It's okay to have a piece of chocolate candy or slice of chocolate dessert. But if you eat large amounts of chocolate, the theobromine a stimulant in the chocolate can affect your baby in much the same way as caffeine.
Dark chocolate has more theobromine than milk chocolate, and white chocolate has no theobromine the ingredient is in the cocoa solids. Chocolate also contains caffeine see above , another reason not to overdo. Yes, as long as you limit the amount you eat and choose low-mercury fish and seafood options when breastfeeding. In fact, it's recommended that breastfeeding moms eat 8 to 12 ounces of low-mercury fish each week, which is a great source of DHA and EPA, two omega-3 fatty acids that are difficult to find in other foods.
Certain herbs, including some herbal teas, aren't considered safe for breastfeeding moms. Since herbs can be very potent, check with your healthcare provider before taking any. It's an old wives' tale that these herbs can decrease your milk supply. There's no published evidence to support this.
However, large amounts of sage can be toxic, so eat it in moderation. If your baby seems to be reacting to a food in your diet, talk to her doctor. She could have a food intolerance, or it could be something else. An intolerance is a digestive condition — unlike an allergy, which is an immune response. Symptoms of a food intolerance include:. Your breast milk is very unlikely to trigger an allergic reaction in your baby, even if you eat allergenic foods such as peanuts, fish, shellfish, and eggs.
If your baby has allergy symptoms such as eczema or a rash, runny nose, sneezing, coughing , red and watery eyes, vomiting, or diarrhea , they may be caused by something he's in regular contact with, such as soap, pet dander, dust, pollen, or foods he's eating himself once he starts solids.
Learn how to tell if your baby has a cold or allergies. In rare cases, a baby may be allergic to food allergens such as cow's milk protein in the mother's diet. If you're worried about a reaction to allergenic foods you eat, have your baby evaluated by his healthcare provider. The only treatment for a breastfed baby with a food allergy is strict avoidance in your diet. Your baby will not be gassier if you eat certain foods.
Here's what the research says about acupuncture for your morning sickness. Pumping shouldn't hurt. If your nipples are painful or sore, there are there are things you can do. Learn what to expect during your first prenatal visit. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Share on Pinterest. Fish high in mercury. Some herbal supplements. Highly processed foods. Other considerations. How to tell if your diet is affecting your baby. The bottom line. Placenta Delivery: What to Expect. Read this next.
Medically reviewed by Fernando Mariz, MD. Can Breast Milk Treat Eczema? Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R. It is crucial to drink plenty of water, especially in the first few weeks after the birth when some people are so overwhelmed and distracted that they forget to drink. The need for fluid also increases when breastfeeding. Not drinking enough fluids can lead to dehydration and may even affect milk supply. People who are breastfeeding can remind themselves to drink by keeping a bottle of water in each room in the house.
They should also have a water cup within easy reach of the place they tend to breastfeed. It is possible to personalize the plan according to age, height, weight, activity levels, and breastfeeding status. The list of foods that a person should avoid during pregnancy is long.
This may be why some people believe that they must also eat a restrictive diet when breastfeeding. In fact, there is no list of foods that people who are breastfeeding should avoid altogether. Instead, they should eat food that is healthful and pay attention to cues from their body. Breast milk comes from nutrients that pass into the blood.
Many of the potentially dangerous ingredients that could cross the placenta during pregnancy do not get to the breastfeeding baby. Some experts warn against so-called gassy foods, such as cruciferous vegetables, but most babies are unaffected by these foods. Likewise, there is no reason to avoid spicy or strong-flavored foods unless the baby reacts negatively to them.
Medical authorities and parenting guides often provide mixed or unclear advice regarding alcohol consumption when breastfeeding. Alcohol is dangerous during pregnancy because it crosses the placenta, but a breastfeeding baby only gets the amount of alcohol that passes into the blood of the person breastfeeding. In other words, the blood alcohol content of the person breastfeeding is the amount of alcohol that reaches a breastfeeding baby. They also suggest reducing the risk further by waiting at least 2 hours to breastfeed after drinking alcohol.
The body of research on foods that increase breast milk supply is scant and mixed. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that, for some people, the following foods may support a higher production of milk:. Trying these remedies is safe.
However, people wanting to use proven milk production strategies can try:. The first weeks of breastfeeding can be demanding. People have to contend with recovering from birth, lack of sleep, and the emotional demands of caring for a newborn. For many, the most challenging part of eating a healthful meal is finding the time and energy to prepare food. Enlisting the assistance of a partner is a great way to share the burden. One partner can pump or breastfeed while the other prepares food.
If a supportive partner is not available, a few easy-to-prepare meals can ensure adequate nutrition. As long as you limit your caffeine intake to no more than three cups of a caffeinated beverage a day, Syms-Brown says, you and baby will be just fine. Like alcohol, caffeine passes into your bloodstream and into your breast milk, so having too much java could make some babies especially newborns jittery. But most of the time, the health benefits of eating fish high protein, low fat outweigh the risk.
Most fish, after all, only contain trace amounts of mercury. The exceptions—and the fish that are labeled as foods to avoid while breastfeeding, according to the CDC —are shark, swordfish, tilefish and king mackerel. These older, top-predator fish contain the highest levels of mercury, so eliminate those foods from your breastfeeding diet.
Applying peppermint essential oil during a massage? Maybe, since it can get into the bloodstream. After all, how you flavor your food depends largely on your cultural cuisine.
Somewhere in the world, a breastfeeding mom is eating a garlicky or spicy dish, and her baby is just fine. In fact, exposing baby to different tastes might even make your child more open to flavors later on. Spicy foods and breastfeeding can go hand-in-hand without a hitch, Hawkins says. But this is where cultural traditions and personal habits come into play.
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