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Eggs During Breastfeeding: Safety, Health Benefits And Precautions

Eggs are good sources of protein, lipids, and micronutrients that could support your increased nutritional needs during lactation. But they are also considered a common allergenic food.

Breastfeeding mothers can make eggs a part of their maternal diet. However, to ensure a safe breastfeeding journey, you may have to take some measures. In this post MomJunction post, we tell you about the safety of eating eggs when breastfeeding, its possible health benefits, and more. 

Can Breastfeeding Moms Eat Eggs?

Nursing moms can eat well-cooked eggs. It is to be hard-boiled. Under cooked or raw eggs have a risk of salmonella contamination that can cause food poisoning.

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) recommends using pasteurized eggs as much as possible (1). However, you may also buy eggs stored in a refrigerator, provided they are clean and the shells are not cracked (2).  

Health Benefits Of Eggs For Breastfeeding Moms

Consuming well-cooked eggs regularly during the nursing phase might be beneficial in the following ways.

1. Provide high-quality proteins: Egg contains all the nine essential amino acids in the right proportions. It has a biological value of almost 100, which indicates that the maximum amount of its protein is absorbed by the body (3)
2. Contain a variety of micronutrients: Eggs are rich in micronutrients, and several bioactive compounds that have health-benefiting properties (4). Some of these nutrients, such as vitamins A, B2, and B12, can also pass to your baby via breast milk and thus support their health. The regular consumption of cooked eggs can help the mother recover from iron-deficiency anemia.
3. Support brain development: Eggs are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) that are required for brain and vision development (5) (6) (7).
4. Maintain liver function: Egg yolk has considerable amounts of choline, which is an essential nutrient required by the mother and the nursing baby. The most vital functions of choline are supporting brain development and maintaining liver function (8) (9) (10).
5. Have anti-inflammatory properties: Eggs contain bioactive compounds, such as sphingomyelin, lutein, and zeaxanthin that possess anti-inflammatory properties (5) Thus, some research studies indicate that an egg a day might be useful to fight against inflammation (11). This property may help in postpartum recovery.
6. Possess antimicrobial properties: The egg contains proteins such as ovotransferrin, vitellogenin, lipovitellin, and phosvitin, which have antiviral and antibacterial properties (5). These properties could support the immune system.

Possible Side-Effects Of Eggs When Breastfeeding

Consuming eggs during the nursing phase does not necessarily cause side effects in healthy breastfeeding mothers. However, if you have any health issues, then there may be the risk of encountering the following side effects.

1. Protein overload: It is not a common phenomenon, but may occur in individuals with kidney ailments. Eggs are a rich source of protein. High protein intake by those with kidney problems can cause detrimental effects (12).

2. Allergy: Egg allergy is one of the most common food allergies. It develops when your immune system overreacts to proteins found in egg whites and/or yolks. Egg allergy usually appears in infancy and resolves by adulthood, but not in all cases. If you are a breastfeeding mother with an existent egg allergy or any other food allergy, then do not consume egg without consulting a doctor.

3. Salmonella: Salmonella infection is another possible side effect of egg consumption.

Sometimes, the baby may have an egg allergy and could be affected by maternal egg consumption. The typical signs of an egg allergy are skin contact reactions, vomiting, stomach cramps, wheezing, diarrhea, redness of the face, and hives around the mouth (13). In extreme cases, an egg allergy may lead to breathing problems leading to anaphylaxis.

If you have any other health condition, then consult a doctor before consuming eggs. If you are asked to avoid eggs, then you should also avoid products that contain eggs. Examples of foods that may contain eggs are cakes, mayonnaise, ice cream, salad dressings, hollandaise, and sauces.

How To Buy And Store Eggs?Subscribe

You can buy and store eggs safely by following some simple steps tips.

Buying

• Prefer pasteurized eggs. If not, buy eggs that were stored in a refrigerator.
• While buying, ensure that the eggs are clean and the shells are not broken or cracked.
• Store the eggs in a refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below, but not in the freezer.
• It is advisable to store the eggs in their packaging and use them within three weeks.

Storing

It is best to consume fresh food during lactation. However, if you need to store eggs for long, then you should observe the following precautions.

• Hard cook the eggs in their shell. You may also peel them. However, in both cases, use these eggs within a week after cooking.
• Consume all the leftover cooked egg dishes within three to four days of their preparation.
• You can freeze eggs to use them for long, but do not store frozen eggs with their shells. Instead, beat yolks and whites together, and then freeze the mix. If required, egg white can be frozen separately.
• Frozen eggs can be consumed for a year. However, there may be a decline in their taste and nutritional value. Therefore, it is best to consume frozen eggs within a month or a few weeks from the date of their freezing.

Careful purchase and storage of eggs can minimize the chances of any adverse reactions.

Precautions To Take While Consuming Eggs When Breastfeeding

Take the following precautions when adding eggs to the maternal diet.

1. 1. Cook eggs until both the yolk and the whites are firm. Never consume raw eggs since they could harbor bacteria.
   2. Do not consume raw cookie dough recipes as they contain raw eggs and hence are risky.
   3. Avoid eating dishes that use raw or undercooked eggs such as eggs benedict.
   4. When preparing scrambled eggs, ensure that they are not runny.
   5. Some breastfeeding mothers might experience general indigestion while consuming half-fried eggs. In such a case, avoid eating them.

1. Always cook dishes containing eggs, such as cookies, cakes, or sauces, to a temperature of at least 160°F (71°C).
2. Never leave cooked eggs or egg dishes out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.

Eggs are one of the wholesome, healthy foods that could provide umpteen benefits to you and your baby. You may enjoy eating well-cooked eggs and include them in various recipes as a part of a well-balanced diet. However, stay alert to any signs of allergy in your breastfeeding baby and see a doctor.