Mama's milk is good for health, immunity, and the mama and baby bond. But breast milk on its own is not perfect. The quality of your milk can be influenced by stress, medications, as well as the food you eat and anything else you consume. No mama is perfect, and we don’t want to suggest that you have to be. But if you plan to nurse or pump, here are a few things that could impact your milk and the quality of your breastfeeding.
Nicotine
Consuming nicotine in any form, including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and chewing tobacco, is a serious danger for new mamas and babies. Nicotine can increase your baby’s risk of SIDS and respiratory illnesses, impact mama’s milk production and letdown, and harm your baby’s lung function. But there’s a caveat: if you’re a mama who uses nicotine, experts say that it’s still better to breastfeed your baby than not. If you’re struggling to quit smoking, talk to your doctor about getting some support.
Caffeine
You should be concerned about caffeine only if your consumption is excessive. Studies have shown that mamas can drink up to three cups of coffee daily without any major impact on their babies. If you drink more than that, consider scaling back.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can temporarily affect milk production and letdown, and the alcohol can also be passed on to your baby through breast milk, albeit at very low levels. If you choose to drink and breastfeed, your baby may be restless, cry more, and not consume as much. However, having a glass of wine or two on occasion will probably not cause significant harm to you or your nursing baby. If you decide to have a drink and want to be extra cautious, wait approximately 3-4 hours for the alcohol to fully clear your system before breastfeeding again.
Spicy or gas-inducing foods
New mamas are often cautioned to avoid spicy foods or foods that might make their baby gassy, like cauliflower and cabbage. But according to the National Institutes of Health, some of this advice is misguided. Garlic and spices may change the flavor of your milk, but they won’t hurt your baby; in fact, they may be beneficial when helping your baby transition to solid foods later on. If you notice that when you eat certain foods, your baby seems more restless or experiences gastric upset, by all means, avoid them, but don’t feel that you have to because they’re harmful⸺they aren’t.
Raw foods
When eating raw foods like sushi or unpasteurized milk, there is always a risk of contamination and infection. But it’s more likely that if there’s any negative impact, it’s going to be on you, mama, not on your baby or breast milk. Make sure any food you consume, raw or not, has been properly handled to avoid getting food poisoning while breastfeeding.
Ultra-Processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods are those made from substances extracted from foods and often contain harmful additives or preservatives. To make things simple, if the nutritional information contains a long list of indecipherable ingredients, you might be looking at an ultra-processed food. While research on how ultra-processed foods impact breastfeeding and milk quality is limited, preliminary data suggests that heavy consumption of processed foods has been associated with early weaning, poor nutrition and weight gain. So, it’s best to use a common sense approach. Enjoying a few Oreos or a bag of chips every once in a while is really no big deal, but eating that kind of food all the time isn’t healthy for anyone.
Medications
There are many medications that you can and should continue to take while nursing, especially if they are necessary to ensure your own health and well-being, mama. While most medications will transfer to breast milk, it will generally be at levels that will not harm your baby. Work with your doctor to discuss the risks and benefits of any medication you are taking and find alternatives where necessary.
Dietary supplements
While it may seem harmless to take supplements such as herbs, vitamins, or minerals while nursing, mamas should use caution. In the United States, these substances are not regulated for consistency, safety or effectiveness. In most cases, it is difficult to know whether taking any given supplement is worth the risk. In some cases, supplements may interfere with other medications you are taking. Be open with your doctor or lactation specialist about any supplements you want to take and why so they can help you navigate the research (or lack thereof) and make an informed decision.
The bottom line
If you decide to breastfeed, you’re going to hear a lot of advice about what’s OK and not OK. Some of it makes sense, and some of it is simply not backed by science. So we’ll repeat it, mama: you don’t have to be perfect. Eat a generally healthy diet of mostly whole foods, including vegetables, grains, and proteins, and don’t stress or beat yourself up when you go for that occasional cookie, nacho, or glass of wine.
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