What should breastfeeding mothers eat to prevent colic?

Understanding Colic in Infants
Colic is a common yet distressing condition affecting many infants, characterized by prolonged periods of crying and apparent discomfort. While the exact cause of colic remains elusive, research suggests that a breastfeeding mother’s diet can significantly influence her baby’s digestive health and potentially mitigate colic symptoms.
Key Dietary Considerations for Breastfeeding Mothers
To help prevent colic in breastfed infants, mothers should focus on a balanced diet that emphasizes whole, nutrient-rich foods. This includes:
– Fruits and Vegetables: A variety of colorful fruits and vegetables should be staples in a breastfeeding mother’s diet. These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are essential for both maternal health and the quality of breast milk.
– Whole Grains: Incorporating whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat bread can provide necessary energy and nutrients. Whole grains are also beneficial for digestive health.
– Lean Proteins: Sources of lean protein, such as chicken, turkey, fish, and legumes, are crucial for recovery and overall health. They also contribute to the nutritional quality of breast milk.
– Low-Fat Dairy: Including low-fat dairy products can help ensure adequate calcium intake, which is important for both the mother and the developing infant.
Foods to Avoid
While a healthy diet is vital, certain foods may exacerbate colic symptoms in infants. Mothers should consider limiting or avoiding:
– Cow’s Milk and Dairy Products: Some studies indicate a correlation between the consumption of cow’s milk by breastfeeding mothers and increased colic symptoms in infants. This suggests that dairy may be allergenic for some babies.
– Cruciferous Vegetables: Foods like broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts can lead to increased gas production, which may contribute to discomfort in infants.
– Beans and Legumes: Similar to cruciferous vegetables, beans can cause bloating and gas, potentially affecting the baby.
– Spicy Foods and Caffeine: Spicy foods and caffeine may irritate some infants, leading to increased fussiness and crying episodes.
Hydration and Overall Wellness
In addition to focusing on specific foods, breastfeeding mothers should prioritize hydration. Drinking plenty of water is essential for maintaining milk supply and overall health. Staying well-hydrated can also help in the digestion process, which is beneficial for both mother and baby.
Conclusion
While colic can be a challenging experience for both infants and their parents, a thoughtful approach to diet can play a significant role in alleviating symptoms. By focusing on a balanced intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy, while avoiding potential irritants like cow’s milk and gas-producing foods, breastfeeding mothers can help create a more soothing environment for their babies. Ultimately, every infant is unique, and it may take some experimentation to identify which dietary changes yield the best results.

Is my breast milk causing colic?

Other foods that your breastfed baby may react to include nuts, soy, eggs, caffeine, garlic, spicy foods, and shellfish. You do not need to stop nursing. Breastfeeding is not a cause of colic, and babies who are fed infant formula get colic, too. Switching to formula may not help and may even make the situation worse.

What foods make breastfed babies gassy?

Many mothers have reported foods such as kale, spinach, beans, onions, garlic, peppers or spicy foods cause infant gas, while many babies tolerate these foods just fine.

Why avoid strawberries while breastfeeding?

A quart or more of orange juice or a diet heavy in seasonal fruits such as strawberries, melons or cherries have been associated with diarrhea and colicky symptoms in some infants. Foods containing many preservatives, additives or dyes have been associated with signs of discomfort in some babies.

Can mother’s diet affect colic?

The preliminary data suggest a correlation between infantile colic in breastfed infants and their mother’s consumption of cow’s milk and allergenic products (evidence level A). Use of hypoallergenic diets by breastfeeding mothers may help to reduce colicky symptoms in some infants.

How to make breast milk less gassy?

What are the treatments for breastfed baby gas?

1. Burp frequently. Adding a few extra burps to feeding times is typically an easy adjustment to make.
2. Turn to tummy time.
3. Perform baby massage.
4. Bicycle their legs.
5. Feed while baby’s upright.
6. Check your latch.
7. Try to reduce baby’s crying.
8. Consider over-the-counter remedies.

What is the 3-3-3 rule for colic?

The most commonly accepted definition of colic, which originated in 1954,4 describes using the “rule of three”: crying for more than three hours per day, for more than three days per week, and for more than three weeks in an infant that is well-fed and otherwise healthy.

What to eat while breastfeeding to avoid colic?

Vegetables

• Avocado.
• Beets.
• Sprouts.
• Celery.
• Corn.
• Carrots.
• Pumpkin.
• Sweet Potato.

How do I know if my breastmilk is upsetting my baby’s stomach?

If symptoms occur such as fussiness, irritability, crying, gas, increased spitting up and/or drawing their legs up due to tummy pain, write down everything you ate that day. This lets you carefully look at your diet instead of getting rid of foods that may not be the cause of your baby’s distress.

What foods get rid of colic?

There are also some foods that will encourage a healthy gut and can help prevent symptoms of colic. These include apples, pears, asparagus, carrot, celery, kale, corn, bananas, papaya, celery, beetroot, pumpkin, zucchini, mushrooms, teas (chamomile, dandelion, fennel and cardamom), bone broths and apple cider vinegar.

How do you stop colic in breastfed babies?

These are some of the tried and tested techniques that other parents use to relieve colic symptoms in breastfed babies.

1. Burping. Burp (or wind) your baby during and after every feed – have a look at burping your baby for techniques.
2. Sit your baby up. Sit your baby up as straight as possible while feeding.
3. Attachment.
4. Diet.