Shall I make this easy for you….. Nearly every place I have researched says that a woman while breastfeeding can eat whatever she likes and that each baby is unique and will respond with sensitivities or allergies accordingly. Just keep in mind there are many cultures out there which thrive on spicey and strong-flavored food and their children are absolutely fine.

Breastmilk is sourced from a mother’s blood stream and is not effected by food digested in the stomach or digestive track. So if you indulge in lots of potentially gassy foods, it  is impossible for these foods to pass into your blood stream. Having said that, all foods and liquids (and quantities do have an impact) with obvious culprits such as alcohol, coffee and sugar products do effect your blood stream and also contribute to potential mood swings which can also be passed over to your breastfeeding child. I found this interesting paragraph which explains why complex sugars such as grains, fruit and vegetables are better for you than simple sugars such as candy bars and sodas.

” If complex carbohydrates are broken down to monosaccharides in the intestines before they are absorbed into the bloodstream, why are they better than refined sugar or other di- or mono-saccharides? To a great extent it has to do with the processes of digestion and absorption. Simple sugars require little digestion, and when a child eats a sweet food, such as a candy bar or a can of soda, the glucose level of the blood rises rapidly. In response, the pancreas secretes a large amount of insulin to keep blood glucose levels from rising too high.”

“This large insulin response in turn tends to make the blood sugar fall to levels that are too low 3 to 5 hours after the candy bar or can of soda has been consumed. This tendency of blood glucose levels to fall may then lead to an adrenaline surge, which in turn can cause nervousness and irritability… The same roller-coaster ride of glucose and hormone levels is not experienced after eating complex carbohydrates or after eating a balanced meal because the digestion and absorption processes are much slower. ”

If you think about it, this is incredibly interesting because it shows that the foods you eat and the way you eat them can affect your mood and your temperament and in turn will effect your baby. Foods do that by affecting the levels of different hormones in your bloodstream over time and as you can see, some foods and drinks have a rapid effect.

Back to breastfeeding, Kellymom.com writes, the foods that are most likely to cause any allergy or reaction are cow’s milk products, soy, wheat, corn, eggs, and peanuts.

Other suspect foods:

• Any food that a family member is allergic to
• A food that mom recently ate a large amount of
• A new food (if baby’s symptoms are new)
• A food that mom doesn’t like, but is eating while breastfeeding (and/or ate while pregnant) for the benefit of her baby
• A food that mom craves, or feels she has to have after a bad day

Conscious likes and dislikes of foods are signals that your body may be reacting to them in an abnormal way.

Keeping a food journal with a record of foods eaten and baby’s behavior/symptoms, with time of day for each, may be helpful when trying to pinpoint a problem food.

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October 3rd, 2007 | Permalink