What foods cause discomfort for baby when breastfeeding?

[Dianne-TX]

In a few weeks we'll be welcoming our 3rd child. In the past, I wasn't into eating as nutritionally. In the last couple of years I've been introduced to green smoothies and love salads, etc. I'm wondering if I can drink the smoothies and eat my salads without causing gas and discomfort to the baby. Green smoothies include greens and fruit. I use mostly fresh spinach. Has anyone else eaten this way and breastfed successfully. I'm also wondering if calorie-wise it will be enough. I do eat "regular" foods too like meat and other things, but I'm just mainly wondering if eating the raw foods will make the baby uncomfortable. Also, if you can give any advice on losing weight after a baby, but also providing enough nutrition to the baby that would be great. :) Thanks.

[Slartibartfast]

broccoli and cabbage with my son

[joannqn]

Generally, you can eat the same as always until you know otherwise. I don't think raw foods would be a problem, in general. What bothers some babies doesn't bother others. So, just go with it and if your baby seems bothered by something, keep a food diary and eliminate possibilities until you figure it out. That's how I figured out mine was allergic to dairy.

 

As far as calories, you need about 500 above normal for breastfeeding. As for losing weight, give yourself time. Don't rush it; it took 9 months to put it on so give yourself at least that long to get it off. Eat well and get regular exercise AFTER you've recovered fully (wait 6-8 weeks).

[Lovedtodeath]

It depends on many things and is different for each child. Women in Asia and Central America breastfeed without changing much too! One thing is to make sure you are digesting your food thoroughly.

 

If your baby turns out to have problems I could list the common culprits for you. There are about 10 of them. But there is no reason to assume that anything will cause problems.

[Parrothead]

What bothers some babies doesn't bother others.

:iagree: And some babies, like mine, are not bothered by anything.

[FloridaLisa]

The only thing that really bothered mine was caffeine! If I drank a caffeineted diet coke, I paid for it dearly with a wiggly, non-sleepy baby in the afternoon! I recall being careful not to indulge in broccoli or too much spicy food, but otherwise, no problems whatsoever.

 

Many blessings!

Lisa

[jenL]

My second son had issues every time I ate garlic which I found interesting because I had heard it was one of the breastmilk "flavors" babies preferred.

 

As other posters said, you'll only know after you expose your child to what you are eating. My eldest had reflux so even with me watching my diet, he had trouble digesting breastmilk anyway. Each child is so different.

 

Best wishes!

[Osmosis Mom]

My last baby racted horribly when I ate cheese, had milk or heavy cream. He has not developed allergies, though, in contrast to baby #3 who reacted to pretty much everything suc as broccoli, onions, beans etc. and turned out to get allergic reactions to food by getting severe eczema and eventually almost anaphylaxic shock to egg at 9 months of age. His is fine today at age 14.

[Jennifer in MI]

Seriously - I wouldn't worry about it until you have the baby. See how he/she is. If you have a very fussy baby or a baby who has excema when exclusively breastfed, then start looking at your diet. I wouldn't exclude foods right from the start just because they *may* be a problem

 

That said, I had three who were fine with whatever I ate. My third child, however, had HORRIBLE eczema from the time he was about three months old. We're talking, bleeding, weeping eczema here. Horrible. He would leave bloody fingerprints and footprints throughout the house from the sores on his feet and hands. His cheeks were always bloody. Awful. He is my allergy boy - peanuts and tree nuts. He's outgrown soy (we think this was the culprit for the eczema), seafood, egg, chocolate, and peas. Since then, some foods have come and gone - sweet potato (!), rice, and barley.

[Ellie]

Avoiding dairy is a good thing.

 

Eat your normal calories *plus* 1000 extra for the baby.

 

Drink a gallon of liquids (not cow's milk or orange juice, which can be as bad as dairy) a day.

 

Don't worry about the rest.

[Rosie_0801]

Everything and anything *could* cause discomfort. Have you ever looked at the online lists? If you avoided everything, you'd be living on seaweed, I think! My son never had issues with anything (because boys have cast iron tummies?) and my daughter seemed to have an issue with something, but by the time I'd conducted the needed experiments, she'd outgrown it.

 

Rosie

[Lovedtodeath]

I got my baby tested with an electrodermal scan and the results were accurate. It was a lot of things. About 10 for each kid. My dd couldn't handle wheat, oats or dairy, but she could have yeast and other gluten containing foods. DS could handle both wheat and dairy but not yeast or milk... just to show you every kid is different.

[2cents]

Chocolate always caused fussiness in mine.

[cmarango]

My ds had problems with shellbark (hickory) nuts, but no problems with any other type of nut that I tried. Now that he is 3 months old I think that I may try eating those nuts again to see if he still has problems with it.

[Barb_]

Seriously - I wouldn't worry about it until you have the baby. See how he/she is. If you have a very fussy baby or a baby who has excema when exclusively breastfed, then start looking at your diet. I wouldn't exclude foods right from the start just because they *may* be a problem

 

 

:iagree: I think it's wise not to borrow trouble. If you assume there will be problems, you may attribute every little toot, hiccup and whine to food sensitivities.

[Dianne-TX]

Thanks for all the good advice. I guess I'm jumping the gun. Just have to wait and see. Next question... what is good to use for those troubling tummy times? I've always used Mylicon in the past. Is that still good to use? What else is there to help the baby is times of tummy discomfort, colic, etc.? I'm rusty. It's been 7 years. :)

[Carol in Cal.]

It went like this: I would be exhausted, and drink a cup of tea, and find that it was a gentle pick me up in a difficult time. Just about when it was wearing off of me, and I was able to relax into a long-needed little catnap, it would hit my breastmilk and DD would get it. She would get so agitated, and whiny (which she NEVER was normally) and I would have to summon up reserves of patience and strength that were difficult to find when I was so tired already.

 

The bottom line: For this particular child, caffeine was utterly counterproductive.

[Rosie_0801]

Thanks for all the good advice. I guess I'm jumping the gun. Just have to wait and see. Next question... what is good to use for those troubling tummy times? I've always used Mylicon in the past. Is that still good to use? What else is there to help the baby is times of tummy discomfort, colic, etc.? I'm rusty. It's been 7 years. :)

 

 

Um. I never used anything except cuddles and boobies. I guess I would have if I'd had a really fussy baby, but mine only seemed to be normal level fussy and those things saw us through.

 

Rosie

[Lovedtodeath]

 

Thanks for all the good advice. I guess I'm jumping the gun. Just have to wait and see. Next question... what is good to use for those troubling tummy times? I've always used Mylicon in the past. Is that still good to use? What else is there to help the baby is times of tummy discomfort, colic, etc.? I'm rusty. It's been 7 years. :)

We used Gripe Water. It worked very well considering that DS had extremely severe food allergies. He was able to fall asleep sometimes after having some. (say, if he was in his car seat and really having tummy troubles.) His symptoms were gone after we had the testing done and avoided problem foods. It helped me and DD with motion sickness too, it was a win-win.

[skaterbabs]

Thanks for all the good advice. I guess I'm jumping the gun. Just have to wait and see. Next question... what is good to use for those troubling tummy times? I've always used Mylicon in the past. Is that still good to use? What else is there to help the baby is times of tummy discomfort, colic, etc.? I'm rusty. It's been 7 years. :)

 

Don't stress so much - that'll cause more trouble than anything else, I think. :) My suggestions are this: ww.kellymom.com and the book "So That's What They're For!". Both will be invaluable for you!

[Lovedtodeath]

Kellymom.com has great breastfeeding advice, but NO strategies to help baby sleep on mom's schedule are allowed (not even waking up a baby at certain times). For sleep issues babywhisperer.com is very good.