To drink four 'real' coffees a day whilst breastfeeding

[SodOffCovid]

I have a four month old and a crazy two year old toddler. DH wfh because of the pandemic. I am exhausted. Yesterday I had three coffees from one of those tiny cafetieres (1tbsp taylors ground) and a cappuccino from our dulce gusto machine. I've been drinking this much for probably a couple of weeks.

All evidence online I can see says dont drink caffeine if it causes irritability in your baby. My baby is a dream. Sleeps when he can (remember, the two year old) and sleeps 7.30-7.30 overnight with usually two feeds. We Co sleep.

I get the impression DH is abit 🤔 about it as I was religiously a one coffee woman with dc1, and he breastfed til he was 18mo. I feel like I may just die if I don't have caffeine right now... Am I doing some harm to my baby. Obv if there is evidence I don't know about I will stop. Does someone know something I don't...

please say no

[Ethelfleda]

OP, I think this is a personal choice for you. If you’ve researched the risks and you’ve seen no ill effects with regards to sleep patterns I would say crack on.
I breastfed for nearly two years and used to have 3 Nespresso coffees a day. Sometimes, I would swap one of those for a regular americano from Costa and the like.

Disclaimer: I bloody love coffee and would never forgive myself for actively discouraging someone else from drinking it

[weepingwillow22]

I have 3 nespressos a day and have been since my LO was born. He is breastfed and sleeps and naps well. I try to avoid them after 3pm (switch to g&ts then )

[LouHotel]

There’s some small evidence that caffeine stunts growth but it would be minute through breast milk, some babies are irritated by it but not all - I Could drink about 5 or 6 cups of tea a today Easily, I could do that with my eldest 2 but my youngest (14 months) doesn’t sleep if I have that many.

Just drink lots of water as well.

[Pacmanitee]

www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/caffeine/

It seems fine, just obviously keep an eye out and reduce if it appears to cause any problems.

[GenerateUsername]

I was similarly nervous and was told it was fine, even when BFing during a week in hospital (with very knowledgeable breastfeeding advisers). I can’t see a problem.

[RhodaDendron]

If your baby is sleeping ok then I think you're fine. I just had to cut down to one (weeps softly into duvet) because my five month old noticeably sleeps worse in the evenings if I have more. I am so exhausted that I feel I may have to resume my habit for health and safety reasons!
I find advise on coffee so confusing as you never know if they’re talking about filter coffee or espressos

[Pandapotato]

Another bf’ing coffee chugger here!
Do what works for you @SodOffCovid. If your baby is happy and you are happy, nothing else should matter. The evidence of it having any affect at all is sketchy at best.

[MinnieMountain]

After carefully sticking to one small coffee a day whilst pregnant, I couldn't wait to get back to 4 a day. DS is 6 and growing as expected.

[HavelockVetinari]

Very unlikely to cause problems, you're not sharing a blood supply any more so the teeny tiny amount in breast milk is negligible. Same with alcohol - the amount required to even mildly affect a bf baby would mean you were paralytic drunk and in no state to look after yourself, let alone a baby!

[Muppetry76]

My ds reacted to just about everything that passed my lips whilst bf, textbook colicky gripey ball of angst that hardly slept if I even thought about caffeine, chocolate, tomatoes, fruit...

If your dc is fine I say go for it you lucky bugger

[Settlersofcatan]

It's fine! As is alcohol.

I honestly think scaremongering and over cautious advice on this stuff is behind our low breastfeeding rates

[SodOffCovid]

Haha thanks @Muppetry76. Tbf dc1 was a nightmare.....

Thanks all, you've cheered me up no end. I'm off to stick kettle on..

Disclaimer: haven't drank any alcohol as I am Co sleeping. Sob.