Caffeine and Breast Milk
I have recently been hitting myself over the head with my daily nutrition choices. When I gave birth, for a split second, I was so happy to be able to "have my body back to myself," and then I remembered that breast milk passes along any bad nutrition choice I make for myself. So I did pretty well those first few months that I was able to nurse Eleanor. In fact, I still avoid caffeine in most of my beverage choices, except my morning coffee (and yes, that means having two kinds of Coca-Cola in my house at all times regular- for Kevin and caffeine free- for me.)
But today, I read this article from a blog that I used to read all the time (before and) when I was pregnant. Some of my view diverge now, because I could not be an "attachment" parent, and I have trouble reading some of the breastfeeding articles out of guilt for not being able to nurse Eleanor for as long as I had wanted, and for guilt of not being able to provide as much of the low-plastics household that we had planned for her. Anyway.
This article blows my mind. It talks about caffeine and babies and how it takes 14 hours for an infant to process the caffeine it gets through breastmilk if the mother has only had cup (6-8 ounces) of coffee. I was shocked. I would drink half-caf in the mornings at work (decaf at home), then pump, because the doctors always said one cup wouldn't affect my milk. I am really shocked. But that brings me back to my first statement about my personal nutrition.
All of the time, I make nutritional choices for Eleanor that are the "right" choices. I buy organic milk and eggs (dairy, eggs, and meat have the highest concentrations of pesticides, antibiotics, and other "yuckies.). I make sure her diet is balanced: 3 meals, 2 snacks, very little white flour, limited high-processed foods, heavy on the fruits and veggies, whole and in purees. And yet, yesterday for lunch, I had pizza rolls, rootbeer, and Ritz crackers with peanut butter. Yes, that was what I was craving. But I realized today that because of that decision, I had absolutely not vegetables yesterday! Is that a decision I would make for Eleanor?! No! So why do I make these decisions for myself?
I'm not sure if it's a lack of respect, a lack of effort, or simply about simplicity and wanting what's quick.
But I think because of this realization, and because of this article, and because I am just wow-ing myself with how much about my life needs to change if I am going to try to be a better-- no, a good-- parent, I have decided that my New Year's Resolution is going to center on nutrition and making what goes into my body as important as what goes into Eleanor's body.
So that was an easy decision. Now if only I could decide what to get the hubbs for Christmas...
~DJ~
But today, I read this article from a blog that I used to read all the time (before and) when I was pregnant. Some of my view diverge now, because I could not be an "attachment" parent, and I have trouble reading some of the breastfeeding articles out of guilt for not being able to nurse Eleanor for as long as I had wanted, and for guilt of not being able to provide as much of the low-plastics household that we had planned for her. Anyway.
This article blows my mind. It talks about caffeine and babies and how it takes 14 hours for an infant to process the caffeine it gets through breastmilk if the mother has only had cup (6-8 ounces) of coffee. I was shocked. I would drink half-caf in the mornings at work (decaf at home), then pump, because the doctors always said one cup wouldn't affect my milk. I am really shocked. But that brings me back to my first statement about my personal nutrition.
All of the time, I make nutritional choices for Eleanor that are the "right" choices. I buy organic milk and eggs (dairy, eggs, and meat have the highest concentrations of pesticides, antibiotics, and other "yuckies.). I make sure her diet is balanced: 3 meals, 2 snacks, very little white flour, limited high-processed foods, heavy on the fruits and veggies, whole and in purees. And yet, yesterday for lunch, I had pizza rolls, rootbeer, and Ritz crackers with peanut butter. Yes, that was what I was craving. But I realized today that because of that decision, I had absolutely not vegetables yesterday! Is that a decision I would make for Eleanor?! No! So why do I make these decisions for myself?
I'm not sure if it's a lack of respect, a lack of effort, or simply about simplicity and wanting what's quick.
But I think because of this realization, and because of this article, and because I am just wow-ing myself with how much about my life needs to change if I am going to try to be a better-- no, a good-- parent, I have decided that my New Year's Resolution is going to center on nutrition and making what goes into my body as important as what goes into Eleanor's body.
So that was an easy decision. Now if only I could decide what to get the hubbs for Christmas...
~DJ~