Is Curd (Dahi) Safe While Breastfeeding? Benefits & Myths

If you are breastfeeding and someone in the family has told you to stop eating curd “or the baby will catch a cold,” you are not alone. Dahi is one of the most common foods that new mothers in India are warned off. The good news: that warning is not backed by science. Here is what curd actually does for a nursing mother and her baby.

Quick Answer

Yes — curd (dahi) is safe and genuinely good for you while breastfeeding. It is a rich source of calcium and protein, both of which your body needs more of during the nursing months, and it provides probiotics that support your gut. It is also easy to digest. The widespread Indian belief that eating curd — especially at night — gives the mother or baby a cold or cough is a myth with no scientific basis. You can eat it normally, including in the evening. The only thing worth checking is that your curd is made from pasteurised or boiled milk, which is the case for nearly all packaged and home-set curd in India.

Benefits of Curd While Breastfeeding

Curd earns its place in a nursing mother’s plate for several reasons:

• Calcium. Breastfeeding increases your calcium needs. A bowl of curd is one of the easiest, most affordable ways to top up, helping protect your own bone health while you nurse.
• Protein. Curd is a solid source of protein, which supports tissue repair and recovery after delivery and keeps you fuller for longer between feeds.
• Probiotics. Curd contains live cultures (the good bacteria that turn milk into dahi). These support a healthy gut, which many mothers find helpful when digestion feels sluggish in the postpartum months.
• Easy to digest. Because the milk is partly broken down during fermentation, curd is often gentler on the stomach than plain milk — useful if milk leaves you feeling heavy or bloated.

None of these nutrients pass any harmful substance into your breast milk. They simply help you stay well-nourished, which is the foundation of comfortable breastfeeding.

The “Curd Causes Cold” Myth

This is the belief that stops the most mothers from eating dahi. The idea is that curd is “cold” in nature and so triggers cough, cold, or a blocked nose — in the mother or, through her milk, in the baby.

There is no scientific evidence for this. Colds and coughs are caused by viruses, not by food temperature or by curd. Eating curd does not put mucus into your breast milk, and breast milk does not “carry a cold” from a food you ate. You can eat curd at any time of day, including at night with dinner, the way many Indian families do anyway.

If room-temperature curd feels more comfortable to you than curd straight from the fridge, that is a perfectly reasonable personal preference — take it out a little ahead of your meal. But that is about comfort, not about preventing any illness in your baby.

Buttermilk (Chaas) and Lassi

Buttermilk (chaas) and lassi are both fine while breastfeeding, and they bring a bonus: hydration. Nursing mothers need plenty of fluids, and a glass of lightly salted chaas or a fresh lassi is a pleasant way to drink more — especially in the Indian summer. Go easy on added sugar in sweet lassi, but otherwise enjoy them freely. They count toward both your fluid intake and your daily dairy.

When CMPA Is Different

There is one genuine, separate situation worth understanding — and it is much less common than the cold myth. A small number of babies have a true cow’s-milk-protein allergy (CMPA), where the baby reacts to dairy protein that passes into breast milk from the mother’s diet. Signs can include persistent fussiness, blood or mucus in the stool, eczema, or vomiting that does not settle.

This is not a reason for every mother to avoid curd. It applies only if your baby has a confirmed or strongly suspected reaction to dairy. If you notice these symptoms, do not start cutting out foods on your own — speak to your doctor or paediatrician first, so the cause is properly identified and you are not removing nutritious foods needlessly.

How Much Curd Is Fine

There is no special limit for breastfeeding mothers. Treating curd as part of normal balanced meals works well — for example, a bowl with lunch and a glass of chaas later in the day. Curd, buttermilk, lassi and milk together can comfortably cover your daily dairy. If you generally tolerate dairy well, eat it as you normally would.

The Indian Context

Curd is woven into Indian postpartum eating already — dahi with rice, a cooling raita with meals, chaas in the afternoon, lassi at breakfast. These are familiar, comforting, nourishing foods at exactly the time a new mother needs them.

The friction usually comes from well-meaning elders who hold the “curd is cold, it will give the baby a cold” belief. It is worth being gentle here: the advice comes from care, not from evidence. You can reassure the family that general and paediatric guidance treats curd as a healthy part of a nursing mother’s diet, and keep eating it.

When to Ask Your Doctor

Reach out to your doctor or paediatrician if:

• Your baby shows signs that could point to a dairy reaction — blood or mucus in stool, ongoing fussiness, eczema, or vomiting.
• You have been advised to follow a specific elimination diet and are unsure what to keep.
• You have lactose intolerance or another dietary condition and want help adjusting safely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I eat curd at night while breastfeeding?

A: Yes. Eating curd at night does not cause a cold or cough in you or your baby — that belief is a myth. If chilled curd feels uncomfortable, simply have it at room temperature.

Q: Does eating curd affect my breast milk?

A: Only in a good way. The calcium, protein and probiotics in curd help keep you well-nourished, which supports healthy breastfeeding. Curd does not put mucus or anything harmful into your milk.

Q: Is buttermilk or lassi okay while nursing?

A: Yes, both are fine and they help you stay hydrated, which nursing mothers need. Keep added sugar modest in sweet lassi.

Q: Should I avoid curd if my baby is gassy or fussy?

A: Not automatically. Fussiness and gas are common in young babies and usually unrelated to your curd. If symptoms are persistent or include blood or mucus in the stool, check with your doctor rather than cutting out foods on your own.

Q: Is homemade curd safe, or should it be packaged?

A: Both are fine as long as the milk was pasteurised or boiled before setting — which is true for almost all home-set and packaged curd in India.

Curd belongs on your plate while breastfeeding, not off it. For more support and to swap notes with other new parents, join here.

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Always consult your doctor or lactation consultant about your own situation.