Breast milk is the main food intake for the baby as long as he cannot digest the actual food. Not just food, breast milk provides all the nutrients needed by babies to develop bodily functions and the immune system. When nursing mothers drink coffee, the caffeine contained in it will be mixed with breast milk, and the same goes for the best fresh roasted coffee too. That means indirectly, babies get caffeine from their mothers who drink coffee.

Quoted from Very Well, women who during pregnancy and breastfeeding drink three cups of coffee every day, have less amount of iron in their milk than women who do not consume coffee. This can cause hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Ht) to be lower and increase the risk of babies experiencing iron deficiency or anemia.

After caffeine is in the blood, about one percent of caffeine can enter the milk. Although caffeine can mix with breast milk, the body’s level of caffeine absorption in each woman is different. So, it is difficult to predict how much caffeine will be obtained by babies from breast milk the mother who drank coffee before.

So, can nursing mothers drink coffee?

Caffeine doesn’t always have a bad effect. According to research, caffeine is used as a therapy for premature babies to help them breathe. Therefore, experts agree that nursing mothers may drink coffee. However, there is still a limit on the amount of coffee that can be drunk. Reporting from the Baby Center, the limit of maximum caffeine intake for mothers who breastfeed is 300 milligrams (mg) per day, equivalent to about two cups of coffee.

But remember, caffeine is not only found in coffee, many foods, and drinks that contain these substances. For example, food or drinks made from tea and chocolate, energy drinks, or soft drinks.

If your caffeine intake is no more than 200 mg per day, it will not harm the baby. If caffeine intake exceeds your needs, the baby will experience disorders, such as easy anxiety, insomnia, constipation, and colic, making the baby fussier.