Everyone has their favourite morning pick-me-up. While some people like to go for a run, others will spend five or ten minutes meditating or practising their yoga positions. And for many of us, pouring a cup of hot, steaming, creamy coffee is just about enough to get us off to a good start!

Coffee is one of the world’s most favourite drinks, but if you’ve just had a baby and are breastfeeding, you may be wondering whether you can still enjoy your morning brew like you used to.

You’re certainly not alone with this common question. So, let’s dive into the specifics of drinking coffee and ingesting caffeine while breastfeeding.

What is a safe level of caffeine to ingest while I’m breastfeeding?

The main ingredient in coffee that people feel unsure about while breastfeeding is caffeine. Caffeine can be found in many popular drinks and foods, not just coffee. For example, tea, cocoa, a bar of chocolate, caffeinated chewing gum, or coffee ice cream. The question is not really about whether you can drink coffee but about watching how much caffeine you are ingesting, as once caffeine is in your blood, a small amount will find its way to your breastmilk.

It is recommended by the experts to keep your caffeine levels to no more than 200mg a day when you are breastfeeding.

Here’s a rough guide to the amount of caffeine you can find in some drinks:

One mug of filter coffee: 140mg
One mug of instant coffee: 100mg
One mug of tea: 75mg
One 250ml can of energy drink: up to 80mg
One cola drink (354ml): 40mg

Now that we’ve outlined what a safe level of caffeine to ingest while you’re breastfeeding is, let’s talk about whether too much caffeine can be harmful to your baby or not.

Can too much caffeine be harmful for my baby?

It’s perfectly fine to have around 200mg of caffeine per day, as this is unlikely to cause any harm to your baby. However, remember that it takes a baby a lot longer to clear caffeine from their system (around 4 days). As their liver and kidneys are not yet mature enough to process caffeine quickly, the more caffeine-filled food and drinks you ingest, the more it will build up in their body. It is only at the 9-month mark that your baby will be able to process caffeine at the same rate as you.

Although caffeine can be used in a medical environment to help premature babies breathe, if ingested in too large amounts, it can disrupt their sleep, making them restless, jittery, or irritable.

Having understood the reasons why caffeine could potentially be harmful to your baby, let’s explore some other alternatives to caffeinated drinks that you can try!

What are some good alternatives to caffeinated drinks while I’m breastfeeding?

We understand that it can be difficult to cut out tea or coffee completely. So, if you still want your daily caffeine fix, then you can try any of the following:

Try to brew tea for less time. Let your tea bag brew for 1 minute instead of 5. This will reduce the caffeine content.

Switch from brewed coffee to instant coffee. Again, this will allow you to enjoy a drink that is lower in caffeine.

However, if you want to try some alternatives to caffeinated drinks, you can do the following:

Try decaffeinated tea or coffee. These are made with a lot less caffeine than normal tea or coffee. For example, an average cup of decaf tea or coffee will contain around 2mg and 5mg of caffeine.

Try water with a slice of lemon or lime. This is a natural alternative if you still crave a hot, comforting drink.

Try herbal teas. Just remember to check the caffeine content on the packet. There are some green teas which won’t be caffeine-free.

Can I have coffee whilst breastfeeding?

Moderating your caffeine intake is key, says Unii.