31 Mar Coffee while breastfeeding
The long-awaited baby has arrived in the family, however, the changes that a newborn brings to the home are not easy at all. With a little clutter everywhere and sleepless nights, parents often feel the urge to have a good cup of coffee together. However, from the mother’s body, won’t its consumption affect the baby? Today we want to talk to you briefly about drinking coffee while breastfeeding.
What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a substance found inside various plants, in their seeds and leaves. Its consumption can lead to the stimulation of the central nervous system, the feeling of alertness and energy impulses. In turn, this compound can increase blood pressure, interfere with the absorption of calcium in the body, alter the heart or respiratory rate and even lead to dehydration.
It is also important to know that, although we commonly associate caffeine with coffee due to its linguistic similarity, this substance appears in other drinks and foods that we frequently eat. For example, black tea, despite its excellent properties for health and beauty, also contains a certain amount of caffeine. Others that contain it can be energy drinks, carbonated cola drinks, yerba mate, chocolate and even some uncontrolled medications.
What happens during lactation then?
Once you are nursing your baby, there are certain food products that you should also avoid. Alcohol and tobacco have obvious consequences on our little ones, but coffee is still associated with myths about whether its consumption is allowed or not. Our answer is: YES, you can drink coffee while breastfeeding, but like everything, with measure.
This moment is one of the most important for the mother and the baby, providing the latter with what is necessary to feed and begin to develop properly. In the mother’s body, the drink will take a few hours to break down and be completely eliminated, but in the baby it does not happen this way, it takes at least three days to be completely eliminated.
What does an excessive consumption of coffee in lactation translate into?
Various studies have tested the effectiveness of coffee on mothers and the consequences for the infant. In this way, they have shown that one or two cups of our favorite drink will not negatively affect the baby, as long as between them they do not exceed 300 mg in one day. Caffeine consumed by the mother definitely reaches the baby through breast milk.
Excessive coffee consumption while breastfeeding can result in irritability in the newborn, insomnia, nervousness and even stomach ailments. The best thing for both of you is to consume a minimum amount of coffee daily and carefully observe any changes that may occur in the normal development of the little one. Remember that the first 6 months are very important, avoid any intake or overstimulation in your baby.
Our recommendations
We know how addictive this drink is and simply drinking it can be torture. However, for your mental health and the general condition of your baby, we are not going to suppress it completely, we will simply consume it with caution. For a few months, give decaf or milder, less caffeinated blends a try, like Café Hampei’s delicious Arabica. Tell us what you think of our advice and about the changes in your baby when consuming coffee while breastfeeding.
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