Can drinking coca cola give my breastfed baby gas?
Gas is a by-product of the process of our digestion. When we eat food, it goes through our digestive process, at the end of which nutrients are absorbed into our blood. Think about it logically . . . soda causes us gas because of the carbonation, which is NOT absorbed into our blood. Beans, broccoli and cabbage cause us gas because it is difficult for our bodies to digest carbohydrates. In the process of our intestines breaking these foods down, gas is produced but the thing that is causing us the gas is not absorbed into our bloodstream. Ok . . . now onto the breast milk, babies and gas. One of the largest components of breast milk is lactose, which is a carbohydrate that through the digestive process can cause gas. That is why the suggestion of nursing one breast per feed so that the baby gets less of the high lactose foremilk and more of the high fat hindmilk.
