Caffeine and Breast feeding

[Poppy'smum]

Does anyone know or have any experience with caffeine intake and breastmilk??
I can not live with out several cups of tea a day (about 5 or 6), and bub is not a great sleeper.
Yesterday I was really busy and spent most of the day out and had only 2 cups, and today she is sleeping like a log?? :D Any connection do you think?? :confused:
I have tried all the herbal teas and decaff types but hate them!! :mad:
Maybe I will just have to go without!

[FluffyDucks]

Hi Poppys Mum,

From what I have read they say that you can have some caffeine but if you have a lot it can affect the baby advsersly. From the "What To Expect The First Year" book it does say, "Restrict your intake of caffiene. One or wto cups of coffee a day wont affect your baby or you. More probably will, making one or both of you jittery, irritable and sleepless."

Also there is some interesting info on the ABA website about what caffiene does to your breastmilk and the nutrients in it - http://breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/drugs.html

All in all I suppose its everything in moderation...Damn! :)

Michelle

[Rainbowbrite]

Did you drink the same amount when pregnant? If so i dont think it would have an affect. I find that the day after we have been out & about MJ always sleeps better too, dont think there is a link personally :)

RB

[AM]

Coffee really affects my son.
I can get away with 1 cup very early in the morning, but otherwise, he is absolutely bouncing off the walls!
So I think it is just different for every mum/baby pair, and you just need to work out what works for both of you.

[Tisme]

While I was bf in the hospital with my son I HAD to drink 7 serves of caffeine per day .... 3 coffee, 3 bottles COKE and 1 bottle V on doctors orders.

My son was the quietest most placid baby in the hospital right up til the day I left. I personally think it depends upon YOUR bodies absorption of caffeine whether or not a considerable amount passes through to bub and has an effect.

I'm the type of person though that can have any one of the caffeinated drinks and go straight to bed, they don't have an uplifting effect on me unless I eat lollies (increased sugar intake) with it .... hence I used to drink V and grenadine at clubs etc

[Miaow]

I drink prob 4-5 coffees a day and find it doesnt overley affect her sleep that I've noticed - sometimes shell sleep ages only waking for feeds and sometimes is awake watching things around her it doesnt seem to matter how much coffee I've had.

When I had her in hospital they never mentioned any probs with coffee intake and even 2 hours after had her said you prob feel like a coffee etc they even had a coffee room we could go and get cups throughout the day.

[SMBT]

I craved soft drinks whilst pregnant with my DD. Mainly pepsi and coke. I drank up to 6 glasses a day. I know that is so wrong, but anyway....the first couple of months after DD was born, I still drank that much soft drink and coffee and she was hysterically crying and really windy. When DD was four months, my cravings for caffefine and sugar eased and I stopped drinking it apart from one coffee with breakfast, she turned into a different baby, over the following weeks and is now very contented.

I only drank it because I was craving it, but I definitely think it made a big impact on DD's behaviour and bodily functions.

[LucyE]

I gave up caffeinated drinks while ttc and pregnant so once DS arrived I probably hadn't had any caffeine other than chocolate and green tea. When I did have a cup of coffee (to help get me through those blearly first few weeks) I noticed an immediate change in DS. He was more grizzly and not his calm, happy self. The worst is when they are so overtired but then can't fall asleep. DS was pretty sensitive to foods I ate though, and I had to change a lot of my diet (including giving up all caffeine).

[LilShenanigans]

I'd say I did everything wrong during pregnancy.
I have a great affinity for coca cola and just couldn't give it up... although my body is extremely used to caffeine and also doesnt affect my sleep.
I'm also very well known to stress and endured it the entire pregnancy.

But I really do think how your going to affect your child is based upon how your body works to all things around you.

One thing though, even my grandmother (mother of 8, grandma of MANY), had said to me "eat whatever you want, when you want". Which would probably explain why we had scones with cream and jam for dinner one night :D

I must say, I had a very placid child, didn't cry after birth, sleeps a lot. And now at almost 3 months, is still a happy lil thing, sleeps when it's time and is very healthy.

But like I said, each body works differently - but don't deny yourself a coffee at 3am, It's an absolute pleasure! :p