I did some research on common foods that have been found to cause a fussy or colicky reaction in breastfed babies. Here is what I came up with!!!
- Beans
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Cabbage
- Caffeine
- Cauliflower
- Citrus/acidic fruits- oranges, cherries, grapefruit, lemons, pineapples, kiwi, strawberries
- Chocolate
- Corn and Corn Syrup
- Cucumbers
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Hot peppers, Green Peppers, Red Peppers, Orange Peppers, Yellow Peppers
- Iron supplements
- Medicines
- Onions
- Peanuts
- Shellfish
- Soy and tofu
- Spicy food
- Tomato
- Wheat
- Garlic, Pepper, Red Pepper, Cinnamon, Chili, Curry
- Fish
- Food additives
Only mothers of babies with family histories of serious food allergies should maintain a list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding.
Contrary to common belief, food allergies are fairly uncommon and according to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, less than 5% of the population has a true food allergy.
Over 90% of food allergies are caused by 9 foods; cow-milk products, soy, shellfish, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, egg whites, citrus fruits, and food additives.
Most people who think they have a food allergy actually have a food intolerance.
Some studies support that a young breastfed baby can become sensitized to allergens in breastmilk. Babies born to allergic parents have a greater chance of becoming allergic to the same foods. If your baby is sensitive to something in your diet, there will probably be other symptoms in addition to fussiness, such as excessive spitting up or vomiting, colic, rash or persistent congestion. If you are able to calm your fussy baby with more frequent nursing it is probably not food-related.
Breastfeeding is a great way to prevent or decrease allergy symptoms. Breast milk fights allergies by coating the insides of the intestines which makes it difficult for foreign substances to leak into the gut. Breastfed babies are only exposed to what the mother eats and secretes in her milk.
Hi Erin,
Thanks for posting this. Many moms aren’t aware that the foods they eat can be the cause of their baby’s distress. I went through this myself – I have a history of allergies so it doesn’t surprise me, but it has been difficult anyway. I am still breastfeeding (11 months now) but he also eats a lot of solid food so not as often.
It seemed like I couldn’t eat every much – I had to cut out all dairy, eggs, soy and wheat + gassy veggies and spices, etc. for a long time. I am now eating eggs, butter and raw dairy but no gluten, regular dairy products or soy. I can also eat somewhat spicy food and it doesn’t bother him.
The main thing that started helping me was planning my meals ahead of time. I now have a menu planning service for people who are allergic to dairy, gluten and soy because I found these to be the top on the list for most people.
I think if more moms were aware of this, they would be able to continue breastfeeding instead of going to formula. In my case, as soon as I cut out these foods, his colic completely stopped! Imagine the relief of mom’s if they knew this.
I also realize it is hard to stick to the diet though – some moms just can’t do it because they don’t know what else to eat and don’t have time to plan. But my hope is to help moms and other people with food allergies eat better by planning meals for them.
Anyway, thanks again. I appreciated reading this.
sincerely,
sarah