Fussy, crying, colicky babies are usually distressed because they are
reacting to foods that their mothers are eating! Indeed, everything a
breastfeeding mother eats or drinks ends up in her breastmilk and small
particles of foods in the breastmilk itself can cause a baby pain and
discomfort. Because the lining of a baby's digestive system is porous for
the first four to five months of life, a newborn can react quite negatively
to some of the foods that her mother is eating.

By eliminating certain foods on a short-term basis, a mother can calm
her baby easily. When a baby calms down, she is better able to interact with the people in her life. Mothers feel that they are able to help their babies and they gain confidence in their parenting skills. With the added quality time together, mothers and babies bond more easily with each other.

The following is one of the delicious recipes from The Calm Baby Cookbook, a
book written expressly to empower new mothers to calm their babies.

Easy Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
8 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
1/2 onion, diced
1 can chicken broth
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp. oregano leaves
1 tsp. basil leaves
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place all of the cubed chicken and chopped vegetables into a large bowl.
Drizzle the chicken broth and olive oil over top, and then add the garlic,
oregano, basil, sea salt and pepper. Toss well. Pour into two large baking
dishes that have been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Cover and bake at
350° F for approximately 1hour. Remove from the oven, stir well and continue
to bake, uncovered, for another 30 minutes. Test the potatoes for doneness.

One of the first foods to eliminate from a breastfeeding mother's diet is dairy products. Cow's milk proteins are much too large for babies to digest, and small amounts of cow's milk proteins can be found in the breastmilk of mothers who eat or drink dairy products. The result is that the baby experiences the symptoms of lactose intolerance: gas, bloating, discomfort.

To obtain more breastfeeding-friendly recipes, please visit
www.drmelaniebee.com.