk, which may trigger allergic reactions in her baby.
• It is best to avoid spicy, caffeinated, and processed foods when breastfeeding. These foods may contribute to gas, fussiness, or colic in breastfed infants.
• A well-balanced diet provides mother and baby with the necessary nutrients.
• If your baby is uncomfortable after feeding, modifying your diet may be helpful.

Breastfeeding provides essential nutrients for your baby’s growth, but what you eat can impact your digestion, mood, and overall health as well as that of your infant.

Certain foods may cause gas, fussiness, food intolerance or allergic reactions, making your baby uncomfortable. While breastfeeding fosters joy and connection, it’s important to be mindful of the foods and drinks you consume, as they can positively or negatively affect your child. 

This article covers 10 foods and drinks to avoid or limit while breastfeeding, along with healthier alternatives.

Here are some foods and drinks to limit if you are a breastfeeding mom:

1. High-mercury fish

Avoid fish with high amounts of mercury, like swordfish, sharks, king mackerel, and fresh or frozen tuna, which can cause dysfunction in the baby's nervous system and damage the cognitive function of the child.

Instead, choose fish like salmon, catfish, tilapia, and sardines.

2. Dairy products

Some babies with sensitivities to dairy products may show signs of colic, eczema (skin issues), fussiness, and gas. Try eliminating dairy for a few weeks or replacing it with plant-based alternatives, such as almond or oat milk, and observe if symptoms improve.

Some babies may have trouble digesting dairy products consumed by their mothers, which can lead to bloating, fussiness, or diarrhea.

You can keep a list or record to track what you eat and drink, along with the reactions you notice in your baby, which can help to identify the triggers.

3. Caffeine

When you consume drinks that contain caffeine, like coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate, it is passed into the breast milk and can make the baby fussy or disrupt their sleep.

Small amounts are usually considered moderate. It's best to limit caffeine intake to about 2-3 cups per day.

4. Spicy foods

Spicy foods are considered safe, but some babies may react to such foods with gas and fuzziness, causing discomfort. Be watchful of the child’s reaction after you consume spicy foods, and remember to strike a balance when eating, as this can affect your baby.

5. Alcohol

Alcohol does transfer to breast milk and can disrupt the sleep cycle of a baby, development, and motor function.

Keep in mind that pumping and spilling breast milk after consuming alcohol does not remove alcohol from your system. It only takes time for alcohol to be eliminated from your body system.

6. Processed and fast foods

Processed foods high in additives, trans fats, and sodium can harm maternal well-being and also affect the quality and quantity of milk produced.

Such foods often lack the required vitamins and minerals for recovery after delivery. Some additives and preservatives can even change the quality of breast milk.

Instead, consume whole foods rich in nutrients that will provide energy and vitamins to both you and your baby.

7. Cruciferous veggies

These vegetables get their name from the Latin word cruciferae, meaning "cross-bearing," because their four-petaled flowers resemble a cross.

Although broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are all healthy, some babies can find them to be the cause of bad flatulence, resulting from consuming them through breast milk.

If your baby becomes gassy or uncomfortable after you eat cruciferous vegetables, try reducing your intake and monitor for other symptoms.

8. Peanuts and tree nuts

Though nuts are a rich source of protein and healthy fats, they are also common allergens.

If your family has a history of nut allergies, it increases the risk of your baby developing an allergic reaction to consuming nuts during the time of breastfeeding.

A baby may not be allergic to all nuts, but note which ones you ate before breastfeeding that may have caused allergic symptoms.

Symptoms of an allergy in a baby include rash or hives, vomiting, swelling of the lips or face, wheezing, or inability to breathe.

In such cases, one must hurry to consult a pediatrician should the infant show any allergic signs. 

9. Herbal teas and supplements

Truly, some of the herbal teas, such as fennel and fenugreek, boost lactation. However, not all are helpful for this purpose. Some herbs, like peppermint and sage, can, in fact, lower milk production, while some others contain harmful ingredients.

So, before using any herbal supplement or taking herbal tea while breastfeeding, talk to your dietitian first. 

10. Artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose may be transferred into breast milk and affect the baby’s growth and development, or may lead to some digestive concerns. 

Research on this is still underway; hence, it is advisable to limit the intake of artificial sweeteners while breastfeeding. Instead, choose some natural sweeteners like honey or stevia in small amounts.

Common food allergens to watch out for if you are breastfeeding

Both food sensitivity and allergic reactions are very common in most babies when exposed to their mother's diet.

Food sensitivity typically occurs when a baby has trouble digesting certain foods without involving the immune system, whereas allergic reactions are immune system responses to specific food proteins.

Also, symptoms between those two conditions may relate to each other; therefore, it is important to consider both.

Dairy

Many babies are lactose intolerant and cannot digest whole dairy milk or its products like cheese and yogurt. This is a major problem with babies.

Eating these products can pass through breast milk, causing discomfort, stomach aches, or rashes in your baby.

Eggs

Eggs can cause allergies or intolerances in infants, leading to skin or digestive issues. You may want to avoid eggs while breastfeeding if you notice such reactions.

Peanuts and tree nuts

Tree nuts and peanuts can pass into breast milk and trigger allergies in babies. Mothers should be cautious and consult a doctor if any allergic reactions occur.

Soy

Soy can cause allergies in some babies. Consuming soy products while breastfeeding may trigger digestive issues, hypersensitivity, or rashes in infants.

Wheat and gluten

Wheat and gluten in foods like bread and pasta may cause bloating or rashes in some babies. Mothers may need to avoid them if their baby shows sensitivity and substitute with other products made without wheat/gluten-rich flour.

Shellfish

Shellfish, like shrimp, lobster, and crab, contain common allergens that can pass into breast milk and cause reactions in babies. If allergy symptoms appear, mothers should eliminate shellfish from their diet and monitor improvements over a few weeks.

How your diet affects your baby's gassiness and fussiness

What a nursing mother eats can affect her baby's digestion. Certain foods will tend to cause babies to become fussy, causing discomfort either from a lack of gas or by producing too much gas.

Common causes are dairy products, such as cheese and milk, and spicy foods that tend to disrupt a baby's digestive system.

Broccoli and cauliflower are vegetables that provide nutrition in a healthy diet for a breastfeeding mother; however, at times, they may cause some gas in infants. Caffeine from coffee or tea will also tend to upset babies.

Therefore, eating a balanced, healthy diet is important for a mother, but noticing the effect of some specific foods on the comfort and digestion of the baby is equally important. Keeping a food diary will help a you figure out what is happening and what foods might be the problem. 

Best foods to eat while breastfeeding

Here are some foods that may be ideal for breastfeeding mothers:

• Lean proteins: chicken, eggs, and lentils; healthy fats: avocados, nuts, and seeds
• Iron-rich foods: red meat, spinach, beans
• Hydrating liquids without added sugar: water, bone broth, and coconut water
• Whole grains: oats, quinoa, brown rice
• Fruits and vegetables: Berries, leafy greens, carrots, and sweet potatoes
• Rich calcium sources: leafy greens, fortified plant milk, yoghurt
• Complex carbohydrates: barley, whole wheat bread, sweet potatoes
• Probiotic foods: kimchi, kefir, yogurt

As nutrient-dense foods, these ensure that the mother is taking in proper amounts of vitamins and minerals required for her health and the developing baby. 

Note: If you or your baby experience any signs of intolerance or allergic reaction, consult a healthcare professional or registered dietitian.

When to seek medical attention

If your infant exhibits any of the following signs, seek medical attention as they might indicate a food allergy or intolerance that may require assessment and treatment. 

• Vomiting or diarrhea: Prolonged vomiting or diarrhea in an infant could indicate sensitivity to a dietary ingredient or something even more serious. 
• Severe skin rashes: broad or serious rashes that do not heal can often indicate an allergy.
• Blood in stool: It is concerning to see blood in your baby's stool, and it should be assessed by a medical professional right away.

If any of these symptoms should persist or you notice more, you are concerned about, visit a physician to rule out any serious health problems and ascertain your baby's well-being.

Final thoughts

A healthy, balanced diet is of utmost significance in aiding you and your baby during breastfeeding.Avoid foods that cause allergic reactions or discomfort, and facilitate the process of breastfeeding to be more pleasant and comfortable for you and your baby. 

Observe any response in your baby, and do not hesitate to inform a medical professional in case you feel any apprehension.

For additional professional advice and support, consider speaking with your pediatrician or registered dietitian for further details.