9 Things You Can’t Do While Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is essential for the baby and provides the baby with the nutrients he needs to grow, and offers protection against infections, allergies, and other problems.

You can’t breastfeed perfectly all the time, but you can take steps to ensure you’re giving your baby the best possible start.

Here are some things that are not recommended while breastfeeding:

Avoid smoking

Smoking it’s never a good idea to smoke especially if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. If you smoke, the best thing for you and your baby is to quit smoking entirely. Avoid secondhand smoke as well, since it can be harmful to your baby.

Drinking liquor 

Consuming alcohol while breastfeeding can affect your milk supply, causing it to decrease or dry up altogether.

Alcohol also passes through breast milk to the baby, potentially causing developmental issues and other problems. Avoiding alcohol consumption while breastfeeding is always the safest option.

Take birth control pills

Birth control pills contain estrogen, which can reduce your milk supply. Even if they don’t interfere with your production, they could affect the taste and smell of your milk.

You should talk to your doctor about the best option for you if you’re breastfeeding and looking for a birth control method.

Consuming Certain Herbs

Herbs like sage and peppermint may cause colic-like symptoms in your baby. In general, it’s best not to eat anything with strong flavors while breastfeeding, just to be safe.

If you notice that something you eat seems to upset your baby’s stomach, stop eating it while you’re nursing.

Not taking care of yourself.

The most important thing that new moms need to do is take care of themselves, both their physical health and their mental health.

It’s easy to forget about yourself when you have a newborn in the house, but it’s important to eat right, get enough sleep, exercise every day if possible, and keep up with friends and family as often as you can.

Even going out for a walk in the fresh air each day will help you feel better. Think of yourself first, if you aren’t healthy and happy it will affect your ability to care for your baby.

Ignoring your health

If you notice any changes in how your breasts look or feel, see a doctor right away, this could be a sign that something is wrong. If one breast becomes red, feels warm, or looks swollen it could be infected (mastitis.

Using pacifier

While it might seem like a good idea to use a pacifier for your baby, it is not recommended. A pacifier can interfere with breastfeeding and also affect the natural development of your baby’s mouth.

Avoid lying down to breastfeed

Lying down encourages the baby to fall asleep while breastfeeding. This can make him feel uncomfortable when you want him to breastfeed in a sitting position later on.

It also makes it difficult for you to ensure that he is drinking enough milk from your breasts rather than just suckling on your nipples in a bid to get comfort and security.

When angry or depressed

When you are angry or depressed, your body produces stress hormones which will be passed on to the baby through the breast milk and make him irritable and cranky too.

Using strong creams

If you use certain strong creams on your body, there is a chance that these ingredients could be passed on to the infant through breast milk. It is best to avoid such creams when you are breastfeeding so that your baby stays safe.

You May Also Like