coffee and wine

[seamama11]

I am due Feb 1 and am 28 weeks. I drink one cup of coffee everyday, something I didn't do when pregnant with my son, but this time around since I have a toddler who likes to wake up throughout the night and starts his day at 4:30, I have a really hard time not drinking coffee. Also, I have enjoyed a glass of wine every so often which I think is ok, but I am wondering how much is ok....I think I have a small glass every two weeks, but have read it is ok to have up to 1 or 2 a week. I know there are pregnant mamas who wouldn't touch coffee or wine....but also want to hear from those who like me do enjoy them....in moderation...of course.
Thanks,
Sarah

[gingerbane]

After the first trimester I had coffee and/or alcohol whenever I felt like it. I think one cup of coffee a day is fine and I think one glass of wine or one beer a day is fine too. That being said, I have probably had less that 20 cups of coffee and just around 4 glass of wine this entire pregnancy. I just haven't been wanting these things so much. But if you want them and have them in moderation, I see no problem with that.

[Luca'smum]

I don't drink coffee but I have one cup of black tea every morning. And I have a glass of wine maybe once a week. I had a french doctor with my ds and he said that a glass of wine with dinner daily was ok. Today I plan on having half a beer at our barbecue. I think moderation and taking care of yourself as well as your baby are important.

Kelly

[Writerbird]

I'm planning to have as much as a half glass of wine with my dinner as soon as I hit the third trimester. I highly doubt I will, mind you - before pregnancy I was a once, MAYBE twice a week wine drinker - but that's the speed limit for booze, for me, based on my reading.

Caffeine, well - I'm not having any espresso until after I'm done breastfeeding. But I used to really enjoy a cup of the General Foods International Coffees, the instant mixes - french vanilla nut, to be specific. I'm planning to have a cup of that, no more than once a day, again at the third trimester mark forward.

But it's funny - I've been off diet soda for so long that the sip I had this morning was pretty gross. I think I'm gonna stay off that junk. And I've gotten so used to caffeine free tea with honey that I would miss it, if I gave it up.

All this is what I'm comfortable with. I really recommend doing your own reading - nothing will bring you peace of mind faster than seeing the evidence for yourself.

[Emmom]

I'm in the same situation as you. I'm a coffee hound, and as soon as I became pregnant with my son, I didn't touch caffeine--not until he was 6 months old or so.
This time around, the smells of coffee, black tea, or anything with alcohol in it made me gag horribly before the positive pregnancy test even, and up until a few weeks into the second trimester. I'm not always a 'my body knows best' kind of person, but in this case (what with being up early with my son, etc.) when coffee started smelling good again, I was happy to start drinking it again. I have 1 to 1 1/2 cups a day. Occasionally 2.
I had a sip of dh's beer the other night and it made me feel sick immediately, so I guess I won't be having any alcohol.

[SamuraiMom]

I just quit coffee this week, too much heartburn came with it, and I love my coffee in the morning, I had a scoop of decaf, a scoop of caf and a huge pinch of cardamom. As for the wine, I love wine as much as I love coffee, and used to have at least a glass a night before baby, now it's a sip at friday night dinner. I miss is, I really do, but I hate heartburn even more. But drink up if you can and have one for me!

[faithfulmama]

With ds I really couldn't do coffee. I made me feel funky. But this time, I am really needing to lift the fog some mornings. I am probably having 3-4 cups a week. As for wine, I have had anywhere from a few glasses a week, to a few a month. Actually a lot of times a "glass" is really half, but I really enjoy it. When I'm not pregnant I pretty much relish my morning, and sometimes afternoon, or evening coffee, and it isn't uncommon for me to have a glass of wine most every evening...

[~ani~]

(jumping in from March 08 DDC)

I am a big coffee drinker. When I first found out I was pregnant I tried stopping all together. But that only lasted a week and this whole pregnancy I've been drinking 1 smallish cup of coffee every single morning.

For breastfeeding maybe I will stop? If it seemed like my babe was agitated or not sleeping well because of it.

I haven't touched alcohol since I found out I was pregnant (though I had had a number of glasses of wine the 2w before the pregnancy test!) but I think 3rd trimester a glass once in a while would be OK for me.

[smokeylo]

I have coffee every day and have had a few glasses of wine over the course of my pregnancy. I'm not worried about it. I actually enjoy coffee WAY MORE pregnant than I did non-pregnant!

[LoveChild421]

My policy for myself is none of either during the first trimester. And only when I really, really want it past that point. I haven't wanted wine so far, but I have had a nice mocha latte twice and I have chai tea about once a week.

[cocoschmoco]

I don't drink as much coffee as I did pre-pg, but I've been drinking 1-2 cups a day since I got pg (though I cut mine with a good amount of milk, so it's probably equivalent to 1 cup of black coffee). I was working full-time during my first trimester, and I wouldn't have been able to wake up in the morning without it, frankly.

I've also been having wine once in awhile - this summer I had a couple small glasses at weddings and such, but I rarely actually finished them - a few sips were all I needed. I lost my taste for any for months, but I just had a glass with dinner last week and it was gooood.

I like to remind myself that different countries have different ideas of what's considered "safe" during pg - it really makes me take the American attitude of freaking out about everything with a grain of salt.

[jlc3333]

I drink 1-1 1/2 cups of coffee everyday... I'm not a drinker, but I think the wine is ok, as long as you feel up for it.. I did have wine with my dd once in a while, but that was 8 years ago.. and she is perfect and beautiful... Not in the first trimester. I heard wine can increase the chances of a miscarriage, but if you are TTC, it supposedly helps conception and helps babys to stick... Doesn't really make sense to me.. but that is what I read...

[lovetobemama]

I like what writerbird had to say, just do some reading for yourself and let a little education make up and soothe your mind. I've never been a coffee drinker and caffeine makes my heart race when I'm not even pregnant, so that's not an issue for me.
With beer, when I'm somewhere that I want a beer, it's not like I want to savor the taste of one beer over time, I just want to have a couple of beers or so with my pub meal or whatever, so I just stick to O'Douls Amber, because I can have as many as I want.
With wine, I have had a lot less than I thought I would allow myself, I just didn't seem to want it. That being said, as we head into the holiday season and the third trimseter, I will probably have a glass of wine here and there.
After my personal research, I just decided what I felt comfortable with in each trimester, and and have not worried about feeling bad about it (Ex: a glass of DELICIOUS wine on our wedding anniversary at our favorite restaurant...no guilt there)
I would say, don't stress about it, just read enough to make an informed personal decision, and then be at peace with it!

[firecat]

A friend of mine drinks her daily coffee. I don't see anything wrong with it. As long as you aren't overdoing it, like 4+ cups a day I think you're fine
I would probably stop if I developed high blood pressure, but other than that...

Beer/wine, I think that is a very personal decision, but a little every once and awhile is fine with me (i have had a glass of wine, one of champagne and a few sips of beer this pregnancy...I was watching my husband drink a Newcastle last night and I thought, man! I can't wait til I can drink one of those again!!)

[StrawberryFields]

I love coffee but I don't mind drinking decaf at all so during pregnancy and while breastfeeding a newborn I just switch to decaf. I do have a beer or glass of wine here and there, though.

[weeirishlass]

I have one or two caffeinated beverages a day. Sometimes none. And once, when I flew last week, 3. I don't really sweat it. I had none at all with dd, but like you, this time I've got a toddler, so my body needs a helping hand!
I also will occasionally have alcohol. Last weekend I was at a wedding, so I had champagne with the toast. Probably not even a full glass, though I would have! And on friday I had a beer with my pizza. Again, I really don't sweat it. I'm not drinking on an empty stomach, having more than one serving, or even usually having more than one serving a week. I believe moderation is key.
I also eat sushi, lunchmeat, and soft cheeses. Shhhh, don't turn me in to the preggo police!

[spu]

With my first pg, the most I did was one piece of chocolate every Friday (I was on bedrest for 4.5 mos - this was my weekly reward....). With my second pg, I had diet cokes in the second half of my pgcy - probably about 1-2 / week, instead of regular ginger ale - I didn't want the calories, and needed the caffeine. With this pg, I have the most enjoyable moccachino every morning (coffee or espresso, cocoa, and whipped cream of course!). I need the cafffeine to be sane and polite enough to take care of my 3 kids without losing my mind. My MWs told me at least it grows in the ground, and decaf can sometimes contain chemicals to make it decaf, so better off with regular - so long as I don't get the shakes. I still have diet cokes with my chicken mcnugget cravings - ick and yum at the same time!

-- oh yes, when I had a severe spinal headache after my cerclage at 13w, they told me the best medicine was super strong coffee - sludge-like, and it worked!

[cubasianchica]

Im a little confused mamas. i thought wine and any sort of alcohol was a big no no. I have been craving beer and wine forever now. Im 21 weeks. I lost my first pg at about 21 weeks so I am scared to chance anything. can you really have a glass a week and nothing happen?? if it were ok why would society have such warning about it? same goes for sushi. I LOVE sushi but have not touched the stuff. Im so scared it can lead to other things. id like imput please on the outcome after birth if you drank and how much you drank

[sunkist33]

Originally Posted by cubasianchica

Im a little confused mamas. i thought wine and any sort of alcohol was a big no no. I have been craving beer and wine forever now. Im 21 weeks. I lost my first pg at about 21 weeks so I am scared to chance anything. can you really have a glass a week and nothing happen?? if it were ok why would society have such warning about it? same goes for sushi. I LOVE sushi but have not touched the stuff. Im so scared it can lead to other things. id like imput please on the outcome after birth if you drank and how much you drank

I'm with you~ I don't think any amount of alcohol is "safe" during pregnancy & it's best to just avoid it altogether. I was actually surprised that so many seem okay with it.
I think caffeine is okay in moderation (one cup of coffee a day). We still frequent our favorite sushi restuarant & just avoid any raw fish. We get seaweed salad, eel & shrimp maki rolls, crab soup, etc. Actually most of the stuff we normally get is safe (I'm a big fan of eel and that's always cooked).

[Carlito's_wife]

Well I am not too into caffiene at all. I don't drink soda cuz it gives me killer heartburn and I have a coffee or cappuccino every so often.

As for the wine and beer thing, before pregnancy I was a total wino. Pretty much drank heavily 3-5 days of the week. But now that I have been pregnant I have only had beer and no liquor. On one occasion I did go way way overboard and I had 4 beers in one day. I didn't realize it until I counted bottles and I felt so awful so I didn't drink again for about 3 months. I tried the other day to have a beer but I still felt bad from that one time and I couldn't even finish it. All I could think about was my little one in there drunk and it was not something that made me very happy at all.

I know a majority of peope will not drink at all but I am young so I have a lot of friends who got pregnant and continued drinking like they were not pregnant at all. So far they have not seen negative effects from it but their children are all still toddlers. It could take years to see the effects of what their drinking did. Some kids don't get AFS, they have milder symptoms. Behavioral and mental problems that surface as a teen or tween.

I don't want to sound like a hypocrite because I did make a mistake with this pregnancy *with the other two I didn't drink smoke or take in caffiene*, but I believe it is just as risky as those who don't want to get pregnant but have unprotected sex. How does the saying go? "IT ONLY TAKES ONE TIME." You don't know what the effects of what you do now may be on your fetus. Maybe it is just the luck of the draw. It happens to some babies and not others.

But I was told by my OB that 4 beers or it's equivelant per week is widely accepted although it is inconclusive as to how much alcohol may negativly affect your baby.

It's a personal choice. But you just asking shows your concern so I am sure you will know what is best for you. Everyone is different.