Don't eat cabbage when breastfeeding? Seriously?

[cocolacocotte]

Hi all,

my midwife has put me on the 'at risk' list for gestational diabetes so today I was "invited" (read, forced) to attend an 'educational seminar' with a nurse, a dietitian and a midwife this morning.

The whole thing was a complete shambles and I was particularly worried about some of the dietary "advice" given out and about the fact that the midwife clearly stated that the ONLY risks to GD are a high birth-weight and a possible need for glucose monitoring for the first three days for the baby. As I was put on the at risk list due to a large number of diabetics in my family, I know enough about the subject to be uncomfortable with some of the things that were said and have decided to write a letter to the hospital.

As I was making a list of the things that bothered me, I remembered that the dietitian told us that if we want to breastfeed, we should avoid cabbage and artichokes as they will give a funny taste to our milk and the baby won't want to drink it. Now, I've heard this bandied around before but usually by the same little old ladies who tell me to eat a slice of raw liver or drink a glass of guiness every day so I've always written it off as an old wive's tale. Is there actually any truth to this? I hope not because I LOVE cabbage and artichokes

Either way, I won't be including this particular gem in my letter but it intrigued me enough to question the collective wisdom of Mumsnet. Am I going to have to give up my steamed lemon cabbage and 4 seasons pizza?

I think it might be food they advise you to avoid if your baby seems to suffer with wind. I've eaten cabbage and had no problems. I've never been told to avoid any foods since I started breastfeeding.

No! It's quite old fashioned advice that certain foods must be avoided (alcohol included).

Some women find that some foods seem to affect their babies. Anecdotally, from reading on here, it can be anything, and it can be different for every mum and baby. Also, babies can behave differently every day, and be "fussy" for hundreds of different reasons.

All that said, DD seemed spectacularly whingy if I ate lots of chickpeas or dried apricots. I don't understand the science at all, as milk is made from blood, not from your stomach, and I don't believe that chickpeas have me bubbly blood ... I suspect it was a co incidence really, but it was ok great sacrifice to limit those two foods for a few months.

Do complain about the content if you felt it was inappropriate. Nothing changes unless someone raises their hand.

its bullhockey. There is no mechanism at all in your body for foods you eat to have such effects in your milk. If cabbage makes you fart, thats because of the build up of gases in your digestive system. Your breasts and the milk in them is not connected to your digestive system.
It's all outdated horseshit.

Is it about funny taste? I assume I haven't miseead? I'm eating lots of cabbage at the moment because it's winter and I eat lots of greens. I'm nursing a 4mo. Poor DD2 is used to this funny taste I guess

Oddly at our antenatal class on breastfeeding yesterday the MW told a story of someone who'd been told cabbage leaves were good for sore breasts. She reported back that she'd not noticed any improvements in her breasts but that her wee was smelly -turned out she was eating it rather than putting them in her bras (apparently you should freeze them first).

Hi- I found by DTs were v upset by not just cabbage but any brassica- it's only when you can't eat a whole class of ver you realise how much you like it! OTOH, neither of my Dss were remotely bothered, so from my small sample I'd say there's a 50% of your LO having a reaction.
they were fine to eat them themselves when older though.

I read yesterday that the milk is made from our blood/part of the blood make up rather than stomach content. I even discovered you can drink alcohol whilst BF also as long as you're within recommended unit limits

The wind thing is an old wives tale, it isn't possible for cabbage/beans/fizzy drinks eaten by the mother to cause wind in a baby.

It is possible for strong tasting things to flavour the milk, but most babies won't care so it's silly to avoid anything pre-emptively.

I was advised by our osteopath to avoid broccoli, leeks, bananas, pasta and fizzy drinks - the food because of the type of carbohydrate in them and fizzy drinks because of something in them (I think it may be the carbon dioxide). May be coincidence but I noticed a difference in ds especially with fizzy drinks and a few times I had spicy food.

I spoke to my gp and health visitors. The explanation I was given was that macroscopic food particles do get in the milk. This was the same reason I was given when I was asking for a contraceptive pill. I was given one type and told the others would end up being breastfed to the baby. What you have to remember is that the food is digested in your small intestine. Sucked into the blood stream I would assume. In that process some particles can get through.

I would assume it's the same way hair dye is advised against When pregnant because in the urine samples taken traces of dye is found. This would have had to pass through your body.

With liver is more about vitamin A with the possibility of being harmful to unborn child.

I would rather be careful about alcohol rather than guess whether it would harm my child or not.

I was told by a health visitor that the reason for my baby's green poo was that I'd been eating cabbage. Totally lost confidence in her after that.

kellymom has plenty of accurate evidence-based info.
Likewise the contraceptive pill the combined pill isn't recommended because the oestrogen can impact on supply (nothing to do with getting into the milk)

Did you call in just to pass that judgement Deb?

From that link:
'Is there a list of foods that I should avoid while breastfeeding?

There are NO foods that a mother should avoid simply because she is breastfeeding. It is generally recommended that you eat whatever you like, whenever you like, in the amounts that you like and continue to do this unless you notice an obvious reaction in your baby to a particular food. There is no such thing as a “LIST OF FOODS THAT BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS SHOULD NOT EAT” because most nursing moms can eat anything they want, and because the babies who are sensitive to certain foods are each unique – what bothers one may not bother another. If you have a family history of allergies and think your baby might be allergic, you might want to avoid certain foods, but again, this would be different for every child.'

There was a study out recently that I will try to link that completely poo pooed this idea. As others have said breast milk is not made from the contents of your stomach and with regards to alcohol the amount of chemical that would get into the milk is trace - minuscule. Eat what you want and drink what you like. The biggest danger of drinking whilst bf-ing is spilling some surely the same as for ff making sure you are safe co sleeping and being too out of it to respond to the baby. So obviously no one is saying get hammered but a normal drink? Wine with dinner? Gin snd tonic? Cabbage? No probs! According to this report and my own experience.

It is safe to dye your hair in pregnancy and I did so during both of mine

Nope! Not passing judgement. Just being honest on what I would do. Each to there own. I would assume the reason for this posting was not for everyone to agree with everybody. If it were so there would be no point in sharing experiences because we would know what everybody is going to say.
I believed my gp about the pill and I believed him. And through posting my thoughts on here. I have now learnt something else.

I breast fed mine for two years each, no way would I have done so if I had felt I couldn't drink!

We all know this studies change faster than the British weather. You can't deny that. Everything you eat or drink have been written about to improve your health one week and kill you the next. News papers have some study every now and then.

Apologies Deb - I didn't see your previous contribution. I thought you'd just said that one phrase! I'll get back in my box

Apology accepted.

Cabbage might make you fart and scare your baby while nursing? The only things I avoided during breastfeeding were more than one drink a day and fish that are high in mercury. OK, I avoided liver, but I always do because I hate it. My DD was, once she got the hang of it, always enthusiastic about nursing.

Am still breast feeding my 14 month old. The only food I avoided late in the evening were chocolate and tea. I know the effects it has on my little girl. The only alcohol I have is in cooked food. This is a choice I have made.

I agree the papers always give conflicting advice and every five minutes a new thing gives you cancer, but this was a scientific journal peer reviewed etc as it also chimed with my worldview I also went with it! But as with anything it's personal choice. The benefits if breast feeding are well researched so best to do what makes that particular choice work for you.