Coffee not linked to baby sleep...

A mother's caffeine consumption during pregnancy is not related to her baby's sleep problems, according to a new study from Brazil.

The experts say that moderate amounts of caffeine may not pose a danger to healthy sleep patterns of infants.

Dr Ina Santos and her colleagues at Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil interviewed 885 new mothers. The women answered questions about their caffeine intake and their infants' sleep habits at the age of three months.

All but one of the mothers drank caffeinated beverages during pregnancy. About 20% of the women were considered heavy consumers during pregnancy, drinking at least 300mg per day.

Just over 14% reported a heavy caffeine intake three months after giving birth.

Typically, a cup of coffee contains about 200mg of caffeine.

Overall, the researchers found no clear link between women's caffeine intake and their likelihood of reporting infant sleep problems.

Almost 14% of mothers said their three-month-old woke up '"frequently' - that is, more than three times each night.

But the odds were not statistically greater for those who were heavy caffeine consumers, versus lighter consumers, said Santos' team.

"Caffeine consumption during pregnancy and by nursing mothers seems not to have consequences on sleep of infants at the age of three months," wrote the researchers.

Coffee is not the only source of caffeine. The 200 to 300mg limit recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women would equate to approximately four cups of tea or five cans of caffeinated fizzy drinks per day.

The study was reported in the journal Pediatrics.

[Posted: Mon 16/04/2012]