Mums know to limit their caffeine intake per the National Health Service guidance in pregnancy, but is that something they must continue to do on your breastfeeding journey?

“Unfortunately. Yes, a little bit,” lactation consultant Wendy Lever tells the Unii Babies podcast, hosted by (then pregnant, now breastfeeding!) consultant paediatrician Dr. Saranya Ravindran. “Babies break down caffeine a little bit more slowly than we do. So if you have one or two cups of tea or coffee a day spread out, they'll probably be fine. But if you have three cups of coffee before lunch, your baby's still working on breaking down coffee one when you feed them having had coffee two and then coffee three. And now you’ve got a build up and you're going to have quite a wide baby on your hands.” So, there you have it, mums! Caffeine needs to be restricted just a bit longer. According to the NHS, if you're breastfeeding, it's recommended that you have no more than 200mg a day. This may include one cup of filter coffee (140mg), or can of coke (40mg) or one 50g bar of plain, dark or milk chocolate, or one instant coffee (100mg).

You can learn all about adapting your diet for breastfeeding on Unii’s Baby Feeding Journey with Wendy Lever, available exclusively at unii.com. Watch Episode 14: Do I need to eat a special diet while breastfeeding? for more helpful information.

Whether breast or bottle-feeding works for you personally, we know you and your baby will benefit from completing Wendy’s Baby Feeding Journey with Unii.com. Sign up for a trial to learn about weaning, how to know when breastfeeding is going well, and choosing the right bottle. And join Wendy and Unii Babies host Dr. Saranya Ravindran for more exclusive baby feeding advice in this fascinating Unii Babies podcast episode.

Unii Babies is created and owned by London-based family wellbeing educational platform Unii.com, which offers hundreds of episodes of expert-led video courses and a library of medically reviewed articles devoted to improving both baby and child health and your parenting journey. We can also have your parenting questions expertly answered. Contact us with what you want to know, and you may see one of our experts discuss it on our podcast or Unii.com: Because Family Matters.

This podcast is for reference and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific medical advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking or deciding not to take any action.

Unii's Baby Feeding Expert: "Drink This Much Caffeine and You'll Have a Wired Baby on Your Hands!"

Unii's Baby Feeding Expert: "Drink This Much Caffeine and You'll Have a Wired Baby on Your Hands!"