Coffee and TTC/pregnancy

[tutucrazy]

So tell me who drinks it, who is weaning, who has weaned? I am trying but it is hard. What does the evidence say? With my first I abstained from everything and anything that could cause harm. What is the latest on coffee? I haven't been pregnant in quite awhile.

[ValH]

I used to drink up to four cups of coffee a day, but have since weaned myself off and now only drink decaf tea. It took me a little bit, I started by just cutting back one cup per day.

I don't know about evidence, but my friend that just had a baby said her doctor told her that she could drink one cup of coffee (or other caffinated beverage) per day. However, when I told my doctor I was TTC, she recommended I cut it out completely. If I'd known it would take so long to get pregnant, I may have waiting to cut it out!

[tutucrazy]

Originally Posted by ValH

If I'd known it would take so long to get pregnant, I may have waiting to cut it out!

Haha!

[Sourire]

I never drink coffee even when I am not TTC, but I do drink green tea. I try to drink more of it during my fertile phase cause it is supposed to improve CM, but then I cut back during the 2WW. There is not very much caffeine in green tea anyways.

[tutucrazy]

Originally Posted by Sourire

I never drink coffee even when I am not TTC, but I do drink green tea. I try to drink more of it during my fertile phase cause it is supposed to improve CM, but then I cut back during the 2WW. There is not very much caffeine in green tea anyways.

I'm a little ill an I was drinking tea last night for my throat and I thought that I should just switch to tea. Sounds much healthier anyway. I didn't know that green tea improves CM. Going to try that if I get the bfn this month, though next month my husband and I are both traveling so I probably won't be able to do any bding.

[Sourire]

Well apparently you have to drink like 5-10 cups a day for it to improve CM and there is some controversy about whether the caffeine in green tea has the opposite effect... so anyways my 1-2 cups a day probably don't help my CM much, but I doubt it really hurts either. I have also heard that the chemicals used to decaffeinate green tea are not the greatest... so much contradictory information out there!

At one point I was taking caffeine-free green tea capsules where each capsule was equivalent to about 7 cups and that really made a difference in my CM (I went from having no EWCM to tons). I haven't been able to find capsules like that in the stores (I got them from my naturopath last time) so that is why I don't take them anymore, I am trying EPO instead.

[HulaJenn]

I've heard that once already pregant, caffeine can increase the risk of miscarriage, but I think it is for hard core coffee drinkers. I had 1 big cup of tea a day when I was pregnant. Eliminated the caffeine headache, but not excessive and in my opinion, not harmful.
Didn't I read somewhere that green tea wasn't good in the first trimester as it could cause uterine contractions/miscarriage?
I think everything out there is good for you one day, bad for you the next. I believe moderation is the key (except extreme things like alcohol/smoking while pregnant etc...) so use your best judgement and take advice with a grain of salt.

[pregnant@40]

http://infertility.about.com/od/rese..._fertility.htm

[batlvr]

I was a moderate coffee drinker for years, 3-4 venti lattes a week. It took 18 months to get a BFP and then I quit cold turkey (only after I discovered I was pg) I am 32 weeks 2 days and may occasionally share a small decaf coffee with DH (i.e. I have a few sips) but do not drink caffeine anymore. My midwife said she drank coffee, 2-3 a day with all 3 of her pregnancies with no ill effects but honestly caffeine scares me so I just do not drink it.

[Taxlady]

I love coffee.. we import ours from Canada and it's that good. I used to drink as many cups as I wanted but as TTC is taking longer and longer, I've cut back. I don't think I have the will power to skip a cup of the fresh brewed delicious smelling goodness in the morning, so I try to pick a small mug and enjoy the one cup thoroughly.

[MountainMamaGC]

I dilute my regular coffee with decaff. I mix 3 parts decaff, with 1 part regular, and brew my coffee with that. That way I am gettin 1/4 of the caffeine I used to get. So I dont feel bad if I have a second cup. Also the regular gives it the flavor that decaff is missing.

[enigo]

So crazy as it sounds I was drinking a lot of coffee when I found out I was preg with DS. I quit about 6 months ago after many mc and hey it's not good for you (lately I've been sneaking one or two sips a day).

It just occurred to me that I haven't gotten pregnant since I QUIT drinking coffee

[Marnica]

I drink 1 cup in the am. Did throughout my first pregnancy and still am while TTC. I think about stopping entirely but don't know that that is necessary.

The fertility specialist I saw last week told me 1 cup/day is fine while TTC.

There is evidence to support that there are health benefits from caffiene. Too much caffeine is not good for you, but to say in general any at all is bad for you, is not true IMO.

[MountainMamaGC]

I also read somewhere that if your DH has caffeine a little bit before dtd, it makes his sperm more active and swim better. I dont know how true that is but I read that somewhere.

[Sourire]

I have read that caffeine increases sperm motility but also decreases sperm count or maybe damages some of the sperm. So the impact of caffeine maybe be that DH's sperm moves faster but there is less of it. If your DH has no issues with sperm count, I doubt caffeine would prevent you from getting pregnant.

[Baby_Cakes]

I drink about 1 cup of coffee a day in the am. With my first pg, I did about the same, and I kept drinking it as needed, lol. But, I might not be the poster child for doing this, b/c this time it's taking much longer to get pg!

[calebsmommy25]

I drink quite a bit of coffee. We are kind of in the 'whatever' phase right now, and haven't really cut it out. Once pregnant, I will cut out the majority of it, especially in the first trimester and switch to tea or a tiny bit of coffee with lots of steamed milk. During my first pregancy, I felt okay about having a cup/day well into the second trimester.

Do what you feel comfortable with. You will hear both extremes, and plenty in the middle...and most will have research to back them up. It seems that everywhere you look, there is a different conclusion.

[aloha girl]

Originally Posted by Taxlady

I love coffee.. we import ours from Canada and it's that good. I used to drink as many cups as I wanted but as TTC is taking longer and longer, I've cut back. I don't think I have the will power to skip a cup of the fresh brewed delicious smelling goodness in the morning, so I try to pick a small mug and enjoy the one cup thoroughly.

wow! that's sounds like good coffee? off topic, but can I ask where you buy it from in Canada?

[tutucrazy]

Originally Posted by Lydiah

I dilute my regular coffee with decaff. I mix 3 parts decaff, with 1 part regular, and brew my coffee with that. That way I am gettin 1/4 of the caffeine I used to get. So I dont feel bad if I have a second cup. Also the regular gives it the flavor that decaff is missing.

What a fantastic idea! Smart cookie!

Originally Posted by enigo

So crazy as it sounds I was drinking a lot of coffee when I found out I was preg with DS. I quit about 6 months ago after many mc and hey it's not good for you (lately I've been sneaking one or two sips a day).

It just occurred to me that I haven't gotten pregnant since I QUIT drinking coffee

That is very strange! Maybe it is all a crap shoot?

Originally Posted by Lydiah

I also read somewhere that if your DH has caffeine a little bit before dtd, it makes his sperm more active and swim better. I dont know how true that is but I read that somewhere.

Okay so this makes me think of little hopped up sperm, haha.

Originally Posted by Sourire

I have read that caffeine increases sperm motility but also decreases sperm count or maybe damages some of the sperm.

Oh dear, they hopped up but slightly damaged. hahaha Bargain rack sperm.

[Taxlady]

Oh, the coffee we buy is from the Kicking Horse Coffee company in Canada. We first learned about it while white water rafting near Banff on our honeymoon. They have lots of different roasts, but my favorite is "Three Sisters" (medium blend). My husband likes the stronger stuff "454 Horse Power". We used to have to buy it from them directly and then it would have to go through customs - but now you can buy it from Amazon. It's not more expensive, it's just really good, organic, fair trade coffee. The beans aren't grown in Canada, but I'm sure the beautiful weather and awesome people there make it as good as it is.

I'm laughing because of the post about giving the swimmers an extra boost.. I often wonder about DH's sperm.. he likes to drink beer too.. so I can only imagine the little buzzed guys trying to find their way to my egg.. now in the morning.. I think I'll let him drink the stiffer coffee.. 454 Horse Power! Go GUYS GO!