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To get nutritious breast milk (mother’s milk), Moms need to implement a balanced nutritional consumption pattern that meets the nutritional needs for Moms herself and for the growth and development of the baby.
Therefore, knowing what foods and drinks you should consume and what you should avoid is important to know.
So that Moms don’t consume the wrong things, here are some foods and drinks that Moms should avoid so that breast milk production remains smooth and nutritious.
Foods that breastfeeding mothers should not consume
A study shows that the type of food Moms consume while breastfeeding will influence and have an effect on the quality of breast milk and will definitely have an impact on the baby.
For the health of Moms and babies, it is highly recommended that Moms who are breastfeeding avoid foods such as:
Fish with high mercury content
Some fish contain two types of omega-3 fatty acids which are good for baby’s brain development. However, there are also some fish and other seafood that contain very high levels of mercury.
A study explains that babies and children have a higher level of sensitivity to mercury. As a result, the baby’s risk of mercury poisoning becomes very high if Moms consume fish or other seafood that contains high levels of mercury.
Acute exposure to high levels of mercury can permanently affect a baby’s central nervous system.
The most fatal risk that may occur to a baby is experiencing delays or disturbances in several things, such as:
- Impaired cognition (activities or processes of acquiring knowledge)
- Motor skills
- Speech and language development
- Visual spatial awareness or the ability to imagine, remember, and recall visual images
Some types of fish that contain high levels of mercury are:
- Bigeye tuna
- King mackerel fish
- Marlin fish
- Rough orange fish
- Shark
- Swordfish
Fast food
Processed fast food generally contains quite high calories, unhealthy fats and added sugar. Apart from that, processed foods are also low in fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Therefore, Moms who are breastfeeding are strongly advised to avoid these processed foods.
Chocolate
Quoting from the babycenter.com page, it is said that chocolate contains quite a lot of theobromine which has a similar effect to caffeine.
If mothers who are breastfeeding consume chocolate, the effects that will be experienced by the baby are that the baby will become fussy and have difficulty sleeping. Dark chocolate contains more theobromine than milk chocolate.
Herbal supplements
Some doctors and researchers do not recommend that mothers who are breastfeeding take herbal supplements. This is because many herbal supplement products are still not registered and recognized by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).
If Moms want to take herbal supplements while breastfeeding, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor or nutritionist so you don’t avoid unwanted side effects.
Drinks that breastfeeding mothers should not consume
Apart from food, there are several drinks that are also strongly recommended to be avoided by mothers who are breastfeeding. Some of them are like:
Cafein
Coffee, chocolate, several types of soda drinks and tea contain caffeine which is quite problematic if consumed by babies. When a baby consumes caffeine, the baby will have difficulty breaking down, digesting and eliminating it.
As a result, large amounts of caffeine over time that accumulate in the baby’s digestive system will be disturbed and make it difficult for the baby to sleep.
Therefore, during breastfeeding, Moms are advised to limit caffeine intake to 300 mg per day or less to prevent digestive disorders and disturbed baby sleep patterns.
Alcohol
High levels of alcohol consumption have been shown to reduce breast milk production by 20 percent. Therefore, not consuming alcohol is the best choice so that breast milk is maintained.
Moreover, a study shows that the amount of alcohol in breast milk will peak 30 to 60 minutes after Moms last consumed alcohol.
Additionally, alcohol can remain in the body for 2 to 3 hours, even after just one drink.
The more alcohol you consume, the longer it will take your body to clear the alcohol.
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