Avoiding Foods While Breast Feeding

Many women find that they can eat whatever they may

like during breast feeding. Even though it's true

that some stongly favored foods can change the

taste of your milk, many babies seem to enjoy the

varieties of breast milk flavors. Occasionally,

your baby may get cranky at the breast after you

eat certain foods. If you notice this happening,

simply avoid that particular food.

The most common offenders duing breast feeding

include chocolate, spices, citrus fruits, garlic,

chili, lime, gassy vegetables, and fruits with

laxative type effects, such as prunes and cherries.

You can have a cup or two of coffee a day, although

too much caffeine can interfere with your baby's

sleep and even make him or her cranky. Keep in

mind, caffeine is found in many soda's, tea, and

even over the counter type medicine as well.

It's okay to have an alcoholic beverage every now

and the, although having more than one drink can

increase your blood alcohol level, putting the

alcohol into your breast milk.

If you are planning to have more than one drink

at a time, it's best to wait two hours or more

per drink before you resume any type of nursing

or breast feeding. There is no need to pump

and dump unless your breasts are full and its

time to feed your baby. While breast feeding,

any type of heavy drinking should be avoided.

Before you actually omit any foods from your

diet, you should talk to your doctor. If you

avoid certain foods and it causes a nutritional

imbalance, you may need to see a nutritionist

for advice on taking other foods or getting

nutritional supplements.

Starting Solid Foods

Breast milk is all your baby will need until at

least 4 months of age. There does come a time,

when breast milk will no longer supply all of your

baby's nutrition needs. Full term babies will

start to require iron from other sources by 6 - 9

months of age.

Some babies that aren't started on solid foods by

the age of 9 - 12 months may have a great level of

difficulty accepting solid foods. It's actually

a developmental milestone when your child starts

solid foods - as he is now growing up.

When to start

The ideal time to begin solid foods is when the

baby shows interest in starting. Some babies

will show interest in solid food when it's on

their parents' plates, as early as 4 months of

age. By 5 - 6 months, most babies will reach out

and try to grab the food. When the baby starts to

reach for food, it's normally the time to go

ahead and give him some.

Sometimes, it may be a better idea to start food

earlier. When a baby seems to get hungry or once

weight gain isn't continuing at the desired rate,

it may be good to start solid foods as early as

3 months. It may be possible however, to continue

breast feeding alone and have the baby less

hungry or growing more rapidly.

Breast fed babies will digest solid foods better

and earlier than artificially fed babies because

the breast milk will contain enzymes which help

to digest fats, proteins, and starch. Breast

fed babies will also have had a variety of

different tastes in their life, since the flavors

of many foods the mother eats will pass into her

milk.

Introducing solid foods

When the baby begins to take solid foods at the

age of 5 - 6 months, there is very little difference

what he starts will or what order it is introduced.

You should however, avoid spicy foods or highly

allergenic foods at first, although if your

baby reaches for the potato on your plate, you

should let him have it if it isn't too hot.

Offer your baby the foods that he seems to be

interested in. Allow your baby to enjoy the food

and don't worry too much about how much he takes

at first, as much of it may end up on the floor

or in his hair anyhow.

The easiest way to get iron for your baby at 5 -

6 months of age is by giving him meat. Cereal for

infants has iron, although it is poorly absorbed

and may cause your baby to get constipated.

Other Foods While Breast Feeding

Breast milk is actually the only food your baby

will need until 4 months of age, although most

babies do well on breast milk alone for 6 months

or better. There is really no advantage to

adding other foods or milks before 4 - 6 months,

except under unusual circumstances.

Water

Breast milk is over 90% water. Even in the

hottest days of summer, a baby won't require any

extra water. If a baby isn't feeding well, they

still don't require any extra water - although

they will need the breast feeding problems to

be fixed.

Vitamin D

Although breast milk doesn't contain much vitamin

D, it does have a little. The baby will store up

vitamin D during pregnancy, and remain healthy

without any vitamin D supplementation, unless you

yourself had a problem with vitamin D deficiency

when pregnant.

Exposure to the outside will give your baby

vitamin D, even in winter and when the sky is

covered. An hour or more exposure during the

week will give your baby more than enough vitamin

D.

Iron

Breast milk contains less iron than formulas do,

especially those that are iron enriched. Iron

will give the baby added protection against

infections, as many bacteria need iron in order

to multiply.

The iron found in breast milk is utilized well

by the baby, while not being available to

bacteria. The introduction of iron should

never be delayed beyond the age of 6 months.

Breast milk is the best that your can feed

your baby, as it provides everything he will

need for probably the first 6 months. After

the first 6 months, you can introduce solid

foods to your baby if he is taking an interest