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Hilary Duff recently posted an image eating while breastfeeding baby Banks, and yes, you guessed it, there were more negative than positive comments. Someone telling her to cover up while breastfeeding; a breastfeeding vs. formula debate... ah, it’s nothing new. Guess we forgot to leave the keyboard warriors giving unsolicited parenting advice behind along with Day Zero and Jacob Zuma in 2018.
But once you cross the cyberspace bridge and make your way past the trolls, you’ll find there are mommas out there who are genuinely trying to help.
In a previous post Duff explained she’s been having trouble with a colicky Banks. “Can you ever set them down without them screaming or waking up? We have read everything the internet has to offer… nothing besides nursing basically every hour or less helps!”
“Please leave magic tricks in comments,” she said.
And while they did, it wasn’t until she posted an image nursing and eating Brussels sprouts that the advice really started pouring in.
Also read:
New moms: How to cope with colic
Podcast: How to deal with colic
“Careful about what you’re eating while breastfeeding. Brussel sprouts are gassy and can make your baby more colicky. I learned the hard way. This mama gig is no joke! Xo,” commented one follower.
Another shared her experiences with her four kids: “I would suggest that if your baby is super colicky… stay away from leafy greens, any type of veggie that can potentially cause gas, like broccoli, certain types of lettuce, cabbage, brussels sprouts… all of that can work completely against a teeny tiny baby tummy.”
It’s true – there are particular foods that your baby’s tummy is not quite ready to handle just yet. And chances are, it’s exactly the kinds of foods that may leave you feeling uneasy.
Foods to avoid while breastfeeding
Rule of thumb: If it makes you feel gassy, it may do the same for your baby because traces of what you eat could end up in your milk. It’s not always the case, but it’s good to have a balanced diet anyway, and stay away from processed food, says lactation consultant Dr Nan Jolly, so your baby can get a variety of micronutrients.
If your baby is colicky, check if it could be something you're eating. Below we’ve listed a few foods, along with Brussels sprouts, that may be causing a colicky baby:
- Cruciferous vegetables (i.e. brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, etc. will most probably make you, and your baby, gassy)
- Other vegetables such a legumes, beans, peanuts, peas, garlic, onions and mushrooms (as they too can cause gas)
- Dairy and wheat (as your little one may have an intolerance for diary and wheat and a diagnosed digestive disorder or allergy)
- Curries (particularly very hot ones that can cause reflux, even for you)
- Caffeine
- Chocolate
- Fruits and citrus
Read more from Dr Nan and what to eat and not to eat while breastfeeding here.
While these foods may cause colic for some, all moms don’t have to give up their kale chips and spicy foods. Baby Center suggests avoiding these foods for a few days and once your little one seems to be getting better, reintroduce them slowly to test out the theory. Because despite what you may read on the internet, the Brussels sprouts could very will have nothing to do Banks’s colic.
As Dr Nan explains, “I think that once in the dim past, a baby reacted to a food that a mother ate. She told her neighbour and that neighbour put it on, say, Facebook. There is often a grain of truth in a myth – but one grain isn’t a beach!”
Chat back
Did you have a colicky baby? Did changing your diet help your little one? Send your advice to make new parents' lives smoother and we may publish them.
