Skip to main content
Show
The most important thing is to include a wide variety of fresh, healthy foods in your breastfeeding diet. If you think something you're eating is affecting your baby through your breast milk, talk to your GP or health visitor, or call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212.
Unless you're allergic to peanuts, there's no evidence to suggest you should avoid them (or any peanut based foods like peanut butter) while breastfeeding. If you're worried about it, or concerned about your baby developing a food allergy, speak to your doctor or health visitor.
Cows' milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common childhood food allergies. While it's more common when first infant formula milk is introduced or when your baby starts eating solids, it can happen while breastfeeding. Symptoms include:
Some babies are lactose intolerant (lactose is the natural sugar in milk). This means they can't digest it – but this not an allergy and may only be temporary. Symptoms include:
If you're worried that your baby is showing signs of an allergic reaction, or intolerance, speak to your doctor. They'll assess your baby and advise you on the best course of action.
Breastfeeding Friend from Start for LifeThe Breastfeeding Friend, a digital tool from Start for Life, has lots of useful information and expert advice to share with you – and because it's a digital tool, you can access it 24 / 7.
Get personalised emails for trusted NHS advice, videos and tips on your pregnancy week by week, birth and parenthood. Get weekly emails
Your pregnancy must have been fraught with dilemmas as to whether you can consume a particular type of food, and you might have been looking forward to delivery just so you can go back to eating whatever you want. Unfortunately, there are some types of food that mothers should not consume even while breastfeeding their baby. Video : Is Eating Fish During Breastfeeding Safe?Fishes have been the cause of a lot of confusion among mothers during the time of pregnancy. Similarly, you will need to think long and hard before cooking fish or including it as a part of your meal even when you are breastfeeding. Some types of fish are dangerous, while others are healthy- so choose wisely. In this article, let us take a look at which types of fish are harmless, and other aspects related to including it in your meal plans. Can You Eat Fish, If You Are Breastfeeding?Actually, it has been found via extensive research that consuming fish while breastfeeding is actually necessary for the health of the child. This means that you will have to increase your fish consumption so that your child grows up to be healthier. However, you need to remember that the fish should not contain heavy compounds like mercury. Fishes have a range of important vitamins and nutrients, like EPA, DHA and vitamin D. Fishes are also rich in iodine, magnesium, iron and copper, all of which play a huge role in the development of your child. Therefore, you must definitely add it to your meal plan in order to make your baby healthier. It was actually found that the children of mothers who consumed fish during breastfeeding were healthier than the ones whose mothers did not touch it during the course of pregnancy and breastfeeding. Therefore, fish is a definite yes during the time of lactation. Benefits of Consuming Fish While NursingThere are a lot of benefits to having fish when you are nursing your baby. Some of these are given below.
Therefore, it is a good idea for women to consume fish when they are breastfeeding, for the health of their child. However, the fish must be safe to consume. Side Effects of Eating Fish While BreastfeedingWhile consuming fish is important for the benefit of your baby, it also important that you check whether the fish is safe before eating it. There are a lot of side-effects to consuming fish:
How to Tell If Fish Is Fresh or Not?You can check whether the fish is fresh by simply observing the outer surface of its body. If the scales are shiny and firm, it means that the fish you have is fresh. Else, if it looks dull and unappealing, you should not buy the fish. Fish That Are Safe to Eat While BreastfeedingThere are a lot of safe fishes for breastfeeding moms, which contribute effectively towards the health of your child. These include:
Fish to Avoid During NursingSimilarly, there are some types of fish not recommended to eat while breastfeeding for mothers. These contain harmful chemicals like mercury, which can affect the health of the child adversely. These include:
Alternatives to Fish to Get Omega-3sSome food items like eggs, milk and yoghurt are now fortified with Omega-3s, but they contain only ALA- while it does provide some benefits, you will not get EPA or DHA from these food items. Flaxseed is also another food item with ALA. Therefore, you will have to opt for omega-3s supplements in order to get the required amount of the nutrient. Even though fish can provide a lot of nutrition and health benefits to your baby, you need to be careful about whether it contains any harmful substances before consuming them if you are nursing. The harmful effects far outweigh the benefits, so check thoroughly before you eat fish- else, opt for supplements rich in EPA & DHA. Also Read: Fruits To Avoid During Breastfeeding |