Foods to avoid while nursing and foods that HELP milk supply?

[todzwife]

I would love to know what to avoid while nursing and what foods will help my milk supply. I eat a pretty bland diet because I have acid reflux, so spicy really isn't a problem. Any suggestions?? Thanks so much!
Oh! And can I just say, I TOTALLY can see why women give up nursing and go to a bottle! This is so hard! But there is nothing like watching my son lick the breastmilk off his little lips and knowing that the sacrifices and struggles are totally worth it! I love being a mom!

[Momof3Labs]

There's nothing that you have to avoid while nursing. But if you notice problems (gas is normal - ALL newborns have LOTS of gas - loose poops, even green ones, are normal too) then you could keep a food diary and see if an offending food appears to be a contributing factor.

Oatmeal (not instant) is a good supply booster. You can have it for breakfast, or have DH make you some oatmeal cookies!

But really, the best thing for milk supply is to just nurse, nurse, nurse (and avoid the lure of the bottle)!

And yes, it is so incredibly worth it!!!

[egoldber]

I was lucky and never had to avoid anything when I was nursing Sarah. My motto was eat until it was proven a problem, LOL!

And make sure you keep hydrated. That is especially important! Drink a glass of something everytime you nurse. Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine (its a diuretic) and antihistamines (whihc can really suck you dry!).

And I understand what you mean. Personally, I thought the stuff about how nursing is so much easier than bottles was bogus. For those lucky enough to get off to a great start and have an ample supply, it might be easier. But it had me in tears, feeling low and constantly worrying. I wish I had known then what I know now, which is that it is hard, but worth it. And I wish I had nursed much longer than I did (6 months).

Good luck!

[deborah_r]

Yes, I absolutely wanted to give it up, but in about 6 weeks or so (maybe sooner if you are lucky) you will understand what women mean when they say it is easier and that it is a rewarding experience. I thought people were crazy when they said that, and at my first BF Support Group when Kai was 9 days old, I'm listening to people discuss their problems while my milk is soaking my shirt and I'm trying to keep my nipple shield on, and I'm thinking "Don't these people realize this is OPTIONAL. We don't HAVE to do this! This is why they made bottles!"

But I am SOOOOO glad I did not give up. If you've gotten him to latch on and eat, a major part of the battle is over, and it WILL get easier!

[wendmatt]

Congratulations on your new baby. Keep up the good work, it's so worth it, no getting up in the night and warming bottles and not to mention the benefits for Dallin. I never avoided anything and dd didn't seem to have any probs. Drink LOTS of water,every time you nurse have a glass, that helped me immensely and def the oatmeal helped too. I know you didn't ask and I'm sure you're getting advice but the things that helped me were to pull baby to you, not you to baby. The nurse in the hospital squashed dds face so hard into my breast I though she would suffocate, but it really helped, she suckled happily. Pull the lower lip down to help latch on, try to change positions, ie football hold one time, cradle the next to help stop the same place from getting sore. I was lucky and never had any prob or sore nipples and I really think that nurse helped.
Good luck and So many good wishes to you, I agree, being a mum is wonderful. (and that's coming from someone who never wanted kids!!).

[houseof3boys]

As everyone has already said....it is so worth it so stick with it. There may be ups and downs for the first few weeks but it will be a distant memory after that. I kept a food diary for about 4 weeks so I could see if there was a correlation with food and spit up or gas. Ryan seems to have trouble with dairy (lots of spit up, vomiting, gas) so I now use Lactaid for my cereal or to cook with and I try to limit my daily intake of stuff like cheese and yogurt. Ryan also doesn't seem to do well with lots of acidic foods, like tomatoes and orange juice. You'll start to notice what works for Dallin and what doesn't soon enough. Don't be shocked at the different poop colors, it is totally normal! It is strange at first but you'll get used to it.

Congratulations!

[jmofarrill]

I will jump on the bandwagon here and totally agree with everyone that it is the most wonderful thing to nurse your baby. And yes, I was miserable, too, for the first couple of weeks, but I knew bf'ing was best for dd, and I was convinced it was going to get better. And it did! It is hard at first, but, yes, it gets better. (broken record, I know)

As for food, it isn't necessary to avoid anything in particular unless your baby is sensitive to it (like the dairy allergies the pps have mentioned). I also agree with oatmeal (reg, not instant) keeping your supply up. Also, lots of water! (Notice a pattern?!) One thing I did notice in my early nursing days: when I didn't eat much, my supply dropped. Researchers have found that you have to be really malnourished before it begins to affect the QUALITY of milk you produce. In addition, I found that the amount you consume affects the QUANTITY of milk you produce. So don’t start any diets! :)

Best of success, and let us know how it goes.

[KGoes]

Breastfeeding is its own reward even if it takes time to reap the benefits. Keep posting here - that helped me immeasurably through sleepless nights and five+ weeks of thrush. I was at the end of my rope when, at DD's 8 week check up, the doctor said she was "growing beautifully" and I burst into tears because I gave her that. Also, DD loves to nurse and it really comforted her after her vaccinations when she was feeling a bit poorly.
Breastfeeding is a personal decision and is not the easy choice, but there's just nothing like it for me in terms of connecting with my child.
In terms of supply, the biggest factor for me is fluid intake. It's nothing for me to drink 80-100 ounces of water during the day, not counting water with meals and milk on cereal, etc, and still get chapped lips. A friend of mine says her supply depends on the amount of rest she gets. She actually got more total milk by not waking up to pump in the middle of the night when her DS was sleeping through and getting the extra sleep.
Best of luck!
Kelley
DD born 7/30/03

[spu]

--- and rest. That afternoon catnap around 3 or 4:00 even if you just kick back and put your feet up for a half hour before dinner makes a world of difference in your supply. Water, rest, good snacks of proteins and carbs, and lots of frequent nursings will help boost your supply.

susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte + else

http://sunger2.home.comcast.net/bash/nonflash/year.html