The number to remember is 200mg of caffeine a day. Everything else here’s working out what that means in cups.
Why there’s a limit at all: caffeine crosses the placenta, and a foetus can’t metabolise it. Your own ability to clear it also slows as pregnancy progresses. By the third trimester caffeine stays in your system far longer than it did before.
Higher intakes have been associated with low birthweight and, less certainly, with miscarriage. The evidence is largely observational, so 200mg is a cautious ceiling and not a cliff edge. But it’s the figure to work to.
What 200mg looks like
| Drink | Approximate caffeine |
|---|---|
| Brewed or filter coffee, one mug | 100–140mg |
| Local kopi, one cup | Around 60–120mg, and it varies widely by stall |
| Espresso, single shot | 60–80mg |
| Instant coffee, one mug | 60–80mg |
| Black tea or teh, one cup | 30–50mg |
| Green tea, one cup | 25–40mg |
| Cola, one can | 30–40mg |
| Energy drinks | 80mg upwards per can, sometimes much more |
| Dark chocolate, 50g | 20–40mg |
Roughly: two mugs of instant coffee, or one strong brewed coffee plus a tea, or four cups of tea. Café servings are often larger than a standard mug, so a single large takeaway coffee can be most of the day’s allowance on its own.
The ones people miss
- Energy drinks. Best avoided entirely in pregnancy: high caffeine plus other stimulants, and often a great deal of sugar.
- Cold and flu remedies. Several contain caffeine. Check the label, and check with a pharmacist that the rest of it is suitable in pregnancy anyway.
- Painkillers: some combination products include caffeine.
- Decaf isn’t zero. Usually a few milligrams per cup, which is negligible, but not nothing.
- Bubble tea, which is tea-based and frequently underestimated.
- Matcha, which is more concentrated than brewed green tea.
Herbal teas aren’t automatically safer
A common substitution, and one to be careful with: “herbal” isn’t a safety claim, and several herbal teas aren’t advised in pregnancy or lack any safety data.
- Generally considered fine: ginger (also good for nausea), peppermint, rooibos, and fruit infusions.
- Check first: anything medicinal, anything marketed for pregnancy or labour, and traditional preparations. Raspberry leaf in particular is often recommended for late pregnancy and shouldn’t be taken earlier. Ask your doctor.
- Keep variety. Large quantities of any single herbal tea is the pattern to avoid.
Cutting down without a headache
- Reduce gradually over a week or two. Stopping abruptly produces headaches and irritability you don’t need on top of first-trimester nausea.
- Halve the coffee, then halve it again, instead of switching to decaf overnight.
- Keep the ritual and change the contents: a decaf kopi at the same time of day is easier to sustain than nothing.
- Watch the timing. Caffeine lingers longer in pregnancy, so an afternoon coffee affects sleep more than it used to, and sleep is already under pressure.
- Don’t replace it with sugar. The energy dip in the first trimester isn’t solved by either.
While breastfeeding
A little caffeine passes into breast milk. Up to around 200 to 300mg a day is generally considered fine.
Watch the baby, not the number: a newborn who’s unusually wakeful, jittery or hard to settle may be reacting, since young babies clear caffeine very slowly. Premature and newborn babies are the most sensitive, and tolerance improves much over the first few months.
Frequently asked questions
How much caffeine can I have during pregnancy?
Up to 200mg a day. That’s roughly two mugs of instant coffee, one strong brewed coffee plus a tea, or about four cups of tea. Café servings are often larger than a standard mug, so a single large takeaway coffee can use most of the allowance.
Why does caffeine matter in pregnancy?
It crosses the placenta and a foetus can’t metabolise it, while your own ability to clear it slows as pregnancy progresses. Higher intakes have been associated with low birthweight and, less certainly, miscarriage. The evidence is mostly observational, so 200mg is a cautious ceiling, not a hard threshold.
Is decaf coffee caffeine-free?
Not entirely, though the few milligrams per cup are negligible. The commonly missed sources are energy drinks, bubble tea, matcha, and some cold, flu and painkiller preparations that contain caffeine.
Are herbal teas safe in pregnancy?
Not automatically: “herbal” isn’t a safety claim. Ginger, peppermint, rooibos and fruit infusions are generally considered fine. Check anything medicinal or marketed for pregnancy with your doctor, and note that raspberry leaf is usually reserved for late pregnancy. Avoid drinking large quantities of any single herbal tea.
How do I cut down without withdrawal headaches?
Reduce over a week or two instead of stopping abruptly: halve it, then halve it again. Keep the ritual and change the contents, since a decaf at the same time of day is easier to sustain than nothing.
Can I drink coffee while breastfeeding?
Yes, generally up to around 200 to 300mg a day. Watch the baby, not the number. Newborns clear caffeine very slowly, so an unusually wakeful or jittery young baby may be reacting. Tolerance improves over the first few months.
What to remember
200mg a day. Two instant coffees, or one strong brewed one plus a tea.
Check energy drinks, bubble tea and cold remedies, which are the ones people forget. Decaf is close enough to zero.
Cut down over a fortnight, not overnight, and don’t assume herbal teas are automatically safer.
Read next
This article is general information and not a substitute for medical advice. Check any supplement, remedy or herbal preparation with your doctor or pharmacist.