Chocolate, bad advice, and a very good doctor.

Last month a friend of mine had a baby.  When the baby was a few days old a visiting nurse paid them a routine visit.  My friend described the nurse, charitably, as "a little old school."

The nurse told my friend that, since she was breastfeeding, she shouldn't eat much chocolate because it would bother the baby.  She said, "Now, if you get a big box of chocolates, only eat two or three."

My friend later went to her family practice doctor for a well-baby visit, and asked about this advice.  Her doctor stared directly into her eyes and said, "Go home and eat some chocolate." 

That's right:  It was a prescription for chocolate.  This is my definition of a good doctor.

Yes, there are some babies who react to chocolate, and you have one of them you have my deepest sympathy, but this kind of blanket "you can't eat chocolate/gassy foods/citrus/etc." advice without any indication of a problem is just outdated, and borders on cruelty when it comes to foods like chocolate.

If you ask me, this advice belongs in the Bad Breastfeeding Advice Hall of Fame, next to "you have to be happy to make milk."  If that were the case our species would have died out a long time ago. 

Yes, some babies are sensitive to certain foods in a nursing mother's diet.  And since food allergies can run in families, it makes sense to avoid foods that you or the baby's father are allergic to.  But there is no evidence that all babies react poorly to certain foods.  Each baby is different, and a food that bothers one may not bother another.

For a brief summary of nutrition during lactation, including alcohol, caffeine, and high-mercury fish intake, click here for a short video.  Or, for more detailed information, with information on peanuts, soft cheeses, and sushi, check out this page on the wonderful kellymom.com site.

And then, unless you have reason to believe that it is causing a problem, go get yourself some chocolate.

Of course, this information is provided for educational purposes only.  See your health care provider for medical advice related to these topics.