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Foods to Avoid While Breastfeeding

August 16, 2016

Breastfeeding has many benefits for both mothers and babies. Colostrum, the first secretion of the mammary glands, is thick, yellow and packed with nutrients and antibodies that are important for babies in the first days of life. As babies grow, their mothers’ breast milk changes. By the third to fifth day after delivery, breast milk has thinned and has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water and protein needed to help babies grow.1

The cells, hormones and antibodies in breast milk reduce the risk of numerous diseases, including lower respiratory infections, asthma and diabetes.1

In addition to helping fight diseases, breast milk is easy for babies to digest. The foods that mothers consume are passed to their babies through breast milk. While most babies are able to digest breast milk easily, there are some foods that moms should avoid or limit while breastfeeding:

Alcohol

There is no level of alcohol that is considered safe for babies who are breastfed. While breastfeeding mothers can consume an occasional alcoholic drink, moderate to heavy drinking is not recommended. More than one drink at a time increases the chance that alcohol will get in the breast milk supply. Mothers should avoid breast-feeding until alcohol has completely cleared out from their breast milk. This typically takes two to three hours for 12 ounces of 5 percent beer, 5 ounces of 11 percent wine, or 1.5 ounces of 40 percent liquor, depending on a woman’s body weight.2 “Pumping and dumping” doesn’t speed the elimination of alcohol from the body.

Caffeine

Too much caffeine can interfere with babies’ sleep or make them fussy. Babies are not able to process caffeine as easily as adults. So too much caffeine can end up making babies irritated or cranky.

Fish High in Mercury

Breastfeeding moms do not need to avoid eating fish altogether. In fact, many types of fish contain DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial for mothers and babies. But mothers should be mindful of the mercury content in the fish they do eat. Essentially the same rules about mercury consumption during pregnancy apply while breastfeeding – one to two portions (6 ounces) per week of fish with a low mercury content.

Strong Spices

Some spices like peppermint and sage may reduce milk production. In addition, hot spices like cayenne or curries that can cause gastrointestinal irritation in adults can have similar effects on babies.

Vitamin Supplement for Mom & Baby While Breastfeeding

Clearly it is important to maintain a healthy diet while breastfeeding. But it’s often hard to obtain all there recommend nutrients from diet alone. Prenate® Restore is a once-daily, lactose- free and gluten-free soft gel vitamin that supports expecting mothers during pregnancy and postpartum, especially while they are breastfeeding.

To help provide nutritional support for mothers and babies, the Prenate® Vitamin Family  offers prenatal vitamin coupons for Prenate® Restore. Click here to get your coupon now! Talk to your doctor to see if Prenate® Restore may be right for you to help fill nutritional gaps.

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

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