Hello! I am pregnant with my FIRST!! .. and battling the coffee war of whether its worth it or not to continue drinking it. My family is European and coffee lovers/obsessors...Ive drank coffee since I was a kid myself, PLUS work for Starbucks, so the idea of cutting out caffeine is horrific to me, although WORTH IT if it really poses a threat to my little one! Most women I know drink caffeine anyway and the doc says a cup or two a day shouldn't be a big deal, however I feel guilty indulging in my habit. The only thing I am seeing online is that it can increase the risk of miscarriage (I am in my 2nd trimester so not AS concerned about that now). Does anyone have any knowledge of possible danger it could cause to my son, in the long term, especially after he is born? Feel free to leave your opinion but I am REALLY interested in the FACTS.
Thanks ladies
Re: Caffeine and pregnancy questions....
So many people don't though & have perfectly healthy babies so I'm sure its fine in moderation!
With my first, I cut out all caffiene while PG and couldn't drink it while PG or she'd be up all night.
So... lesson learned. With my 2nd and 3rd I had 1-2 cups a day of caffiene (coke, coffee) a day and was able to drink 1-2 cups while BF. A year and a half is a really long time to go w/o caffiene (PG & BF).
My midwife told me I can drink up to 200mg a day. That?s the amount in an 8oz cup of coffee. During my first and second trimesters I only drank decaf. Now that I?m in my third I drink short lattes from Starbucks. They don?t have as much caffeine as a small cup of coffee. If you are concerned I would suggest going to the National Institutes of Health website www.nih.gov.
When I was pg with DD1, the limit I found through my research was 300 mg. A few sources said 200 mg. I've always followed the 300 mg recommendation. A 6oz cup of coffee brewed at home is 100 mg. (Starbucks coffee has more caffeine.) A shot of espresso is 75mg. A 12oz can of Pepsi is 35 mg.
I drink a 12oz cup of coffee every morning. Most afternoons I have a can of diet Pepsi to make it through the rest of the day.
It's actually more important to cut down on caffeine while nursing because the caffeine goes into your milk and is passed to baby.
Charlotte Ella 07.16.10
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