Are You a Breastfeeding Mum? BEWARE of These Foods

For me, I chose to give my kiddos the natural food from the day
they were born by breastfeeding them exclusively...:)

Do you know that whatever that you eat or consume while breastfeeding will be "channeled" to your baby via your breast milk? Therefore, adopting a proper and well- balanced diet is absolutely crucial in order to properly nourish your baby and yourself. This is even more important during the first few months of your baby's life as your baby is fully dependent on breast milk to fulfill their dietary needs.

Besides that, breastfeeding also places a heavy demand on a mother's body so it is essential to take extra care of mommy's diet to ensure that the nutritional needs for both mommy and baby are met. A large majority of foods can be eaten while you are breastfeeding. However, some food may cause the child to develop some severe reactions to your breast milk, so it will be good if you can keep a food diary to list down those foods. Other than that, it will also be a good practice to pay attention to certain foods that maybe detrimental for your baby's health and development. Below are some drinks that you should be cautious of taking if you are breastfeeding your child:

1. Alcohol

Avoid consuming alcohol immediately before breastfeeding. If you do consume alcohol, limit yourself to small amounts (preferably half a glass or less) as this will minimize the amount secreted into your breast milk. Alcohol in breast milk can have undesirable effects on your baby and may lead to decreased milk-ejection reflex in nursing mommies. Alcohol used in cooking is generally safe for consumption as the actual alcohol content would have evaporated.


2. Caffeine

Love to drink teas and coffees? Well, maybe you should start cutting down the intake for your child's well being. Why? Because they are loaded with caffeine which can cause agitation in your baby and result in interference with his or her sleep. If possible, avoid caffeinated drinks, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks (and also excessive amounts of chocolate drinks) as much as possible. :) Hmmm... maybe this is the time to kick the caffeine addiction or maybe you can consider to grab this opportunity to switch to de-caffeinated drinks?

I Bet You Don't Know This!

Some foods that you consume can influence the taste and content of your breast milk, so be on the alert for the type of foods that could cause your little one distress. ;)

a. Citrus fruits

Fruits that is high in Vitamin C such as lemon, lime, oranges and grapefruit are acidic and may irritate your baby's immature gastro-intestinal system and digestive tract. This can lead to irritability in your baby. Babies who are particularly sensitive to citrus in breast milk may develop diaper rash. Take other tropical fruits like mangoes, guava, apple etc that is less acidic.



b. Seafood with high levels of mercury

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Avoid consuming fish which is high in mercury especially shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tile fish. High levels of mercury will affect you baby's brain and nervous system. Seafood choices that are low in mercury include shrimp. salmon, canned light tuna and freshwater fish.





c. Food intolerance or allergies

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Be alert for signs of intolerance or allergies in your baby - upset stomach, trouble in sleeping or development of hives, rash and eczema or wheezing. If your baby has any of these symptoms, try to limit your intake of milk and dairy products, wheat products and shellfish. Avoid peanuts and other nut products as well as these are the most common allergens in babies and children.




Your baby is what you eat... so eat well to breastfeed well and this will help you to achieve the minimum of six months of exclusive breastfeeding that can benefit both you and your baby. 

For me, I chose Shaklee's Breastfeeding Set as my companion in my breastfeeding journey... because it is Always Safe, Always Works & Always Green. :)

My Best Buddies in My Breastfeeding Journey

Ref: Positive Parenting

Peace & Luv Alwiz...

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