What's the wisdom on coffee/caffeine these days???

[HidaShara]

Hey ladies!

During my first pregnancy I was SUPER careful about everything - I restricted any even remotely problematic food from my diet.  I "slipped" a little when it came to caffeine - I started out with no caffeine, moved on to green tea and decaf, then half-caf, then by 3rd trimester I was having my usual coffee-a-day.

I have never been a big caffeine drinker anyway (I have my one morning coffee and that's it) but I do so enjoy my morning coffee.  I'm thinking of not cutting it out this time around.  Anyone have any thoughts/opinions on caffeine in pregnancy?  I can't decide!  

Cheers!

[Dom&O]

I'm cutting it this time.  With my first, I was like you..super careful.  NO caffine, artificial sweetners, etc.  With my second, I had a cup a day in the morning. Well, hes had some issues (sensory procssing disorder, GERD, delayed gastric emptying, feeding issues) and while its probably not linked, I'm going to be super careful about what I put in my body...especially during the first trimester.  I know they say its safe, but I'd just feel better knowing I'm doing everything I can to avoid future issues.

[noahs.mom06]

I personally don't think it's a huge deal, but it's been making me sick to my stomach, so I will probably be cutting it out... we'll see though with Starbucks running their BOGO deal starting today... sometimes it's hard to fight that urge ;)

[mamaw/two]

I have cut it out completely, but I'm the type of person who can't just have one cup, so it's better for me to just have none.  I know there was a study a while back that showed high levels of caffeine corresponds with higher risk of miscarriage, but one cup of coffee a day won't give you that high of a level.

[HidaShara]

Originally Posted by noahs.mom06 

I personally don't think it's a huge deal, but it's been making me sick to my stomach, so I will probably be cutting it out...

Yah, actually, I had my coffee this morning (I reasoned the LO probably doesn't have a nervous system yet) and actually it just made me feel twitchy and dizzy.   Maybe my conundrum will resolve itself in the form of a food aversion, lol!

[hildare]

a cup or two is fine, i kept to a minimum last time.. all the studies show that one has to have a pretty high (like 7 cups) to affect anything.

i seem to not want more than a little this time which is very bizzare for me.  i am normally a fiend.

[~Katie~]

I'm fine with having a bit of caffeine every day, I wouldn't be able to function and keep up with my kids otherwise. 

[scheelimama]

I am an avid coffee drinker normally, usually 2 large cups a day, sometimes 3.  My husband and I are the world's worst coffee snobs, roasting our own organic green coffee beans, drinking our coffee as fresh as possible with cream off the top of our fresh raw cow's milk.  Pathetic, I know.  And I have no problem with drinking some coffee while pregnant, but I do try to limit it to 1 cup a day, since large amounts can cause miscarriage.  However, when I'm pregnant, I lose all desire to drink coffee by week 6 (I'll be 8 weeks tomorrow, so I've been weaned off it for several weeks now.)  I'll still enjoy a Starbucks latte every now and then though.  Except during my 3rd pregnancy, when just the smell of coffee made me want to puke.  That was my worst pregnancy though.  Through all of my other pregnancies though, I've enjoyed an occasional cup of coffee or a latte.

[HidaShara]

Originally Posted by scheelimama 

I am an avid coffee drinker normally, usually 2 large cups a day, sometimes 3.  My husband and I are the world's worst coffee snobs, roasting our own organic green coffee beans, drinking our coffee as fresh as possible with cream off the top of our fresh raw cow's milk.  Pathetic, I know.  

Are you kidding?  You're making me salivate.  This is gonna make cutting out coffee even more difficult. ;)

[SunnieP]

I roast my beans too.  You have me beat on the raw cream.  I've been sipping away on about 2 cups of 1/2 decaff/day.  I did with my other two. But like most of us, I can't seem to finish a cup.  I'm up at 5 every day-work all day-by three I feel like i need a little boost to get through the evening fun.

[new2texas]

I love my coffee, big coffee snob too, has to be fresh roasted beans, etc.  However the past couple weeks the smell of it makes me ill.  So that makes it really easy to cut back.  I'm still managing about a half cup a day, just enough to get me going in the morning.  I miss it though, especially on days when I'm really tired and need a pick me up.  Like today.  

[apmama07]

I drank 1-2 cups a day through my entire pregnancy with DD and breastfeeding....Until recently. It's interesting you say that, Dom&O, about your son's issues and I wonder if there is possibly a connection since DD had GERD also. But that's not why I stopped. I was still drinking at least 2 cups a day with my miscarriage in the spring - not saying that's what caused that either - and then continued to struggle with Adrenal Fatigue and infertility. Cutting caffeine out finally and also most sugar made all the difference for me. I've come to believe that there are some of us (or at certain times in our lives, in my case I think because of 3 years of chronic sleep-deprivation and stress) that are much more sensitive to caffeine, even in small doses. I really felt that I didn't start to recover (and finally get my cycles in check and pregnant!) until I cut it out entirely. And now I'm afraid to ever go back to it. But that's just me. I think that most pregnant women can have that minimum amount no problem, it's just not a risk that I'm willing to take this time....even though somehow coffee's been smelling heavenly to me this week....

[Charlize]

My current OB says no caffeine. The one I had with the last two babies said an average sized cup of coffee a day or equal the caffeine in soda was perfectly fine.

Personally, I don't drink any caffeine. While I'm at work I drink water only. No flavored water, just plain boring water. When I'm at home, I drink Diet Rite with my meals. It's sodium free, caffeine free, and calorie free.

[tracymom1]

I drink a cup of coffee here and there.  I also have a coke every once in a while .  I think when it comes to diet issues and pregnancy there is a lot of information out there that could be turned and twisted to fit any argument.  I am not someone who, as a general rule, believes in absolutes.  I had a tuna sandwich the other day.  I wouldn't have one every day, or even every week - but, to me, once in a while is no big deal.  I also have a small glass of wine with shabbos dinner on Friday nights (maybe 3 oz?), but I wouldn't have one every night.

Moderation and balance - and following your instincts- are most important, IMHO.

[noahs.mom06]

Originally Posted by tracymom1 

I drink a cup of coffee here and there.  I also have a coke every once in a while .  I think when it comes to diet issues and pregnancy there is a lot of information out there that could be turned and twisted to fit any argument.  I am not someone who, as a general rule, believes in absolutes.  I had a tuna sandwich the other day.  I wouldn't have one every day, or even every week - but, to me, once in a while is no big deal.  I also have a small glass of wine with shabbos dinner on Friday nights (maybe 3 oz?), but I wouldn't have one every night.

Moderation and balance - and following your instincts- are most important, IMHO.

I totally agree. After my experience last time (doing EVERYTHING right and still having a baby with a birth defect), I am much more relaxed about it all this time... And I don't see a problem with tuna a couple of times a month at all! I guess lucky for me, most of the things we're "not supposed" to eat don't sound good at all...
 

[Naturallove]

Originally Posted by tracymom1 

I drink a cup of coffee here and there.  I also have a coke every once in a while .  I think when it comes to diet issues and pregnancy there is a lot of information out there that could be turned and twisted to fit any argument.  I am not someone who, as a general rule, believes in absolutes.  I had a tuna sandwich the other day.  I wouldn't have one every day, or even every week - but, to me, once in a while is no big deal.  I also have a small glass of wine with shabbos dinner on Friday nights (maybe 3 oz?), but I wouldn't have one every night.

Moderation and balance - and following your instincts- are most important, IMHO.

I couldn't have put it better myself. :-)
 

[LivingSky]

Originally Posted by tracymom1 

I drink a cup of coffee here and there.  I also have a coke every once in a while .  I think when it comes to diet issues and pregnancy there is a lot of information out there that could be turned and twisted to fit any argument.  I am not someone who, as a general rule, believes in absolutes.  I had a tuna sandwich the other day.  I wouldn't have one every day, or even every week - but, to me, once in a while is no big deal.  I also have a small glass of wine with shabbos dinner on Friday nights (maybe 3 oz?), but I wouldn't have one every night.

Moderation and balance - and following your instincts- are most important, IMHO.

I completely agree!

When DH and I first started TTC, I did my research and found that most places say about 300 mg a day of caffeine is ok. Well, DH and I were avid coffee drinkers at the time. We would each have 2 cups in the morning, then he would go to work and I would make another pot for myself (4 more cups). And if I ran out of that pot, or someone came by to visit, or or or, I would make another pot. I would easily drink 8-10 cups of coffee in any and every given day. So I knew I was in trouble! I cut down at first to one big travel mug a day. After 2 months of TTC, I cut coffee out entirely. I pretty much don't drink soda of any type, so that eliminated all caffeine from my diet (well except the little bit that's in chocolate :) )

We tried for 4 more months to TTC, no luck. As month 7 rolled around, I was starting a new job that was really going to screw with my sleep schedule, so I said, screw it. One cup a day it is. I started making a travel mug worth of coffee in the morning, which I would usually only finish half of - then having a small cup while at work. I decided it just wasn't worth the stress, you know?

And here I am with my BFP, that very same month :) Not that I think the caffeine helped me get pregnant - I think the difference was not stressing out about every tiny little detail. And that is the path I intend to take with my whole pregnancy.