Caffeine passes the placenta
For many people, no start to the day is complete without coffee. Pregnancy is a phase where women should not drink too much of it, however. This is because the stimulant in coffee, caffeine, passes unhindered through the placenta and thus also has an effect on the unborn child. An adult breaks down caffeine with the help of certain enzymes (cytochromes). The fetus, however, does not yet possess these enzymes and thus cannot break down the caffeine it receives.
In a Norwegian study, nearly 60,000 pregnant women were asked about their coffee consumption. The babies were later assessed according to their birth weight. It was found that drinking coffee during pregnancy affects the growth of the unborn child:
In a healthy child, this difference is not of great significance. But in premature births or in mature newborns with an inherently lower birth weight, this can certainly have an impact on later development.
Coffee while breastfeeding: The child drinks along with you
Even nursing mothers should not consume too much caffeine. Otherwise, the child becomes restless, gets stomach aches and sleeps poorly. If a mother does have the desire for a coffee, black or green tea or a cola, it is best to reach for it directly after breastfeeding. Then the body has time to break down the caffeine until the next breastfeeding meal.
Recommended caffeine dose
So in general, you don’t have to give up coffee and other caffeinated drinks and foods during pregnancy, but you do have to keep an eye on the amount you consume. The same applies to breastfeeding.
