You should be able to eat and drink what you like while you’re breastfeeding. However, some babies seem to react to something their mum’s eaten, and have symptoms such as colic, fussiness, or excessive crying.
Milk and dairy produce in your diet are the most likely foods to cause colic. In studies, some babies with colic seemed to improve when their mums cut out milk and dairy produce. Other foods that have been linked to colic include:
- alcohol
- cruciferous vegetables, such as ,cabbage (patta gobhi), brussels sprouts (bandh gobhi), broccoli (hari gobhi), asparagus(shatwar or sootmooli)
- onions (pyaaz)
- spicy foods
- legumes such as navy (safed rajma), lima (sem phalli) and soya beans
If your baby seems to react to a particular food, you could try several days without the food you suspect.
See your doctor if you're concerned about your diet affecting your baby. Often with colic, the best you can do is comfort your baby and wait for it to improve. But if you want to change what you eat, your doctor may refer you to a dietitian who'll help you have a balanced diet.
Bear in mind that colic has many causes, and we don't always know why babies have it. It may be nothing to do with your diet. Your baby may be colicky because she has not latched on properly, or because she is gulping her milk with great gusto!
We don't know for certain what effect caffeine has on breastfeeding babies. However, if your baby seems very unsettled or restless, or finds it difficult to sleep, try cutting back on caffeine and see if this makes a difference.
You can have the foods you couldn’t have in pregnancy because of the risk of listeriosis, such as soft cheeses and liver (kaleji) dishes. Although listeria has been found in breastmilk it would be extremely unusual for the bug to be transferred from mum to baby in this way.
If your family has a history of allergies, you may be worried about eating foods that can cause a reaction, such as peanuts. But there's no evidence that something you've eaten makes it more likely that your baby will be allergic to it later on.
It would be wise to continue the healthy eating habits that you had when you were pregnant. This, along with some moderate exercise, may help you lose any weight you may have gained during pregnancy. Eating well can also help keep your energy levels up especially with all those night-time feeds.
So try limitingghee-laden preparations and opt for more nutritious snacks such as:
- fruit chaat
- vegetable raita
- sandwiches made with wholemeal bread
- rotis stuffed with leafy greens, sprouts, boiled or baked potatoes or chicken
Have plenty of fluids. You could include lassi or nimbu pani, which are nourishing and have vitamins.