Mothers of newborn babies are often tired women. The demands of meeting their infants' needs night and day can create a bit of sleep deprivation that leaves them fatigued and reaching for the coffee pot. Breastfeeding mothers may have concerns about drinking coffee and whether the caffeine within the stimulating brew will affect their baby through their milk supply. The good news is nursing mothers can drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages in moderation without great risk to their child.
Moderation is the Key
The American Academy of Pediatrics has declared that coffee is safe to drink by a breastfeeding mother and will have little affect on an infant, as long as a nursing mother does not go over three cups a day. Without exceeding three cups of coffee a day, or its equivalent in other beverages, the amount of caffeine passed on to the baby is minimal and in most cases is well tolerated with no adverse reaction.
The La Leche League is even more liberal in what it believes is a safe amount of coffee intake for a nursing mom. They state that a breastfeeding woman can drink up to five 5oz cups of coffee a day, or up to 750 mg other caffeinated beverages without a problem.
Does Caffeine Affect Milk Supply
A common myth told to nursing moms by well intentioned friends and family members is drinking coffee will decrease a woman's milk supply. This is in fact not at all true. Mothers who drink a moderate amount of caffeine will not find doing so has any kind of impact on their milk supply. In fact some research suggests that caffeine might help temporarily increase a woman's milk supply.
How Does Caffeine Affect a Breastfed Baby?
When used in moderation caffeine should not have much of an effect on a breastfed baby. Some babies may be more sensitive to caffeine however and some mothers may not realize how much caffeine they are truly drinking. When this is the case a baby may display some symptoms of stimulation due to caffeine.
Kellymom described the following symptoms of a baby that is affected by caffeine:
- Wide eyed
- Overly active
- Hyper alert
- Awake more than is normal
- Will not sleep for long periods of time
- Unusually fussy
Nursing mothers do not have to forgo their morning cup of coffee as they might when they are pregnant because the effects of caffeine when breastfeeding are not as severe as the effects of caffeine during pregnancy. Mothers should not go overboard however, even if they are very tired from caring for their newborn. Nursing mothers who consume caffeine should watch their babies for signs of sensitivity.
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