Excess caffeine in pregnancy is related to an increased risk of abortion, premature delivery and low birth weight, but once caffeine is born it passes to the baby through the mother's milk, therefore Coffee consumption during breastfeeding should occur in moderation.
Caffeine consumed by the mother appears quickly in breast milk, obtaining the concentration peak at the hour or hour and a half after ingestion.
Babies are not able to metabolize and eliminate caffeine as an adult, so the intake of this substance by the mother who breastfeeds her child can cause her to experience symptoms such as insomnia and irritability.
Caffeine is found in coffee, but also in other foods such as tea, soda, chocolate, sports drinks and certain medications.
It is estimated that an infant receives between seven and ten percent of the caffeine ingested by the mother. On the other hand, caffeine metabolites can persist in the infant's blood beyond 10 hours after caffeine has disappeared from it.
In the newborn baby, the metabolism of caffeine is slower than in adults, and in preterm babies, much slower, being able to frequently reach concentrations similar to those of the mother. By the 3rd or 4th month, the metabolism by the baby of this substance is comparable to that of adults.
That means that if the mother consumes a large amount of caffeine (we talk about ten rates of coffee or more), it accumulates in the baby's body, who will show symptoms such as irritability, nervousness and sleep disturbance.
I imagine that a nursing mother will not drink ten daily rates of coffee, but in any case it is important that coffee intake during breastfeeding be in moderation. If you drink coffee, do it immediately after breastfeeding, do not exceed the two daily rates, and preferably, that it is decaffeinated.
