No, the carbonation in soda doesn't directly cause gas in breastfed babies because gas bubbles don't pass into breast milk; however, caffeine and high sugar levels in sodas can affect babies, causing fussiness or sleep issues, while some moms find their gassy babies react to their consumption of carbonated drinks, suggesting other factors like altered milk taste or individual sensitivity. Focus on hydrating with water and watching caffeine/sugar, but also consider your baby's latch, crying, and your own diet if they seem uncomfortable.
Key takeaways. The carbonation from soda and seltzer does not enter breast milk, so it can't make your baby gassy. Still, nursing moms should monitor their caffeine and sugar intake, both of which can pass into breast milk and affect babies.
Common causes of gas discomfort in breastfed babies:
An incorrect latch while nursing leads your baby to swallow too much air. Excessive crying fills your baby's belly with air. Strong let-down or oversupply, causing baby to gulp quickly and swallow air. Constipation.
Not really, unless they're caffeinated. (Caffeine has been reported by some moms to cause irritability and colic symptoms in their breastfed babies.) Your afternoon soda shouldn't bother baby, but beware that fizzy drinks can make you feel bloated and full, keeping you from drinking enough fluids during the day.
When you drink Coca-Cola while breastfeeding, caffeine appears in your breast milk within 15 minutes and remains at 40-50% of your blood levels. For nursing mothers, caffeine's half-life extends to 3-7 hours, considerably longer than in non-lactating women.
It's sensible to cut caffeine out while breastfeeding because it's a stimulant so can make your baby restless. If you do drink caffeine, try not to have more than 300mg a day.
The "4-4-4 rule" for breast milk is a simple storage guideline: fresh milk is good for 4 hours at room temperature (up to 77°F/25°C), for 4 days in the refrigerator (39°F/4°C or colder), and up to 4-6 months (or longer) in a standard freezer (0°F/-18°C). It's a handy mnemonic, though some organizations like the CDC recommend up to 6 months in the freezer and the AAP up to 9 months, with deeper freezers offering even longer storage.
Coca-Cola
[6] Some of that caffeine can pass through the breast milk, which your little one can consume. Unlike adults, babies are not capable of breaking down caffeine. When large amounts of caffeine accumulate in their system, babies may be irritable, fussy, and have trouble sleeping.
Aspartame is not detectable in breastmilk after maternal ingestion because it is rapidly broken down in the mother's body. An extremely large intake of aspartame (equivalent to 17 cans of soda or 100 packets of Equal Sweetener) can slightly increase the amount of phenylalanine in breastmilk.
Infant Gas and Colic
During the first 4 months of life, your baby may have colic, when they cry for 3 hours for more than 3 days a week for more than 3 weeks. Gas does not cause colic, but if your baby is colicky, they may swallow more air, which gives them more gas.
Signs your breast milk might be upsetting your baby include excessive fussiness, colic, green/mucousy/bloody stools, skin rashes (eczema/hives), reflux, poor weight gain, and respiratory issues like wheezing, often pointing to a sensitivity to something in the mother's diet, most commonly cow's milk protein. Symptoms usually appear shortly after feeding and improve within days of removing the trigger food, but severe signs like breathing difficulty warrant immediate medical attention.
But when your infant has painful gas, especially if it's frequent, it can cause your baby to cry or become fussy—until it's passed; unlike colic, which causes crying and fussiness that lasts for hours across days and weeks. Gas can have distinctive symptoms, too, such as a swollen-looking belly.
Certain foods such as dairy, soy or wheat may contribute to gassiness in your little one. Keep a food journal while breastfeeding of what you eat to see if you can pinpoint the culprit in your diet.
Caffeine and Breastfeeding Many sodas, including Coke Zero, contain caffeine. While caffeine can be safely consumed in moderation by breastfeeding mothers, excessive intake can lead to problems: • For the Baby: Small amounts of caffeine pass into breast milk.
You do not have to pump and dump after drinking alcohol when you're breastfeeding, except for comfort. As alcohol leaves the bloodstream, it leaves the breastmilk.
Foods can cause infant gas, particularly for breastfed babies. This is because the foods a mom takes in can be passed along in terms of taste, nutrients, and more in breast milk. Foods a mom may eat that have been linked with causing an increased risk for infant gas when breastfeeding include: Artificial sweeteners.
However, about 16 to 25% of women in Europe, including Switzerland, consume alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Little is known about how women perceive this risk and how risk perception changes during the transition to motherhood.
Common causes of gas in breastfed babies
Eating too fast or being overfed. Swallowing too much air. Issues digesting certain foods or food or dairy allergies. Immature digestive system.
While each mother should make her own decision regarding caffeine use during lactation, the CDC states that caffeine consumption in moderation (<300 mg/day) is considered generally safe for most breastfeeding mothers and their babies.
As a general rule, exclusive pumpers need 120 minutes per day of quality breast stimulation with a hospital strength pump to maintain milk supply.
Common Breast Milk Storage Mistakes to Avoid
Breast milk does not need to be warmed. It can be served room temperature or cold.
Myth #4: Caffeine while breastfeeding is a no-no
If you want caffeine, you can drink up to 200 milligrams per day (about two 8-ounce cups of coffee) without any worries. Just be sure to consider all sources of caffeine in your total limit for the day, including: Coffee and tea. Caffeinated soda.
Medications to help stop your milk supply
Peppermint tea 1 cup three times per day. Pseudophed 30mg every 12 hours. Birth control with estrogen - requires a prescription. Cabergoline - requires a prescription.
While it can be uncomfortable, it's often not indicative of illness and may mean your baby could use some gas relief. Common signs of normal gas include: Burping after feeding. Straining, grunting or pulling legs toward the belly.