You have heard the saying,
'You are what
you eat'. The same goes for your baby
- 'Your baby is what you eat'. What a breast-feeding
mother eats is passed on to her baby through her milk
and the reaction can be discomforting to her child
if the foods are not suitable. Though your breast
feeding diet is a lot like your pregnancy diet (read
eating and drinking right), there is a small difference
now; there are some occurrences you have to watch
out for.
Hint:
it is to do with your baby's reactions to flavors;
it's to do with your child's taste buds and her sensitivities
to certain foods.
Points worth remembering
• You are still eating for
two so it is important to pack in about 500 extra
calories a day of healthy fruits, vegetables, grains
and proteins.
• You also need to up your fluids - 10-12 eight
oz of glasses a day in the form of water, juice, soup,
and milk if your baby is not sensitive to dairy products.
• Not every food is problem causing so it is
not that perplexing. It is good to be aware of foods
that commonly cause reactions. A gassy reaction in
baby means you have to eliminate.
• While exercising is good, it promotes the
production of lactic acid in the milk and hence makes
the milk a little sour. Exercise after you nurse and
not before helps to prevent this.
The Wait-and-See Approach
Your baby reacts to flavors. Some babies react to
onions, garlic, others to green beans or broccoli.
Gassy reaction very commonly happens if breast milk
doesn't suit the baby. It has a lot to do with what
the mother ate. A distressed baby reacts by pulling
her legs up to the stomach, a sign of gas pain. Some
babies scream in agony. Others do not sleep well.
Take the trial and error approach since you cannot
predict what suits and what doesn't. For example drink
a cup of beverage and then watch how your baby reacts.
A screaming baby or one in discomfort tells you that
you should skip or limit beverages for a while. Here
are some foods to watch out for and temporarily eliminate:
Caffeinated foods.
Chocolate, coffee, tea, sodas and even some medications
all contain caffeine in varying proportions. Limit
your coffee to a cup or two if you absolutely must
have it.
Spices.
Chili powder, garlic, curry powder, cinnamon are some
spices that produce a reaction.
Vegetables.
Not all vegetables but some vegetables such as broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, peppers,
turnips and cucumber cause gas.
Citrus fruits and juices.
Grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, strawberry,
kiwi are examples of citrus fruits your baby can be
sensitive to.
Dairy foods.
Be aware that milk, cheese and other dairy products
can cause an allergic reaction in your baby.
Laxative inducing fruits.
Cherries, prunes are some examples.
Alcohol.
It is okay to enjoy the occasional drink but remember
to wait at least 3 hours before feeding baby.
Allergens.
Nuts, peanuts, fish, eggs, wheat and soy are some
allergens which contain proteins traces that can be
absorbed into mother's bloodstream and into her milk.
Nicotine.
Stay clear during your breast feeding days as tobacco
can get into breast milk and affect milk production.
It can also create a consequence of vomiting and restlessness
in baby.
