Foods and Beverages to Limit While Breastfeeding

10 Apr Foods and Beverages to Limit While Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is such an important part of your baby’s growth and development. Breastfeeding provides your baby with vital nutrients during these critical formative early months, so it is important to know what you should be eating, and avoiding to make sure your baby is getting the most out of breastfeeding.

While the list of foods to avoid during pregnancy is quite long, there actually aren’t any foods you will need to avoid completely, but there are certain foods and beverages you will want to limit while breastfeeding. Overall, the most important thing to remember is moderation in your diet. A healthy, well-balanced diet is one of the best things that you can do for yourself while breastfeeding to make sure your baby stays as healthy as possible during this time.

Here are a few foods to keep an eye out for. Just make sure you enjoy them in moderation and do your best to take care of yourself so your baby can make the most out of breastfeeding.

Alcohol

After staying away from alcohol for nine straight months, most moms are ready for a glass of wine every now and again. This is completely fine; you don’t need to avoid alcohol altogether. However, alcohol can pass through the breast milk and to your baby. It is important to really assess yourself after drinking alcohol. If you feel intoxicated, you shouldn’t breastfeed.

Pumping and dumping isn’t the ONLY solution; you need to wait until the alcohol has cleared from your bloodstream before you breastfeed again and there is no specific time frame for that

Caffeine

Caffeine is another substance that many parents feel like they need in those first few months with their baby. After all, those sleepless nights will catch up with you very quickly. You can still safely have coffee while breastfeeding, it is just important to keep your caffeine consumption in moderation. Limit your intake to about three cups per day and you and baby will be fine.

Caffeine can pass through your bloodstream and into your milk. So, if you have had a great deal of caffeine and it seems to make your newborn jittery, don’t panic too much. Just try to space out your caffeine consumption a little more before feeding.

Fish

Fish contains mercury, which can have an impact on your new baby’s brain. However, most fish has a very low amount of this neurotoxin in it, and the benefits of eating healthy fish is going to outweigh any risks. There are some exceptions, however. The following fish have higher-than-average amounts of mercury in them and are labeled to avoid while breastfeeding: swordfish, tilefish and king mackerel. Just take them out of your breastfeeding diet, and attempt to limit your regular fish consumption to about two meals per week and you will have nothing to worry about.

If you have any questions about breastfeeding or foods and beverages that you should be avoiding while breastfeeding, contact Continuum Pediatrics at 817-617-8600 to schedule an appointment and learn more.