Although breastfeeding reduces the risk of your baby developing acid reflux, some breastfed babies still suffer from it. The same foods that cause acid reflux in adults also trigger acid reflux in breastfed babies, because elements of the foods you eat pass through your breast milk to your baby. Reducing or eliminating your intake of these foods may provide relief from the painful and bothersome acid reflux symptoms from which your baby suffers; consult your baby’s pediatrician if you have concerns about acid reflux.
High Fat Foods
Foods high in fat commonly trigger acid reflux. High-fat foods include fried and deep-fat-fried foods, as well as certain cuts of beef, pork and lamb with high fat contents. Fast foods and processed meats are often high in fat, as are some snack foods, contributing to acid reflux symptoms.
Dairy Products
Dairy foods, including milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, butter and sour cream, commonly trigger acid reflux due to some babies' sensitivity to the proteins found in cow’s milk. Eggs and whey are other common dairy culprits. Avoiding these products may reduce the severity of your baby’s acid reflux symptoms.
Chocolate
Chocolate causes more acid reflux symptoms than any other food, "Health" magazine reports. Chocolate has a high fat content and contains cocoa, which can cause reflux. In addition, chocolate contains caffeine and other stimulants, which also cause acid reflux. Dark chocolate has a lower fat content than milk chocolate; however, it still contains cocoa and caffeine, potentially contributing to acid reflux symptoms.
Fruits and Vegetables
Certain fruits with a high acidic content, such as apples and most citrus fruits, contribute to acid reflux problems in adults and may aggravate your baby’s acid reflux symptoms. Vegetables with high acidic contents include broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, cabbage and cauliflower.
Beverages
Carbonated drinks such as soda and sparkling non-alcoholic beverages cause acid reflux, not only due to the carbonation, but also because many have a high acidic content and contain caffeine. Both are known acid reflux triggers. Coffee and tea, because of their high acidic content, may also create acid reflux symptoms.
Alcohol, regardless of carbonation, exacerbates acid reflux because the alcohol content relaxes the valve located at the bottom of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter, the University of Maryland Medical Center explains. Because alcohol passes into breast milk, the same effect occurs in your baby.
References
- KidsHealth: Breastfeeding FAQs: Your Eating and Drinking Habits
- InfantRefluxDisease.com; 14 Steps For Reducing Your Child's Infant Reflux Symptoms; David Olson, M.D.
- La Leche League International: My baby has reflux. Can I still breastfeed him?
- "Health" magazine: 7 Foods That Cause Acid Reflux
- Pediatric/Adolescent Gastroesophageal Reflux Association: Pediatric Acid Reflux 101
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
