There is an old-wives tale out there that you shouldn't eat chocolate while you are breastfeeding as it can result in a very fussy and gassy baby.  I hadn't heard about this old-wives tale until I heard someone mention it on an episode of TLC's "Bringing Home Baby" that I was watching the other day.  It sparked my interest because I had noticed that some days my daughter was gassier than others and I was trying to figure out what the cause may be.  I am an admitted chocoholic and there is almost always some form of chocolate in my house.  So I sat down and thought about it and figured that maybe I was eating more chocolate on the days when she was a little gassier.  I tried eliminating chocolate for one day and she seemed to be ok, the next day I only had a little and still she was ok, the next day I had a little more and she was a little gassy.  The culprit was identified, much to my dismay too much chocolate seems to give my daughter gas, bummer.

The old-wives tale that you shouldn't eat chocolate while breastfeeding does not apply to everyone.  You cannot make a blanket statement that every mom needs to avoid chocolate, cause that simply isn't the case.  Chocolate is just one of those things that may cause more gassiness in a breastfed baby.  However, there are lots of other things that can do the same thing.  Every baby is different and each mom will have to figure out what foods seem to be the culprit for her baby.  There is not one size fits all recommendation that can be made.  Talk to your pediatrician about what may be the cause of your baby's gassiness and what foods they recommend that breastfeeding moms avoid.  

Here is a list of the most common foods that cause gassiness and fussiness in breastfed babies.

  • Chocolate
  • Gassy vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, and cauliflower
  • Citrus fruits, including orange juice
  • Coffee and other caffeinated beverages
  • Overly greasy foods
  • Onions and garlic, even in seasoning form
  • Dairy products, particular if you consume a lot.

The best thing to do if you notice that your baby is particular gassy when you eat certain foods is to avoid them or just eat them in limited quantities.  For me that means no Mexican food and I have to watch how much chocolate I eat.  If it means my daughter is happier and less gassy I'm fine with that.  

What foods did you find most affected your baby while you were breastfeeding?  Was it hard to avoid those foods?