Caffeine And Breastfeeding

Lately Olivia has been really fussy around bed time. Erin also noted that Olivia was not napping as she usually did throughout the day and that she was crying more and more for no apparent reason. This set us to wondering, since she usually slips into dreamland without too much fuss or bother. Erin suggested that Olivia's fussiness might relate to her own recent decline in caffeine consumption. She wondered if our daughter was showing the irritability that you would expect of an adult that was suddenly "detoxing" from caffeine. Could it be true? Could the caffeine Erin was consuming actually be passing through into her breast milk? And if so how much of it was passed on and what affect might it have on Olivia?

We set off to do some research to find the answers to these questions. What we discovered was enlightening. It set the tone for our approach to all things consumed while my wife was breastfeeding. Here is what we found:

The amount of caffeine in five or fewer five-ounce cups of coffee will not typically cause a problem for most mothers and babies. In "Breastfeeding: A Guide For the Medical Profession", by Ruth A. Lawrence, M.D. and Robert M. Lawrence, M.D., the authors write:
"Caffeine ingestion has been singled out for discussion because it is a frequent concern, but the data provided in most reviews are misleading. With a given dose of caffeine that is comparable to that in a cup of coffee, the level in the milk is low (1% of the level in mother) , and the level in the infant's plasma is also low. However, caffeine does accumulate in the infant."

This would tend to indicate that moderate consumption of caffeine would not be a source of worry. However, other resources we found on the web (listed below) confirmed that babies may be more nervous and irritable, feed more frequently, and have sleep problems if the mother ingests a lot of caffeine while breastfeeding. This is because a baby's system is not as efficient as an adult's at ridding itself of caffeine, so it can build up and it's effect can be cumulative. Most of the enzymes that metabolize caffeine are not present in the livers of newborn babies. Because of this, all of the caffeine in their blood has to be excreted through the urine, which is a slow process.

Based on what we found, it is very unlikely that Olivia is experiencing true caffeine withdrawel jitters. But Erin does feel that based on the amount of caffeine she was accustomed to consuming, she and Olivia would both benefit from her cutting back. If you are concerned about the amount of caffeine you are consuming or it's effects on your baby, you should consider cutting back also. Remember, caffeine can be found in soft drinks, and some herbal teas and medications, in addition to coffee and tea. Chocolate contains theobromine which can act like caffeine in both the mother's and baby's systems. Also, keep in mind that if you do drink caffeine, it is important to remain well hydrated by drinking plenty of water and juices.

Want to do some further reading on this topic? Here are some links to consider:

http://www.aap.org/pubed/ZZZNIUQXQ7C.htm?&sub_cat=1

http://parenting.ivillage.com/newborn/nbreastfeed/0,,40tg,00.html

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/postpartumnutrition/4488.html

What else can pass to our babies through breast milk? Stay tuned. We pondered the same question and will share our research with you in future post.