Can I Drink Coffee While Breastfeeding?



Mothers who are breastfeeding a baby less than four months should refrain from eating caffeine, as babies of this age may not be able to handle even the smallest amount of caffeine in their bloodstream. If your baby is awake most of the time, especially after breastfeeding, or is restless and irritable this is a sign that the mother needs to limit the caffeine intake. About 10% of the caffeine consumed passes into breast milk, which enters the bloodstream when the baby takes it. 

After a cup of coffee, caffeine is quickly absorbed into the mother's bloodstream and appears within 15 minutes of drinking breast milk. Breast milk usually contains less than 1% of the caffeine consumed by the mother. However, the more caffeine you have, the more it will be in your child's bloodstream. The younger your child the longer it takes to clear the caffeine out of his system. 

The amount of caffeine in your child's body may increase if you continue to consume a lot of caffeinated foods and beverages because your child's liver and kidneys are too immature to be processed quickly. When your baby is nine months old, he will be able to remove caffeine from his body as quickly as you. If you consume a lot of caffeine a day, it can hurt your child. 

One way to ensure that your baby is exposed to the minimum amount of caffeine is to avoid caffeine an hour before breastfeeding. Studies have shown that caffeine levels in breast milk peak about 60 minutes after consumption so plan your feeding accordingly to minimize the risk of passing caffeine on to your baby. 

Some babies, especially those under six months old, may be sensitive to the caffeine consumed by their mother. The accumulation occurs due to the inability of the child's body to break down and remove caffeine. Most children are unaffected by caffeine but it is possible for more sensitive children to become fussy or wake up after drinking milk with low amounts of caffeine. 

If you notice that your child is nervous or refuses to drink milk, it is time to remove caffeine from their diet as it can harm your little one. If your child is more sensitive to caffeine he might become restless or fidgety or have trouble sleeping or getting calm. Keep an eye on it and see if it reduces the amount of caffeine you consume a few hours before meals. 

The only way to know for sure whether your child's intake of caffeine affects your child is to monitor their reactions when you consume caffeine while breastfeeding. 

If they are affected by their caffeine intake they will have the same reaction as adults when they consume caffeine. Continuous consumption of caffeine can also lead to the loss of some of the nutritional properties of breast milk. Low levels of caffeine in breast milk does not mean that it is safe for your baby. 

No research or evidence supports the myth that caffeine lowers milk production in breastfeeding mothers. In fact, a study found that caffeine does not alter the composition of breast milk but rather stimulates milk production (5Trusted ). Although there is a decrease in milk production in some cases, it may be due to reduced breastfeeding of fussy babies rather than the caffeine intake. 

Consequently, breast milk supply will decrease as demand decreases, so if you drink more than one cup of breast milk a day, minimize the amount in your breast milk at any time by spreading the coffee intake throughout the day, or by opting for espresso drinks such as latte macchiato which contain less caffeine than regular brewed coffee. 

Green coffee bean extract contains caffeine when available in doses of 43, 93 or 185 mg. Choose low-dose foods or avoid caffeine if your child makes it harmful. 

The short answer is yes. Drinking caffeine during breastfeeding is generally safe, but experts recommend limiting caffeine intake to 300 mg of caffeine per day during breastfeeding. Because caffeine may cross the placenta and affect the developing fetus, it is recommended that many people reduce or even eliminate caffeine intake during pregnancy. Here is what you need to know about drinking coffee and other forms of caffeine while breastfeeding. 

Yes, it is safe to drink coffee and other forms of caffeine while breastfeeding, just like during pregnancy. While coffee, tea, chocolate and sodas are obvious sources of caffeine, there is also a significant amount of caffeine in coffee and chocolate flavored foods and beverages, so keep this in mind if your child is particularly sensitive to it. Some people also like the taste of caffeinated foods such as chocolate and coffee. 

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