Pregnancy tips How Do Foods Affect Breastmilk?

While I was nursing my daughter, I always worried about what I should or should not be eating. I never took medications (even over-the-counter) and I avoided caffeine. Here is an article that discusses how certain foods you eat can affect your nursing baby:

Breast Milk Interactions Charts

From the article - here are some common reactions to certain foods:

"Cabbage, onion, garlic, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, peppers, cucumbers, and turnips can cause gas and fussiness, which usually lasts up to 24 hours and then disappears. Cut out the offending foods in your diet (at least for the first few months of breastfeeding) until your baby's gastrointestinal tract is more developed.


Cows' milk products (such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and even butter) in your diet may cause an allergic reaction in your baby. Symptoms can appear anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours after breastfeeding and may include diarrhea, rash, fussiness, and gas or runny nose, cough, or congestion. Cut out all dairy products from your diet for two weeks to see if your baby's condition improves.
Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and tangerines are common irritants. Symptoms may include fussiness, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, hives, and sniffles. Cut out the suspect foods for about a week (long enough to get them completely out of your system). Then reintroduce one food at a time to find the culprit.
Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine that's a gastric irritant. Symptoms may include fussiness and diarrhea. Cut out the candy bars for about a week (long enough to get them completely out of your system) to see if your baby's condition improves.


Eggs, wheat, corn, fish, peanuts, nuts, and soy are allergens. Symptoms may include fussiness, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, hives, and sniffles. "Stray" proteins from some of these foods may be absorbed into your bloodstream and pass into your milk. Keep a chart of what you've been eating, and when. Cut out the suspect foods for about a week (long enough to get them completely out of your system). Then reintroduce one food at a time to find the culprit. But don't drastically alter your diet without talking to your doctor first."