Should Breastfeeding Moms Skip the Caffeine?

We know you’re tired, new mom. But will consuming caffeine while breastfeeding affect baby? You might want to cut back on it, according to a new interview in the Journal of Caffeine Research with expert Ruth Lawrence, M.D., from the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. Dr. Lawrence says a small amount of caffeine consumed will go into mom’s breast milk, which may be problematic during baby’s first few weeks of life because he won’t be able to metabolize or excrete the caffeine well -- normally it takes a newborn four days to get rid of the caffeine in his body! The effect also depends on whether mom consumed coffee during her pregnancy -- if you did, baby may already be attuned to it. And if baby consumes caffeine through your breastmilk, he might be irritable and you could have a hard time putting him to sleep.

So, just how much caffeine is okay for breastfeeding moms? Dr. Lawrence says that staying at or below three cups of coffee (or 300 mg of caffeine) per day is “a reasonable starting place,” but that it varies from mom-to-mom. Plus, some women do not realize all the sources of caffeine they’re ingesting. If baby is really jittery and irritable, breastfeeding moms might need to evaluate their caffeine intake. But, as baby gets past the first few weeks, he’ll be able to digest the caffeine better.

What do you think of this interview? Do you (or do you plan to) drink caffeine while breastfeeding?

Plus, more from The Bump:

What to Eat While Breastfeeding

What to Drink While Breastfeeding

A Smart Start to Breastfeeding

-- Sarah Yang

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