You've Been So Patient—So Can You Eat Sushi While Breastfeeding?

The list of foods to avoid during pregnancy is quite long. So once she delivered her second baby, Alex M., a mom of two, ordered sushi right to her delivery room. Her favorite order? “Fresh salmon sushi or otoro belly if I’m feeling fancy,” she says.

She’s not the only mom who’s had a major hankering for handrolls and nigiri after 40 weeks of being deprived. “I waited over nine months to get my hands on some crispy rice with spicy tuna—and it was well worth the wait,” says Los Angeles mom of one Sydney W.

Yes, the good news is that eating sushi while breastfeeding is generally considered safe—but there are a few things to keep in mind. Ahead, experts share the raw truth about eating sushi while nursing, plus some food safety tips for indulging in your favorite sashimi or maki.

Key Takeaways

• Can I eat sushi when breastfeeding? You can eat sushi while nursing, but be mindful of the mercury levels.
• Why is it unsafe in pregnancy but okay for breastfeeding? While eating sushi during pregnancy poses a risk to baby because of the potential of listeriosis, this is less of a concern once you’ve given birth since listeria doesn’t pass into breast milk.
• What’s the safest types of sushi to eat while breastfeeding? If you want to stay away from raw fish, choose sushi with cooked ingredients (like shrimp tempura) or vegetarian options (avocado or cucumber). You can also opt for sushi made with low-mercury fish, such as pacific chub mackerel, salmon and yellowtail.
• What type of sushi is the riskiest to have while breastfeeding? High-mercury sushi options to avoid include king mackerel, tilefish (from the Gulf of Mexico) and bigeye tuna.

Can I Eat Sushi While Breastfeeding?

It’s generally safe to eat sushi while nursing. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that breastfeeding (and pregnant) moms choose lower-mercury options when it comes to all seafood.

“There’s no strict limit on sushi for breastfeeding mothers, but moderation is key,” explains Dr. Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, a fertility-focused dietitian based in Charleston, South Carolina, and author of The First-Time Mom’s Pregnancy Cookbook.

Dr. Manaker recommends focusing on low-mercury fish like salmon or yellowtail and avoiding high-mercury fish like king mackerel, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico or bigeye tuna. The FDA recommends eating two to three 8-to-12-ounce servings of low-mercury fish per week.

Eating sushi while pregnant isn’t advised due to a small, but serious risk of listeriosis, an infection that can harm the fetus. And while this is still possible postpartum, it’s a much bigger issue for pregnant women. “Raw fish isn’t as much of a concern during breastfeeding as it is during pregnancy. This is because foodborne illnesses like listeria or parasites from raw fish don’t pass into breast milk,” says Dr. Manaker.

Dr. Manaker adds that seafood is generally healthy and nutritious for nursing moms. “Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, found in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, are beneficial for baby’s brain and eye development. Sushi can also provide protein, iodine and other essential nutrients that support the production of nutrient-dense breast milk and Mom’s health,” she says.

Best Types of Sushi to Eat While Breastfeeding

Again, if you’re ordering sushi while breastfeeding, it’s best to stick to low-mercury choices. These include pacific chub mackerel, salmon and yellowtail.

If you want to play it completely safe, choose sushi with cooked ingredients or vegetarian options like avocado or cucumber rolls. “Cooked options like shrimp tempura, eel (unagi) or cooked salmon rolls eliminate the risk of foodborne illnesses entirely,” Dr. Manaker says.

Maddy A., a mom of one in Asheville, North Carolina, and a recipe blogger, says she eats sushi while breastfeeding when it’s high-quality. “My husband was a sushi chef for eight years, and he feels confident in the quality of work that our favorite restaurant does, so that made it easy to feel comfortable to eat there once I was breastfeeding,” she shares.

Types of Sushi to Avoid or Limit While Breastfeeding

It’s best to avoid sushi with high-mercury fish while breastfeeding. This includes king mackerel, marlin, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico and bigeye tuna.

There are also a few medium-mercury choices to limit to one serving per week, according to the FDA. These include grouper, rockfish, snapper, Spanish mackerel, albacore tuna and yellowfin tuna.

“The biggest concern with sushi, especially raw sushi, is consuming fish that’s high in mercury,” explains Kellie Allen, APRN, a nurse practitioner with Bluebird Kids Health in Florida. “Mercury is a heavy metal that can pass into breast milk in small amounts and have neurotoxic effects.”

How to Safely Eat Sushi While Breastfeeding

You can eat sushi while nursing—but it’s important to take a few precautions, according to Cleveland Clinic:

• Choose restaurants and stores you trust and that have positive reviews—yup, no gas station sushi. Reputable places will follow proper protocol for handling raw fish. That also means being wary of pre-made rolls or sashimi in a refrigerated display.
• If buying sushi in a store, keep it chilled at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below in the fridge.
• Check the sell-by date to make sure your sushi’s fresh.

To avoid foodborne illness, the FDA advises to wash your hands and surfaces, not let raw meat touch other foods, cook your food to the proper temperature and refrigerate groceries as soon you get home. Don’t leave anything perishable out in room temperature for over two hours.

To Sum It Up

You can go to the sushi bar while breastfeeding, but just make sure to choose low-mercury options—anything with salmon works. And if you’d rather stay away from raw fish, it’s perfectly fine to choose a cooked option like shrimp tempura or a vegetarian roll.

How We Developed This Article

It can be tough to figure out what’s safe to eat again once you deliver baby. To find out about the safety of eating sushi while breastfeeding, we talked to a pediatric nurse practitioner and a registered dietitian. We also chatted with three moms about their own sushi-while-nursing experiences. Finally, we consulted sources including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Cleveland Clinic.

After editing, this article was vetted through fact-check and reviewed by our ob-gyn medical adviser. Learn more about how we ensure the accuracy of our content through our editorial and medical review process.

About the author: Alexandra Frost is a Cincinnati-based parenting and health journalist with 15 years of experience, and five kids of her own. She was always a little scared of raw foods to begin with, so although her nursing meals didn’t include hankerings for tuna rolls, she can relate to feeling unsure about what’s safe and what isn’t, given all the advice and information coming at moms these days.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.