It is important to point out however that some
babies will react to certain foods their mothers eat. If eating
certain foods seems to make your baby more fussy or gassy, simply
eliminate them from your diet or don't eat as much of them and see
what happens. Try to eat a variety of foods because what you eat will
flavor your breast milk, but eat them in moderation in case any of
them cause a reaction in your baby. The most common foods that may
cause problems include dairy products, chocolate, wheat, corn, eggs, peanuts and
citrus fruits. If anyone in the family has issues with any of these
foods you may want to use caution when eating them - try eating only
small quantities of a food to see if it causes a problem, or skipping
a day or two after eating it before eating it again to make sure it
doesn't trigger a problem.
If your baby has issues with any type of food that
you eat it may improve as he grows older and his system matures, so if
you notice a problem with any food that you eat you might try waiting a
few months then eat it again in small quantities to see if your baby
still has an issue with it. Once your baby is old enough to begin eating
solid foods you should be very careful about introducing him to foods
that he had problems with you eating while nursing him. Because his
reaction will most likely be even stronger to the actual food you may
want to delay giving it to him for as long as possible.
It's also a good idea to limit your caffeine intake
because it can build up in your baby's system since his ability to
process it isn't fully developed. Peak levels of caffeine are found in
breast milk within one hour of ingestion. Because adult caffeine intake
concerns include irritability, insomnia and poor sleep patterns, these
can also be concerns for the baby. If your baby exhibits signs or
symptoms of caffeine intake, simply eliminate it from your diet and see
if this makes a change.
Drinks containing Nutrasweet are generally considered
to be safe while breastfeeding, unless your baby has been diagnosed with
a relatively rare condition known as phenylketonuria. Saccharin drinks
are okay, but only in moderation as the level of saccharin can build up
in breast milk.
An occasional alcoholic drink, preferably no more
than one a day, will not have adverse effects on a breastfeeding baby.
If taken in small amounts, the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee
on Drugs considers alcohol consumption to be compatible with
breastfeeding. Alcohol does pass into breast milk and will be at its
highest level about 30 to 60 minutes after its consumption, or
approximately 60 to 90 minutes when taken with food. If you nurse your
child right before consuming any alcohol, it is less likely that you
will need to feed him when the level of alcohol in the milk is at its
peak.
Nursing mothers should consider calcium supplements
if they don't get at least three servings a day of calcium-rich foods.
If milk or dairy products are an issue for you, calcium-fortified
orange juice and soy milk are great ways to get as much calcium as
is found in cow's milk. Tofu processed with calcium sulfate also ranks high for
calcium and green leafy can vegetables help too.
Breast milk provides everything a full-term baby could ever need, and
vitamin supplements are unnecessary. Iron supplements are also
unnecessary. There are rare cases where supplementation of breast
milk may be needed. Sometimes very
small premature babies may need to be given extra vitamins and minerals. In
places or countries where babies are never in the sun, Vitamin D supplements may
be necessary. They are not needed if the baby is in the sun for a few minutes a day.
Although very rare, babies whose mothers are on strict vegetarian
diets without milk, meat or fish may need vitamin B12 supplements.
Even if you don't have the most nutritious diet,
you will produce good breast milk. Just keep in mind that the better
you eat, the better you'll feel. The key is moderation - don't go overboard on any one food item!
