Trying to tease apart information about what foods you should avoid while breastfeeding can be overwhelming. You should be sure to consume plenty of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish, but also avoid some fish because of mercury concerns. However, omega-3s can be found in low-mercury shellfish like shrimp and crab. As long as you are careful about where your shellfish come from and how they are prepared, it is perfectly safe to eat most shellfish while you are nursing.
Seafood Guidelines While Breastfeeding
The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides guidelines on selecting fish while you are pregnant or nursing. According to their website MyPyramid.gov, you should avoid shark, king mackerel, swordfish and tilefish while you are nursing because these large predatory fish tend to contain high levels of mercury. Instead, you should choose lower-mercury fish such as shrimp, pollock, canned light tuna, catfish and salmon; and you should limit your weekly intake of lower-mercury fish to 12 ounces, or about two servings.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, most shellfish fall into the "lower-mercury" category of seafood. Shellfish with generally low mercury content include shrimp, crab, scallops, crawfish, clams and spiny lobster. Other varieties of lobster have higher lead levels, though not high enough to necessitate avoiding them outright. (ref. 2)
Why You Should Avoid Mercury
Mercury is a widespread toxic pollutant produced largely by coal-fired power plants. Bacteria convert mercury that ends up in water into methylmercury, a neurotoxin, which fish swimming in the water absorb through their skin. It remains in their systems indefinitely, and large predatory fish accumulate larger amounts because they eat smaller mercury-containing fish. When you eat fish, you absorb the methylmercury the fish contained. While a large amount of mercury is not necessarily excreted through breastmilk, even a small amount can be harmful to very small children with developing brains. It is best to limit your intake of mercury-containing fish to keep your baby safest.
Other Shellfish Concerns
Mercury is a large concern with eating fish and shellfish, but it is not the only concern if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Shellfish that is undercooked is the main culprit of seafood-related food-borne illness. Because of the danger of bacteria in uncooked shellfish, women who are nursing or pregnant should avoid raw shellfish entirely, and be certain that cooked shellfish they consume is thoroughly cooked. Additionally, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should never consume raw or cooked shellfish from an area with an algae-related condition such as red tide. If you have symptoms of food poisoning, such as nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps or weakness, contact your doctor.
Safe Seafood While Nursing
According to both the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, the nutritional value of fish and shellfish is such that women who are pregnant or nursing should continue to eat them. If you are eating a generally balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains, fish and shellfish can be an important part of your healthy food intake. But, you should limit your seafood intake to 12 oz. per week, and if you choose to eat fish or shellfish that has been locally caught, you should not eat any other seafood that week. Occasionally eating more than the recommended 12 oz. is not cause for alarm -- just eat less seafood the next week.
References
- Mypyramid.gov: Food Safety: Eating Fish While You are Pregnant or Breastfeeding
- FDA.gov: Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish
- Baby Center; Eating Fish When You're Breastfeeding: How to Avoid Mercury and Still Get Your Omega-3s; October 2009
- Medline Plus: Food Poisoning
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Consumption Advice: Joint Federal Advisory for Mercury in Fish
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