What To Limit Whilst Breastfeeding

There is no need to avoid any particular foods when breastfeeding. However, if you notice your baby is becoming upset when you eat a particular food, stop eating it for a few days before trying it again. This may include foods such as a curries or cabbage that can affect the flavour of your milk.

Food And Drinks To Limit

Fish; some contain higher levels of mercury which can harm your baby’s developing nervous system. Recommendation are;

• Eat 1 serve (150g) per week of Catfish or Orange Roughy (Deep Sea Perch) and no other fish that week
• Eat 1 serve (150g) per fortnight of Shark (Flake) or Billfish (Swordfish, Marlin) and no other fish that fortnight
• Eat 2-3 serves (150g per serve) per week of any other fish, not listed above.

Caffeine: A moderate amount of caffeine can be consumed without affecting your baby. However, it can be passed into your breast milk after drinking coffee, tea or cola drinks. You should try to limit your intake to a total of 2 or 3 cups of tea, coffee or cola per day.

Alcohol; can be passed to your baby through your breast milk. Not drinking alcohol is the safest option. However, if you choose to drink alcohol:

• Breastfeed your baby prior to drinking
• Enjoy a small amount (i.e. one standard drink)
• Wait a few hours for the alcohol to leave your system before breastfeeding again
• Express some breast milk prior to drinking might be a good idea.

If you are concerned about your diet, consult your healthcare professional.