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Can I drink green tea while breastfeeding?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Green tea, including matcha and iced green tea, shows Check in Doola Scan for breastfeeding in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, because it contains caffeine. The NHS puts a cup of green tea at 38mg. The daily caffeine limits differ by country: about 300mg from the CDC and Health Canada, 200mg from the NHS, Pregnancy Birth and Baby and Health NZ, and 200 to 300mg from the HSE. The CDC says preterm and younger newborn babies break down caffeine more slowly.

Checked against Doola Scan's breastfeeding rules · Updated

  • Brewed green tea, hot

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Matcha and matcha lattes

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Iced green tea, bottled or homemade

    CheckIn all six countries
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Green tea while breastfeeding: what each country says.

Each country's own breastfeeding guidance on green tea, with a link to it. Doola Scan uses your country's first.

  • United States

    Check
    • CDCLow to moderate caffeine is about 300 mg a day or less (2-3 cups coffee); preterm/newborns clear it slower.Source
    • MyHealthfinder (HHS)Usually safe up to 300 mg caffeine a day, but your doctor may recommend less.Source
    • CDCCaffeine passes into breast milk; high intake can make some babies fussy or jittery.Source

  • United Kingdom

    Check
    • NHSCaffeine passes into breast milk and large amounts may make baby restless and wakeful.Source
    • NHSNo more than 200 mg caffeine a day while breastfeeding (US says about 300 mg).Source

  • Canada

    Check
    • Health CanadaMaximum 300 mg caffeine a day when breastfeeding.Source
    • Health CanadaBreastfeeding: no more than 300 mg caffeine per day.Source

  • Australia

    Check
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Small amounts (3 or fewer caffeinated drinks a day) should not be a problem.Source
    • FSANZNo more than 200 mg caffeine a day from all sources.Source
    • healthdirectLimit caffeine to 200 mg a day when breastfeeding.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Maximum 200 mg/day while breastfeeding.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Maximum 200 mg caffeine a day in total in breastfeeding (US up to 300 mg).Source

  • New Zealand

    Check
    • Health NZUp to 200 mg caffeine a day is safe while breastfeeding.Source
    • Health NZUp to 200 mg caffeine a day while breastfeeding (lower than 300 mg).Source

  • Ireland

    Check
    • HSEBreastfeeding: try not to exceed 200-300 mg caffeine a day; more may make baby fussy.Source
    • HSE200-300 mg/day while breastfeeding.Source
What to check

Before you drink green tea.

  1. Count green tea in your caffeine for the day

    The NHS puts a cup of green tea at 38mg of caffeine, a cup of tea at 55mg and a coffee at 90mg. Health Canada puts an 8 ounce (237ml) cup of brewed green or black tea at 30 to 50mg. NHS

  2. Use your own country's daily limit

    Health Canada says no more than 300mg of caffeine a day while breastfeeding, and the CDC puts low to moderate intake at about 300mg. The NHS, Pregnancy Birth and Baby and Health NZ say 200mg, and the HSE 200 to 300mg. Health Canada

  3. Have less while your baby is very young

    The CDC says preterm and younger newborn babies break down caffeine more slowly, so their mothers might consider having even less. The NHS suggests cutting down especially while your baby is under 6 months. CDC

Questions

About green tea
while breastfeeding.

Green tea shows Check in Doola Scan for breastfeeding in all six countries: it counts toward your daily caffeine. The NHS sets no more than 200mg a day and puts a cup of green tea at 38mg.

No body Doola follows gives a number of cups of green tea. They set a daily caffeine total from all drinks: 200mg in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, 200 to 300mg in Ireland, and about 300mg in the US and Canada. Coffee, cola and chocolate count too.

The bodies Doola follows treat green tea as a source of caffeine, and Doola has no guidance from them that it helps breastfeeding or milk supply. The CDC lists tea among the common sources of caffeine.

Matcha and matcha lattes show Check in Doola Scan for breastfeeding in all six countries, like brewed green tea, because they contain caffeine. Count them in your daily total.

Decaf green tea also shows Check in Doola Scan for breastfeeding in all six countries, because Doola Scan reads it under the caffeine rule. The HSE suggests switching gradually to decaffeinated coffee or tea if your caffeine seems to make your baby fussy.

The NHS says caffeine can make a baby restless and keep them awake, and the CDC suggests cutting down if a baby seems fussier after high amounts. If you're worried about your baby, talk to your midwife, health visitor or doctor.

授乳期について、Doola Scan は6か国すべてで緑茶に Check を表示します。カフェインを含むためです。NHS はカフェインを1日200mgまでとし、緑茶1杯を38mgとしています。

Yes. Take a photo of the label or the café menu, and Doola Scan checks it against your country's guidance for breastfeeding, including caffeine. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
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Not sure about a meal? Scan it.

Point Doola at a plate, a menu or a label. It checks every ingredient against your country's breastfeeding guidance and shows its sources. Food scans are free, 3 a day.

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Doola shows what official guidance says; it never diagnoses. No known issues means none of these countries' breastfeeding guidance names it, not a promise that a food is safe.