Can You Drink Kombucha While Breastfeeding?

Kombucha is a popular fermented tea touted for its many health benefits. Drinking kombucha is generally not recommended for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, primarily due to its alcohol content and the fact that it’s often unpasteurized.

If you were looking forward to drinking kombucha after your baby was born, you may feel disappointed to learn that there are some precautions you need to take if you want to drink it while breastfeeding. Keep in mind that kombucha doesn’t need to be entirely off-limits if you are a breastfeeding parent. You just need to time your consumption of it—and limit the amount you drink.

What To Know About Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented drink usually brewed with black, green, or oolong tea. Sugar is then added and the tea is fermented using a bacterial/yeast culture. The fermentation process lasts about 7-10 days. Kombucha isn’t new—its origins go back to about 220 B.C. in China—but it’s only become popularized in America over the past decade or so. 

As Heather Johnson, MD, retired board-certified OB-GYN and author of What They Don’t Tell You About Having a Baby explains, there unfortunately isn’t a lot of data out there on the safety of kombucha while breastfeeding. Dr. Johnson says it’s likely OK to drink while breastfeeding, but that it should be in moderation with some precautions in place.

“Generally, the amounts of caffeine and alcohol in kombucha are low, and occasional imbibing is likely not harmful,” says Dr. Johnson. “But there are potential risks to breastfeeding parents, especially those who consume a lot of it.”

Can You Drink Kombucha While Breastfeeding?

If you’re going to consume kombucha while breastfeeding, it should be a limited amount.

Because kombucha is fermented, it naturally has some alcohol content, explains Sherry Ross, MD, OB-GYN at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. “Kombucha may contain harmful bacteria which could be dangerous during breastfeeding even though both these risks are minimal,” says Dr. Ross.

Ashley Georgakopoulos, lactation consultant and medical advisor at Motif Lactation, agrees that the alcohol content and caffeine content in kombucha are the main concerns for breastfeeding parents. But she says that kombucha should be safe to drink if you are mindful of these considerations.

“As a rule of thumb, alcohol should only be consumed after a feeding or pumping session if [you are] planning to have it,” Georgakopoulos advises. As for caffeine, very little passes into breast milk, says Georgakopoulos, and the main concern would be if the breastfeeding parent was sensitive to caffeine.

Is Kombucha Safe for a Baby?

Kombucha has anywhere between 0.5% to 1.25% alcohol content. Georgakopoulos says that any product that contains any amount of alcohol can’t be considered completely safe for breastfeeding babies.

Frequent and heavy consumption of alcohol can cause issues with infant growth and motor function. It can also make babies fatigued, cause fluid retention, and hormone imbalances.

As for caffeine, some parents report that their babies are extra wakeful or fussy when they consume caffeine. However, this is usually when very large amounts of caffeine are consumed. Kombucha is made of tea, which does not have as much caffeine as coffee or other popular caffeinated beverages.

Benefits of Drinking Kombucha While Breastfeeding

There is limited data on the benefits of drinking kombucha in general, and no published data on drinking it while breastfeeding, says Dr. Ross. Drinking kombucha isn’t likely to increase your milk supply or have any particular nutritional benefits for your baby. 

Still, Georgakopoulos says that drinking kombucha may offer a boost for the breastfeeding parent’s immune system, and in turn, benefit the baby. 

“It’s a wonderful source of probiotics, which do boost the immune system in the [breastfeeding parent],” she says. Some of these immune factors may be passed through breast milk from the breastfeeding parent to their baby, Georgakopoulos explains.

Safety Precautions to Consider When Drinking Kombucha While Breastfeeding

The key to drinking kombucha safely while breastfeeding is doing so in moderation and with safety precautions in mind. Many breastfeeding parents enjoy caffeinated beverages and beverages with alcohol by understanding what the parameters for usage are.

Of course, you should also talk to a health care provider about what particular precautions you need to take, as all breastfeeding parents and their babies are different.

Delay breastfeeding after consumption to limit alcohol exposure

Because alcohol is present in breastmilk after consumption, and the amount of alcohol in kombucha isn’t regulated, Dr. Johnson recommends waiting two hours after consuming alcohol to breastfeed.

Georgakopoulos agrees that caution is warranted, but points out that kombucha has small amounts of alcohol in it, as compared to a normal serving size of an alcoholic beverage.

“Like anything with any level of alcohol, keep to one serving and wait until after feeding or pumping,” she advises.

However, the CDC notes that not drinking any alcohol while breastfeeding does remain the safest option.

Reduce caffeine by limiting intake

Caffeine consumption in moderate amounts is safe while breastfeeding, says Dr. Johnson. But you should limit that amount to about 200 milligrams a day, she says. “Caffeine does transfer to breast milk, but not in very high amounts and is highest 1-2 hours after breastfeeding,” she explains. Approximately 1% of caffeine passes into breast milk. Additionally, safety and caffeine elimination in infants is slower than in adults until about 6 months.

Most caffeinated teas contain less than 60 milligrams of caffeine per serving, including black and oolong teas, which are often used to make kombucha. Green tea usually has less caffeine than either of those, so you may want to select a kombucha made of green tea.

Drink pasteurized kombucha

Dr. Johnson says that bacterial contamination is a concern for breastfeeding parents who drink kombucha. For this reason, you’ll want to consider drinking kombucha that has been pasteurized. You may also want to abstain from drinking homemade kombucha, which is unlikely to be pasteurized.

Breastfeeding Safe Alternatives

If you are limiting your kombucha consumption or have decided there are too many risks, here are some similar foods and drinks you can consume instead.

• Yogurt or Kefir: If you are looking for a food that is high in probiotics, but that doesn’t have alcohol or caffeine, yogurt or kefir are great options. Breastfeeding parents usually need an extra 450-500 extra calories a day. Yogurt is high in protein and is a healthy way to get those extra calories and nutrition.
• Fermented Foods: Foods like sauerkraut are a great way to get your probiotics, and are safe for breastfeeding parents to consume. Other popular fermented foods include kimchi and pickled vegetables.
• Probiotic Supplements: You can take probiotics in pill or powder form. The research about probiotic safety and breastfeeding is limited at this time. Johnson recommends you discuss the benefits and safety of taking probiotics while breastfeeding with a health care provider or midwife.