World Breastfeeding Week 2023: 5 Foods Every Nursing Mom Must Avoid

When nursing, certain minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamins A and D are especially helpful. A person who is breastfeeding can acquire the calories and nutrients they require from a variety of meals.

World Breastfeeding Week 2023: Moms and their breastfed kids benefit when they maintain a balanced diet while nursing. While breastfeeding women may and should consume a wide range of foods, there are several things to stay away from. Moms who are nursing don’t need to worry too much about what to eat and what to avoid, but it’s crucial to be aware of the items that, when ingested in high quantities, might affect your milk production and the health of your baby. Award-winning nutritionist Lovneet Batra says, “While breastfeeding, it is important to be mindful of what you eat, as some foods can affect both the baby’s health and the quality of breast milk.” These foods should be avoided entirely during breastfeeding, along with explanations of why.

5 FOODS YOU MUST AVOID DURING BREASTFEEDING

1. Raw Vegetables: Consumption of raw vegetables such as such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli can cause gas in the mother’s bowel; there is also the potential for the mother to suffer from food poisoning
2. Coffee: Coffee is a common source of caffeine and babies have a hard time breaking down and getting rid of caffeine. As a result, large amounts of caffeine over time could accumulate in your baby’s system, causing irritability and trouble sleeping
3. High Mercury Fish: Bigeye tuna, King mackerel, and Marlin fish are high in mercury, a metal that can be toxic — especially in infants and kids, who are more sensitive to mercury poisoning. Acute exposure to high levels of mercury can permanently affect your infant’s central nervous system. As a result, they may have delays or impairments.
4. Peppermint/Sage/Parsley: The herbs parsley, sage, and peppermint are in a class called anti-galactagogues because they are known to decrease breast milk production.
5. Alcohol: Abstaining from alcohol is the safest option during breastfeeding. Alcohol inhibits your milk ejection (let down) reflex. This makes it harder for the baby to get your milk. Moreover, alcohol consumption can decrease the infant’s milk intake by 20 to 23% and cause infant agitation and poor sleep patterns.

However, what are the healthiest meals to consume when nursing? Calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamins A and D should all be present in large quantities in a healthy diet.