Dipo Olowookere
By Adeniyi Ogunfowoke
You spent the last nine months streamlining what you eat and drink in order to ensure that what you put in your stomach does not affect your baby’s development. Now that you are nursing your baby, you still have to be careful of what you eat.
It is, therefore, essential that mothers maintain regular meals when breastfeeding to acquire important nutrients and also to increase their breast milk. Regardless, Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency shares some foods women should avoid while breastfeeding.
Fish
You don’t need to abandon fish completely, but you need to be selective about what types of seafood you eat. Some fishes can be high in mercury, which can find its way into your milk supply. So, before you eat any fish especially the packaged ones, ensure it does not have mercury.
Alcohol
Alcohol can get into your breast milk and can negatively affect your child. It is advisable to avoid it but if you have to drink, it will take 1-2 hours for it to dissolve. That means you have to wait for that number of hours if you do not want to feed your baby with breast milk mixed with alcohol. Just don’t drink alcohol.
Caffeine
For women who love coffee, they have to wait after breastfeeding before they resume drinking it. It’s important to know that caffeine also finds its way into your breast milk. If this is the case, your baby’s body will be unable to process the caffeine as quickly as an adult’s body. You do not want to keep your baby awake.
Garlic and ginger
Garlic and ginger can smell in your breast milk. If you find that your baby is reluctant to nurse, it may be because you have eaten garlic or ginger.
Dairy products
Normally, breastfeeding your baby with milk or other dairy products in the early stages of breastfeeding is not encouraged. It can affect the full development of your baby. So, you should avoid downing milk or any other dairy products.
Adeniyi Ogunfowoke is a PR Associate at Jumia Travel
