Oh, mommy brain struck... I can't remember the rules!! I've been exclusively nursing my 3 month old. I bought crab for new years eve dinner, but then wondered whether I can eat it. So I had leftovers while everyone else got crab! Great....
As for the remaining crab in the refrigerator, does anyone know if can I eat that or is there an allergic reaction concern for whatever may pass through my breast milk? When I searched for an answer last night, some sites said no concern, some said don't eat it, some said eat only a little (due to mercury/pollution concerns). FYI: We don't have shellfish allergies in the family.
Thanks for the advice!
oh eat it! The only thing I've avoided is tomatoes, causes serious diaper rash! I do eat beans, but in small quantities, fascinating blowout, lol.
Eat up mama. It will be just fine. Crab is actually very low on the mercury scale and can even be eaten in moderation during pregnancy.
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-foods.html
and the FDA...
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInform...
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInform...
I didn't change any of my eating habits while I was nursing. I did keep track of what I ate just in case she had a reaction to something so I knew what I needed to change. Other than that, the only change I consciously made was to east slightly larger portions and to drink whole milk. I was so active (we have no vehicle and walk/bike everywhere) that my midwife said it was a good idea so Kitty would get enough of what she needed. Otherwise my body was burning it up too fast. Do you have a pump? Some women I know would feed their little one and then pump the milk after eating something they knew or thought might upset the little tummy. That's something you can keep in mind if you're unsure about something in the future. Eat your crab, momma. Enjoy your special treat.
I haven't had crab specifically but I have eaten shrimp, catfish and tuna oh and I had escargo the other night...I don't think any food in moderation is a problem while breastfeeding. With my first I had a horrible epidural induced migraine and they had my on Vicoden, a huge dose of Ibuprofen and tons of caffeine. My baby is now three and has suffered no ill effects, so I figure not too much of what we eat passes in any kind of volume into the breast milk, I would have some if it were me! Happy New Year :D
I'd eat it. I ate everything while bf'ing. We all have different docs that believe differently I guess. Mine said "eat away", it's the only way you will ever know. Some people believe they are "sacraficing" their child by eating certain foods and waiting for the child to respond. I did not use that mind set.
I say eat it! Yes I agree not 3x a week because of mercury levels. But my lactation consultant said that its good to eat amount of highly allergenic foods while nursing because it introduces small amounts into the milk which give the baby small exposure which LESSENS their chances of being allergic! Sometimes completely avoiding foods, dust, dander other allergens actually makes allergies worse. Enjoy the crab!
I would be careful with all of the toxins in the water that shellfish absorb..
http://www.naturalnews.com/024050_food_foods_brstfeeding....
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/1...
Even if you are a man or not planning to become pregnant, mercury from fish can still accumulate in your body and cause serious problems down the road. If you do eat fish, please be sure to have it lab tested for mercury. We have found a brand of salmon, Vital Choice, that has less than .1ppm mercury, so this is one option for those of you looking for a safe source of fish. Alternatively, most sardines have little to no mercury since they are so small, and you can also take a high-quality, purified fish oil or cod liver oil to safely receive the health benefits of fish without the mercury.
Updated
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/0...
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/0...
The only reason not to is if your child has a shellfish allergy. My husband has one and I learned my son does too after I ate shrimp while breastfeeding. He got really fussy and had bad diarrhea. He was fine after that (we learned it was the shrimp by trying it twice). Enjoy the crab.
I think you are perfectly fine to eat the crab.
As long as it's well cooked I wouldn't worry. The only things I gave up while pregnant/nursing was sushi, clams/oysters on the half shell and rare steak. Once I was done nursing, I could (and do) occasionally eat these things again.
