How long does it take for caffeine to be excreted from breast milk? Can nursing mothers drink coffee? Freshly ground from coffee beans

Translation performed by:

Borina Ksenia

Lactation consultant and
natural complementary feeding
Moscow

Most breastfeeding mothers can take caffeine in moderation. Some babies, especially those younger than 6 months, may be especially sensitive to caffeine, which they absorb through breast milk. If the mother avoided caffeine during pregnancy, the baby may react more acutely to it. As your baby gets older, the likelihood of a reaction to caffeine decreases. Therefore, if you have had to reduce or stop caffeine intake, you can resume it after some time.

According to T. Hale's reference book, caffeine is classified as L2 (safe): the dose of caffeine in the baby's blood is 0.06-1.5% of the mother's dose and usually reaches its maximum level 1-2 hours after administration. One study found that frequent caffeine consumption may reduce iron levels in breast milk (Nehlig & Debry, 1994). The American Academy of Pediatrics classifies caffeine as a "feeding compatible drug." Caffeine is prescribed as a therapy for breathing problems in premature babies. In this case, the level of caffeine in the baby's blood is much higher than that found in the breast milk of mothers who consumed it.

If your child is sensitive to caffeine, sensitivity usually decreases as they get older. Newborns take longer to eliminate caffeine from their bodies than older children. Premature babies and babies with health problems may be more sensitive to caffeine.

Caffeine half-life by age (according to Hale's guide):

Newborn - 65-130 hours
3-5 months - 14 hours
4-9 months - 3-7 hours
Adults - 3-7 hours

How can you tell if caffeine is affecting your baby?

According to a book on breastfeeding published by La Leche League, excessive caffeine consumption by the mother (more than 750 ml per day) can affect the baby, who will show signs of caffeine overdose. “A child who has received a large dose of caffeine has wide eyes, is overly active and irritable, and sleeps little.”
If your child seems overly excited or fussy and you are consuming significant amounts of caffeine, you can try reducing or stopping caffeine intake for 2-3 weeks. If you want to eliminate caffeine from your diet, reduce the amount slowly, as sudden reductions can trigger headaches and other symptoms.

Can caffeine affect milk production?

There is a widespread belief that caffeine can reduce your milk supply. A large number of mothers consume caffeine, so it is easy to see a negative effect on milk production. However, despite the number of studies on caffeine intake by nursing mothers, no negative effects have been identified. In fact, one study found that caffeine can stimulate milk production (Nehlig & Debry, 1994). A baby who has been overdosed on caffeine may be nervous and anxious and may not breastfeed effectively, leading to a decrease in milk supply. Those. Milk volume decreases due to decreased suckling time and not due to caffeine ingested by the mother.

Sources of caffeine

Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, sodas, energy drinks and fortified sports drinks, some over-the-counter medications, and foods containing coffee and chocolate. Herbal drinks that contain guarana, cola, mate or green tea also contain caffeine.

What dose of caffeine is considered high?

You can answer this question yourself by observing your child. As mentioned earlier, the amount of caffeine that can noticeably affect a child depends on the individual child, his age and health. The most common formulation: “no more than 5 cups of coffee per day” or 500 mg per day. Other sources state that the maximum daily dose of caffeine is 300-750 mg.

Caffeine during pregnancy

It is invigorating and aromatic, alluring and tantalizing. How difficult it is for a connoisseur to resist the temptation to take a sip of the scalding tart drink. And a whole cup of this thick, velvety-brown elixir can work wonders on a depressed body. Coffee - “it” or “he”, no longer matters when they say that you can refrain from drinking the magic drink. When everyone around claims that coffee while breastfeeding is a bad and even dangerous habit.

If you are a young mother. If you are lucky and managed to establish breastfeeding, then one of the problems associated with feeding your baby is left behind. There are many happy moments ahead associated with this process, as this is the most intimate way of communication between mother and child. But joys are joys, and desires are desires. It is a well-known fact that a young mother needs a strict diet. And I really want a mug of hot, aromatic coffee. And here is the moment of truth - to succumb to the desires to give the body the desired dose of caffeine, to feel a surge of strength, or in despair to think that this is so harmful for the baby!

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Let's figure out whether you can drink coffee during lactation. What is the main complaint? Caffeine is the main substance for which the drink was included in the “black lists” of diets during breastfeeding. When it enters the body, it has a certain effect:

• General excitement
• Uplifting mood
• Being an antioxidant, it prolongs the youth of cells
• Relieves muscle tension

It can be assumed that these properties only benefit the mother’s body. And then, sleepless nights, a restless child - isn’t this a reason to drink another cup of aromatic coffee to raise the overall tone?

And here is the main catch. This wonderful drink has a downside. If you have a habit of constantly invigorating yourself with coffee doping, then it’s time to think about the consequences:

• Depression without a coffee cup
• Loss of strength after a sharp rise
• Emotional instability
• Desire to sleep

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And if coffee brings such contradictory results for a mother, then how will it affect her child? All the books vying with each other report that everything that a mother eats ends up in the milk within an hour. It turns out that the baby takes a few sips along with the mother’s milk. Of course, this is not the healthiest drink for a newborn. And all the exciting properties can affect the child’s condition. If you don’t have the strength to give up the joy of coffee, watch carefully how your little body reacts to such a gift from mom.

Competent opinion

But here's what's interesting. All mothers are familiar with children's doctor Evgeniy Olegovich Komarovsky, his opinion is first of all accepted as correct. He believes that the dangers of coffee are exaggerated. This does not mean that you can drink 10 cups of the drink a day, but he identified only three important reasons why you should say “No” to coffee:

• After milk with added caffeine, the child behaves restlessly, does not fall asleep, and shows general anxiety.
• Redness on the skin, rashes, and stool disturbances are manifestations of an allergic reaction to caffeine.
• The use of medications containing caffeine (aminophylline) for the treatment of asthmatic conditions is dangerous due to overdose if the mother drinks coffee.

It is necessary to clarify that caffeine tends to accumulate in the body. And if in an adult the system is adjusted to remove substances, then in an infant these functions are not yet configured.

If a mother drinks coffee, then after a few hours its active ingredient will penetrate into the milk, and with the milk it will go directly to the baby.

And there, due to the impossibility of removing it, the process of caffeine accumulation will begin. It is this point that Dr. Komarovsky draws attention to. If aminophylline is prescribed, then the mother should report that she drinks coffee, and the dosage of the drug can be adjusted based on this information. For the rest, the pediatrician points out that if there were no allergies or concerns on the part of the baby, then there is no objective reason for the ban.

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World with coffee: simple rules

If you decide that you will drink coffee during lactation, try to use a few simple rules:

• It is better to drink in the first half of the day. By evening, caffeine will be completely eliminated from the body. For an adult it will take about 5 hours.
• If possible, it is better for a nursing mother to drink coffee immediately after feeding. This will prevent the baby from receiving the main dose of caffeine through mother's milk.
• You can drink the drink with milk. The taste will be softer, and the dose can be reduced.
• While breastfeeding, try not to consume soluble substitutes. For their production, low-quality raw materials are used, and the dose of caffeine is artificially increased.
• Coarsely ground grains brewed with your own hands will bring more pleasure. This type of coffee will cause significantly less harm to mother and baby during breastfeeding.
• If you really want coffee while breastfeeding, and not just one mug, but several, be sure to drink water. This drink is an active diuretic. Don't dehydrate your body. Replenish your fluid supply.

Attention is a myth

Advertising gimmick - decaf coffee. Dear girls, don't believe this. Coffee is caffeine. Even if they say the opposite. Yes, the substance content in this drink is artificially reduced, but due to changes in the chemical composition, the new product triggers the synthesis of cholesterol in the body. But it still contains caffeine. Therefore, if you want to drink a cup, you need to drink a good natural drink.

Another myth says that you should not drink coffee while breastfeeding; it is better to replace it with cocoa or green tea. There is no caffeine, the advisers say. And this is another misconception. It is there, both in chocolate and in Coca-Cola. There is much more of it in green tea than in coffee. But tea was not banned.

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Well, the misconception that mothers came up with to allow themselves to drink coffee. You can drink a cup and express it right away, then nothing will get out of the baby’s milk during feeding. Don't suffer. Peak absorption of the substance will occur an hour or two after your cup. Your efforts will be in vain. If you decide to drink some coffee, enjoy it in peace!

To drink or not to drink - that is the question. Every mother must answer this herself. If you are an experienced coffee drinker, then, of course, it will be difficult for you to defend the principled position of the negative influence of the drink. If you've never had a coffee addiction before, you shouldn't start now. But whatever the situation, there are no objective reasons for a complete ban on coffee while breastfeeding. Be careful and evaluate your baby’s reaction to the first cup you drink. Did everything go smoothly? Give yourself a small gift - sometimes enjoy this incredibly attractive drink.

Coffee is the drink with which many people start their morning. The desire to cheer up is more relevant than ever for a young mother who faces a day of caring for her baby. However, drinking coffee while breastfeeding is always questionable. Considered to be the best dietnursing mother proper nutrition,and coffee is usually excluded from the list of permitted products.

How does it affect the baby?

Why do young mothers try not to drink coffee? This is mainly due to prejudices regarding caffeine, which is part of the aromatic invigorating drink. Mothers are afraid that caffeine will have a negative effect on the baby. The most popular “horror story” is that the child will become nervous, restless, sleep poorly and develop delayed.

In fact, caffeine is actually not good for a baby, but for a different reason: the infant’s body is not able to absorb and eliminate it. Accumulating in the baby’s body, caffeine can indeed have a harmful effect, but this is only possible with regular consumption of coffee in decent amounts.

Otherwise, a nursing mother may not be afraid of caffeine. In addition to coffee, it is also found in other products: chocolate of any kind, cocoa, black and green tea. By the way, green tea contains more caffeine than coffee, and, nevertheless, breastfeeding is not a reason to refuse it.

Like any new product, coffee can provoke an allergic reaction in your baby. You need to monitor the appearance of the reaction in the first hours after feeding with “coffee” milk.

How to choose coffee for a nursing mother

Of course, coffee for a nursing mother should only be natural, preferably brewed from freshly ground beans. But drinking instant coffee is not recommended. This coffee is made from low-grade beans, contains a lot of caffeine and is chemically processed. Allergies and dangerous consequences in this case are more likely than after a cup of a natural drink.

The so-called decaffeinated coffee. The very wording of the name of the drink is deceptive: there can be no decaffeinated coffee. In fact, this is coffee with a reduced caffeine content, that is, it will still not be possible to completely eliminate caffeine from entering the baby’s body. In terms of the degree of harm, such coffee is similar to instant coffee, since it also undergoes chemical processing.

Coffee while breastfeeding - the main rules

If a young mother does not say a decisive “no” to coffee, it would be a good idea to take note of some rules, the implementation of which will help minimize the consequences of “coffee” milk for the baby.

1. Drink only home-brewed coffee made from beans.
2. To reduce the caffeine content in the drink, you can not boil the coffee, but pour boiling water over it and let it brew.
3. Coffee is safe when consumed in moderation. For example, one cup every few days, or once a day.
4. If you drink coffee, it is better to do it in the morning, and regarding feedings, immediately after feeding, so that by the next application the concentration of caffeine in the milk will be lower.
5. If you drink coffee, reduce your intake of other caffeine-containing products.
6. Be sure to increase your consumption of foods containing calcium (cheese, cottage cheese, kefir). Nursing mothers always suffer from a lack of calcium, and coffee additionally promotes its removal from the body.
7. Remember to drink an extra cup of clean water for every cup of coffee you drink: caffeine causes dehydration, and maintaining fluid balance is very important for a nursing mother.

Giving up coffee altogether or ignoring warnings are extremes. The best option, as usual, is somewhere in the middle. Even a nursing mother can treat herself to her favorite drink without harm to her baby.

During pregnancy you have to give up many foods. After the birth of a child, you want to return to your usual diet, but you need to follow a nursing diet. Most products are banned. Many people are interested in whether it is possible to drink coffee while breastfeeding.

Effect on baby

Caffeine appears in breast milk almost immediately after consumption, reaching its highest concentration after an hour and a half. The time for complete elimination from the body of an adult is 8-10 hours. But the exact numbers vary from person to person and depend on metabolism, digestion and overall diet. If caffeine enters the infant's body:

• Not absorbed, like all alkaloids, during the first year of life;
• Coffee during breastfeeding is eliminated within 5-7 days if the baby is less than 3 months old. Some accumulate in the body, negatively affecting the development of the nervous system;
• Causes overexcitation, hyperactivity. The baby may experience severe stress;
• Leads to disruption of sleep and rest patterns and can reduce appetite;
• Removes calcium from the body, which negatively affects the development of the skeletal system;
• Disturbs digestion, causes constipation;
• It has a diuretic effect and can cause dehydration in a fragile body. Microelements important for the development of the baby are excreted along with the liquid.

Can nursing mothers drink coffee? The drink is a strong allergen, so it is recommended to avoid it for the first six months. Coffee consumed by the mother can cause addiction in the baby. When it stops entering the body, the child becomes lethargic and capricious.

Caffeine is incompatible with some medications, reducing their effectiveness. If the drug contains theophylline (a substance with a similar effect), then simultaneous use with a flavored drink can cause an overdose. In this case, Dr. Komarovsky recommends giving up coffee or telling your doctor about your consumption. The specialist will take this into account when prescribing a regimen and dosage of medications.

Komarovsky believes that a nursing mother is not prohibited from drinking coffee if the child does not have allergies, overstimulation or digestive problems. In these cases, you need to reduce the amount of the drink or exclude it from the menu.

Contraindications

You can drink coffee while breastfeeding, except in the following cases:

• The first week of a baby’s life can have negative consequences for the development of the child’s vital organs. It is better to gradually introduce coffee into the diet no earlier than 3 months, ideally six months;
• The child was born premature. A weakened body does not perceive caffeine well;
• Anemia in a newborn. Coffee during breastfeeding significantly reduces the level of iron in mother's milk and provokes a lack of a microelement important for hematopoiesis in the baby's body;
• The baby developed an allergy - rash, redness of the skin. You need to stop drinking the drink, try again in a month, not earlier;
• Negative reaction from the child’s nervous system: overexcitation, poor sleep, causeless anxiety;
• Lactation is reduced - the drink leads to its reduction.

Instant coffee

The product is made from low quality grains. During production, they undergo chemical treatment, increasing the likelihood of allergies. It contains more caffeine than freshly ground coffee. Many people drink it for vigor, but the effect of an instant drink is lower, and addiction appears faster.

A person drinking this coffee feels a surge of energy for the first 30-40 minutes, after which the opposite effect occurs: severe drowsiness and fatigue appear. As a result, an attempt to cheer up leads to increased stress on the nervous and urinary systems.

To maintain general tone, it is better to use herbal tea, which is allowed during breastfeeding. It has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, helping to recover faster after childbirth. There are special fees to increase lactation. When drinking herbal teas, you need to monitor your child's reaction to rule out allergies.

Green coffee

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To prepare it, use regular unroasted coffee beans. They differ in color and contain more nutrients due to the lack of heat treatment. Green coffee can be consumed by nursing mothers, but in dosage and after the child reaches six months of age. It contains caffeine, which can negatively affect the baby's well-being.

In green beans, its level is lower than in roasted ones, but you need to introduce the drink into your diet gradually, starting with a few sips, and pay attention to the child’s reaction.

You should use only fresh product, purchase it in specialized stores and check the quality certificate. There is a high risk of buying a fake that will be useless or harm the child’s body. The grains should be light green in color and should be cooked immediately before consumption. It is better to drink green coffee immediately after feeding or a few hours before it. The maximum number of cups of drink consumed during breastfeeding is 3 per day.

Green coffee is often used for weight loss and recovery after childbirth. It stimulates metabolic processes and is a source of antioxidants, vitamins and microelements. Various plant-based dietary supplements are contraindicated; you need to choose natural products.

Does it contain caffeine?

Can breastfeeding women drink decaffeinated coffee? It is a mistake to think that this will protect the child. This product is obtained as a result of several stages of chemical processing, traces of which remain in the drink. The allergenicity of the drink increases, while it contains an alkaloid, but in smaller quantities. Decaffeinated coffee can cause gastrointestinal disorders in a child and increased nervousness.

A good substitute is chicory: it has a similar flavor but does not contain caffeine. It is a source of useful substances, relieves nervous tension, improves digestion and metabolic processes in the body.

Chicory is easy to prepare, but is contraindicated in case of increased stomach acidity. It is necessary to drink coffee drink in small quantities to reduce the risk of allergies in your baby. To improve the taste, sugar and cream can be added.

Freshly ground from coffee beans

If the product is natural and of high quality, then it can be consumed in moderation, not earlier than the child is one month old. To reduce the amount of alkaloid, it is recommended to dilute it with boiling water. Bean coffee contains more nutrients and less caffeine than instant coffee. It is better to choose Arabica varieties and grind them immediately before cooking.

Can a nursing mother have coffee with milk? The option is allowed, but not earlier than the baby is one month old. The product contains casein, a highly allergenic protein. It requires special enzymes for processing, and the baby’s digestive system is just adapting to a new life. Animal milk protein can cause intestinal upset, bloating and colic.

Rules of use

Mommy has the right to decide for herself whether to drink coffee during breastfeeding, but she must take into account its possible harm and impact on the baby’s body. It is recommended to follow the following rules:

1. You are allowed to drink the drink, but you must feed the baby first. Or drink it a few hours before feeding so that your baby receives less caffeine through breast milk. It is easier for a child's body to cope with small doses of the substance. It is better to give up coffee in the first 3 months after birth, since the feeding regimen has not yet been established;
2. Start with a few sips in the morning and increase the dose every few days. Be sure to monitor the child’s well-being; if there are sudden changes in his behavior, deterioration of digestion, or allergic manifestations, you must stop drinking the drink;
3. Keep in mind that caffeine is present in other products - chocolate, cocoa, alcoholic drinks, Coca-Cola. A small amount of it and a similar substance – theophylline – are also found in green tea. The simultaneous consumption of products leads to high doses of the alkaloid in breast milk. The baby may have overexcitement, rapid heartbeat, and anxiety;
4. Limit coffee consumption to 1-2 cups of coffee per day, preferably every 3-4 days. It is permissible to drink from the smallest mugs to get pleasure, but less caffeine enters the body;
5. Consume more fermented milk products to replenish the calcium lost from the body after drinking coffee;
6. Give your baby some water and monitor the amount of liquid in your diet. To prevent dehydration and reduce the load on the urinary system, you need to drink a glass of water 10-15 minutes after drinking coffee. This is due to the specific impact of the product on the body during processing. In good coffee shops, clean water is served along with a cup of aromatic drink.

Doctors do not recommend drinking coffee to nursing women until the baby is six months old, but it is better to exclude it from the menu for the entire period of lactation. Children under 5 years of age are not advised to give this drink due to the negative effects on the body, especially since a newborn baby should not be exposed to stress. To maintain his health and strengthen his immune system, you need to carefully consider the mother’s diet so that the baby receives the maximum of nutrients from breast milk.

Caffeine is passed through breast milk. Babies receiving high levels or frequent doses of caffeine may suffer from irritability or insomnia, but the caffeine in one or two cups of coffee will not affect a nursing baby. Large doses of coffee, even decaffeinated coffee, can cause a decrease in the iron content of breast milk.

Nicotine

In humans and in animals tested, large amounts of nicotine led to a reduction in milk production. Babies as young as three or four days old of breastfeeding mothers who smoked six to sixteen cigarettes a day reportedly refused to nurse, became lethargic, vomited, and had delayed urination and bowel movements. Although bottle-fed babies are not affected by the nicotine in milk, they should not breathe smoke from smokers. Mothers and caregivers should not smoke while holding their baby.

Marijuana and cocaine

The most active substance found in marijuana is water-soluble and therefore easily passes into breast milk. Babies born to women who use cocaine typically experience numerous complications that may prevent them from breastfeeding. Cases have been reported of infants reacting to cocaine in their mothers' milk, exhibiting symptoms of cocaine intoxication. One child convulsed when cocaine was used as a common anesthetic for dry nipples.

Medicines

Before you take any medicine, whether prescribed for you or not, make sure it is not passed through breast milk or poses a risk to your nursing baby. A child's kidneys and liver may not be able to reject or detoxify such medications. If you decide to breastfeed, ask your doctor or pharmacist for a list of approved over-the-counter medications, and do not take any prescribed medications without advice that are safe for your baby. The best guide in this matter is the book “Medications during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding,” a comprehensive reference book used by doctors and pharmacists.

Many common medications like aspirin, Valium and many antibiotics can become dangerous if you are breastfeeding. Even small doses of aspirin, which is usually quite safe, can cause your child to bleed.

Some women were advised to stop breastfeeding if they needed medication, but this did not take into account the mother's feelings when the baby was weaned, the baby's behavior when the baby was suddenly weaned, and the baby's loss of important components in the mother's milk. Ask your doctor if there are other ways to treat the disease and if it would be harmful to your health to simply wait to take your medications. Sometimes the milk is pumped out and discarded, and formula is used as a temporary measure. And then breastfeeding is resumed after stopping treatment.

Many medications have little or no effect on a nursing baby because they do not pass into milk. The effects of some medications may be minimal, but some amounts that your baby ingests may cause allergic reactions to that medication in the future.
If you do need to take medications, do so immediately after a feeding so that the levels are reduced by the next feeding.

Pollution from the environment

Recently, there has been increased concern about the possibility of environmental contamination of milk. The public was alarmed by reports of cancers and birth defects in areas where high levels of harmful substances were found in women's breast milk.

Recognizing the health risks caused by such pollutants, it should be noted that their use has decreased significantly in recent years.
Levels of insecticides in human milk fluctuate depending on the mother's weight and duration of feeding. These levels are higher at the end of feeding when the fat content of the milk increases. But heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic can be found in elevated levels in some water supplies, cow's milk and in formulas prepared with more water than is found in human milk.

If you have questions about contamination of breast milk, please contact your health authority for assistance. Hazards associated with contaminated spring waters or waters where fishing is permitted are usually limited to a local scale. Doctors generally agree that the benefits of breastfeeding far outweigh the dangers of environmental milk contamination, unless you count women exposed to a single contaminant.

Birth control pills

A number of studies have found that conventional birth control pills, which contain both estrogen and progesterone, reduce the quantity and quality of breast milk. Talk to your doctor about suitable birth control options while you are still breastfeeding your baby.

Food additives and sugar substitutes

Very little is known about specific dietary supplements or sugar substitutes in terms of their passage into breast milk. Therefore, it is best to rely on less processed foods without large amounts of additives. A varied diet protects you from overindulging in any product and protects you from large quantities of food additives.

Foods that cause gas

If your baby has gas, don't blame it on what you ate. During the first months, the baby's digestive system is poorly developed, and gases are easily formed there. Large amounts of lactose, most often found in milk, can irritate some children. If a baby becomes fussy after his mother has eaten highly flavored food, it may be because he doesn't like the flavor that has transferred from the food into the milk.