Breastfeeding has long been touted as the best food for babies. Mothers that choose to breastfeed often have questions as to what foods they should or should not eat. Many mothers follow the doctrine of what was allowed or disallowed during pregnancy is also allowed or disallowed during breastfeeding. While this may be the easiest way to determine the safe foods for a breastfeeding mothers there are definitely items that are a no no during pregnancy but are OK during breastfeeding.
Fish
Fish is high in omega-3, which is great for breastfeeding mothers. Mothers should continue to follow the same rules for fish eating as they followed during pregnancy. Since some fish can be high in mercury mothers should not eat more than 12 oz. of canned "light" tuna or other cooked fish. Some fish are fish for breastfeeding mothers, including ocean salmon, rainbow trout and canned mackerel.
Fruits
Busy mothers sometimes can't cook a meal or even remember to eat a meal. When a breastfeeding mother is too busy to fix a proper meal, a snack of fresh fruit is healthy and quick. Fruits contain vitamins, fiber, water and in the case of bananas, enough calories to help the breastfeeding mother survive for an hour or two before having to sit down for a real meal.
Drinks
There are two major drink no nos when a mother is pregnant: alcohol and caffeine. While neither alcohol nor caffeine should be used in excess while breastfeeding, both can be used in moderation. According to the Academy of Pediatrics, excess caffeine can lead to a fussy, overactive baby. Alcohol can be used in moderation. Mother's should wait at least two hours after drinking before breastfeeding to lower the risk of alcohol passing through the mother's breast milk to the baby. The best drink for a breastfeeding mother is water. Water can help with production and let down of breast milk. The easiest way to drink more water is to keep a glass of water available to sip on while nursing the baby.
Spicy and Gassy Foods
When it comes to spicy or gassy foods for the breastfeeding mother, the best course of action is to try a small amount and see if they effect the baby's stomach or demeanor. Some mothers will find that gassy foods such as cabbage will upset their baby's stomach and cause the baby to become gassy while other mothers see no side effects.
Caution
If a family member has an allergy to a specific food then a breastfeeding mother should take precaution when consuming the offending food item.
