What does your Pedi have you bf mothers on?

katherine.lynn · July 2011

I very much enjoy seeing our peditrician, he's a super nice guy and gets right to the point but is willing to answer any and all questions my husband and I have. He's a probiotic guy though and I have never been on such a crazy diet! I've got my prenatals still, Vitamin D3, refrigerated acidophilus, dha oils, iodine, ground flax seed, methletetrahydoxfolate (yeah, that one was fun to find - luckily his friend owns a health store in town), two eggs a day, using a xylitol toothpaste, plus the adjustments for Gehrig's system that includes reuteri, no caffeine of course, no fried foods, no peppers, no cabbage, no dairy, and no corn (corn really corn??) I've been blessed with a small frame and a great metabolism so this is by far the first time I have ever EVER had to watch or add to what I normally eat and holy moses is it hard!! And with ALL of this I still only manage to have 4 extra ounces of breastmilk in the fridge!

So I'm curious what your pedi has encouraged you to do and how the heck I'm hearing about frozen stashes from some of you

dahansen85 · July 2011

Wow. Neither my OB, my pedi, or my doula/lactation consultant told me to take anything other than prenatals and fenugreek, if I want. I mean, I think we can all agree it is important to eat healthy while BF'ing, but no one has been specific with me about what I can or cannot eat. No one told me not to eat fried foods, peppers, cabbage, dairy or corn. This is the first I've ever heard of pretty much everything in your post actually - and I have no idea what a lot of that stuff is.

Also, I've been encouraged to eat dairy. And I still drink caffeinated beverages, within reason, and I did while I was pregnant as well.

I have started a frozen stash just by pumping a couple times a day. I'm getting around 6 oz every day (if I pump a two or three times) to freeze, plus feeding DD 8-10 times a day.

nycdueinmay · July 2011

Seriously? Yikes!

My pedi didn't say anything about my diet. My OB said I can return to eating whatever I want, as in all of the pregnancy no-nos are now fair game. Eat a healthy, well-rounded diet. Limit caffeine if I wanted, dairy is fine as long as DD isn't showing an intolerance, take prenatals, and call if there is a problem. I've never read anywhere (books or online) about anything your pedi has suggested.

Are you saying you think it is effecting your supply? If you are happy with it, continue. But if not, I would modify or stop all together and follow "let's not and say we did..." when it comes to discussing it with the pedi.

Lisa102304 · July 2011

Since I am no longer a child, my Pedi doesn't dictate my medical care. He has me on nothing, nor does my actual doctor. In the one pump session everday, I produce between 6-10 oz a day extra to freeze.

oh_maria · July 2011

Besides switching my medication (at the recommendation of my other doctors as well), he only has suggested altering my diet because LO was suffering from bad gas. Other than that, I confer between my OB and the pediatrician for extreme changes in my diet (which haven't occurred).

iris427 · July 2011

I responded to your post on 0-3:

That's insane. Just eat when you're hungry and drink when you're thirsty and you'll be just fine. No pedi has ever told me to change anything about my diet because I'm breastfeeding. Your body doesn't need special crap to make breastmilk anymore than it needs special crap to make sweat or blood.

I'm kind of side-eyeing your pediatrician and wondering how competent he is.

leeshab1982 · July 2011

Wow. That seems pretty crazy to me. I'm not taking anything besides DHA and prenatals. Neither my OB or DS's pedi have mentioned that I need to be doing anything else. Obviously, I know that eating healthy is important, but that just seems like common sense.

pumpkinhead06 · July 2011

iris427:

I'm kind of side-eyeing your pediatrician and wondering how competent he is.

this is what I was thinking when you wrote that you had to get a special ingredient from his friend, who just happens to have a health food store. hmmmm.... What is the pedi's reasoning for having you do all this extra? what documentation/research supports his decisions?

as far as what I am on.. nothing. nada. zip. zilch. I eat what I want, and if I find it gives dd some gas/discomfort, I eliminate it from my diet, if reasonable. I occasionally drink caffeine in the form of coffee, or gasp! diet soda. I drink the occasional beer at night.

I pump at least 4oz of BM everyday, in addition to feeding LO on demand. I pump every morning after I feed her, and will tandem pump/feed if I feel extra full during the day.

GideonsMom · July 2011

Wow. I don't think I could keep up with all of that. I eat whatever I want, take my prenatal, DHA and alfalfa supplements (something my doula suggested because I am not great at getting my greens in) and put away an extra 10-15oz each day. I pump exclusively and get about a total of 45oz a day.

mellydawn84 · July 2011

Holy crap girl! Thats a lot of stuff.

My pedi hasn't suggested anything other than acidophilus when we had thrush, and to continue it so it doens't return. That, and my prenatal were all he had mentioned.

My public health nurse suggested Fenugreek and Blessed thistle when I was having supply issues early on and I continue to take those for my own sanity that it helps my supply still. I also take Calcium supplements but that's because I've cut out most dairy with the thrush.

Like others have said, just drink and eat what you normally would. I have a bowl of ice cream almost every night, chips, whatever I please (until I get serious about the rest of this weight coming off).

katherine.lynn · July 2011

Sorry, I should have explained myself better. The foods I'm not eating I personally have cut out because little boy screams with gas pain.

As far as the rest goes, he presented studies for each item - I gave some side eyes too but I could find all the research myself too so I've given it a try. The acidophilus helps prevent thrush like a pp said, eczema and my niece actually uses this too to help with all the earaches she was getting. The dha is suggested for boosting baby's IQ, vision, and hand/eye coordination. The iodine is suggested for prevention of thyroid defeciencies (this one wasn't expensive but I'm only finishing the small bottle I purchased.) Flax seed is just healthy, I was eating this throughout my pregnancy anyway. And the long folate is a taken by mothers in Greater China for brain development and prevention of asthma. By the way I did end up finding it a couple weeks later at a neighboring towns health food store, but the store he recommended carried it cheaper.

I didn't realize I was so out of the norm...I feel pretty silly for posting anytthing now! But I am going to ask about that fenugreek, thanks!!

I most definitely still eat and drink what I want that doesn't bother Gehrig - thank you for the advice, most of you anyway ; )

jodyrm · July 2011

Lisa102304:
Since I am no longer a child, my Pedi doesn't dictate my medical care. He has me on nothing, nor does my actual doctor.

This made me LOL.

Lisa Frank · July 2011

In my experience, pedi's are the least knowledgeable when it comes to the breastfeeding mother. I've just heard so many random stories and had a few of my own.

Now, I won't knock your diet, because I think he has a lot of good ideas there. He's just got you on a high-Omega 3/DHA/low irritant foods type diet...these things can't hurt you, but I don't think they are necessary to your success in feeding your baby.

Take it easy on yourself. And be your own advocate. Just because a doctor says so, doesn't mean you must do so Use your own judgment and cut yourself some slack. A happy mom = a happy baby and with that regimen I'd just be one thing....OVERWHELMED.

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