There are no hard and fast rules regarding foods to avoid while breastfeeding. But as a nursing mother you can gauge the reactions of your baby when you consume a particular type of food. If you find that your baby shows displeasure by crying you can be sure that the food that you’ve taken has not gone down very well with the baby. Your digestive abilities and the tastes of your baby also have a big role to play but as a general rule nicotine-related substances and alcohol should be avoided. Moreover, you must remember that whatever you are eating will indirectly be consumed by your baby and as such you should avoid all such food as might be harmful to it.

Avoid Spicy Foods

Spicy foods are not recommended as they can cause mild reactions in the babies. Nursing mothers should stay away from chocolate, cabbage, chilli, garlic, curry and all such foods that can cause flatulence in the baby. Although the mother’s ability to digest and the extent of sensitivity of the baby are important factors that determine the type of food that should or should not be taken, it is advisable for the mother to sacrifice her taste buds while choosing the foods to avoid while breastfeeding.

If you want a good night’s sleep, the safest thing to do is to just drink some milk and feed your baby before going to sleep. On the other hand, if you have consumed some food with a strong flavor, it’s likely that the baby might not like some breast milk flavors and it could wake up howling in the middle of the night. In such a case, the mother should analyze the foods that she had taken and try to avoid such foods in the future. Gradually, a mother can compile her own list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding.

Avoid Certain Types Of Juices

Many babies react adversely when their mothers consume certain types of juices, especially vitamin C-rich fruit juices like lemon, tomatoes, oranges and grapefruit. If the baby develops nappy rash or some other symptoms, it’s essential for the mother to start eliminating the foods that might be adversely affecting the babies. If, in doing so, she notices a nutritional imbalance she should seek professional help in deciding which food supplement or replacement food can be taken by her.

Avoid Caffeine And Addictive Substances

Caffeine, present in coffee, tea, soda and over-the-counter medicines and it should be avoided at all cost. While a moderate intake of caffeine or social drinks is not harmful, the baby’s sleep pattern may be disrupted and it could keep waking up at night due to poor feeding.

Basically the foods that have sharp, strong tastes should be avoided while breastfeeding. In fact, the nursing mother should steer clear of any such foods till the breastfeeding period is over. This will ensure that the baby will take its full quantity of milk every day and will stay content and make the mother happy too.

By: Apurva Jain

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