Can I drink coffee if I'm breastfeeding? Will caffeine go into breastmilk? The truth about coffee and breastfeeding
- jaimiezaki
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Can I Drink Coffee While Breastfeeding? Here’s What You Need to Know
You’ve just had a baby. You’re running on little to no sleep, and someone casually mentions, “You probably shouldn’t drink that coffee—it’ll mess with your baby.”Now you’re staring at your cup like it’s forbidden fruit and wondering, Wait… can I drink coffee while breastfeeding?
Let’s talk about it, Mama Bear—because the truth might just make your morning a whole lot better.
Is Coffee Safe While Breastfeeding?
Here’s the good news: Yes, most breastfeeding mothers can safely enjoy coffee in moderation.
Research shows that up to 200–300 mg of caffeine per day (about one to two cups of coffee) is generally considered safe while breastfeeding. While caffeine does pass into your breast milk, the amount is tiny—and usually not enough to affect your baby.
So no, you don’t have to give up your favorite pick-me-up. You just might need to be mindful of a few things.
How Caffeine Affects Breastfed Babies
Babies process caffeine more slowly than adults, especially newborns and preemies. This means that while most little ones handle small amounts of caffeine just fine, a few might be more sensitive.
Watch for signs like:
Fussiness or irritability soon after feeding
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Seeming “wired” when you’ve had multiple caffeinated drinks
If you notice these patterns, try cutting back for a few days and see if it helps. But remember—most breastfeeding issues aren’t caused by caffeine. If your baby’s unsettled, it’s far more likely related to latch, feeding rhythm, or digestion—not your morning latte.
Smart Ways to Enjoy Coffee While Breastfeeding
If you want to be extra cautious (or your baby seems sensitive), here are a few simple tweaks that can make a big difference:
☕ Time it right: Drink your coffee right after a feeding. This gives your body time to metabolize caffeine before the next feed, minimizing how much reaches your milk.
🌅 Keep caffeine earlier in the day: Morning coffee is less likely to affect your baby’s nighttime sleep. Afternoon or evening caffeine might linger and make bedtime harder.
🍫 Watch hidden sources: Caffeine sneaks into more than just coffee! Be mindful of:
Black and green tea
Chocolate
Sodas and energy drinks
Pre-workout or weight-loss supplements
Pain relievers (like Excedrin)
All of it adds up—so keep an eye on your overall intake.
The Bottom Line: Coffee and Breastfeeding Can Coexist
You don’t need to feel guilty for drinking coffee while breastfeeding.You don’t need to white-knuckle your way through sleep deprivation without a little caffeine boost.
Listen to your body, pay attention to your baby, and find the balance that works for both of you. For most mothers, a cup (or two) of coffee a day is perfectly safe—and absolutely deserved.
So go ahead, Mama Bear—sip that coffee with confidence.
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Transcript:
All right, mama. Today's episode is gonna be a quick one, but it's an important one. Imagine you have a newborn. You are exhausted because you are not getting as much sleep as you might have thought you would get, and somebody tells you you should not be drinking that cup of coffee. It's gonna mess with your baby.
So you get to be tired and have no coffee, and now you're like, oh no. Can I drink coffee while I'm breastfeeding? That's what we're gonna talk about today.
Hey Mama Bear. Welcome to the Breastfeeding With Confidence podcast. Do you dream of bonding with your baby through exclusive breastfeeding, but worry about breastfeeding pain or low milk supply? Maybe you're struggling with breastfeeding and no one seems to have any answers. I'm Jamie Doula, international Board certified lactation consultant, and Mom of five, and I have been where you are after working through painful latches, milk supply worries, and postpartum depression, and.
Supporting countless mothers through their breastfeeding journeys for over eight years. I'm here to tell you breastfeeding doesn't have to be perfect to be positive. Each week I'll share breastfeeding tips to help you prevent and overcome unexpected breastfeeding challenges so you can actually enjoy bonding with your baby.
If you are ready to shut out the toxic whispers of the world, embrace your God-given intuition and release your inner fierce Mama bear. Grab some coffee or your favorite herbal tea and let's dive in.
Hey, mama. One of the most common questions I get from new moms is, can I drink coffee while breastfeeding? First of all, I get it. You are exhausted.
You've been up all night that morning. That morning. Coffee feels less like luxury and more like survival. The, the thought of giving it up is just like, no, thank you. Sounds pretty bad. Right? Well, here's the good news. For most breastfeeding moms, you absolutely do not need to give up.
Caffeine research shows that a moderate amount of caffeine, about 200 to 300 milligrams per day, which is usually one to two cups of coffee, is generally considered safe while breastfeeding. Now, here's the part that can cause some confusion. Caffeine does pass into your milk, but in really, really small amounts
the thing is babies do process caffeine a little more slowly than adults, so that means while most babies won't be bothered at all, some babies, especially newborns or preemies, they, they could be a little more sensitive. So how do you know if your baby is sensitive? , If they seem unusually fussy or restless, they're having trouble settling to sleep and you've been drinking a lot of caffeine, it might be where the experimenting with cutting back on that and seeing if it makes a difference.
But I've heard where moms are like, oh, my baby's really colicky. , It's because of the caffeine, so I can't have. Coffee and then they cut out caffeine and it doesn't get better, but they still think they can't have caffeine. Usually most of your baby's feeding issues are gonna be related to something else, but it is worth that little experiment, right?
See if it gets better. But what we can do is we can consider like timing, all right? So time your caffeine. If you drink your coffee right after feeding, there might be enough time for your body to metabolize it before the next feed, lowering the amount that reaches your baby.
Also, if you're drinking caffeine in the morning, it might not affect your baby in the evening. But if you're drinking caffeine in the afternoons. It could affect your baby's bedtime, so we wouldn't be considerate of timing. Also, something to consider is that.
Coffee is not the only place you're getting caffeine, right? So it's not just coffee and tea that you have to be looking for, but sodas, chocolate, energy drinks, even some pain relievers like, , et cetera, , or pre-workout supplements have caffeine added in that you might not realize. It all adds up, so make sure you're keeping an eye on that overall intake and you're not accidentally layering in more where you don't need it.
Here's the bottom line. You don't need to feel guilty for having a cup of coffee or a tea while you're breastfeeding. If you notice a clear pattern of sensitivity in your baby, make adjustments based off that, but you're not harming your baby. And sometimes that little boost of energy is exactly what you need to keep going.
So go ahead and drink your coffee. Listen to your body. Listen to your baby.
Alright, mama bear. That is a wrap for today. If this episode helps you feel a little more confident or a little more prepared for breastfeeding, can I ask you a quick favor? Go ahead and leave me a review. It helps other moms find this podcast and join us in this amazing community of fierce and confident Mama bears.
And hey, if you know a friend who could use some encouragement or real talk about pregnancy, breastfeeding, and all things motherhood, share this episode with her. You've got this Mama Bear Trust your instincts, stay fierce, and I'll catch you in the next episode.
Jaimie Zaki is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and mom of 5! Jaimie has volunteered as a La Leche League Leader, worked as a nurse, doula, and birth photographer, and is the host of the Breastfeeding With Confidence Podcast and founder of the Confident MamaBear Society. Jaimie provides holistic breastfeeding advice for pregnant & new moms, helping them overcome unexpected latching trouble and milk supply issues. She empowers mothers to make informed decisions from a place of confidence and intuition.
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