Can I drink coffee while breastfeeding?
It is generally not forbidden to drink coffee while breastfeeding. However, it should be noted that the caffeine contained in coffee also passes into breast milk. This means that during breastfeeding a portion of the caffeine absorbed is transferred to the baby.
Small amounts of caffeine are harmless during the breastfeeding period. The exact amounts have been determined by the German Society for Nutrition and the WHO for both pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is important to note that the caffeine is not fully absorbed by the body until about 45 minutes after the consumption of coffee.
During this time, breastfeeding should be avoided, as the caffeine concentration is highest in breast milk. It is rather recommended to drink the coffee immediately after breastfeeding. This gives the body enough time to break down some of the caffeine before the next breastfeeding. In healthy adults, the half-life of caffeine is about 3 to 5 hours. This means that after this time, half of the caffeine absorbed has been broken down by the body.
How much coffee per day is acceptable during the lactation period?
The German Society for Nutrition and the WHO recommend that nursing mothers should not consume more than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day. This corresponds to about 2 cups of coffee. On average, 100ml filter coffee contains about 55mg caffeine.
However, it should be noted that other beverages such as some teas or soft drinks, as well as foods such as cocoa or chocolate also contain caffeine. Alternatives to the classic coffee such as cappuccino or latte macchiato should also be used with caution, as they are based on espresso, which contains an increased amount of caffeine. Here the caffeine content increases to approx.
130mg per 100 milliliters. These guidelines refer to healthy babies and babies born at the due date. These guidelines cannot be applied to breast-feeding premature babies, as they are less able to process the caffeine. Therefore, caffeine should be avoided or it should be discussed beforehand with the treated gynecologist how much caffeine is also safe for a premature baby.
