Sushi While Breastfeeding – Disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational purposes only. I am not a doctor. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. No opinion is intended to diagnose or treat any disease or illness. You should always provide your own health care.
Your breastfeeding relationship with your baby is much happier for everyone when you don’t have to sacrifice the foods you love to eat. If sushi is your thing, you may be wondering, “Can you eat sushi while breastfeeding?”
Sushi While Breastfeeding
One aspect of eating fish that nursing mothers should consider is exposure to mercury. The Natural Resources Defense Council has a list of the highest and lowest levels of mercury contamination in common sushi fish. (Their list also tells you which are the best choices for the environment!) Yellowtail, mackeral, and swordfish have some of the highest mercury content. Most menus list what fish is in each sushi roll.
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! Ask for the Chopsticks Trainer for Kids if you have kids serving themselves and bring along this adorable Sushi Baby board book for your little one to read while they wait for their meal!
Devany LeDrew is a former kindergarten teacher turned stay-at-home mom. She is a mother of three children, saddened by the death of one. She is very happy with gentle parenting, literacy, grief support, and breastfeeding, of course! She continues to write for The Play School, as well as her own blog about the beauty of grief. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. New mothers often worry about the safety of eating sushi while breastfeeding. This rice dish, a Japanese staple, is traditionally prepared with rice, vegetables and sweet spices. However, there are eggs or raw seafood, which may cause concern. In addition, since seafood is often contaminated with mercury, it can be harmful to both mother and child (1). So, can you eat sushi while breastfeeding? Let’s see.
Read this article to learn more about the dangers of eating sushi, alternatives, and some tips on how to eat sushi safely while breastfeeding.
Sushi can be eaten while breastfeeding as long as it is not made from fish that absorb too much mercury (2). Larger fish, such as biggie and yellowtail tuna, swordfish, tilefish and sharks are high in mercury and dangerous for growing children.
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After birth, the mother’s body provides all the necessary nutrients for the child. While fish is a healthy food supplement for the mother, sushi made from raw seafood may not be good for the baby if it contains high levels of mercury, which may affect the baby’s health. When eating fish or other seafood, breastfeeding women should be sure to eat high-quality, low-mercury varieties.
According to The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015-2020, breastfeeding women should eat about eight servings of seafood per week, including fish and shellfish (6).
Pregnant women and breastfeeding women should be careful before eating sushi or other seafood. Most people believe that eating seafood can be dangerous for pregnant and lactating women, such as (1) (3):
Babies go through rapid growth spurts while breastfeeding. Therefore, it is better to avoid foods containing mercury while breastfeeding. Not all types of sushi are safe for breastfeeding women, but you should avoid including sushi from the following fish in your postpartum diet:
Can You Eat Sushi While Pregnant?
If you want sushi while pregnant or breastfeeding, the safest option is to try vegan sushi with fresh ingredients, including avocado, tofu, carrots and chicken. You can make it fresh at home to protect the health of the fetus and the mother. To make vegan sushi, you will need the following ingredients (4):
Most cooked fish can be eaten during pregnancy or breastfeeding, but it is important to consider the mother’s diet when choosing food. Fish is a source of vitamin D and is also beneficial for children. You can eat two to six servings of fish a week, assuming they don’t contain high levels of mercury. Here are some acceptable fish options:
Pregnant and lactating women can eat two or three different kinds of cooked fish to get nutritious food for the baby. The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin D, iron, zinc, iodine and choline in fish are important for both mother and baby. In general, cooked fish is safer than raw fish and breastfeeding mothers should aim to eat well-cooked fish that are low in mercury (5).
DocasaHexanenoic Acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid that supports brain development in children. Breastfeeding mothers can increase DHA in their breast milk by eating fish such as bluefish, salmon, bass, flounder, tuna, and trout that are high in DHA (7).
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Fish such as bigeye tuna and yellowtail are high in mercury and are dangerous for newborns. You may prefer high-fat fish because they are lower in mercury. Some fish that are safe for breastfeeding women include:
Most restaurants use fresh tuna in their sushi, which is high in mercury. Therefore, it is better to eat in restaurants that use selected mercury fish (2) (5).
In general, it is best to avoid sushi at the grocery store because it is not always possible to determine how long it has been stored. Making sushi at home or buying it from a famous restaurant that prepares it fresh is a better option.
Eating sushi rolls with soft cheese and paste is safe for breastfeeding. Make sure the sushi is freshly prepared and not stored for a long time.
How Often You Can Eat Sushi If You’re Worried About Mercury Levels
Cooked shrimp can be used as part of a sushi roll. Make sure the shrimp is cooked well and the sushi is freshly prepared.
Octopus can be used as part of a sushi roll. Make sure the octopus is cooked well. Some restaurants may use live octopus in their dishes, and this may pose a health risk. So, see how the place treats the octopus before eating it as part of the sushi.
Sushi is a healthy and delicious food that is loved by many people. Although the germs from raw fish cannot be passed to your baby, the mercury levels in these fish can be transferred to your baby through breast milk. So pay attention to what is needed and choose sushi made with vegetables, at least while breastfeeding. Therefore, use sushi without your doctor’s permission to stay safe and avoid complications.
Want to eat sushi but don’t want to eat fish? Try the vegan and vegetarian sushi recipes shared in this photo and satisfy your sushi cravings. These simple yet delicious recipes are easy to make, safe and nutritious. You can adjust the ingredients to adjust the recipe according to your taste.
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Discover the joy of tasting sushi while breastfeeding! Learn essential tips and tricks for a safe and enjoyable experience.
The article was written after analyzing the research work of the authors and expert institutions. References include resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the accuracy of the information we provide in our disclosure policy.
Mindy Cockeram is a birth and breastfeeding educator with 11 years of experience. He currently lives in Southern California, where he teaches at a non-profit hospital. Her career took off after the birth of her second child when she changed career paths and trained as a former teacher at the National Childbirth Trust in London, England. Taught childbirth classes … cont
Swati Patiwal is a health care practitioner, certified diabetes educator (CDA) and a mother with more than ten years of experience in various fields of nutrition. He started his career as a CSR project coordinator, taking care of school children with healthy food and active lifestyle projects. She then worked as a nutritionist and health coach … more Is it safe to breastfeed while eating sushi? Although you can reintroduce sushi to your diet after giving birth, you need to choose the type of sushi you eat carefully. Here’s everything moms need to know.
Postpartum And Breastfeeding Cravings Explained
If you are a mom who stopped eating sushi during pregnancy, you may be wondering if it is safe to start eating sushi again while breastfeeding.
Here’s the good news: You can put sushi back into the diet after your child eats it.
It is not safe for pregnant mothers to eat sushi – either raw fish or seafood. This is because raw seafood can carry viruses, bacteria and parasites that can harm the unborn child.
Most closely related to these bacteria is Listeria, which is transmitted to growing children through blood. Pregnant women are 10-20 times more likely to be infected with Listeria than other adults. And listeria infection can cause life-threatening complications in unborn babies if left untreated.
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But once you give birth, there is no risk of you passing Listeria to your baby. This is because listeria cannot pass through breast milk.
So, when you are breastfeeding, sushi can be eaten again. Other types of raw seafood can also be eaten again.
However, there are some types of sushi that you still need
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