Breastfeeding and caffeine- this can’t be right can it?

[Ladyold]

I’m currently breastfeeding DD- 6 weeks old.

With my first two children I happily drank tea and coffee through the day without thinking about it. Today I thought I would double check the NHS guidance on caffeine- just in case…

I’m a bit shocked that they recommend no more than 200mgs (the same as when I was pregnant?!). Can this be right? I have three young children and not sure I can manage on so little 😩

Yeah I've always believed that too be right unfortunately, just when mums need the caffeine the most

This is terrible! I’m going to have to do some serious cutting back!!

I manage mine by doing half decaf and half normal over 3 cups and then just decaf if I feel the need for more.

My 'children' are in their 30s now and tbh I can't recall anything being off limits when I was pregnant or after having them. I do vaguely recall something about soft cheese and liver but I'm pretty certain that was quite a long while after.

I'm curious as to what they say will happen to the baby if you drink caffeine and all the other things that are now banned? Genuinely interested!

That's right I'm afraid! I've just bought my first pack of caffeinated tea after 5 years of pregnancy and breastfeeding with my 2.

My little one would struggle to sleep well if I ever had more than one cup.

It's like a cruel joke isn't it, just when you need it most.

Not helpful, but the NHS deem it satisfactory for trans men to take testosterone whilst breastfeeding, along with supplying trans women with drugs to produce artificial lactation, giving baby artificial milk full of drugs & god knows what, both lack research into possible side effects later on.
So, I don't know how they have the audacity to tell us not to have coffee to be honest. . I think it's appalling.
I appreciate that you are looking out for your baby, at least someone is.

I think that guidance is very precautionary. It's not like it goes from your mouth straight to the milk! The guidance isn't really based on evidence as there isn't much available.

I've just had tea as normal with both of mine and never noticed any correlation between my caffeine intake and their sleep. I had an aversion to tea when pregnant both times so made up for it afterwards!

Have a look at the Emily Oster books - one of the things she looks into is the actual research on caffeine in pregnancy. The evidence is really poor quality.

I honestly don't know (though drank plenty of coffee while feeding both of mine!) Drinking alcohol while breastfeeding isn't the same as drinking while pregnant, because the amount of alcohol in your milk is reduced compared to the amount in your blood. I can't see why it isn't the same with caffeine? Though happy for some medical person to come along and explain otherwise.

Surely you'd realise if your baby was being kept awake by caffeine? I lived on tea and coffee when I was bf and she was a reasonably sleeper so surely she can't have been getting that much?

I drank 2 to 3 mugs of tea and my son slept fine.

A day*

Thanks all- I was so careful in pregnancy (and had GD so quite a restricted diet) but was looking forward to most things being ok after birth! I exceed the 200mgs by 10am most days 🤦‍♀️

Our NCT instructor (also an IBCLC) explained that caffeine has a very long half life in your milk (12 hours from memory) but alcohol is apparently totally fine (within reason) as it passes out of your milk quickly.

also it’s not the caffeine itself that’s the issue, it’s more that your baby won’t sleep!

I’m ebf my 4 month old and have totally ignored that NHS guidance! Baby seems fine. I am coping better with it than without.

This. Caffeine has a really long half life… and you sound like a pretty heavy consumer of it.

one of my dc was (still is as a teen) very sensitive to coffeine.
I was limited to half a cup of very weak tea a morning or baby wouldn't sleep. at. all.

I'm still slightly traumatised

This!

I limited myself to one coffee a day when BF but only because I didn't want my baby to sleep any less than they already were, so it was purely selfish!!

But caffeine isn't exactly the worst thing you could pass through your milk.