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Home > Nutrition > Mom's Diet Can a nursing mother eat this food? FAQsBy Kelly Bonyata, IBCLC
There are NO foods that a mother should avoid simply because she is breastfeeding. It is generally recommended that you eat whatever you like, whenever you like, in the amounts that you like and continue to do this unless you notice an obvious reaction in your baby to a particular food. There is no such thing as a "LIST OF FOODS THAT BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS SHOULD NOT EAT" because most nursing moms can eat anything they want, and because the babies who are sensitive to certain foods are each unique - what bothers one may not bother another. If you have a family history of allergies, you might want to avoid certain foods (for example, peanuts or dairy), but again, this would be different for every child. More information:How does mom's diet affect her milk? My baby is gassy. Is this caused by something in my diet?
Yes, in general. There are many cultures who regularly eat spicy foods and strong-flavored foods, and there is no evidence that a greater percentage of these babies are fussy, gassy, or have other problems with the foods their moms eat. We do know that some strong flavors, like garlic, can pass into the milk but it does not seem to cause problems. In fact, one study showed that babies nursed better after mom ate garlic. Related information:Do you need to avoid garlic or spicy foods? by Debbi Donovan, IBCLC
It is common for nursing moms to be warned away from eating the so-called "gassy foods" such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beans, etc. However, gassy foods have no more potential to affect your baby than other foods. Eating certain foods may cause gas in mom due to the normal breakdown of some of the undigested carbohydrates (sugar, starches, soluble fiber) by bacteria in the large intestine (see Gas in the digestive tract). However, breastmilk is made from what passes into mom's blood, not what is in her stomach or digestive track. Neither the gas nor the undigested carbohydrates (whose breakdown can cause gas in mom) pass into mom's blood, so it is impossible for these things to pass into your milk to make your baby gassy. This is not saying that your baby will not have a sensitivity to a certain food, but a food's potential to affect baby really has nothing to do with whether it makes mom gassy. See also My
baby is gassy. Is this caused by something in my diet? @
No. Acidic foods like citrus, tomatoes, etc. can not change the acidity of breastmilk.
No. Breastmilk is not affected by the amount of sugar that mom eats. In addition, the fat and calorie content of mom's milk is not affected by her diet. However, the kinds of fats in the milk can be changed (to a certain extent) via diet. See also:Does Mom's sugar intake affect her breastmilk? by Debbi Donovan, IBCLC What affects the amount of
fat or calories in mom's milk? @ Is my exclusively
breastfed baby gaining too much weight? @ How
might I increase baby's weight gain? @
Soda generally contains carbonation (the part that makes it fizzy), caffeine and/or artificial sweeteners. See below for more information.
See Breastfeeding and Caffeine.
Nutrasweet (aspartame)According to Hale (Medications and Mothers' Milk, 2004), Nutrasweet (aspartame) levels in mother's milk are too low to produce significant side effects in infants who do not have PKU (phenylketonuria). It IS contraindicated in babies with proven PKU. Hale lists aspartame in Lactation Risk Category L1 (safest), but L5 (contraindicated) if baby has PKU. Splenda (sucralose)There isn't much research on sucralose on which to base advice, however the manufacturer says that it's safe for nursing moms. As of this writing, there have been no studies done on nursing mothers, children or infants. Sucralose appears to be poorly absorbed from the GI tract (11 to 27 percent in adult male volunteers), so that's an indication that it probably wouldn't get into breastmilk at significant levels. SorbitolSorbitol is a sugar alcohol found naturally in some fruits and vegetables and is used as a sweetener in foods and medications. It's not listed in Hale, but is unlikely to be a problem breastfeeding-wise. It's commonly used in toothpaste, sugar-free chewing gum, etc. SaccharinPer Hale, milk levels of saccharin tend to accumulate over time, but still are considered minimal. Moderate intake should not be a problem for nursing mothers. Hale classifies it in Lactation Risk Category L3 (moderately safe). Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)Stevia is a very sweet herb that is used by many as a zero-calorie sugar substitute. It is used in Japan as a sugar substitute, but has not been approved by the United States FDA for this use. As far as I can determine, there have been no studies done on nursing mothers, children or infants. It is reported to be non-toxic at normal doses, and normal use (of very small amounts) is considered by many to be safe during lactation. More information:Is aspartame a concern? by Debbi Donovan, IBCLC Safety of sucralose from the Splenda website Artificial sweeteners by William Sears, MD (general info, not breastfeeding related) Artificial sweetener info from Dr. Jay Gordon (general info, not breastfeeding related) Butchko HH, et al. Aspartame: review of safety. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2002 Apr;35(2 Pt 2):S1-93. Aspertame from the Hazardous Substances Database (HSDB), National Library of Medicine Spiers PA, et al. American Academy of Pediatric Committee on Drugs. "Inactive" Ingredients in Pharmaceutical Products: Update (Subject Review). Pediatrics 1997 (January); 99(1):268-278. This policy statement from the AAP does not have information specific to breastfeeding mothers, but is interesting and useful as it discusses some adverse effects of various "inactive" ingredients in medications including artificial sweeteners.
Honey is not a problem for mom to eat. The gut flora of adults and children over a year old are able to fend off the botulism spores that may be present in honey, and render them harmless. Since the spores would be killed in your gastrointestinal tract, they would not make it into your bloodstream and therefore cannot be present in your milk. A baby's gut can't defend itself against the botulism spores, and so they can colonize the intestinal tract, germinate and release botulinum neurotoxin. As a result, honey is not recommended for babies under a year old. It's recommended that you avoid giving baby anything that contains honey, or make sure that the cooking process kills any botulism spores that might be present. To kill botulism spores, the food must be cooked at 240 degrees Fahrenheit (this requires a pressure cooker) for at least 15 minutes. Botulism spores are very heat resistant - it takes more than six hours of boiling at 212 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the spores. The toxin is less resistant - boiling foods (at 212 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes will destroy the toxin. More information:Is It Safe for Pregnant Women and Young Children to Eat Honey? Honey accidentally eaten by baby Tanzi MG, Gabay MP. Association between honey consumption and infant botulism. Pharmacotherapy 2002 Nov;22(11):1479-83. Infant botulism from FamilyPracticeNotebook.com
Human milk normally contains free glutamates (avg. of 22 mg/100g milk). Breastmilk levels are only modestly affected by moms ingestion of MSG. [FSANZ 2003, IFICF 2001, Stegink 1972] The American Academy of Pediatrics considers MSG to be compatible with breastfeeding [AAP 2001]. References and additional information:MSG and Pregnant & Lactating Women from the International Food Information Council Foundation [this is an excerpt of the information on pregnancy & lactation from the below reference IFICF 2001] Committee on Drugs, American Academy of Pediatrics. The Transfer of Drugs and Other Chemicals Into Human Milk. Policy Statement. Pediatrics. 2001 Sept;108(3):776-789. [See Table 7: Food and Environmental Agents: Effects on Breastfeeding.] Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). International Food Information Council Foundation (IFICF). Glutamate and Monosodium Glutamate: Examining the Myths. Washington, DC: International Food Information Council Foundation; 2001 Nov. 12 pp. [See p. 2-3.] Stegink LD, Filer LJ Jr, Baker GL. Monosodium glutamate: effect of plasma and breast milk amino acid levels in lactating women. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1972 Jul;140(3):836-41. General information:MSG: A Common Flavor Enhancer by Michelle Meadows, from FDA Consumer magazine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, January-February 2003 Everything You Need To Know About Glutamate And Monosodium Glutamate from the International Food Information Council Foundation, January 1997 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Monosodium Glutamate. FDA Medical Bulletin. 1996 Jan;26(1). Scientific Committee for Food.
FDA guidelines are in the process of being updated. Due to the risk of too-high levels of methylmercury affecting an unborn child, the US Food & Drug Administration advises pregnant women to avoid eating several types of fish: shark, swordfish, king mackeral and tilefish (these are longer-lived, larger fish that feed on other fish and are thus more likely to accumulate higher levels of mercury). Per the FDA, "While it is true that the primary danger from methylmercury in fish is to the developing nervous system of the unborn child, it is prudent for nursing mothers and young children not to eat these fish as well." They recommend that your consumption of other kinds of fish (shellfish, canned fish, smaller ocean fish or farm-raised fish) average no more than 12 ounces per week. Others recommend that the FDA list of unsafe fish be expanded. See Mercury In Your Fish by Ken Cook, President of the Environmental Working Group, for additional information and suggested lists of safe and unsafe fish during pregnancy. What about tuna? Per the FDA, you can safely include tuna as part of your weekly fish consumption. The FDA ranks fresh and canned tuna as "Fish and Shellfish With Much Lower Mercury Levels." The varieties of fish that the FDA does suggest we avoid contain methylmercury in amounts ranging from 0.96-1.45 PPM (parts per million). Fresh tuna averages 0.32 PPM and canned tuna averages 0.17 PPM. Tuna steaks and canned albacore tuna generally contain higher levels of mercury than canned light tuna. On the other hand, the Environmental Working Group suggests that pregnant mothers avoid eating tuna steak altogether, and eat canned tuna no more often than once a month. References and additional information: Breastfeeding and
Mercury Exposure @ Draft Advice For Women Who Are Pregnant, Or Who Might Become Pregnant, and Nursing Mothers, About Avoiding Harm To Your Baby Or Young Child From Mercury in Fish and Shellfish. (Dec. 10, 2003). US Food & Drug Administration. Mercury Levels in Fish from the Maine Environmental Health Unit Mercury In Your Fish by Ken Cook, President of the Environmental Working Group State Advisories on Methylmercury in Fish FDA Announces Comprehensive Foods Advisory on Methylmercury. FDA Talk Paper, December 10, 2003. FDA Consumer Advisory re: Mercury in Fish (March 2001) Mercury Levels in Seafood Species (May 2001) Lists various varieties of fish and seafood along with methylmercury levels in each. Environmental
contaminants and breastfeeding @
Yes; just make certain that you are comfortable with the source and care of the raw fish (reputable sushi bars are very careful about this). Like any raw food, sushi can carry carry parasites or a bacteria called listeria monocytogenes (see below for more on listeriosis), and some species of fish should be avoided due to mercury levels. The consensus among breastfeeding experts seems to be that eating raw-fish-sushi doesn't pose a problem for a breastfeeding baby (though it has the potential to make mom sick). More information:Can a nursing mom eat sushi? by Debbi Donovan, IBCLC
Yes, nursing mothers can eat soft cheeses. Unpasteurized soft cheeses (and other unpasteurized dairy products) can carry a bacteria called listeria monocytogenes. Cheese made in the United States must be made from pasteurized milk (pasteurization kills the listeria organism), but imported cheeses may be a problem. Listeriosis is usually a minor flu-like illness in healthy adults, but can cause serious problems for pregnant women and may be linked to stillbirth and miscarriage (as it can be passed to baby via the placenta). Although eating unpasteurized dairy products is not recommended during pregnancy, it is not considered a problem for nursing moms. Per Lawrence (Breastfeeding: A guide for the medical profession 1999, p 569), "No evidence in the literature suggests transmission of Listeria through breastmilk." This reference indicates that the only thing that might interfere with breastfeeding is a mother's inability to nurse due to severe illness. Other foods that can carry listeria that are considered safe for nursing moms (but not during pregnancy):
More information:Listeriosis information from the US Centers for Disease Control Is it safe to eat soft cheese when you're pregnant? by Jill Stovsky, MA
Allergies to peanuts affect around 1% of the population. One out of four allergic individuals has severe allergy, with severe respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms. Avoiding peanuts and peanut products during the third trimester of pregnancy and during lactation has been recommended, particularly if your baby is at risk for food allergies. Seriously consider avoiding peanuts and peanut products during lactation if:
If no one in your family (including baby, of course) has a history of food allergies, asthma or eczema, you're probably fine eating peanuts yourself, but you can also play it safe and avoid them. Allergists recommend that children don't get peanuts or peanut products until at least 36 months old. Since peanut allergy is usually a lifelong and life-threatening allergy and peanuts are not essential to the diet, it's never a bad idea to play it safe. More information:Peanut Allergy and Breastfeeding from the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition Peanuts, Folic Acid and Peanut Allergies from the March of Dimes Some Moms Should Avoid Peanut Products While Nursing (news story from WebMD)
Page last modified:
02/20/2008
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