Holiday Foods & Breastfeeding: What’s Safe and What to Watch Out For

The holidays are here, which means family gatherings, road trips and enjoying some of your favorites meals! Who else is excited for pumpkin pie?!

First up: most holiday foods are perfectly safe for breastfeeding moms. A breastfeeding diet should be balanced and include plenty of protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, according to the Mayo Clinic.

If you have a sweet tooth or can’t get enough turkey, remember that overdoing it a bit during the holidays is perfectly normal and shouldn’t affect your baby. Your overall nutrition is what’s important, not how much you eat one day of the year.

Are holiday foods safe to eat while breastfeeding?

Occasionally, your baby may react to the foods in your diet. Pay attention if your little one seems extra fussy or has signs of an intolerance like a rash or diarrhea after you eat certain foods. But unless your baby is having these types of symptoms, there aren’t any holiday-specific foods that need to be avoided.

What foods and drinks should nursing moms watch out for?

Nursing moms need to be mindful of the amount of certain foods in their diets, including:

• Fish. Although fish are full of healthy nutrients for you and your baby, certain types like sword fish, king mackerel, and shark have higher levels of mercury.
• Caffeine. Too much caffeine can affect your baby’s sleep or make them fussy, so make sure to limit it to 1–2 cups a day.
• Alcohol. If you have alcohol in your bloodstream, it’s in your breast milk too. Limit your alcohol intake and plan around feedings.

Can breastfeeding moms still drink alcohol?

Too much alcohol can lead to difficulties breastfeeding and affect your baby’s development, growth, and sleep. The CDC recommends waiting 2 hours after one alcoholic beverage before feeding your infant, and limiting alcohol to one drink a day.

Keep in mind that expressing your breast milk won’t speed up the time that it takes breast milk to leave your body, and there’s no need to “pump and dump” after enough time has passed and the alcohol is out of your system.

>>> Here's a great guide about some of the best foods for breastfeeding moms.