It's possible for your breastfed baby to have an allergic reaction or sensitivity to something you eat or drink. Foods like beans, broccoli, cauliflower, or some dairy products can cause fussiness, gassiness, or colicky behavior in some babies.
Brassica veggies (such as cauliflower, broccoli or brussels sprouts) can sometimes give your baby gas. Signs of an infant allergy or sensitivity to something you're eating include: stomach upset (diarrhea, green stools with mucus or blood, vomiting)
In addition, it is common for mothers to be warned to avoid “gassy foods” such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli. Eating such foods can cause gas in the mother's bowel; however, gas and fiber do not pass into breast milk.
Fiber-rich foods like broccoli, and cauliflower, certain fruits like prunes, pears, and things like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and garlic may all cause fussiness in your baby.
Garlic and onions - avoid veggies including garlic, onions, cabbage, turnips, broccoli, and beans as they are commonly associated with affecting a mother's breastmilk and can increase colic in a baby's tummy.
In the case of breastfed infants, traces of gas-producing cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and others) from the mother's diet may be passed on to the baby through the milk, causing stomach discomfort.
Cabbage, broccoli, and other “gassy” foods.
If your baby is naturally gassy anyway, consuming these foods when breastfeeding can make them especially uncomfortable.
Highly allergenic foods can be passed through your breast milk. Strawberries are a highly allergenic food, MedlinePlus reports, which means that they can cause an allergic reaction if you eat them and then nurse your infant shortly afterward.
For breastfed babies, gas might be caused by eating too fast, swallowing too much air or digesting certain foods. Babies have immature GI systems and can frequently experience gas because of this. Pains from gas can make your baby fussy, but intestinal gas is not harmful.
Foods That Might Cause Gas in Breastfed Babies
"It may take up to two or three days for food to be completely out of your system," says Dr. Shu.
Broccoli is quite literally bursting with goodness from vitamin C, vitamin K to calcium and most importantly iron, which is necessary for the healthy growth and development of your baby.
Broccoli is not a good first meal for babies because it can induce indigestion and gas. As a result, please offer it to your baby in moderation. Start with simple broccoli, baby food like puree when introducing it to your kid.
Typical gassy foods include broccoli, cabbage, beans, cauliflower or spicy foods. Some people also think dairy makes their babies gassy for others it's caffeine, although there is no evidence for that. Each baby is different so it's possible.
There are lots of reasons why a breastfed baby might sometimes seem unhappy or fussy such as being hungry, having allergies, sensory processing issues or lactose overload and more.
If breast milk is causing problems for your baby, you'll notice that their fussiness occurs rather predictably after feeding time. This happens because digesting milk after a meal causes your baby's discomfort to worsen, and red-faced, grimacing cries are likely to result.
Foods and drinks to avoid while breastfeeding
Caffeine passes into breastmilk, so large amounts of tea, coffee and cola drinks are best avoided. Drinking small amounts of drinks with caffeine (3 or less drinks a day) should not be a problem. Alcohol also passes into breastmilk and can affect your baby.
Avocado. This superfood is great for many things, and breastfeeding is one of them. The omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and omega-9 fatty acids in avocados help you to produce super rich breast milk for your little one.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower are high in sulfur and can cause bloating and gas. Try some of these vegetables to see if they are easier to digest: carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, zucchini, green beans, celery and squash.
Lemon juice with meals can also be helpful. And limiting high-fat foods can reduce bloating and discomfort and help the stomach to empty faster, allowing gases to move more readily into the small intestine. You can also try taking Beano before eating your broccoli.
Things Your Child Should Avoid Eating or Drinking
Children should avoid certain kinds of foods when they have diarrhea, including fried foods, greasy foods, processed or fast foods, pastries, donuts, and sausage. Avoid giving children apple juice and full-strength fruit juices, as they can loosen stool.