5 Foods To Avoid During Breastfeeding!

World Breast Feeding Week is observed every year (the 1st week of August) to make people aware of the need for nursing a baby with mother’s milk. Breastfeeding provides the child with vital nutrients in the right proportion. It also does a lot for the mother, including stabilizing her moods, preventing postpartum depression and reducing cancer and diabetes risks.

While most mothers research what they should be eating during this time, not many are aware that it is just as important to avoid specific foods that have a detrimental impact on the health of the child

Here is a list of prohibited foods for breastfeeding mothers-

Alcohol - Only when consumed in strict moderation can alcohol be beneficial for the body. But it is best to avoid any kind of alcoholic drink when you are lactating. The alcohol you consume will find its way into the milk and enter your baby’s system and can have serious consequences on the little one’s health. Alcohol may change the taste of human milk and if the baby does not like it, he/she may refrain from suckling. Besides, drinking immoderately will also lower your production of milk by as much as 20%.

However, if you still want to drink, it is advisable to do it right after you’ve fed your child. The alcohol (1 standard drink) will last in your blood for almost 3 hours. So its effects will have worn off before its time to feed the baby again. 1 standard drink means-

• 125 ml of wine
• 355 ml of beer
• 45 ml of vodka/rum/whiskey etc

Caffeine - While a moderate amount of caffeine has health benefits like lowering the possibility of contracting cancer, diabetes and stroke, it could have negative effects on the baby. Caffeine consumed by the mother seeps into her milk. But a baby’s digestive system is weak and it cannot break down and absorb the caffeine. Accumulation of caffeine will disrupt the baby’s sleep pattern and make him/her irritable.

You don’t have to abstain from tea or coffee, just ensure that you don’t drink more than 3 regular cups of caffeinated drinks. Or, opt for decaf beverages.

Fish containing mercury - Fish is imperative in a nursing mother’s diet. But some fishes like king mackerel, bigeye tuna, swordfish, marlin or shark are loaded with mercury, which is extremely toxic for the human body especially a baby’s. Mercury could impair-

• Motor skills
• Cognitive development
• Coordination between brain and body
• Development of speech and linguistic skills

Processed food - If the mother’s milk contains unhealthy fats, excess sugars and other toxic matter from the processed foods she consumes, then this will affect the child’s future preference for foods. He/she will be drawn towards the same unhealthy foods and this could trigger obesity and resultant complications like diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases etc.

Health supplements - Health supplements, like any new medicine, could affect the quality of milk the mother produces. For safety, consult your doctor first.

During the breastfeeding moths, you must pay the utmost care to your diet. This will form the foundation of your child’s health.