Foods to avoid when nursing a gassy baby

Foods to Eat or Avoid When Breastfeeding

Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on June 26, 2022

It’s a good source of protein. Some, like salmon and tuna, also give you omega-3s, which your body needs. But what about mercury and other contaminants? You can have cooked seafood twice per week. Each serving can be up to 6 ounces, which is the size of two decks of cards. Choose types that are lower in mercury, such as salmon, tilapia, and trout. Avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish, which have high levels of mercury.

Love hot sauce? Most babies can handle it and other fiery foods in your diet. But if your little one is gassy or colicky and gets diarrhea every time you sprinkle red pepper flakes over your pizza, cut back on the heat for a few weeks to see if that helps.

They’re full of flavor. But some herbs may affect how much milk your body makes. For instance, eating a lot of parsley could curb lactation. And too much sage and peppermint may cut your milk supply. For some nursing moms, even peppermint-flavored toothpaste and candies are a problem.

It’s rarely a problem. But see how your baby does. Tell your pediatrician if your tot gets skin problems, has trouble breathing after breastfeeding, or has other symptoms.

As refreshing as your cup of chai or Earl Grey may be, it has some downsides. It’s got caffeine, which can affect your sleep – and your baby’s. It may also make it harder for your body to absorb iron, which you need for energy. If you drink hot or iced tea, try not to sip it when you eat foods that are rich in iron, such as lean meat; dark, leafy greens; and fortified breakfast cereals.

What if you aren’t allergic, and you want to prevent your baby from developing an allergy? Sorry, but there’s no proof that you can do that by skipping specific foods. Cutting certain foods out of your diet may make the skin condition eczema less likely for your little one. Ask your doctor or pediatrician for advice.

Breastfeeding can make you thirstier than you usually are. If that’s the case, drink a glass of water every time you breastfeed. But no matter how parched you feel, don’t go for regular sodas or fruit drinks, which give you calories without nutrition.

It's best for your baby if you don't have any booze at all. But if you do choose to drink, don’t breastfeed until the alcohol has completely cleared your milk. For 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor, wait at least 3 hours. Pumping doesn’t speed that up.

Common culprits include beans, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. Bloating, burping, and passing gas are normal. But if your baby is gassy or has colic, avoid these foods for a few weeks to see whether they relieve the symptoms.

Both have caffeine. You’ll also find it in energy drinks and cola. If you’re lost without your latte, limit yourself to 2-3 cups per day of the brewed kind. Or you could switch to decaf.

IMAGES PROVIDED BY:

1) Getty

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3) Getty

4) Getty

5) Getty

6) Getty, iStock

7) Getty

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9) Getty

10) Getty

SOURCES:

Mayo Clinic.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

La Leche League.

The American Academy of Pediatrics.

U.S. Department of Agriculture.

What You Can Do To Help Your Gassy Breastfed Baby

What are some common culprits behind your baby's gassiness? Learn the signs, foods that may cause gassiness in your baby, and how to soothe and relieve his or her symptoms.

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As a new parent, it can be stressful and upsetting to see and hear your baby cry. That’s especially true if you've checked off all the usual suspects— dirty diaper, empty belly, discomfort, or over-tiredness —and you still can’t seem to soothe your little one.

Gas is something that many newborns experience, and it can be painful for them! It isn't always the first thing that parents remember to consider, since it's not something easily visible.

Signs Your Breastfed Baby is Gassy

If you suspect excess gas could be the culprit causing your baby’s fussiness, there are several signs that may indicate you are correct:

Burping. It’s possible your baby has swallowed too much air while nursing or crying for a long period.
Spitting up. While spitting up is perfectly normal, gas that’s trapped in the stomach can push breast milk back up and cause your baby to spit up.
Bloated tummy. This could be a sign that gas has built up in your baby’s stomach.
Flatulence. Every baby toots, but if they’re doing so excessively, it could mean they have excess gas.
Arched back, legs drawn toward the tummy. The discomfort from gas pains will make a baby try to adjust to alleviate it.

Gassy Baby Causes

Gas in a breastfed baby is not uncommon and can be attributed to several factors:

Gulping while feeding. If your milk let-down reflex is strong, your baby may gulp your milk to keep up and swallow extra air in the process. If that’s the case, your little one may do better nursing in a more upright position, so he or she has better control over milk intake and flow.
Introducing a bottle. If your baby is used to the breast and you begin feeding with a bottle, it may take some getting used to at first. As a result, he or she may swallow too much air while eating.
Constipation. When your baby is constipated, they may have gas trapped in their tummies that they’re having a hard time releasing.
Crying. If your baby has been crying for a long time, they may be gulping in air in the process.
Mom’s diet. Food that you’ve eaten can make your baby gassy as well. Certain foods such as dairy, soy or wheat may contribute to gassiness in your little one. Keep a food journal of what you eat to see if you can pinpoint the culprit in your diet.

Foods That Make Breastfed Babies Gassy

Though a baby’s gas is not commonly linked to mom’s diet, there are certain gas-inducing foods that could give both a breastfeeding mom and her baby gas. These include:

Fiber. Foods like bran, beans, and whole grains.
Fruit. Citrus fruits, prunes, plums, peaches, or apricots.
Vegetables. Broccoli, cabbage, and Brussel sprouts.
Garlic. Garlic-seasoned foods like pasta dishes or garlic bread.
Dairy. Yogurt, ice cream, or milk products.
Carbonated beverages. If they make you burp, they could make your baby gassy too.

It’s not necessary to give up all your favorite foods when pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Health experts recommend only making dietary changes if you see a direct connection between something you’ve eaten and your baby's gassiness.

Additionally, if you’re still breastfeeding after your little one begins solids or finger foods, it’s easier to detect what food might be the culprit and then eliminate it.

Relieving Gassy Babies

There are several effective ways to help relieve your baby’s gas pains and soothe them. Try a combination of these to find what works best for your little one.

Burp twice. Try to coax two burps out of your baby instead of just one.
Sit upright. Hold your baby in an upright position while burping. This makes it easier to expel gas.
Tummy time. Laying your baby on their tummy will help to push gas out.
Bicycle exercises. Put your baby on his or her back and move their legs in a pedaling motion, similar to cycling on a bike. This helps with constipation as well.
Massage the tummy. A gentle massage can help move gas out.
Adjust baby’s latch. Make sure your baby is latching correctly to avoid swallowing too much air.

Don't worry, mama - Gas is typically a normal occurrence and most babies experience gassiness from time to time! With some minor adjustments, you can soothe your little one and help them get through the discomfort of gas.

do's and don'ts, principles of nutrition

Contents:

Is gas formation a norm or a violation?
What can cause flatulence?
What foods can make the stomach "bloat"?
Why do I need a special diet for flatulence?

Flatulence, or bloating, is a condition in which:

Increased formation and accumulation of gases in the intestines ¹
Impaired elimination of gases from the intestines ¹

This condition is associated in most people with discomfort (the abdomen feels as if "inflated", visually enlarged) and pain in the lower abdomen, may be accompanied by shortness of breath and heart palpitations caused by an increase in intestinal volume and diaphragm elevation ² .

Is gas formation a norm or a violation?

Gas formation and accumulation of gases in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a natural process. During the day, more than 20 liters of gas are formed in the digestive tract ¹ , 70% of which enters the stomach and intestines when food or liquid is swallowed ² .

Gas in the gastrointestinal tract can also be formed by diffusion from the blood and as a result of vital processes of bacteria ¹ . However, normally, the digestive system can contain about 200 ml of gas ¹ at a time.

Flatulence often occurs as an independent phenomenon (episodic it is observed in almost all people ¹ ). However, it can also be a symptom of a functional bowel disorder, such as irritable bowel. According to some reports, flatulence accompanies the course of gastroenterological diseases in 85% of cases ¹ .

What can cause flatulence?

Depending on the causes leading to excessive gas formation or problems with the removal of gases from the intestines, the following types of flatulence are distinguished ¹:

Food associated with the use of foods that cause increased gas formation
Digestive due to disorders in the work of digestive enzymes
Mechanical occurs when there is a violation in the removal of gases from the intestinal tract
Dynamic caused by malfunctions in the motor function of the gastrointestinal tract

Another common cause of bloating is the excessive intake of air into the stomach when swallowing food and swallowing saliva ² . The volume of air swallowed increases with a hasty meal, talking while eating, chewing gum, carbonated drinks ¹ . Excessive salivation caused by a state of mental tension and neurosis can also lead to this state.

What foods can make the stomach bloat?

Methods for alleviating the discomfort caused by bloating depend on the type of flatulence. However, in each case, treatment involves the rejection of products that cause flatulence, and adherence to a diet that is determined based on the cause of bloating.

Food flatulence is closely related to the diet. It is caused by the use of:

products that cause fermentation processes, such as black bread containing yeast ²
carbonated drinks such as: kvass, beer, koumiss ²

Foods that cause gas and bloating also include: legumes, corn and oat products, wheat baked goods, some vegetables and fruits (white cabbage, potatoes, cucumbers, apples, peaches, pears), dairy products (soft cheeses , milk, ice cream) ¹ .

The basis of the treatment of food flatulence is the observance of a diet consisting in the exclusion of the above products from the diet. When reviewing the diet, it is recommended to increase the consumption of foods with a low gas-forming potential: bananas, white rice, protein-containing foods (beef, chicken, turkey, egg white) ² .

With flatulence of digestive origin, foods should be excluded from the diet, the digestion of which is complicated by a deficiency of essential enzymes. So, for example, with a deficiency in the intestine of lactase, you should limit the use of dairy products ² .

Studies have shown that with an irritated bowel, the composition and volume of intestinal gas does not change, but the passage of gas through the intestine slows down almost 2 times ¹ .

The impact of diet on the manifestation and exacerbation of irritable bowel symptoms cannot be denied. This connection is clearly confirmed by the fact that with prolonged fasting, there is a weakening of the whole complex of symptoms of discomfort in the intestines, including flatulence ³ . In this case, bloating is usually mild in the morning. After eating, the feeling of discomfort increases ⁴ .

Although there is a clear relationship between the manifestations of flatulence and food intake, the identification of specific foods that cause bloating is not an easy task. After all, the diet of healthy people and those who suffer from chronic discomfort in the intestines is practically the same ⁵ .

The reaction to specific foods causes increased sensitivity of nerve endings in irritated bowels. Nutrients contained in food, entering the digestive tract, stimulate the nerve endings in the stomach and intestines ⁶ .

If the stimulus is weak and the intestine does not undergo significant deformation, the signal does not reach the brain.

A stronger stimulus associated with the feeling of distension of the intestine is transmitted from the nerve endings of the intestine to the brain and causes pain ⁶ .

With increased sensitivity of irritable bowel, even a weak stimulus can be felt as painful and affect the motor function of the intestine ⁶ .

Based on the mechanism of irritable bowel hypersensitivity to external stimuli, scientists have experimentally identified a number of nutrients that influence the manifestation of symptoms of intestinal dysfunction: fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharides and polyols FODMAPs ⁶ . Researchers have shown that an increased intake of these nutrients causes unpleasant symptoms not only in irritable bowels, but also in healthy people ⁶ . By identifying food sources of these nutrients, you can understand which foods cause gas and bloating.

Flatulent nutrients contain

⁶ :

fruits: apples, cherries, pears, peaches, apricots, plums
vegetables: asparagus, artichokes, beets, onions, garlic, peas, mushrooms, cauliflower
cereals: wheat, rye, barley
milk and dairy products: yogurt, ice cream, soft cheeses

Why do I need a special diet for flatulence?

Bloating can be due to a variety of reasons, from intolerance to specific foods to complex disorders in the digestive tract with irritable bowels ¹ . Despite such a wide range of reasons, the list of products that provoke increased gas formation and, as a result, flatulence, is unchanged. Does this mean that in order to relieve the discomfort of irritable bowels, you need to eliminate these foods from your diet?

Indeed, many diets recommended for flatulence and functional bowel disorders imply a restriction or complete rejection of a certain food group. There are gluten-free, low-carb, and FODMAP nutrient-restricted diets. However, all of them not only suggest a lack of important nutrients ⁷ , but may not suit you personally. Therefore, it is important to listen to your body and reasonably limit the consumption of those foods that cause you discomfort in the intestines.

A change in diet will undoubtedly be beneficial, but if flatulence occurs constantly, this may indicate the presence of an upset in the intestines. In this case, complex therapy is needed so that the treatment helps to normalize the functioning of the intestines and really brings relief, and is not limited to eliminating abdominal pain and flatulence ⁴ .

Duspatalin® 135 mg will help alleviate the discomfort that accompanies flatulence, such as bloating, cramps and pain.

Duspatalin® 135 mg already after 15 minutes ⁹ begins to work, relieving pain and cramps in the abdomen.
Relief of spasm allows the intestines to "relax", relieving pain, as well as the passage and removal of gas and eliminating the very cause of flatulence and bloating ¹⁰
Clinical trials have shown that the use of Duspatalin® 135 mg in the treatment of irritable bowel significantly reduces the degree of manifestation of all associated symptoms: reduces pain and helps to eliminate the manifestations of flatulence ¹² .
When taken in a course of 28 days, Duspatalin® 135 mg helps to normalize bowel function and eliminate a complex of irritable bowel symptoms: pain and spasm in the abdomen, stool disorders (constipation and / or diarrhea), flatulence (gas formation, bloating, rumbling) ^{10. 13} .
The drug has a high safety profile: unlike most other antispasmodics, it does not have a systemic effect ^8,10 , and its effect can persist for 6 months when taken from 8 weeks ¹¹ .

With Duspatalin® your bowels are calm.

Article reviewed by Abbott experts

why mom's diet should be balanced, what foods are not allowed, and which are possible with guards

Are there any dietary restrictions for breastfeeding mothers? Are there really forbidden foods that can cause allergies in a child?

The maternity hospital gave you a diet to follow while breastfeeding. How strictly should it be followed? Do I need to increase portions and drink more fluids to get a lot of milk? I also heard that some products, such as lemons, can spoil the taste of milk, and the child will refuse to breastfeed altogether. This is true?

Vika Vishnyakova

nutritionist

Author profile

The diet of a nursing mother is an old myth that still lives in some Russian maternity hospitals and children's clinics.

The more varied the mother's diet during breastfeeding, the more health bonuses both she and her baby will receive. Most likely, with a balanced and varied diet, your weight will return to pre-pregnancy, but even if this has not happened yet, the breastfeeding period is not the best time to lose weight. You need to provide yourself and your baby with the proper level of nutrients, and this is difficult to do on rigid diets.

However, there are still foods that you should stay away from. I'll tell you more about everything.

What the science says about nutrition during breastfeeding

The diet of a nursing mother appeared at a time when knowledge about the nature of allergies was not enough. Not fully understanding the whole mechanism of its appearance, doctors, just in case, postponed acquaintance with potential allergens until later. It was believed that by the age of three, the child's immune system would mature and be able to withstand the encounter with the allergen.

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In reality, everything turned out differently: the earlier the child got acquainted with the potential allergen, the lower was the risk that he would develop an allergy. In modern recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of food allergies in children, mothers are advised not to limit the diet, but to try to make it more varied.

Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in Children - KFAPDF, KB 361

This is the position of leading child health organizations: the best nutrition for a mother during breastfeeding is a balanced and varied diet.

Healthy Diet During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding - WHO European Office PDF, KB 93

Breastfeeding Diet - US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

all five food groups:

Vegetables and fruits.
Complex carbohydrates: cereals, bread, potatoes.
Protein sources.
Dairy products.
Fats and oils.

And you also need to maintain diversity in each group. For example, eat vegetables and fruits of different colors, use not only meat, but also fish, eggs and legumes with nuts from protein sources.

Breastfeeding Mom's Diet Advice - US Department of Health

And the ratio of animal to vegetable proteins should be approximately the same. Among complex carbohydrates, you should give preference to whole grains and also do not forget about diversity. It turns out that buckwheat and boiled turkey for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day is not a healthy diet option for mom.

Breastfeeding - European Community of Pediatrics, Gastroenterologists, Hepatologists and Nutritionists Commentary

Health Canada Diet

If your diet is balanced and varied, do not take supplements and multivitamins, except for vitamin D. They are needed in rare cases when the diet of a nursing mother is poor or there are health problems. But the doctor should prescribe the composition and dosage of supplements during breastfeeding.

Your appetite will probably increase, this is normal. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a breastfeeding mother may need up to 500 calories in excess of her usual calorie intake to ensure adequate milk supply. But those 500 calories should come from healthier food sources, not soda chips.

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Why a balanced diet is important

Such a diet will help maintain the health of the mother and provide the necessary nutrients to the child. During breastfeeding, it is important to provide yourself with the proper amount of energy, protein, and some important micronutrients: iron, calcium, vitamin D, and folic acid.

These micronutrients may not be enough, because during pregnancy and the onset of breastfeeding, some of them are spent on the needs of the fetus, and then the baby. You can get these substances from dark green vegetables: spinach, broccoli, green beans, as well as dairy products, eggs, legumes, meat and fish.

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If you refuse a large number of foods, it will be difficult to get all these necessary nutrients, which can affect physical condition and well-being, lead to a deficiency of important substances and drag on diseases . In addition, the child is more likely to follow the family's eating style as they grow older. The more varied and healthier your diet, the greater the chances of accustoming a child to it.

But unhealthy eating habits can lead to future weight gain and negatively affect food cravings. A study of 1,459 mother-baby pairs found that high body mass index and unhealthy eating habits were more common among children whose mothers followed the so-called Western style of eating, which is high in ultra-processed foods, high-calorie, sweet and fatty.

What you shouldn't be afraid of in your diet

Mothers often blame their diet on their baby's restless behavior or minor skin rashes.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that only 2-3 out of 100 breastfeeding babies are allergic to any food in the mother's diet.

But by blaming everything on food, we mask the real problem or, on the contrary, overestimate the significance of some ordinary phenomena, such as newborn acne or prickly heat. If in doubt what kind of rash it is, talk to a competent pediatrician. If the pediatrician suspects a connection between a child’s poor health and food, he will ask you to keep a food diary - this way there will be a potential culprit.

/colic/

How to help a newborn with colic

By eliminating this product for 1-2 weeks, you will either confirm the hypothesis or continue to look for another suspect. But you don’t need to immediately remove all products: this can lead to an imbalance in nutrition, fatigue, nervousness and poor health.

If a pediatrician forbids eating certain foods without complaints about the child's well-being, this is a reason to look for a second opinion. Here are the foods that pediatricians often ban.

Cow's milk. In those children who have a reaction to their mother's food, most often it happens to cow's milk: the baby may experience abdominal discomfort, colic, skin rash.

But excluding cow's milk in advance, just in case, will not lead to the prevention of allergies in a child. On the contrary, a 2021 Swedish study found that babies whose mothers drink relatively more cow's milk during breastfeeding have a lower risk of developing food allergies than those whose mothers drink little or no milk. The same is true for other potential allergens: if they are excluded, this will not help to avoid allergies in the future, but, on the contrary, will increase the risk of its occurrence.

No need to remove potential allergens from the diet

Valentina Suvorova

pediatric allergist-immunologist

There are foods that are potentially allergenic: milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy. To date, there is not enough scientific evidence to recommend that breastfeeding mothers restrict their diet. There are no differences in the prevalence of allergic diseases in the groups of nursing mothers who avoided milk, eggs and other allergens, and mothers who did not follow any diet.

Fish. Separately, it should be said about fish: it is an important part of a balanced diet for any person, especially a nursing mother. Eating fish affects the proper development of the brain and nervous system of the child and reduces the risks of obesity, asthma and allergies in him at an older age.

Mom's fish intake and baby's cognitive development - MDPIPDF, 523KB

Omega-3s and reducing the risk of allergies in the unborn baby - PLOS Medicine

Two servings a week are enough to keep mom and baby healthy. One serving is your palm without fingers.

Limit swordfish, marlin, bigeye tuna, king mackerel or shark. This is due to the high risk of exceeding the permissible level of mercury in their meat. Such types of fish are rarely found in Russia, but if you live in another country or order them specially from afar, then show moderation. It is better to give preference to other options: salmon, herring, saury, cod.

Foods that give mom gas. There is a myth that a mother and her baby have the same reaction to foods. In reality, gases from the gastrointestinal tract of the mother cannot enter the bloodstream and from there into breast milk, so the discomfort in the mother does not mean the obligatory colic in the baby.

However, when food is digested, certain proteins enter the bloodstream and can then pass into mother's milk. Some children may be sensitive to protein and react to it with increased gas production and nervousness. The reaction can be to any product, even to buckwheat or a green apple, and you can find out with the help of a food diary.

How food passes into breast milk - La Leche Liga

Garlic, spices, spices may change the taste of breast milk, but this does not mean that they should be eliminated. The breastfeeding support association La Leche Liga believes that regular consumption of these products will help the child get used to the family diet before introducing complementary foods. Babies begin to get used to these aromas even in the stomach, when they swallow amniotic fluid, so spices should not be ruled out during pregnancy.

What should be limited in the diet

The probability that a child will feel bad from some product in your diet is small, but still there. Therefore, some products should be consumed in limited quantities, and some should be completely excluded for the GV period.

Alcohol. The safest option is not to drink alcohol during breastfeeding. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes that sometimes you can drink a glass of wine, but in the next 2 hours after drinking, you should not feed your child. Even without HB, there is no safe dose of alcohol, each glass is your personal choice and risk. And during breastfeeding, it is also a responsibility for the life and health of the baby.

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Thermally processed products of animal origin. These are fish, meat and eggs. If you eat them raw, you can become infected with dangerous bacteria: listeria, salmonella, or botulinum bacteria. They are not transmitted through breast milk, but are not safe for the mother herself - you will probably have to take antibiotics, and this may affect the preservation of breastfeeding. That is, it's not about the products, but about the cooking method: if you want a steak, don't deny yourself, but ask for a well-dan. The same with sushi and lightly salted fish: take baked rolls or hot types of fish, and instead of poached eggs - normally boiled.

Coffee. The recommended amount of caffeine is up to 300 mg per day. How many mugs it is depends on the method of preparation. The baby may have a reaction to coffee, as well as to any product, but this is an infrequent occurrence.

How much caffeine is in a cup of drink

Drink	Amount of caffeine, mg
Instant coffee	100
Americano, cappuccino	80-90
Can of Coke, 330 ml	40
Green tea	30-50

Drink

Caffein number, mg

Soluble coffee

100

American,

80–90

COKA-COLA Bank, 330 ml

Green tea

30-50

What is the result

The diet of a nursing mother is a myth. Mom's nutrition during breastfeeding should be balanced and varied.

A potential allergen or food that a child has an intolerance to can be found in the food diary. Eliminating half of the diet just in case is not worth it.

A more varied mom's diet and exposure to potential allergens during breastfeeding is associated with a lower risk of future allergies in the baby.