breastfeeding and caffeine

When you were pregnant, you likely stopped drinking caffeine because you knew that it can adversely affect the developing fetus.  Caffeine is a diuretic which may cause the mother to not produce enough amniotic fluid.  Heavy caffeine use is also associated with miscarriage. But is drinking caffeine and breastfeeding also a no-no?  Here are some points to consider.

Is caffeine transferred to the nursing child through breastmilk?

According to La Leche League International (considered the world's foremost authority on breastfeeding), a woman should be able to safely drink up to five 5-ounce cups of coffee without affecting her child.  Research has shown that caffeine doesn't go into breastmilk at high levels. Of course, keep in mind that most people don't drink coffee in 5-ounce sized cups.  Most are generally 8-ounces or more.

Remember to consider all sources of caffeine when determining the amount you can consume while breastfeeding.  Soda pop, tea, some cold medicines, and even chocolate contain caffeine, so include those amounts in your figures.

How does caffeine affect a nursing infant?

Caffeine has been found to accumulate in an infant’s system, so while one cup of coffee or glass of ice tea won’t cause your infant problems, additional servings could.  In fact, caffeine can be found in small amounts in a woman’s breast milk several days after it has been ingested.  In a child less 6 months old, caffeine will remain in the system for up to 100 hours. It clears the adult system in less than 8 hours.

Some babies are affected by caffeine and others don't seem to be, just as is true with adults. Babies affected by caffeine will be fussy, restless, may cry more, and will have difficulty falling asleep.  If you think your child is suffering from too much caffeine, begin cutting down on the amount of caffeine each day until you are no longer drinking it.

If you choose to drink a cup of coffee or tea each day while nursing, remember that the caffeine will enter the breast milk and will be at its highest level about 1 hour after you've drunk it.  You may want to drink your coffee or tea right after nursing to give your body longer to process it through your system before the next breastfeeding. 

What can you do if you just can’t give up caffeine?

1.  Use moderation when drinking coffee or any other caffeinated drink. Cut back to one cup a day if you can.
2.  Caffeine is the strongest in breast milk one hour after you've drunk it.  If you know it will be a while before you nurse again, try drinking caffeine at that time.

So if you love coffee or tea and want to breastfeed your newborn, the news is better than you may have thought.  Caffeine and breastfeeding do not have to be mutually exclusive.  While it is best not to go overboard, you can still enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee or iced tea while nursing.  Use common sense and you'll do just fine.