09/07/2025
“Eating spicy or acidic food causes your breastfed baby’s reflux.”
Not true!
Breast milk is made from nutrients absorbed into the parent’s bloodstream, not directly from the stomach contents. While small aromatic compounds from foods like garlic, cinnamon, or mint can subtly influence the milk’s flavour, the spicy heat or acidity that might irritate a baby’s stomach does not transfer.
Here’s why:
During digestion, food is broken down into basic nutrients (proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals) which enter the bloodstream. Whole food particles don’t pass into breast milk, only these digested components and some flavour molecules.
Blaming a mother’s diet without evidence can lead to:
• Unnecessary guilt and self-blame
• Unwarranted dietary restrictions
• Increased anxiety around eating
• Delayed identification of the true cause
• Premature discontinuation of breastfeeding
Let’s not add more guilt to motherhood. Telling a mother her baby’s reflux is caused by what she eats only adds stress and may lead her to stop breastfeeding earlier than she intended. Let’s offer support, not unnecessary restrictions and help families find real, evidence-based solutions.
