Sushi is usually considered a culinary delight of Japan prepared with seaweed, tropical fruits, vegetables, and rice that could either be brown or white.
Although not everyone loves it because of its peculiar taste, the people who enjoy this meal find it very difficult to resist it.
When you eventually become a mom, whether you are a first-time mom or on your second or third child, many questions will always run in your mind regarding the types of food you should be consuming.
One of those questions would be, can you eat sushi while breastfeeding?
This is because when you are a mom, you want to do everything right that would be safe for both you and your baby. So, if you are the kind of mom who enjoys sushi, then it is up to you to find out if it is good for you while you breastfeed or not.
Can you eat sushi while breastfeeding?
Yes. As a mother, you could still eat sushi while you breastfeed your young, but when pregnant do a little research on whether a pregnant woman can eat sushi.
Just ensure that whenever you are out eating sushi, you are eating from a perfect restaurant that is always serving food that is quite hygienic and fresh.
However, whether you are pregnant or nursing, you should always be very careful when eating raw fish. This is because raw fish could contain mercury that could harm both you and your baby.
Risks of eating sushi while nursing
Most sushi that we like to consume contains fish that, as mentioned earlier, could contain mercury that is harmful to you and your baby.
When consuming sushi, some of the fish you should avoid because of their mercury content include grouper, bluefish, marlin, mackerel, shark, swordfish, and orange roughy.
On the other hand, you could consume sushi made from fish such as crawfish, crab, flounder, catfish, butterfish, anchovies, and salmon. They contain low amounts of mercury, thus keeping you and your baby safe.
There are also other kinds of fish that contain moderate amounts of mercury.
They include tilefish, tuna, sheep head, perch, monkfish, and bass. You should ensure that you limit your intake when it comes to sushi prepared from these fish.
Other than mercury, you need to understand that raw fish could also contain various bacteria and parasites.
If harmful bacteria and parasites enter your body, they could harm your baby if you are pregnant. However, as much as the bacteria and parasites could enter your baby, they rarely get to the breast milk.
Therefore, when you eat your favorite sushi you will not be able to harm your baby while breastfeeding.
Hence, when you decide to consume sushi, ensure the fish you get is flash-frozen. This is how it would minimize the parasites and bacteria getting to it.
You can eat sushi as long as you are careful about the restaurants you choose to eat from.
Precautions to take when eating sushi while breastfeeding
Just to make sure that you are eating sushi the right way while nursing your child, there are certain precautions that you should take for your child’s safety.
When handling raw fish, first ensure that your hands have been washed properly.
The sushi could be clean, but if the bacteria from your hands contact raw fish, that would be harmful.
The second precaution is making sure you are eating sushi from a hygienic place not to compromise your health.
If you do not trust the restaurants near you, you could easily prepare sushi from your home. There is nothing better than being in control of the meals you should have when breastfeeding or pregnant.
If you decide to prepare it from scratch in your own home’s comfort, ensure that every container or utensil that comes into contact with the raw fish is completely clean.
You should be extremely keen on the expiry date when buying the canned fish to prep your sushi.
Suppose you are the kind of breastfeeding mother who buys fresh fish every other time. In that case, ensure your refrigerator is working perfectly, so the fish is always preserved under the correct temperatures.
Whom to consult about eating sushi while breastfeeding
If you have any queries about eating sushi breastfeeding or you have already consumed sushi while breastfeeding and you feel like something is wrong, then there are specific people that you should go to for assistance.
It is always better to consult with a professional regarding such matters that affect you and your baby.
The first person you could approach is a lactation consultant.
A lactation consultant would not only teach you the best way of breastfeeding and latching your baby, but they would also guide you on dietary choices and the best ways to increase your breastmilk at home.
Secondly, you could consult a gynecologist or an obstetrician. These consultants would readily tell you whether there is any danger of consuming sushi while nursing depending on your situation.
Also, you can consult a nutritionist; they are well-trained professionals and know all that is good and bad for nursing mothers.
These professionals will guide you on how to include sushi in your diet while you breastfeed your child. Like any other fish you consume, sushi is very nutritious as it provides Vitamin D, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Final thoughts
Therefore, as a breastfeeding mother, it is up to you to determine whether or not you should consume sushi.
Sushi is good for you and your baby if it is clean and from the right fish. If you prepare sushi at home, there are several recipes to try and enjoy a delicious sushi meal that is relatively healthy for your baby.
Some include pesto and egg sushi, veggie sushi rolls, tuna sushi with a spicy twist, and California sushi roll.
You can make your own healthy twist to this meal, one that both you and your baby will benefit from.
