Because babies are not able to metabolize or excrete caffeine very well, a breastfeeding mother’s consumption of caffeine may lead to caffeine accumulation and symptoms such as wakefulness and irritability, according to an interview with expert Ruth Lawrence, MD, published in the Journal of Caffeine Research, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Caffeine is found in a wide range of products including tea.
“Usually a mother, particularly if she is breastfeeding, is cautioned to limit her caffeine intake,” says Dr. Lawrence, Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed journal Breastfeeding Medicine. After giving birth, mothers “should consume all things in moderation and try to avoid the excesses that might really add up to a lot of caffeine.”
