BF questions... spicy food and leakage

2 unrelated questions

1. I'm leaking so much, I have to change nursing pad every few hours, and it will feel heavy full of liquid. Does this last as long as I bf? What can I do, I feel like so much milk is wasted.

2. Do you avoid any foods when bf? At hospital nurses said to avoid caffiene, alcohol and spicy foods. I get why caff and alcohol, but spicy foods? Somehow I forgot today and we had thai, and everything was spicy. But I've been eating moderately spicy things every day. What do you think, bm will be ok today?

Re: BF questions... spicy food and leakage

#1- Usually your BM production will regulate by 6 to 8 weeks. I was always very full though and had to wear pads till about 5 months. When DS got on more of a schedule they wouldn't leak as much and would just leak on one side when I was feeding off the other.

#2- I avoid caffeine (sometimes I will have a cup right after I feed him). I don't eat spicy foods so it was never an issue for me. I have heard that it is good to have a varied diet so that DC will be exposed to different flavors through your BM. If it doesn't seem to bother DC's tummy then I would continue to have it.

Re: BF questions... spicy food and leakage

I leaked like crazy for the first 8 weeks...all day...non stop! It was so annoying...but my DD is 3.5 months now and I leak very little throughout the day...unless I miss a feeding. At night though, since she now sleeps through the night, I have to change my pads 2-3 times a night.

I try to avoid spicy foods, caffeine, and some veggies.

Re: BF questions... spicy food and leakage

#1-At 4 weeks PP, I only leak if I am late on a feeding. The leaking is getting much better!

#2-My ped said I can have a glass of wine or beer a day without having to pump and dump, 1 cup of caffeine and otherwise it is trial and error. If your DS does not react tonight after you ate the Thai, you are pretty safe in assuming he is okay with spicy food. I still eat hot wings and DD is fine. However, she is not good when I eat onions or garlic, so I eliminated those.

Re: BF questions... spicy food and leakage

The leaking will stop. It is just at the start. After like 8 weeks it is better.

Honestly, in the very start I didn't eat tomatoes because they seemed to upset him. But, after a few months I ate whatever. I guess it depends on how sensitive your LO is. I think it's kind of trial and error.

Re: BF questions... spicy food and leakage

I eat a lot of spicy food- eating Indian/Bengali food and curries is something I can't avoid because that's how I was raised. It never affected DS when he got BM and it doesn't bother DD right now. Heck, DS eats spicy food too!

If you want to see what may or may not bother your little one, keep a food diary and note your baby's reactions (fussy/gassy/etc.). If you see a pattern with spicy food then there's your answer