Breastfeeding Diet

It does matter what you eat. Even healthy things like Peanut Butter and Broccoli made my son full of gas. It's really trial and error to find a culprit.
L.

Hi A., Here is what I found to help, advoid caffine, spicey foods, gassy foods like bean, broccoli and the such. It is really how senstive her stomache is. I had to give up my coffee so that it wouldn't upset her stomache. Hope this helps you some. D.

Wow! you've got a lot of answers. I agree with Suzanne J. It is more likely a stage because all the babies seem to go through it at the same age, 6 weeks to 3 months. I tried elimination diets with no success, it only made me feel more to blame. In fact, what I was going to suggest and was also mentioned in Suzanne J's comments is "The Happiest Baby on the Block", I borrowed the video from the Library. It was awesome! They sell it many places too. For instance, I've seen it at Baby Bliss in Northville. You could probably find it on eBay too.

I breastfed both of my babies and they were both affected differently by what I ate. Just pay attention to when she if fussy and what you may have eaten that day. Spicy foods (Mexican/Pizza), Garlic, Broccoli, Beans. Things like this can make them really gassy and have an upset tummy and at that young of an age it makes them really fussy. Also some babies have trouble with dairy products so try to limit cheese/milk/yogurt to a few small servings a day. But just pay attention to it...if it seems to bother her steer clear of it for a little while. But congrats on the new little girl and try to keep up the breastfeeding. It is the best feeling in the whole world to connect with your little one like that and it is so good for them too!

A.,

You have gotten some great advice. My son was the same way and I didn't know what to do until he was 3 years old. His allergist is wonderful and gave me the guidelines to the elimination diet. It is a great way to test at home what your child can and cannot ingest.

If after you have tried eliminating all of the gassy foods (broccoli, onions, etc) and your daughter is still colicky, then I would look at other problem foods. She may have an intolerance to eggs, soy, wheat, milk, etc.

Try eliminating these from your diet for four days (it takes that long for the foods to move chemically through your system) or even up to a week. Then reintroduce one of those foods at each meal. Such as milk. You would drink a glass of milk at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Track her responses for the next four days. If she is agitated and crying after you drink milk (or have foods that have milk products in them) at each meal you will know that she cannot tolerate cow's milk. In another week test the next possible allergen.

This process is the best and truest way to determine if someone has food intolerances. Blood work just isn't reliable enough yet to get accurate results.

Good luck!

Babies' tummies are more sensitive than ours (esp newborns), so something that may not bother your stomach could bother her. There are certain healthy foods that will cause your baby to have gas, like broccoli and others like garlic that cause irritation. Try googling something like "breastfeeding diet" and see what it tells you. Good for you for doing the healthy thing to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible.

I nursed my three kids many years ago and was a LaLeche League leader. What I can remember is, often a breasfeeding mom's diet affects her baby when she eats too much of something that could be irritating to her baby. FOr instance, the tomatoes are ripe in the garden and so the mom doesn't realize it, but she is consuming 3 tomatoes a day for 4 days in a row when before this, she might eat one or two a week. If your baby happened to have a certain sensitivity to a particular food that mom is eating she may react by crying. How much milk are you drinking? Sometimes breastfeeding babies react to milk in a mom's diet.
A mom wants nothing more than to be able to feed and comfort her baby so it is only natural that her cries are of concern to you - you are a good mom to be a detective about what you are eating.
Is she gaining weight? Is she having several wet diapers a day? Is she hungry?
I love the author of the Happiest Baby on the Block - Dr. Karp - his website is www.happiestbaby.com

Hope that is helpful.

It is important to avoid certain things and as time goes by, you will figure out the triggers. My kids struggled with tomato based sauces, broccoli, cucumbers, and pop. I ate chili once, forgetting, and paid for it all night long! It's great that you are eating so healthy, but even some of the good for you stuff can cause problems for a little tummy.

C.

Strong foods can do it or your daughter is experiencing gas. I know I was told breastfed babies don't need to be burped. I did burp her.

You seem to have gotten some really good advice, so mine might a repeat. Sorry! I did have a colicy breastfed baby and I felt like I was doing something wrong. It did end up being the dairy in my diet. It happened to a really good friend of mine also. When we removed the dairy the colic stopped. That was my daughter, but with my son it was spicy food and caffiene. So, I stopped eating those things. My caution to you is to try 1 thing at a time, or you won't know what worked and what didn't. And, like another mom, I also burped my babies and they were completely breastfed except for time at daycare; although, the bottles were made with breast milk. Enjoy your baby!
B.

All of my kids had been diagnosed with acid reflux right from birth. Do you notice your daughter eager to eat and then turn away screaming after a few seconds? Diet is critical, particularly if she has acid reflux. Dairy is a HUGE culprit for fussy babies. I have had to cut that out of my diet completely. My first 2 kids took Zantac for their reflux but my other 2 were started on Prevacid Solu-tab and it has worked wonders!!! Some babies are naturally fussy and often don't turn the corned until around 3 months.

hi, I think there are enough things to worry about as a new mother and the way it sounds you are doing what you can by eating properly. You shouldn't blame yourself, with my son I was shocked at how much he would cry when all he had to do was burp...from about 2 weeks of age till about 3 1/2 months it's the fight against gas, and most of the time just burping or doing bycycle legs is the best thing for little newbies:)

Lots of babies are just fussy for no apparent reason. It typically starts around 6 weeks and resolves by 3 months. It's referred to as colic, but doesn't really have anything to do with their tummy in most babies. Maybe this is what's going on with your little one.

My firstborn was terribly fussy. It was very stressful, because I kept feeling like it was something I was doing or not doing, but I couldn't figure it out. Lots of people gave me advise on what to avoid in my diet. I ended up going on Dr. Sears' allergy elimination diet. It cuts out everything that is a potential allergen or irritant to the GI tract. I basically lived on plain rice and potatoes for a month. The result? No difference in my son. It was clearly not diet-related. After a month of eating that way, I decided if I couldn't make my son happy by what I ate, I was at least going to make myself happy. I resumed my usual diet, and again, there was no difference in my son.

My advise would be, try eliminating a few of the most common stomach irritants from your diet. If you don't see a difference quickly (should be within a few days), it's not you. It's probably just a phase that your baby will outgrow.

I read "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and got lots of great tips for soothing my fussy baby. Dr. Karp talks about the "fourth trimester" and explains why babies tend to get fussy at the age yours is. I found it very reassuring when I was in your place.

Try not to stress out too much about it - I know it's hard when you're listening to your little one cry, but faster than you can imagine, it'll be a distant memory!

She could have allergies that you are not aware of until you remove them from your diet. I.E. you may need to try and remove dairy from your diet for ??? Days (ask your doctor) and see if the crying changes. If it doesn't, it isn't the dairy. Then try other things like wheat, caffeine, etc. Also, stay away from spicy foods if you like those - they can tell.

I have breastfed 2 babies to 1 year old and it is both healthy and economical - but you want to do so SANELY!

Good Luck - L. B

You may want to be careful about certain foods... I think I seem to recall broccoli not agreeing with my son when I was nursing. Basically, the foods that can cause 'gas' in your body can do the same for your baby as this is transferred to the milk.

By the way... If you had your baby at Beaumont, I really suggest contacting the Parenting Program. They have a great lactation consultant that was a huge support to me! Especially with what I had going on at the time with my body/ medications and the job transition. Ask for Laura Gleeson. She is wonderful, is a mom and has been there... She has mountains of information and should be able to help you also... Of course, we are available 24/7! ;)

Just watch what you are eating... I think it's great you don't eat out, that helps tons. I think I also purchased a "Breastfeeding" book from the bookstore... If you're nearby me, I'd love to pass it on to someone that will use it?
I'm in Madison Hts.

A., you're going to get a range of responses. From what I've read some babies are really sensative to what's in Mom's diet... and others aren't. Some babies have colic (why did the Doct rule that out for you?) and some are fussy for other reasons (what else in her/his environment may be causing baby to cry?) I ate (and drank) whatever I wanted and never had an issue like you describe while breastfeeding. Usually the Mom's diet has to do with giving baby "gas"... is the doct saying she's crying due to "gassy-ness"? Work on burbing techniques too. Seems like there's some other peice of this puzzle that's missing and your doct isn't being too helpful. Your instincts to keep searching for an answer are most likely correct. You're doing a good job... just keep the patience!

it is so hard to hear the little ones cry and not be able to solve it right away!! my sympathies to you. have you tried contacting a local La Leche League leader? they are very knowledgeable. http://www.llli.org/
or read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
there are a lot of reasons that babies may cry. if you do think it's food, first: don't feel guilty, just get wise. There are some foods that can make baby more fussy.
I, too, eat very healthy: vegetarian, little or no dairy (I don't drink milk, and mostly eat goat cheese, occasional yogurt), I eat a lot of fiber (beans, soy, whole grains, vegetables - lots of kale!!), and I eat a LOT of garlic. I am fortunate that my daughter can tolerate the garlic and ginger I cook with. but, babies in other cultures have been exposed to spicy foods their whole life and been fine, too.

one thing i have noticed is that burping her really cuts down on her farts. and when she does have painful gas, i lay on my back and have her lie on top of me, belly to belly. i rub her back and she usually will have a big fart and be fine again.

i recommend doing a little research, asking a le leche leader, and paying attention to what you eat and when she is fussy. you may see patterns emerging. and be aware of food allergies.

good luck and i hope you both feel better!

Diet is important, but you have to try specific foods to see if that is the culprit. Do you drink soda, colas, coffee, tea,chocolate or other caffeine? These can make the baby upset. Try eliminating these first. Do you drink enough water? Next common irritants cabbage, broccoli (great foods, but they could cause problems) The task is to take out one thing at a time, to see if there is a difference. You have to give it about 3 days though to see any difference.
One fact of life I have learned though, is that babies cry. This is what they do. Some more than others. Please do not assume it is your fault, and please do not give up breastfeeding. You might try taking the baby to a chiropractor for an adjustment. You might try the library for resources about breastfeeding. I don't know if there is an active LaLeche League anywhere nearby. If there is, join it. This wonderful group was extremely helpful to me, many years ago. I think if the doctor is suggesting it is your fault, it may mean that he can see no other reason for it, and that is good news.

It's so great that you're breastfeeding your little girl. Breastmilk is always the best thing for a baby. With my boy, the type of food never seemed to make a difference. Sometimes it can be a problem if you eat a lot of milk products if your baby has sensitivity to milk proteins. You can go to the La Leche League International website where there is lots of information about breastfeeding and diet. You can also find links to local La Leche League meetings. The one that I am a member of is the Ferndale/Oak Park group. The leaders and community are great there. They meet on the first Thursday of the month in the am. (that's today) and the first Tuesday in the evening. But the leaders are available for questions by phone at any time and you don't have to be a member. You can get their numbers from the website. Good luck to you!!!

I know a lot of people believe that certain foods are not good to eat when breastfeeding. I was given the same advise from friends. I was told to stay away from cabbage, beans, nuts, spicy food etc. My midwife gave me different advice. She told me to eat anything I wanted but to try and stay away from new foods meaning if I ate the food while pregnant it is probably okay. As for spicy food - I read that if spicy food was a cause for colic some cultures who tend to eat spicy food would have more colic babies. This is not the case.
Check out the following site by Dr Jack Newman - He created the first breastfeeding clinic at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto

http://www.drjacknewman.com/index.php?option=com_content&...

This site also has some other great article about breastfeeding.

I am forwarding your question to a woman that I know who works in this area. I can say, without a doubt, that your health is very important because you are giving it to your child -- do you take supplements? It might help. You can take a nutra-physical at my web site for free. That would give you an idea. It was created by a panel of doctors. www.marketamerica.com/thevoiceoftruth .

Good luck!

S.
____@____.com

My youngest did the same thing and had awful projectile vomiting sometimes. I did have to cut out a lot of things out of my diet - coffee, onions, broccoli, etc. There's something you're eating if her crying is a colicy cry. You can ask for a baby mylanta from your Dr.

The usual culprits that make babies cry from mama's diet are eggs, milk, chocolate, and brocolli and cauliflower. Try eliminating all of these for a few days, then eat one at a time. By process of elimination, you should find the culprit. You should also make sure you are burping her frequently. Good Luck!

A.,

My son had the same problem and after some research I cut milk (and everything that had milk in it)out of my diet. I found out that babies can have a sensitivity to milk protein. They eventually out grow it around 1. That helped quit a bit but he was also projectile spitting up after most meals and we found out he had reflux. Once we started him on the prevacid he was a whole new baby. He wasn't fussy anymore and didn't spit up like before.

Good Luck.

My first baby seemed to get fussy if I ate more than one serving of cheese in a day. Your doctor shouldn't make you feel bad. You are doing the best for your baby. I suggest you write down everything you eat for awhile and track when the baby is particularly fussy. She may just be sensitive to a certain food. Two of my four kids have food allergies, so I avoided some common allergens. ( The new thinking is that it doesn't matter though) Don't give up, the answer is probably something basic, and she will outgrow it.

My little one was that picky too! My joke was that I couldn't eat anytyhing with flavor! No Mexican, not even a hint of garlic, no cabbage, no cinnamon, no chili, no beans, no brocoli etc. Anytying with spices or that might give the baby gas was out! I would recommend cutting everytyhing out, increasing your water and dairy and see how your baby responds. Good luck!

I breast fed all of my sons. With my 1st, he seemed to cry ALL the time. Figured he had colic. But finally figured out he was allergic to the dairy (cow's milk) I was eating/drinking. Diet can play a big part when breastfeeding. Spicy foods can also affect the breast milk.
Was really careful to watch what I ate while breastfeeding. It was worth having a much less fussy, crying baby!

I have 3 children and have breastfed them all. My first I had no problems I could eat anything, my 2nd was a little more fussy but I didn't pay attention, my 3rd whom I am still breast feeding(he is 6 months) he has had more issues like fussy, eczema, cradle cap that was all over his body, baby acne real bad some friends told me they had the same problems and gave up dairy and it worked. So I gave up dairy and it has worked for me huge relief. I would try giving up dairy first it is the biggest problem for food sensitivity because of the proteins in it. You may be like me and think you do not consume much dairy but when you start paying attention it is in a lot of foods, butter, sour cream, cream cheese, cream of anything soup. It is definatly worth a try. My friends were able to add all dairy back into their diet minus milk after a few months, I have not been able to add anything but butter back in my diet as of now. I just keep trying and see how my don reacts. Best of luck to you and do not get discouraged. T.

I ate anything I wanted to eat and it didnt bother either of my kids but everyone's body is different, there are many other things you could look at before you rule that its your diet. When my son was about 2 months old I was pumping and nursing trying to build up enough milk storage so that I would have back up when I went back to work. Well I caused my breasts to overproduce and I was loving it because I was stocking the freezer but what I didnt realize was that my son was getting too much of the hind milk and it was causing severe gas/cramping for him. Up until this point he had not cried much and once I got my milk starighted out he was back to normal, this is only my situation and it may not be the same for you but that 2-4 month age was the crankiest for both my babies. Hope you get it all worked out, none of this is a science and our meds were no help at all when it came to BF'ing.

My best advice to you is to keep track of what you are eating....a food diary, so to speak. This will help you see if the baby is particularly fussy after you've eaten certain things.

It doesn't mean that these foods are not part of a healthy diet....she just may be sensitive to them. My aunt figured out that her son was sensitive to tomatoes. Everytime she ate them, in any form (spaghetti sauce, soup, whatever), her son had diarrhea. Hard, because she loves tomatoes, but got through it.

A friend realized that her baby was fussy anytime she ate dairy. Baby is lactose intolerant. Breastmilk didn't pass on enough to make her sick (the way actual milk does now), but it was enough to irritate her digestive system & make her fussy.

It may take you a while to figure out what is doing it, so give yourself the time you need.

Congratualtions on your beautiful baby!

Pam

I found that my baby would be fussy and gassy if i ate broccoli (which i love) or if I ate a lot of salads. So i had to cut those things out ( broccoli) and lessen some.
Some Dr..s say to limit dairy also but i didn't have that problem

Every child is different, but anything you eat can go through to the milk. Some kids are very picky about what they can tolerate. At the same time, some babies are just fussy and it doesn't matter what you eat. Some of the most common things to try to avoid though are spicy foods, tomato based foods (the acidity bothers them), and any gas forming foods (i.e. onions, beans, brocolli). I hope this helps...

Are there are lot of food allergies in your family? If so, what you're eating could be an issue. If not, I would suspect the crying is for another reason. Please provide more info about your baby's crying. Does she cry for many hours, non stop,multiple times a week? That could be colic (not food related). Gas drops are very helpful & not at all harmful. Make sure you have your baby on a regular routine. That can help you determine the problem. Best advise I ever got was to make sure you baby eats when she wakes (not before she sleeps). "Secrets of the Baby Wisperer" by Tracy Hogg is an excellent book. Also, "Dunstan Baby Language," featured on Oprah, is a DVD that can teach you what the cries mean. You may be able to find some basic descriptions on the Dunstan website (www.dunstanbaby.com/) or possibly Oprah's (she used to have sample cries to listen to). Your baby is trying to tell you something. Learning their language can be the hard part. Hang in there!

Hi...I can totally answer your question! I breastfed all 3 of my kids for a total of 7 yrs...the answer is simple...your baby eats what you do. There are a few things specifically in a diet that can cause a baby gas. Broccoli is one for example. But if it doesn't make you have gas it is probably ok. To be totally honest with you, Docs do not know anything about breastfeeding!!!!!! I would not look at your diet, there are so many other things I would consider first. Number one...are you nursing enough? Babies at that age nurse all the time! It may seem like you are constantly nursing, but that is normal. If baby is content when you are nursing and not crying, that is what they want. Number two...are you substituting any bottles? That will cause tons of gas and nipple confusion.
If baby is really fussy it is a good idea to have skin to skin contact.Undress you and baby and lie together with no clothes on, that is #1 to soothe a fussy baby.Warm baths together are also very good. I can help you more if you tell me more specific information. There is also a breastfeeding support group that is AWESOME La Leche League...you can look them up online,email me directly if you want more help, I am studying to be a lactation ____@____.com
J.

Hang in there - I have no specific advice about what you are eating, but everytime I'm discouraged about nursing - I find encouragement or information on www.kellymom.com.
K.

Hi A.,
I have three kids and have breastfed them all. You don't have to be super cautious just when you eat something take notice of what your daughter does. If she is fine and no problems good if you notice her getting a little more gas with something then it is probably best to stay away from that food. Beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, things like that tend to cause gas and you should be careful eating them. But if you do and she has no reaction to it then you should be fine eating it. I was able to eat anything and everything I wanted and it never bothered my kids, but maybe with you daughter just take a mental note of what you eat and then see how she reacts. Something just might be upsetting her little tummy. I hope I am making sense to you.
HTH and good luck,
A.

With my first, I had no problems. I ate everything! I just had my second two weeks ago and I am having the same problem. It feels like your looking for a needle in a haystack! If you come across anything that seems to do the trick, let me know!

It could be the food or it could be the baby. My baby girl was fussy the first 3 months of her life...not in the colic way but in the she never wanted to be breast feed or put down or held by anyone but me. If it is the food it could be that you are eating healthy that is bothering the babe. I know that lettuce and veggies make some people really gassy. Have you tried gas drops? What about bouncing her on an exercise ball? (in your arms of course). That is the only thing that would calm Grace down. Good luck!

Hello! I have one boy who still breastfeeds and he is almost 2. I really was conscientious about my diet when he was a newborn and really found that unless I ate spicey foods, garlic, or brocoli, not much bothered him. I will say though that he was kind of a fussy baby. We determined that he had silent acid reflux though. He did not spit up much, but would wake up in pain and could not lay down after eating without screaming.
Another place you may want to contact if you want more info is La Leche League. They HAVE BEEN a WONDERFUL source for me for any type of breasfeeding or mommy advice. Hope this helps! Good-luck! It sounds like you really take good care of yourself and that your baby girl is really benefitting from you breastfeeding. :)

Hi, I breast fed my daughter for a yr. and it is your diet,i'm a very healthy eater,anything with acid or thats hard for you to digest goes into the babies system the same way; exp: tomatos,lettus,certain fruit and veggies. I found a bland diet with little seasoning worked best. after I switched foods to bland her gas went away. remember anything that gives you gas or hard to digest is hard for the baby

Are you nursing often enough? if it's not a certain food you're eating (which it definitely could be) then it might be that she just wants to eat more often. Someone else suggested listening to the way she cries...that can tell you a lot. Does it sound like she's in pain, or just unhappy? If it's a pained cry, then try the diet changes, and try laying her on her back and pushing her knees all the way up to her chest repeatedly. If it's just a miserable, whiny cry, then maybe try nursing more often. The LLL website REALLY is a great resource for this kind of thing.

I agree with most of the women...you don't need to obsess over what you're eating, but try to be aware of it. My daughter hated "gassy" foods, like broccoli and Taco Bell especially when she was younger. As she got older I could eat more freely. Try to be aware if your daughter is especially cranky a few hours after a meal. If it doesn't get better talk to your dr. or a lactation consultant...I know moms who had to adhere to a strict diet in order to be able to continue nursing (i.e. no dairy or peanut butter or a few other things). Good luck and hang in there...your daughter could just be adjusting to life outside the womb!!! Keep us posted!

I wouldn't worry too much, 7 week old babies cry a lot for a lot of different reasons! My kids were both colicky, my daughter more than my son, and it's just something you have to get through. I found gas drops helpful, some people don't. I only noticed some foods affecting them badly, chick peas were the main one. I love hummus, but they always got gassy when I ate it. I don't eat a lot of dairy, but would definitely notice gas in them when I did. Don't worry too much! You'll drive yourself crazy trying to get your diet perfect and she'll cry anyway and get gas. Just keep nursing and she'll come through this colicky period! Hugs, C

Cut out the beans, milk, yogurt, ice cream, cheese, cabbage, and any other gassy foods. My son had the same issue and when he was about ten weeks old, I started drinking milk again.

Also, there is a product called "colic calm" that helps with colic; its FDA approved and it really works!

Good luck!

Every child is unique, of my five two could not handle many things I ate. One of my kids has a dairly allergy and I could have known had I paid closer attention. www.kellymom.com maybe .org offers excellent resources and advice on breastfeeding diets....I had to avoid anything green and leafy for one of my kids, another could not tolerate white foods, primarily dairy foods. I suggest treating what you eat and how you would feed her when she is older, start with one new food each week, it she tolerates the milk, great keep that food and move on, if she does not, eliminate it for a period of time. Much of this will go away as she gets older and her digestive tract matures. Have you spoken to your doctors about the possibly of GERD reflux in her? Many infants have silent reflux which causes so much paind and crying of course is the ONLY way to express it for them.
Try kellymom and ask about GERD...good luck
E.
nurserytimes daycare

Hi!
I also nurse my baby (this is my 2nd). At about 3-4 wks. she started getting REALLY fussy. if i were you, i would try eliminating all dairy and then gradually add it back in. for my daughter, if something had the words "whey" or "ceasin" (sp?)in it I avoided it for the most part. It's not that these babies are lactose intolerant, it's the milk proteins that their bodies are having a hard time digesting. I did this until she was about 14-16 wks. old and then she was fine. A few wks. b/f that i started gradually introducing things with those proteins back into my diet and now she is fine w/whatever I eat. Just to let you know, it takes 2 weeks to eliminate the proteins from your body and your baby's so try to be patient, but i hope it helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.

A.-

Congratulations on your new baby girl!

I see you already have a lot of replies..all mentioning dairy and gassy foods. My son had colic and I was breastfeeding. I stopped eating dairy and chocolate and he stopped crying. Some (doctors) say it was the diet change and some say he outgrew the colic. If your daughter has colic then gripe water may help. I didn't try it because I didn't know about it then, but my midwife aunt told me about it after the colic was already gone. It is not easy having a colicky newborn. The good news is that it is only temporary and should end by 10-12 weeks old.

You are doing a great job. It is not easy going through the newborn phase but everyday will get easier. Soon you will forget the crying days or as least they will be foggy from lack of sleep:)

Best wishes!!

It's really hard to know when breastfeeding what the root of the problem is. It could be your diet, or possibly not. When a doctor says 'your diet' he usally is not referring to lack of nutritional foods. What that means is that there is something, maybe just one food that is bothering baby. First, get rid of milk in your diet. Milk is usually the #1 thing that upsets baby's tummy. Second, try fiber foods. If you're eating lots of salads, cut back. Fiber can give you gas and therefore give baby gas. Try to notice the baby's type of cry also. If she pulls her legs up to her tummy or scrunches up, then it's belly ache- then that's almost a certain thing that it's a food in your diet.

If it's not tummy upset, try doing different massaging techniques approved for babies such as gentle touch massage using warm lotion or oil. Or warm water therapy for babies- get baby in warm water and give her a nice rub down-- even if that means you taking baby into the tub with you to get it done with her totally relaxed. My first child was always in a ball... she liked the fetal position and stayed that way for almost 10 wks. I was constantly stretching her out and massaging her.

Good Luck!!!

I think it's crazy for the doc to insinuate that you aren't eating what's right for the baby. I know some friends who eliminated dairy from their diet while nursing, and they believed it helped. But, I never had any issues with my son while nursing. I ate spicy food when I felt like it and dairy too. I think his mood was always better when we were able to get some fresh air (he was born in May, and we walked ALOT). I believe it's all the baby's personality. 7 weeks old...she is still trying to work out some of that anguish ;^) If it really is bothering you, though, try the "no dairy". My friend swears it worked for her colicky baby.

You basically want to avoid foods that you avoided while pregnant, caffine and alchol. Certain foods that may cause gas, can affect the baby too...brocolli is a culprit.

My daughter is now 4 mos. She cried a lot (way more than my son ever did) until about 3 mos and then she mellowed out.

It totally can be what you are eating that makes the baby cry. And it's not that you're not eating healthy foods, just certain foods that can pass thru the milk and not be well tolerated by the baby. I had to cut out leafy greens, onion, spices, DAIRY, tomatoes, just to start the list. And IT WORKED! However, at 7 weeks old, I would think maybe her systems are all adjusted to life on the outside, and she may take a few weeks to settle down. But try to eliminate salads and spices first. You can add them back in if that doesn't make a difference. I just know that for me, once I tailored my diet to bland foods, my baby was more settled. And if I ate a salad I would face the consequences of his screams. GOOD LUCK!

Hi

Try to stay away from broccoli and other gassy foods.

Does your baby cry as you breastfeed her? Does she make gulping noises if you aren't feeding her? It could be acid reflux. That's what my daughter has.

Believe it or not it could be something you're eating that's affecting the baby. My acupuncturist had a baby last year and she had to be careful what she ate because something was giving the baby a rash on his cheeks, obtained through nursing.
So you could go to an allergist and see what it is that you're ingesting that's causing distress. I would at least have her checked out. Crying that much doesn't seem right.

A. -

I was given this advice when I nursed my son and it worked. Do not eat a lot of high fiber foods like Salad, broccoli etc. You should also not cut calories and watch out for a lot of spices/seasonings. I was able to successfully nurse for 6 months and my son was never fussy. He was in the early stages until I stopped cutting a lot of calories and watching the high fiber/gas producing foods. That worked for me and I just wanted to offer that advice. Good luck.

Hi A.

When my daughter was around that age I did notice that drinking soda was making her have really bad gas and she would cry really bad with it so I had to stop drinking it on anything with caffeine in it..so I think you might be able to figure out what might be causing it once I stopped drinking pop her gas cut down alot, now that she is seven months I can drink whatever I just dont drink alot of it..I hope this helps

did your doctor say what in particular?
I ate the same things while breastfeeding as while during my pregnancy and had no problems.

If you eat many things with a tomato base it can irritate the baby's stomach. Try leaving things like spaghetti, tomato soup, any thing with tomato's in it. Also anything with a high acid base like oranges and orange juice, grapefruit and grapefruit juice can cause the same reaction.
Good luck,

If your baby's digestive is sensitive, then yes. Try to eliminate gassy foods - broccoli, beans, and dairy are a few. If that does not work, then maybe there is something else wrong, and your dr needs to take you more seriously, or you just have a colicky baby.

It sounds like you feel guilty (you said the doctor "makes" you feel like your diet is making your baby cry). You should not feel guilty, but you should also accept the possibility that some of the healthy food you are eating is food that your baby cannot tolerate. My first son was miserable for weeks - he screamed when he nursed or soon thereafter, he had projectile vomiting and explosive diarrhea, gas, and excema. I realized that there must be something in my diet that he was reacting to so I cut out all traces of dairy in my own diet and about 2 weeks later my son was so much better. There are other foods that are known to commonly cause problems when the nursing mother eats them. You should check out LaLecheLeague and the Dr. Sears Breastfeeding book for more information on things in your diet that may irritate your baby, and for suggestions on identifying exactly what it is. Of course it may not be what you are eating at all, but it is certainly worth looking into.

I have an 11 week old son that I have been breastfeeding. This is also my first! I understand in not knowing what is wrong a lot. I noticed a big difference in my son's fussiness after eating certain foods like cabbage or a lot of chocolate! :( He would cry and be inconsolable for an hour. I would recommend keeping a food diary to see if you see her react strongly after eating certain items. Good luck! It's hard work, but rewarding. :)

Congratulations on your new baby girl and your decision to breastfeed!!! Breastfeeding is the way to go.
When breastfeeding you do need to be cautious about what you eat. Onions, turnips, cabbage and beans are some of the foods that can cause the baby to have gas and become irritated and cry a lot. So if you are eating any or all of these foods, don't eat a lot of them at one time. Make sure you drink plenty of water daily. Rule of thumb for the amount of water you should drink; Divide your weight in half and drink 1 8oz. glass of water for every ten pounds. Example; If you are 100lbs. drink 5 8oz. glasses of water daily.
For more information contact La Leche League A breastfeeding ____@____.com
Much success to you and your family!

I'll second the acidy foods. My daughter was VERY sensitive to tomatoes, citrus, and anything else overly acidic. She would have a sour stomach for DAYS after I ate even just a little of these things. I went 3 months without eating ANYTHING with or near tomatoes. Also, sometimes onions and garlic make your milk taste bad (but don't usually upset the stomach). Some babies are sensitive to bananas, broccoli, milk products, soy, etc. You'll have to do an elimination diet to see what it is that is affecting her. Cut one thing out (I'd start with the acidic first since that's easier than dairy) and see if it helps. Just remember it can take up to 10 days for it to be completely out of your milk, but you should see an improvement after 4-5 days. It's not that you aren't eating healthy, it's that your baby is sensitive to something you're eating. Keep up the good work and congratulations on your little one. Breastfeeding is so rewarding and the rewards are far greater than any of these little "bumps".