Can you eat runny eggs when breastfeeding?

In this brief guide, we will discuss the following question, “can you eat runny eggs when breastfeeding?”, and other queries related to this topic.

Can you eat runny eggs when breastfeeding? 

No, you can not eat runny eggs when breastfeeding. Consuming uncooked or undercooked eggs or any dish that already contains raw eggs will be risky and will put you under threat and danger of becoming poisoned.

Raw food and especially eggs are contaminated with Salmonella. During cooking and at high temperatures this bacteria will die, thus hard-boiled, scrambled eggs or any other dish that contains fully cooked eggs will be safe for consumption during breastfeeding.

However, consuming eggnog, salad dressings with raw egg yolk, or any dessert made from undercooked or raw eggs will increase your risk of developing salmonella and food poisoning. The symptoms of salmonella infection are diarrhea, stomach pain, and fever.

Generally, these symptoms take six hours to six days until the patient can feel the symptoms. The reason behind that depends on the type of food ingested and the number of bacteria present in the contaminated food.

Moreover, the symptoms of this infection can last for four to seven days. Hence, some people do not develop symptoms until a few weeks after being infected. Additionally, breastfeeding women infected by salmonella will not transfer this bacteria.

Salmonella can not enter your milk, thus affecting your baby. But, the mother will be sick and she will be forced to take some medications. 

Many medicines are not safe during breastfeeding because their compound can enter the milk and so the baby, so consult your doctor before taking any medication.

In addition, following the infection and in case of severe diarrhea, the mother will be tired and dehydrated. In this case, she will not be able to feed the baby since she will be tired, and also the milk supply might be affected.

 

What are the health benefits of eggs for breastfeeding moms?

Eggs are very beneficial to be consumed during breastfeeding because they are loaded with nutrients that support the mother’s body to provide adequate nutrients and milk supply to the baby. Hence, the eggs should be well cooked to avoid food poisoning.

First of all, eggs are a good source of several minerals and nutrients. So, these foods are high in vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin B2, and vitamin B12, and minerals such as phosphorus, selenium, calcium, zinc, and many others. Also, eggs are rich in choline.

These nutrients pass through the breast milk to the baby. Thus, an adequate and diversified diet during the lactation period will ensure that your baby is getting all the essential nutrients for this growth and development through the milk. 


Furthermore, eggs and especially the egg yolk are a source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 is an essential compound for brain development. In addition, cholesterol present in the egg yolk can help, if consumed in moderation, in reducing your risk of developing heart diseases.

Moreover, Vitamin A in eggs is beneficial for the eyes and the visual development of the baby. Also, egg whites are a major source of high biological value protein since it contains nine essential amino acids. So, proteins and amino acids in the egg white are well absorbed by the body.

Along with being high in selenium, eggs are also rich in lutein, and zeaxanthin. These compounds are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Thus, will fight any inflammation in the body and help in the post-delivery recovery.

What are the precautions needed while consuming eggs when breastfeeding?

To consume eggs during breastfeeding and to avoid being poisoned, you should make sure that your eggs are fully cooked. 

This means that the egg white and yolk are firm and the egg yolk is not runny. All these precautions are needed to avoid food-borne illness due to salmonella.

Moreover, keep yourself away from any dish that contains raw eggs or any dressings made from raw egg yolk such as the Hollandaise sauce. Also, do not consume raw cookie dough or other desserts that contain traces of raw eggs.

Besides, some lactating women might feel sick or discomfort after eating scrambled or hard-boiled eggs. This might be due to an egg protein allergy. 

In addition, you might notice some symptoms like rashes, itching, abdominal pain, and breathing problems in your baby.

These are indicators of an allergy. So. Lactating women should watch their food intake carefully to notice if the baby will develop allergic reactions after they have consumed some types of food. Food allergens are wheat, shellfish, fish, peanuts, nuts, milk, soybeans, and eggs.

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Conclusion


In this brief guide, we will discuss the following question, “can you eat runny eggs when breastfeeding?”, and other queries related to this topic.


References

https://www.momjunction.com/articles/is-it-safe-to-eat-eggs-while-breastfeeding_00353265/

https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/eating-eggs-during-breastfeeding-is-it-safe/

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