Mercy Pediatrician, Dr. Ashanti Woods, Discusses Effect of High Sugar Levels in Breast Milk. Mothers who consume large amounts of sugar could be passing the added sugar to their infants through breast milk, which could hamper the child's cognitive development.
Michael Goran, PhD
Added sugars should be no more than 5%-10% of daily calories, which is not much. That's why it's best to minimize consumption of sugary beverages.
Candies, sweets, and desserts taste great, but they are just empty calories. They're not the kind of healthy calories that you need while you're breastfeeding. You can enjoy chips, cookies, and ice cream every so often, but moderation is the key.
Increasing sugar and fat intake in a controlled short-term feeding study acutely affected breast milk composition. Increasing sugar intake significantly increased breast milk triglycerides and to a greater extent than increasing fat intake.
A mother is described who observed her babies becoming restless during nursing whenever she had eaten foods containing sugar. The problem ceased almost instantly when she adopted a sugar‐free diet. The extensive literature on sugar, physical and mental illness and behavioural problems was reviewed.
High simple sugar intake during gestation may contribute to an excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) as well as to develop other pregnancy complications such as GDM, preeclampsia and preterm birth.
One of the most direct routes by which infants may be exposed to fructose and other sugars is through breastfeeding.
Besides promoting growth of the bifido strain, they also serve as decoys for noxious bacteria that might attack the infant's intestines. The sugars are very similar to those found on the surface of human cells, and are constructed in the breast by the same enzymes.
Sugar cravings can be a result of being low in vitamins which is common in new mums due to lack of sleep and adjusting to be a new parent, so consider taking a multivitamin to keep your vitamin levels high. Trick your body into thinking it's having something sweet by adding spices to your food.
Sugar cravings while breastfeeding are signals from the body that we need nutrients. Hunger and cravings tend to consume new mommies to the point where they are in survival mode. This causes reactionary eating, based on intense feelings and hunger.
You should avoid caffeine, fish with high mercury levels, artificial sweeteners and alcohol when breastfeeding. As in pregnancy, what you eat while breastfeeding is passed on to your baby.
It also contains anandamide and two related compounds that stimulate cannabinoid receptors, tryptophan, and polyphenols. [1,2] All of these compounds are detectable in breastmilk in small amounts. Low intake of chocolate by a nursing mother is not problematic, but extreme amounts can affect the infant.
Under normal conditions, breast milk will have a characteristic aroma that is slightly greasy, pale in taste, not too salty or sweet. If you taste something different (fishy, sour, unpleasant smell ..), the milk may have been spoiled, and the nutrition in the milk is no longer guaranteed.
The average mom exclusively breastfeeds for the baby's first 6 months and then gradually introduces other food while continuing to breastfeed for 2 years or longer. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months after birth.
It typically takes 2-8 hours for breast milk to be clear of food allergens after ingestion. Ingested food allergens do not always make their way to breast milk.
How does sugar affect children's health and development? Studies show a negative impact on academic performance, learning and memory. Children experience metabolic outcomes like fatty liver disease, diabetes, heart disease and inflammatory conditions like asthma, acne and even gout.
Even if your child sleeps all night, too much sugar could be causing less deep, restorative sleep. Children do 75% of their growth and brain development during sleep, so that deep sleep is very important. Aside from that, too much sugar (and consequently less deep sleep) can result in a sluggish child during the day.
You don't need to eat anything special while you're breastfeeding. But it's a good idea for you, just like everyone else, to eat a healthy diet.
To get the nutrients you need while breastfeeding, follow a healthy eating routine [PDF - 1.9 MB]. Choose a mix of healthy foods you enjoy from each food group, including: Whole fruits — like apples, berries, oranges, mango, and bananas.
A baby may be more active about an hour after the mother eats. This is because of the increase in sugar (glucose) in the mother's blood. Fetal movement normally increases during the day with peak activity late at night.
Foods like beans, broccoli, cauliflower, or some dairy products can cause fussiness, gassiness, or colicky behavior in some babies. Foods like cow's milk, soy, wheat, corn, oats, eggs, nuts and peanuts, and fish or shellfish are common allergy-causing foods.