What consequences can caffeine have for my child? | Coffee while breast-feeding – Is it dangerous?

What consequences can caffeine have for my child?

It is not yet fully understood scientifically what effects the consumption of coffee actually has on the baby. It is often discussed that increased consumption of coffee could have a negative effect on the sleeping behaviour of babies. A somewhat older, Brazilian study could not confirm this, but the study also shows some weaknesses.

Thus, it remains unclear how much coffee is not dangerous for the baby and also how much is really taken in by the baby. Therefore one should follow the guideline of the German Society for Nutrition of maximum 300mg caffeine (approx. 2 cups of coffee) per day.

Caffeine can also lead to increased restlessness of the baby during the day, as well as to problems in the gastrointestinal tract. It has been reported that babies may suffer more frequently from abdominal pain or flatulence. These consequences can also last for several days, as a baby can only break down the caffeine very slowly. Only after a few days is the caffeine absorbed through breast milk completely eliminated from the baby’s body.

How much does coffee pollute breast milk?

The most stressful for the baby is the caffeine contained in coffee. If coffee is drunk, the caffeine is absorbed into the mother’s bloodstream and can then also accumulate in breast milk. However, the level of caffeine in breast milk is lower than the level in the blood at the same time.

Therefore, in relative terms, the level of caffeine in breast milk is lower than in the mother’s blood. Nevertheless, one should adhere to a maximum of 300mg caffeine (approx. 2 cups of coffee) per day.

Furthermore, every baby reacts differently to caffeine, so that the coffee consumption must be adjusted individually. Similar to sleep disorders, it has not been proven that the consumption of coffee leads to flatulence in babies. However, experience shows that babies who have had contact with caffeine are more prone to flatulence and abdominal pain than those whose mothers do not consume caffeine.

This connection cannot be confirmed with certainty, however, because many other factors can always play a role and the study situation on this topic is not clear.Whether the baby sleeps worse after drinking coffee depends on the amount of caffeine. When drinking less than two cups of coffee a day, the transferred caffeine should not affect the baby’s sleep. However, this has not been scientifically proven, as there are only a few studies with small numbers of patients. This is another reason why you should be rather cautious about drinking coffee.