New/Nutrition/5 Gassy Vegetables to Avoid while Breastfeeding

A popular phrase - Physiologie du Gout, ou Meditations de Gastronomie Transcendante (1826)-roughly translates as ‘tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are'. It indicates that you must eat healthful and appropriate food to be mentally and physically fine. Eating becomes even more important when you have given birth because there is another life which depends on you to stay alive. Usually, the new mothers are advised about the foods they should and should not eat while breastfeeding. If they do not oblige, it might impact the health of the infant since the nutrition is derived from the mother’s body. A mother compromising with her diet to nourish her baby tells us about her nature as well. Vegetables to avoid while breastfeeding are listed below.

Here are certain vegetables to avoid while breastfeeding:

1. Raw Cabbage:

Raw cabbage is a colick inducing food which causes gastric issues in newborns. Doctors do not suggest completely blocking cabbage from your diet, though they suggest that its intake should be regulated. If a new mother wants to include cabbage in her diet, then the intake should happen in less amount. Also, the cabbage should be properly cooked.

2. Cauliflower:

Cauliflower is another infamous vegetable which is often avoided by breastfeeding mothers. It is never stated that nursing ladies cannot eat ‘gassy’ or ‘colick-inducing’ foods; although the amount should be regulated.

3. Broccoli:

Every human is different, so are their little versions. Babies tend to react differently to different foods which are consumed by their mothers; so, not all babies will fall prey to gas with their mother’s milk. However, it is suggested to avoid broccoli as it takes time to digest and often causes gas.

4. Onions:

Once again, onions are essential for a fulfilling diet. They make a massive portion of the vegetables which people consume on a daily basis. However, it is said that too much of anything is bad. Excessive consumption of onions causes skin hives with intense itching, eye infection, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, eczema, gasping and bloating in lactating mothers. The secret to a happy baby is to eat in moderation.

5. Tomatoes:

Any food with acidic nature should be consumed in less quantity lest it causes trouble to the infant. Mothers should reduce the number of tomatoes in their diet until they are breastfeeding and go back to the old routine once the babies are weaned off.

Why Doctors List Vegetables to Avoid while Breastfeeding?

Once the gestation period is over, many women think that the dietary restrictions are lifted. However, they forget that this is not true in most of the cases. The actual task of a new mother is to provide nutrition to the infant. Since the milk produced is a direct product of her body and is responsible for providing nourishment to the newborn, it is important that she eats proper food. While there might be some women who are not affected by whatever food they eat, there are many who must avoid certain foods. Thus, nutritional concerns of breastfeeding mothers are carefully dealt with by the doctors.

The Connection between Food, Love and Spirituality

Pregnancy is a magical time when you learn to love someone who is not even present in front of you. The love becomes a realisation when the baby finally takes birth. The child is a figment of a woman's mind unless it becomes a reality. During gestation, women are supposed to take certain precautions for the safety of their unborn child. Some sail through the period of gestation smoothly, some don't. Often, women are relieved after childbirth because they make a lot of sacrifices concerning diet and comfort, and are compelled to stay away from their favourite foods.

Food has a direct relation with the mind and spirit. We love it, we want it, taste it, we derive pleasure from it, we yearn for it, and we derive energy from it. If a woman puts her baby's need before her taste-buds, she rejects temporary pleasures. If that does not count as love then what else does?