Seafood and breastfeeding?

[Danni]

Hey guys,

I am going out to a fancy seafood buffet tonight and am HOPING it is fine whilst bfeeding?

[Phteven]

Not only is it fine Danni but the omega-3/fish oil thingummies are very good for bubba's brain development. You should be trying to eat a few serves of seafood every week
The only thing you need to be aware of is that mercury can be an issue in some of the long-lived fish and the fish at the top of the food chain (sharks, bill-fish, orange ruffy)

[Phteven]

Caro, this is from the NSW Food Authority website

5. Should I avoid eating fish if I am breastfeeding?

No. The benefits of breastfeeding your baby far outweighs any risk posed by the insignificant amount of mercury that might be present in breast milk.

The critical time for the baby is while it is still developing in the womb. This is why scientifically-based diet advice recommends women start to limit their exposure to mercury to fish prior to pregnancy. This is no more difficult than reducing your weekly intake of certain types of fish, chiefly marlin, broadbill and shark.

By doing this you will reduce the amount of mercury in your body before getting pregnant. This means only insignificant amounts of mercury will be present in your breast milk – not enough to affect your or your baby.

Simply follow the same dietary advice as for pregnant women.

HTH