We all know that breastfeeding is very beneficial for your little one. However, if you’re not taking care of your own body while doing so, you could be passing along some harmful things to your child. Here are foods you should avoid while nursing:

1. Coffee

Drinking coffee or tea, some of the caffeine can and most likely will end up in your breast milk. Babies aren’t able to handle caffeine nearly as well as adults, and this could lead to unwanted mood changes.

2. Citrus Fruits/Juices

There are certain compounds found in citrus fruits and juices that may irritate a baby’s gastro-intestinal tract. This could lead to mood issues, spitting up, and even diaper rash.

3. Alcohol

This is an obvious one. While many experts agree that a single glass of wine on occasion won’t do any harm, there’s absolutely no reason to exceed this. Alcohol is terrible for your body, and will be even worse for a new baby.

4. Chocolate

Did you know that chocolate contains some caffeine as well? Not nearly as much as a cup of coffee, but it still contains enough that makes it not worth the risk of passing to your child.

5. Spicy Food

While this may not affect all moms and babies, you may find that spicy foods and spices can cause irritation for your baby for a few hours after nursing.

6. Garlic

Eating foods with a lot of garlic can lead to breast milk taking on the slight flavor of garlic for several hours afterward. Some babies may grimace or fuss at the breast if they can smell or taste the garlic.

7. Peanuts

While peanuts are actually good for you, you may want to look into your family history for allergies. According to LLLI, if you have a family medical history of allergy, it’s worth being careful about your diet and avoiding known allergens.

8. Fish

Due to the sometimes-high level of mercury that can be found in fish, this should be avoided. The last thing you want is for mercury to make its way to your breast milk, and be passed along to the little one. Follow the same rules of how much fish should be consumed during pregnancy as you would while nursing.

9. Peppermint

Although this is a quite pleasant taste, peppermint has been shown to reduce your milk supply. One of the primary culprits seems to be peppermint tea, which will certainly hurt your supply if multiple cups are consumed on a regular basis.

Written by Alicia Overby - Founder & President of Baby Elephant Ears

Alicia is wife, mother, and creator of Baby Elephant Ears. Baby Elephant Ears was created out of parental concern, not financial desire. In 2005, when their second child was an infant, he cried all the time and just couldn't seem to get comfortable.

After seeking advice and suggestion from the medical community and alternative medicine, they eventually ended up in the chiropractors office where their baby was successfully treated for asubluxation, discomfort most likely the result of the strain during labor, which was now being exacerbated by the normal lack of infant neck strength. Only proper neck, head, and back alignment would offer him relief. When they couldn't find a product to give their baby the necessary support, Alicia took matters into her own hands and crafted her own infant support pillow. The first Baby Elephant Ears was born!

For more information, visit www.babyelephantears.com.

Interested in writing a guest blog for Baby Elephant Ears? Send your topic idea to pr@babyelephantears.com.

All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Baby Elephant Ears makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, current-ness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information, or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.