Food While Breastfeeding
THE BABBLE TAKE
The flavors in your food spiced up the amniotic fluid when you were pregnant, so chances are your baby is already used to the kind of food you eat — be it curry, garlicky pasta or General Tso's chicken. Whatever you eat while breastfeeding will also find its way to your baby. For this reason, mixing it up food-wise when breastfeeding may be a good way to accustom your kid to various types of food early on. But as flavors are transmitted, so are medicines, toxins and stimulants, meaning some caution is in order. Doctors say the properties of gassy or acidic foods are sometimes passed on through your breast milk and can cause stomach troubles in baby. But experts say you shouldn't start eliminating foods at random as soon as you suspect allergies or intolerance. As for coffee and alcohol: excessive amounts of espresso will keep your baby wired when you might prefer she sleep. More than one glass of wine and you'll be passing on alcohol to your baby. As in pregnancy, if you're not eating well while breastfeeding, you'll suffer from undernourishment long before your baby does.
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BabyCenter ®
"Some nursing moms find they can eat whatever they like. While it's true that some strongly flavored foods may change the taste of your milk, most babies seem to enjoy a variety of breast milk flavors!"
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iVillage
"Most mothers do not need to change their healthy diet while breastfeeding. 'Good' and 'bad' foods for breastfeeding are often culturally, rather than physiologically, determined. For example, Indian moms are told that garlic will be beneficial to breastfeeding, while American moms are cautioned to avoid this food."
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British Government Recommendations
"Most women's bodies are very efficient at making breast milk — which provides all the nutrients a baby needs for healthy development in the first months of life — so you don't need to eat for two. But, just like any other time, it's important for you and your baby that you eat a healthy balanced diet."
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Family Doctor
"If you think a food you're eating bothers your baby, quit eating it. Caffeine and alcohol can get into your milk, so limit how much you drink. Drugs — even those you can buy without a prescription — can also get into your milk. Don't take anything without talking to your doctor first."
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La Leche League
"In general, no food is excluded from the list of foods a breastfeeding mother should eat. Obviously, it is best to make sure the foods you eat are fresh and healthy. The concept of variety is important, because by eating a number of foods, you can be sure to obtain different nutrients."
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