Foods to Avoid While Pregnant or Breastfeeding
Giving your child the best start in life starts with you–what and how you eat can help your baby begin a healthy life!
Eating well during pregnancy and breastfeeding is one of the key ways you can keep both you and your baby healthy. Good nutrition during pregnancy can help you feel more capable as a parent and also help your child’s development. Some foods and chemicals are best avoided while pregnant and breastfeeding in order to protect your baby from potential health risks and discomfort.
Raw and Undercooked Meat
Raw or undercooked meat can harbor harmful bacteria, which can lead to serious infections or illness during pregnancy. Always make sure your meat is cooked thoroughly to a safe temperature. It’s also recommended↗ to avoid eating deli meats (cold cuts) and any prepackaged meat or seafood unless it is thoroughly reheated.1
Certain Fish
Fish are generally a great source of nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids and iron that support a healthy pregnancy. However, some fish contain high levels of mercury, which can affect your baby's developing nervous system. Generally speaking, it’s recommended to avoid fish that have high amounts of mercury. The following chart is based on the FDA’s guidance↗ on which fish are safe to eat while pregnant.2
|
Category |
Fish or Seafood Types |
|---|---|
| Best Choices | Anchovy, Atlantic croaker, Atlantic mackerel, Black sea bass, Butterfish, Catfish, Clam, Cod, Crab, Crawfish, Flounder, Haddock, Hake, Herring, Lobster (American and spiny), Mullet, Oyster, Pacific chub mackerel, Perch (freshwater and ocean), Pickerel, Plaice, Pollock, Salmon, Sardine, Scallop, Shad, Shrimp, Skate, Smelt, Sole, Squid, Tilapia, Trout (freshwater), Tuna (canned light, includes skipjack), Whitefish, Whiting |
| Good Choices | Bluefish, Buffalofish, Carp, Chilean sea bass/Patagonian toothfish, Grouper, Halibut, Mahi mahi/dolphinfish, Monkfish, Rockfish, Sablefish, Sheepshead, Snapper, Spanish mackerel, Striped bass (ocean), Tilefish (Atlantic Ocean), Tuna (albacore/white tuna, canned and fresh/frozen), Tuna (yellowfin), Weakfish/seatrout, White croaker/Pacific croaker |
| Choices to Avoid | King mackerel, Marlin, Orange roughy, Shark, Swordfish, Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico), Tuna (bigeye) |
Avoiding Unpasteurized Dairy Products; Opt for Pasteurized Dairy
Pasteurized dairy products are heated to a specific temperature to kill potentially harmful bacteria. Unpasteurized dairy products and foods made with unpasteurized dairy products should be avoided during pregnancy, as they may carry harmful bacteria like Listeria, which can pose risks to both you and your baby.
A lot of moms wonder if dairy in general should be avoided during pregnancy. While the answer varies for each person, some studies suggest↗ moderate dairy consumption could be beneficial in terms of supporting your baby’s growth3, but be sure to check with your doctor about your specific needs. In the United States, many dairy products you can find at the grocery store will be pasteurized, and labeled accordingly.
Avoid Raw Eggs; Opt for Fully Cooked Eggs
Raw eggs can be a source of Salmonella, which can cause food poisoning. This is particularly risky during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Some salad dressings or mayonnaises could contain raw eggs, so when you’re dining out, be sure to ask how foods in question are prepared, and options that will be suitable for pregnant women.
Cookie dough can also be a source of raw eggs, especially if it doesn’t come from a package where the eggs may have been pasteurized. Thankfully there are plenty of ways to enjoy this common comfort food with egg-free cookie dough, vegan cookie dough, or cookie dough that indicates its eggs have been cooked or pasteurized.
Fully Cooked Eggs
The FDA recommends↗ cooking eggs to 160 degrees F.4 That means scrambled eggs are firm, not runny; hard boiled eggs cooked so that the yolks are firm, fried eggs cooked through on both sides, etc.
Pasteurized Eggs
Many packaged goods that contain eggs such as mayonnaise and salad dressings that you can buy at the grocery store contain eggs that have been pasteurized, and are likely safe.
Limit or Avoid Caffeine
It’s often recommended to limit your intake to about 200-300 mg per day, which is roughly two 6 oz cups of coffee per day, however recent studies have suggested that even low consumption↗ of caffeine could have long-term impacts on growth. In the study, children whose mothers consumed no caffeine were taller than those whose mothers consumed a little caffeine.5
Some moms like to drink caffeine-free coffee or herbal teas while pregnant, and they say it can have a placebo effect and still give them a boost. Others like to limit their consumption, or find other ways to feel energized during pregnancy.
Avoid Alcohol, Tobacco, Cannabis, and Other Medications (Unless Prescribed by Your Doctor)
The adverse effects of alcohol and tobacco are well-researched and known to be harmful to babies, so it's best to avoid those substances entirely. Alcohol in particular↗ is associated with an increased risk of life-threatening conditions to babies and can lead to debilitating conditions that affect children for the rest of their lives. Alcohol use even in the first 3 months of pregnancy can have adverse effects, including abnormal facial features and growth problems.6
Many expecting moms like to avoid alcohol while they are trying to become pregnant in order to protect their children from risks associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Dads should avoid alcohol too↗–research has shown that a father’s alcohol consumption around the time of conception is also linked to growth defects in children.7 It’s best for both parents to be as healthy as possible when conceiving children; the healthier you are, the more you can do for your children, and the more you can get out of parenting!
Marijuana or Cannabis During Pregnancy
It is likely that using cannabis during pregnancy could harm your baby’s development. Some research has shown that using cannabis while pregnant can cause health problems such as lower birth weight and abnormal neurological development.8 While the effects of using cannabis while breastfeeding are unknown, it is generally recommended to avoid using cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Other medications
Everyone has different needs, so it’s important to share with your doctor what medications you’re currently taking or may want to take during conception, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. It’s important to talk to your doctor about everything from over-the-counter painkillers to prescribed medicine that you take regularly so that you can have the safest and most comfortable pregnancy possible.
Spicy Foods
Generally speaking, spicy foods do not impact your developing baby, but they may cause discomfort for you especially if you experience nausea and morning sickness.
When it comes to breastfeeding, spicy foods may cause discomfort for some babies, leading to fussiness or digestive issues. On the other hand, your baby may develop a taste for spicy foods, you may crave spicy foods while pregnant, or your tastes might change during or after pregnancy.
There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to food flavors during pregnancy and breastfeeding–it really comes down to personal preference. Just keep in mind that it’s common for women who are pregnant to experience nausea, acid reflux, and other discomfort that spicy foods tend to exacerbate, so that could be a reason to cut back on spicy food.
Ask Your Doctor About Food Allergens
Some common allergens, like nuts, dairy, and soy, could affect your baby while breastfeeding, especially if there's a family history of allergies. It’s best to share as much detail as you can with your doctor so that they can advise you on what potential allergen foods you should avoid while pregnant or breastfeeding.
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References
1Mother To Baby | Fact Sheets [Internet]. Brentwood (TN): Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS); 1994-. Eating Raw, Undercooked, or Cold Meats and Seafood. 2024 Jan. Available from: Eating Raw, Undercooked, or Cold Meats and Seafood↗ Accessed August 21, 2024.
2FDA (Food and Drug Administration) . Advice about Eating Fish↗. Accessed August 21, 2024.
3Brantsæter AL, Olafsdottir AS, Forsum E, Olsen SF, Thorsdottir I. Does milk and dairy consumption during pregnancy influence fetal growth and infant birthweight? A systematic literature review. Food Nutr Res. 2012;56:10.3402/fnr.v56i0.20050. doi:10.3402/fnr.v56i0.20050 Accessed August 21, 2024.
4 FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Egg Safety: What You Need to Know↗. Accessed August 21, 2024.
5Science Update: Caffeine consumption during pregnancy may lead to slightly shorter child height. Science Update: Caffeine consumption during pregnancy may lead to slightly shorter child height↗ Accessed August 21, 2024.
6About alcohol use during pregnancy. Alcohol and Pregnancy. About Alcohol Use During Pregnancy↗. Published May 15, 2024. Accessed August 21, 2024.
7Henton L. Father’s Alcohol Consumption Before Conception Linked To Brain And Facial Defects In Offspring - Texas A&M Today. Texas a&M Today. Father’s Alcohol Consumption Before Conception Linked To Brain And Facial Defects In Offspring↗. Published June 14, 2023. Accessed August 21, 2024.
8National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: current state of evidence and recommendations for research. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2017. The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids↗. Accessed August 21, 2024.
