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continued:

Breast-feeding nutrition: Tips for moms

What about a vegetarian diet and breast-feeding?

If you follow a vegetarian diet, you likely already know the importance of choosing foods that'll give you the nutrients you need. This is especially important during breast-feeding.

Choose foods rich in iron, protein and calcium
During breast-feeding, make an extra effort to ensure that your diet includes plenty of these nutrients.

Good sources of iron include dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark leafy green vegetables, and dried fruit. To help your body absorb iron, eat iron-rich foods in combination with foods high in vitamin C, such as strawberries, citrus fruits, sweet bell peppers or tomatoes.

For protein, consider eggs and dairy products or plant sources, such as soy products and meat substitutes, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

Good sources of calcium include dairy products and dark green vegetables. Other options include calcium-enriched and -fortified products, such as juices, cereals, soy milk, soy yogurt and tofu.

Consider supplements
Your health care provider will likely recommend that you take a daily vitamin B-12 supplement and, in some cases, a vitamin D supplement.

Vitamin B-12 is found almost exclusively in animal products, so it can be difficult to get enough in some vegetarian diets. Vitamin B-12 is essential for your baby's brain development.

If you don't eat enough vitamin D-fortified foods — such as cow's milk and some cereals — and you have limited sun exposure, you might need vitamin D supplements. Your baby needs vitamin D to absorb calcium and phosphorus. Too little vitamin D can cause rickets, a softening and weakening of bones.

Be sure to tell your doctor and your baby's doctor if you're also giving your baby a vitamin D supplement.

What foods and drinks should I limit or avoid while breast-feeding?

Certain foods and drinks deserve caution while you're breast-feeding. For example:

Alcohol
There's no level of alcohol in breast milk that's considered safe for a baby.

If you choose to drink alcohol, avoid breast-feeding until the alcohol has completely cleared your breast milk. This typically takes two to three hours for 12 ounces (340 grams) of 5 percent beer, 5 ounces (142 grams) of 11 percent wine or 1.5 ounces (43 grams) of 40 percent liquor, depending on your body weight.

If you skip a feeding, pumping and dumping breast milk can help you maintain your milk supply. However, pumping and dumping doesn't speed the elimination of alcohol from your body.

Caffeine
Avoid drinking more than 2 to 3 cups (16 to 24 ounces) of caffeinated drinks a day. Remember, caffeine in your breast milk might agitate your baby or interfere with your baby's sleep.

Fish
Seafood can be a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Most seafood contains mercury, however. Exposure to excessive amounts of mercury through breast milk can pose a risk to a baby's developing nervous system.

To limit your baby's exposure to mercury while breast-feeding, choose seafood that's low in mercury, such as shrimp, salmon, canned light tuna and catfish. Avoid seafood that's high in mercury, including shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.

If you eat fish from local waters, pay attention to local fish advisories. If advice isn't available, limit fish from local waters to 6 ounces (170 grams) a week and don't eat other fish that week.

Could my diet cause my baby to be fussy or have an allergic reaction?

Certain foods or drinks in your diet could cause your baby to become irritable or have an allergic reaction.

If your baby becomes fussy or develops a rash, diarrhea or congestion soon after nursing, consult your baby's doctor. These signs could indicate a food allergy.

If you suspect that something in your diet might be making your baby a little fussier than usual, avoid the food or drink for up to a week to see if it makes a difference in your baby's behavior. Consider eliminating dairy products or other allergenic foods or ingredients, such as:

  • Cow's milk
  • Eggs
  • Peanuts
  • Tree nuts
  • Wheat
  • Soy
  • Fish

Some breast-feeding women say that avoiding spicy or gassy foods, such as onions or cabbage, can help — but this hasn't been proved through research. Also, you might try eliminating or reducing the amount of caffeine in your diet.

For help determining links between your diet and your baby's behavior, you might keep a food diary. List everything you eat and drink, along with notes about how your baby seems to react — if at all.

If removing a certain food or drink from your diet has no impact on your baby's fussiness, add it back to your diet and consider other possible culprits instead. If you're concerned about your baby's behavior, consult your baby's doctor.

Remember, there's no need to go on a special diet while you're breast-feeding. Simply focus on making healthy choices — and you and your baby will reap the rewards.

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References
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  2. Lawrence RA, et al. Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession. 7th ed. Maryland Heights, Mo.: Elsevier/Mosby; 2011:283.
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  4. Frequently asked questions. Breastfeeding your baby FAQ029. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq029.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20120312T1442280688. Accessed March 12, 2012.
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  10. Nicklaus S. Development of food variety in children. Appetite. 2009;52:253.
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  16. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm. Accessed March 13, 2012.
  17. Nutritional needs while breastfeeding. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/pregnancy-breastfeeding/breastfeeding-nurtitional-needs.html. Accessed March 13, 2012.
  18. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; 2010:259.
  19. Food-a-pedia. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.choosemyplate.gov/SuperTracker/foodapedia.aspx. Accessed March 14, 2012.
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  21. Santos IS, et al. Maternal caffeine consumption and infant nighttime waking: Prospective cohort study. Pediatrics. In press. Accessed April 2, 2012.
MY02015 May 25, 2012

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