i am a nursing mom, i did some research and found that it is ok to drink a little bit of caffeine while you're nursing. my husband keeps making the rude comments like." i hope our son turns out ok" and i hope our son doesn't have terets or A.D.D because of all the caffeine you drink. does anyone know if this is true?
2006-10-20 17:04:02 · 14 answers · asked by lynne 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Caffeine does enter your bloodstream, and some portion of what you eat or drink shows up in your breast milk. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, if you consume more than 300 milligrams of caffeine a day (about what you'd get in two or three cups of coffee), it might affect your baby. That's why it's probably best to restrict your intake while breastfeeding.
Although one or two cups of caffeinated coffee, tea, or soda aren't likely to affect either of you, more might make one or both of you irritable, jittery, agitated, and sleepless. If you want to have a cup or two of coffee or tea a day while nursing, keep in mind that the caffeine in your milk will peak about an hour after you ingest it. And make a conscious effort to drink at least eight glasses of water every day as well because caffeine can make you dehydrated, which is not good for your breast milk supply.
If the caffeine seems to bother your baby, you may want to cut it out of your diet until after you've stopped breastfeeding. Your baby's body processes caffeine more slowly than yours does, so it could be a few days before the caffeine is completely out of his system.
Caffeine Content Of Popular Drinks
Soft Drinks
12-ounce beverage milligrams
Red Bull (8.2 oz) 80.0
Jolt 71.2
Pepsi One 55.5
Mountain Dew 55.0
Mountain Dew Code Red 55.0
Diet Mountain Dew 55.0
Kick Citrus 54.0
Mellow Yellow 52.8
Surge 51.0
Tab 46.8
Diet Coke 45.6
Shasta Cola 44.4
Shasta Cherry Cola 44.4
Shasta Diet Cola 44.4
RC Cola 43.0
Diet RC 43.0
Dr. Pepper 41.0
Diet Dr. Pepper 41.0
Diet Sunkist Orange 41.0
Mr. Pibb 40.0
Sugar-Free Mr. Pibb 40.0
Red Flash 40.0
Sunkist Orange 40.0
Slim-Fast Cappuccino Delight Shake 40.0
Ruby Red 39.0
Storm 38.0
Big Red 38.0
Pepsi-Cola 37.5
Pepsi Twist 37.5
Diet Pepsi Jazz 37.5
Diet Pepsi 36.0
Wild Cherry Pepsi 38.0
Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi 36.0
Diet Pepsi Twist 36.0
Aspen 36.0
Coca-Cola Classic 34.0
Cherry Coke 34.0
Lemon Coke 34.0
Vanilla Coke 34.0
Diet Cherry Coke 34.0
Snapple Flavored Teas (Reg. or Diet) 31.5
Canada Dry Cola 30.0
A&W Creme Soda 29.0
Nestea Sweet Iced Tea 26.5
Nestea Unsweetened Iced Tea 26.0
Barq's Root Beer 23.0
A&W Diet Creme Soda 22.0
Slim-Fast Chocolate Flavors 20.0
Snapple Sweet Tea 12.0
Lipton Brisk, All Varieties 9
Canada Dry Diet Cola 1.2
Diet Rite Cola 0
Sprite 0
7-Up 0
Mug Root Beer 0
Diet Barq's Root Beer 0
Sundrop Orange 0
Minute Maid Orange 0
A&W Root Beer 0
Slice 0
Sierra Mist 0
Fresca 0
Other Beverages
8-ounce Beverage milligrams
Coffee, Drip 115-175
Coffee, Brewed 80-135
Coffee, Espresso (2 ounces) 100
Coffee, Instant 65-100
Tea, iced 47
Tea, brewed, imported brands (avg.) 60
Tea, brewed, U.S. brands (avg.) 40
Tea, instant 30
Tea, green 15
Hot cocoa 14
Coffee, Decaf, brewed 3-4
Coffee, Decaf, instant 2-3
SOURCES: National Soft Drink Association, US Food and Drug Administration, Bunker and McWilliams, Pepsi, Slim-Fast.
2006-10-20 17:09:34 · answer #1 · answered by croc hunter fan 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I've been nursing my baby for 10 1/2 months. I don't drink coffee, but I have a serious Slurpee addiction!!
If your body is used to caffeine and you don't drink it you may find yourself experiencing "withdrawal" symptoms which may make you grouchy, headachy etc. (and that won't help you any while you're trying to look after an infant.)
If you find that your baby is acting weird... restless, agitated etc. it may be from the caffeine. (Personally I never had a problem with this although Slurpees are obviously less in the caffeine department and more in the sugar department.)
Everything in moderation. Like someone else said, the benefits of breastfeeding WAY outweigh the risks of a little caffeine. If you overdo it and you're concerned then you can always "pump and dump."
Take care.
2006-10-20 20:19:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the amount of caffeine you take in - a cup or two is FINE. Do you not like de-caffeinated coffee? Or is this from tea, soda, etc? I'd say you should restrict, but not eliminate entirely if you dont want, your caffeine intake. Your husband needs to learn to quit the rude comments. Tell him he'll be the one up all night with your son if he doesnt knock it off.
2006-10-21 02:44:49 · answer #3 · answered by MaPetiteHippopotame 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He needs to be quiet. Everything in moderation.
If your baby is over 6 months, enjoy a cup of coffee or a can of soda. The link below has a nice table of how much caffeine is in different drinks and some general guidelines.
Personally, I couldn't drink more than one can of soda every other day.
2006-10-20 17:10:50 · answer #4 · answered by CCTCC 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Look at the research or ask your doctor. I've been nursing on and off for 7 years (4 kids under 6) All doctors I've asked say a cup or two a day is fine. Just don't overdo it.
2006-10-21 16:31:50 · answer #5 · answered by easton 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell your husband that you've done research and that it's fine. Show him the research you've done. Tell him if he finds something reputable saying that small amounts of caffeine can cause problems then to show it to you and you'll consider stopping.
As others have said it's fine to have a little caffeine while breastfeeding.
2006-10-21 01:56:32 · answer #6 · answered by Ariana S 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why don't you share the research you did with him?
Let him know that La Leche League, the world's foremost authority on breastfeeding, says that up to 5 five-ounce cups of coffee per day is fine.
Caffeine is approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use in breastfeeding mothers.
2006-10-21 03:11:20 · answer #7 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your husband is an idiot. Tell him to quit b*tch*ng unless he wants to do the breastfeeding himself... They don't understand how tough it is, and tired it makes you!... The much-needed extra boost of caffine is well deserved and will NOT harm your baby. Small amounts of alcohol are okay too... A few sips of wine can't hurt! Of course if you do drink heavily (caffine or otherwise) you may want to pump the "bad" milk so less gets passed to the baby during the next feeding.
2006-10-20 17:09:52 · answer #8 · answered by IWantToKnow 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The benefits of breastfeeding DEFINATELY outweigh the risks of a bit of caffeine!!!
2006-10-20 18:28:57 · answer #9 · answered by ♥♥♥♥♥calimama♥♥♥♥♥ 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think your baby well be just fine...as long as you aren't drinking a pot of coffee and and 2 liter of pop a day.
If you are considered I would ask your pediatrician about it.
2006-10-20 19:36:17 · answer #10 · answered by Kelly 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋