healthy diet (one excluding excessive chocolate consumption) when BF

[thereisalightanditnevergoesout]

I have a 2 week old, and feeding's going OK. He feeds in 10 minute 'bursts', falls asleep, wakes up with wind/tummy pains, burps and needs feeding again. This can happen 4 or 5 times until he's properly full.

He's a bit sicky & I'm wondering if it is reflux (he's remarkably similar feeding-wise to DD2, who had reflux for 4 months). It ended at 4 months just after I had some advice about feeding positions (I have a very fast let-down), I was tandem feeding her older sister at the time, too. I also started her on solids around this time, and started doing the colic routine from baby massage around this time too.

But, perhaps most sigificantly, I gave up chocolate. I was eating lots and, I read, it has a similar effect as drinking a lot of coffee on a baby.

And I'm finding, I'm increasingly on the search for sugary snacks (but mainly chocolate) this time round too.

Does anyone have a good, easy to follow plan for a breastfeeding 'diet' (or a book/website) - and when I say diet, I really don't mean the weight loss kind - I mean a proper, sensible plan so that I have proper meals and healthy snacks and don't have those blood sugar highs and dips that send me off in search of the kids' snacks. And preferably one I don't have to think too hard about.

Thanks

Where have you read that chocolate has the same effect as coffee, though?

There is a very small literature that suggests that a very small number of babies might be affected by their mother's very large coffee consumption.

The amount of caffeine in chocolate is very small compared with, say, a double espresso.

However, if you want to stop eating choc, then do so :)

Diet has very little effect on breastfeeding - no effect on quality, no effect on quantity.

If you are looking for a healthy diet for yourself, you don't have to do anything different just 'cos of bf.

:)

Hi tiktok - it was in the big folder from La Leche League that the HVs have/had at our breastfeeding cafe - and I spoke at length with a lactation consultant at the time.

It was a theory regarding DD2 more than any hard and fast evidence. Much of her 'symptoms' seem to fit.

Yes - you are right, if I want to stop eating chocolate, then I can stop. I sometimes find it easier to have a plan to follow, though - but maybe that's just me.

Thanks :)

Crikey, I was still living off nutrigrain bars and banana milkshakes when DD was 2 weeks old! I wouldn't worry too much about cravings now, your hormones will still be all over the place.

That's OK then - I feel a bit more reassured. I'd forgotten how desperately hungry you get. I've pretty much eaten all the kids' Christmas chocolate and a big multipack of crisps in the last couple of days. The children are looking quite tasty, too...

And mmmmmm banana milkshakes...

In response to tiktok I also read in the big LLL book that cutting out saturated fats may help prevent blocked ducts, though I think they were just saying it in a 'some people think it helps' kind of way. Fortunately I haven't had them in a while and didn't have to resort to cutting them out. Does what you eat really not have any effect?

Which big LLL book is it? I want to read what it says now.

thereisalight, I've been struggling for months now with what seemed initially to be oversupply. That's now reasonably well controlled but we're still getting manky green mucus nappies, wind and disturbed sleep. It's getting worse. I'm wondering about chocolate because I've tried dairy exclusion before to no avail. The other thing could be wheat :(. You have my sympathy - chocolate's just what's needed when struggling with a cranky baby!

I have given up coffee / tea and chocolate too - after a few experiments I am convinced they upset my 2 month old. Am avoiding broccoli too as this seemed to have a bad effect (not so sure about that one though).

I am eating a lot of biscuits and cake to get my sugar fix! Also decaf tea and coffee - I guess they are ok?

Watching this thread closely as would love to get some diet advice.

The thing is, fromhere, there's no list of foods which all babies react to. Most are fine with everything. And in terms of a good diet for BFing, the milk quality isn't affected by diet so you can eat all the shit you like! thereis, what about oatcakes and cheese, flapjacks, yogurt, bananas, dried apricots, cereal, muffins, pate on toast? All tasty snacky things which should fill you up better than sweets. :)

Way back when we were expecting DD1, the MWs said that cruciferous veg (is that right? cabbage, broccoli and sprouts etc) are really bad for giving babies upset tummies.

And I also found with DD1, if I ate things with lots of garlic in, she had an upset tummy.

I just feel that there's got to be a better way of managing the hunger than chocolate/biscuits/cakes etc.

I think decaffeinated stuff is fine.

doricpatter - they sound like great suggestions - and sound like they have a low GI which will probably help stabilise sugar levels.

And when I said boccoli etc is 'really bad...' I realise I should've said 'can be bad...'

There is so much anecdote and not much actual research in this whole area - I think it is ludicrous for midwives to tell mothers not to eat entire categories of veg, for instance.

Personal experience is going to influence people a lot, and if you have found a link between Food X and a baby's digestive upset, then you may want to avoid it - just in case!

Bumperlicious - cutting out saturated fats in an attempt to stop repeated blocked ducts has no real evidence base AFAIK, and no plausability either, but if someone is plagued by blocked ducts I suppose it's worth a try.

Caffeine is more plausible than any of this, because we do know that caffeine can reach the breastmilk.

Also if you get time to prep some carrot and peppers in the morning, dipping them in hummous is good!

How about following a sensible low GI diet, but increasing portion sizes so its not about weight loss. That would be v healthy. Loads of low GI diet books around.

You know, few hours ago, I started writing a post about low GI foods then wandered off and forgot - but yes, I think a GI diet is exactly what's needed!! :)