FAQs

 

    1. What is caffeine and why should I reduce my caffeine intake?

    Caffeine is a stimulant drug, which means it increases activity in your brain and nervous system. It also increases the circulation of chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline in the body. [Source]

    Australian Government's Pregnancy, Birth and Baby national service highlights that consuming more than 200mg of caffeine during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage or low birthweight [Source]

    If you drink too much caffeine while breastfeeding, you may find that your baby becomes unhappy, jittery, colicky and/or sleeps poorly. Too much caffeine is different for every mum and depends on various things such as how well your body processes caffeine. The only way to know if you are taking in too much caffeine is to observe your baby. 

    Newborn babies can be particularly sensitive to caffeine. This is because it can take a newborn baby a much longer time to process caffeine than a baby who is 3 or 4 months older.  

    If you are breastfeeding and you have nipple vasospasm, you may find that caffeine intake makes it worse. [Source]

    2. How is BellyBump Coffee different to decaf at my local cafe?

    Decaffeinated coffee beans typically undergo a process that uses harsh chemical solvents, such as methylene chloride, which is a low cost and quick way to remove caffeine. This process typically takes 1-2 days for most coffee producers.

    Unfortunately, most people are not aware that methylene chloride is also used as a paint remover and is in most commercial-grade cleaners that are not good for you or your bub's health.

    The caffeine from our coffee beans is either naturally lower in caffeine due to the altitude where our beans are grown or the caffeine is removed using plant-based ingredients, such as pulped sugarcane and blackberries. Our chemical-free process for our Ultra Low Caffeine is substantially longer, typically taking between 20-30 days of washing and air drying to remove the caffeine whilst retaining the great taste and quality of the coffee beans.

    3. Where does the BellyBump Coffee team source their coffee beans from?

    Our green beans come from various world renowned coffee-obsessed countries and regions, like Colombia, Australia, Brazil, East Africa and Mexico, and finally roasted to perfection right here in Australia 🇦🇺

    4. How much caffeine is in BellyBump Coffee?

    Here at BellyBump Coffee, we take the health of mums and bubs seriously. And that is why we undertake independent laboratory testing across our entire BellyBump Coffee collection to ensure the caffeine content on our packaging is as accurate as possible and clear.

    We make it easy for our mums to understand and calculate their caffeine intake by using a 'single espresso shot' comparison model. A single shot espresso is calculated based on the combination of 7 grams of BellyBump Coffee and 30 millilitres of water.

    Based on our most recent laboratory testing results, we have listed the caffeine content range (in milligrams) for each BellyBump Coffee type using our single shot espresso metric:

    Ultra Low Caffeine

    3.269mg up to 5mg

    Naturally Low Caffeine

    88.9mg up to 90mg

    Mid Strength Caffeine

    91.7mg up to 100mg

    It is important to note that the caffeine content of BellyBump Coffee will increase with the number of espresso shots combined, and that dilution with milk and / or water has no impact on caffeine content per serving. Laboratory testing results are subject to change based on the growing conditions of each coffee bean batch and therefore, BellyBump Coffee will endeavour to undertake ad-hoc batch testing (where feasible) and update results in our FAQs and packaging, if deviations ever arise.

    As always, BellyBump Coffee recommends to seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your pregnancy, medical condition(s) or current treatment(s) before consuming any caffeinated products.

    5. How much BellyBump Coffee can I consume daily while pregnant and lactating?

    We wanted to make sure the BellyBump Coffee range helps our mums during all stages of pregnancy and beyond.

    When publishing the caffeine content on our packaging in milligrams, we document the highest possible number in our range (noted under Question 4) to make it easier for our mums to calculate how much they consume per day and give them peace of mind by covering any potential discrepancies between coffee batches.

    If our mums were to consume no other caffeine-based products like tea, cola or chocolate in a day, they could drink up to 40 single espresso shots of our Ultra Low Caffeine coffee and still not exceed the daily caffeine limit. We recommend not exceeding more than 2 single espresso shots of Naturally Low Caffeine or Mid Strength Caffeine while pregnant or breastfeeding.

    All our products clearly specify the caffeine content in milligrams so our mums are not left guessing how much caffeine they are consuming while trying to conceive, pregnant or breastfeeding.

    6. How much caffeine does a standard coffee at my local cafe or home contain?

    The caffeine content of a barista-made small single shot flat white can range from 145-350mg, while coffee pods can range from 80-150mg.

    7. What is the recommended daily limit for caffeine while pregnant and lactating?

    Current Australian guidelines recommend not exceeding 200mg of caffeine per day while pregnant or breastfeeding.

    Make sure you check your country's Department of Health guidelines or consult your health practitioner for the most up-to-date scientific based recommendations.

    Source: https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/caffeine-during-pregnancy