Does the change in mother's food affect the baby?

Whatever the nursing mother eat will be secreted in her milk, but in insignificant quantities. Generally if the mother tolerates a particular food item well the baby also tolerates it well.

A normal well nourished mother secretes about 500 ml of milk daily for the first 6 months to one year and after that the quantity slowly comes down. Whereas an undernourished mother's milk is insufficient in fats and vitamins and inadequate for the baby also.

Eating fishes and vegetables contaminated with pesticides may cause problems in the baby because of their secretion in the milk. Eating spices, condiments, chocolates, onions, tomotoes may cause loose stolls in the babies.But the problems are plenty in the baby of a mother who smokes, drink alcohol and abuses the drugs. Almost all the drugs are excreted in the breastmilk and they will have their effect on the body.

For medical reasons if the mother has to take certain drugs like anticoagulants, anti-cancer drugs, antithyroid drugs, radioactive drugs, purgative etc., seh has to stop feeding her baby as long as she is on those rugs.