Caffeine and your Baby’s Sleep: The Ultimate Guide for the Breastfeeding Mom
Guest Post by Callie Hamilton, BLSWS
If you are looking for solutions to help your baby sleep, the answer could be right under your nose. That’s right, if you are anything like me, you love the smell of fresh coffee in the morning. And after your baby’s sleep was interrupted multiple times last night, you rely on those bursts of caffeine throughout the day to keep you going.
Now, before you start to worry, I want you to know my bias here. I am happy to report that I too have been a caffeine fanatic and a mom who runs on fumes and the occasional espresso shots. I understand how challenging it can be to hold it together each day. I am not here to rob you of this staple. But, I do think it is fair to let you know that Folgers might not just be “the best part of waking up”, but possibly THE reason you and your baby are waking up.
So let’s cover some common questions about caffeine and your baby’s sleep…
How long does caffeine stay in breastmilk?
In as little as 15 minutes after consumption, caffeine can appear within a mother’s breastmilk. These caffeine levels will continue to increase and eventually peak about one to two hours after consumption. Each person is known to metabolize caffeine differently. However, in one study, the average half-life of caffeine in breastmilk was reached 6.1 hours after consumption. To put it simply, this means that the average breastfeeding mother (6 hours after consuming caffeine) could still have 50% of the caffeine dose remaining in her breastmilk (CM Berlin Jr., et al., 1984).
How much caffeine does baby get through my breastmilk?
Now, it is important to clarify that the concentration of caffeine your baby might receive through breastmilk is more diluted than what was first received by the breastfeeding mother. In one instance, it was reported that breastfeeding babies received 1.5% of the dose the breastfeeding mother consumed. (CM Berlin Jr., et al., 1984). Although this dose might seem trivial at first glance, bear in mind that your child’s nervous system is still maturing, and there is anecdotal evidence (Rustin J, 1989) to suggest that even small doses of caffeine within the breastmilk could impact your child’s ability to relax and subsequently fall asleep.
So, assuming possible feeding intervals every 3 hours, it is evident that your baby will ingest some caffeine from breastmilk. The dilution of caffeine within a mother’s breastmilk is good news for those of you who enjoy this occasional splurge. However, frequent reliance on caffeine will result in accumulation of caffeine within the breastmilk that could be troublesome to your child’s overall comfort and rest.
How does caffeine affect baby when breastfeeding?
When measuring caffeine ingestion through breastmilk, a documented milestone is the “half-Life” or simply when the potency of the caffeine levels reach 50% of their original value.
· Newborns: Newborns can take a long time to metabolize caffeine. This can result in up to 130 hour waiting periods (5+ days) before a single dose of caffeine has reached its half-life. (Temple, 1979)
· 3-5 Months: As your infant ages, one dose of caffeine is known to take 14 hours to reach its half-life. (Aldridge, 1979)
· 6 months+: As babies mature to 6 months and beyond it takes closer to 2.6 hours for caffeine to reach its half-life. (Aldridge, 1979).
Overtime, additional caffeine exposures could exacerbate any symptoms your child might experience due to caffeine intake. And with each exposure, the half-life of the caffeine’s effectiveness will be delayed, meaning it will take even longer to leave your baby’s system as it continues to compound.
What are common sources of caffeine?
There are many surprising sources of caffeine. Although this is certainly not a comprehensive list, this can help you get started when considering what to reduce or avoid.
· Coffee
· Energy Drinks
· Soda
· Tea
· Chocolate
· Sports Drinks
· Pain Relivers
· Weight Loss Supplements and Shakes
How much caffeine can I consume while breastfeeding?
Although we can look to research for an answer here, I would first like to direct you to your own instincts regarding your child. These instincts are the first line of defense for identifying your unique child’s needs and struggles.
Is your child…
· Agitated?
· Jittery?
· Fussy?
· Struggling to fall asleep/stay asleep?
· Gassy?
· Uncomfortable?
· Colicky?
These are all possible symptoms of caffeine accumulation and might highlight the need for some trial and error regarding caffeine elimination from the maternal diet. When eliminating caffeine, please be mindful of the half-life of caffeine mentioned above. For newborns, it can take an average of 20 days for the functional elimination of caffeine. Of course, if your child is exceptionally uncomfortable these would all be symptoms to discuss with your child’s doctor.
As a rule, if your child is under 4 months and struggling, I suggest cutting out caffeine altogether. Trust me, I get it, this is a big request for many of you. However, let me gently remind you that when the baby sleeps, you can too. That caffeine will not be quite as necessary if you and your little one are settled and comfortable through the day and night. And don’t forget, there are many great decaf alternatives for those who really enjoy the ritual of sipping on that cup of coffee, tea, or soda.
For those with children 4 months and up, give caffeine another attempt if you would like. But please do not go overboard. There is evidence to suggest that children over 4 months and up may not lose sleep when their lactating mother consumes less than 300mg of caffeine (2-3 cups of coffee) a day. (Santos IS, 2012). Personally, I find that the 6-month mark proves to be a sweet spot for many of my clients to reintroduce moderate amounts of caffeine without a noticeable effect. It is important to note, the reintroduction of caffeine will be unique to the metabolism of each dyad.
A final thought about your baby’s sleep:
As your child’s caregiver, I need you to believe in your ability to help your child co-regulate his/her nervous system. With only 25% of the brain developed at birth, your child’s body relies on external support for comfort and settling. Moderating or avoiding stimulants like caffeine will only serve as one more defense against your baby’s already flighty nervous system. Parenting is such hard and exhausting work, and sometimes that caffeine boost might seem like the solution to get you through the day. And please, if it works for you and your baby, enjoy it with no guilt! However, if you are struggling with a fussy or sleepless baby, then why not try cutting back for a while? Then, don’t forget to connect with me below to share your progress!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Callie Hamilton is the founder of Slumber and Swoon Sleep Consulting. She’s a certified Baby-Led Sleep and Well Being Specialist. She provides information and support to parents who want to support their children’s sleep needs holistically, without the use of Sleep Training techniques. For more information you can visit her website or follow along on Instagram @Slumberandswoon
References:
1. Berlin CM Jr, Denson HM, Daniel CH, Ward RM. Disposition of dietary caffeine in milk, saliva, and plasma of lactating women. Pediatrics. 1984 Jan;73(1):59-63. PMID: 6691042
2. Rustin J. Caffeine and babies. Br Med J. 1989;299:121. Letter. PMC: PMC1837125.
3. Temple, J. L., Bernard, C., Lipshultz, S. E., Czachor, J. D., Westphal, J. A., & Mestre, M. A. (2017). The Safety of Ingested Caffeine: A Comprehensive Review. Frontiers in psychiatry, 8, 80. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00080Aldridge A, Aranda JV, Neims AH. Caffeine metabolism in the newborn. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1979; 25(4): 447‐ 453.
4. McGowan JD, Altman RE, Kanto WP Jr. Neonatal withdrawal symptoms after chronic maternal ingestion of caffeine. South Med J. 1988 Sep;81(9):1092-4. doi: 10.1097/00007611-198809000-00006. PMID: 3420441.
5. Santos IS, Matijasevich A, Domingues MR. Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Infant Nighttime Waking: Prospective Cohort Study. Pediatrics; 2012.