Mercy Pediatrician, Dr. Ashanti Woods, Discusses Effect of High Sugar Levels in Breast Milk

Mothers who consume large amounts of sugar could be passing the added sugar to their infants through breast milk, which could hamper the child's cognitive development.

According to Dr. Ashanti Woods, who specializes in General Pediatrics at Mercy Family Care Physicians in Baltimore, MD, consuming high sugary foods and drinks while breast-feeding within the first month or two of life can play a role with baby's cognitive health down the road.

"We saw that those who consumed high-sugary breast milk, when they were observed at two years of age, had poor cognitive development scores in comparison to babies who did not have breast milk that was high in sugar," Dr. Woods said.

Board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, Dr. Woods noted that mothers should monitor sugar intake while breast-feeding, avoid caffeinated beverages that have sugar in them like soda, and cut down on the amount of juice they are drinking.

To view Mercy pediatrician Dr. Ashanti Woods’ interview regarding sugar levels in breast milk and how it may affect your baby, click here.