COFFEE!!!!! Seriously, Can we drink it ????

[toobee]

Hey Gals....
I have a question about coffee.......What are your thougths on coffee when pregnant ?????...I hear mixed reviews and havnt had a drop in almost 6 months. ....keep in mind I was a BIG coffe drinker...I have been really REALLY REALLY craving it.....plus I really seem to need a pick me up these days....but I hear mixed things on whether I can or not...I just wonder if thats only in the first tri???? I just really want your thoughts,and opinions so I can just get on with it already...If I cant I wont, But if I can I want it, If its relly safer not to I wont...I just dont know if in the 2nd tri it causes miscarriage or if thats only early on in first tri


Thanks!!!!

[SilverAngel679]

I've heard mixed things as well. I've heard that overload on caffine leads to low birth weight but that is EXTREME caffine use. Like 5 or 6 8 oz cups a day. They say that 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day is just fine and I would go by that.
I stay away from it for the most part (I'm a soda drinker and have switched to Caffine free diet coke for the pregnancy) with the exception of a diet cherry coke (A vice of mine) once a week or so and a regular diet soda if we go out to eat. I'd rather do that then have a sprite or mountain dew witch is caffine free but loaded with sugar.
I say have your coffee, just don't over do it. Like a cup every other day or so is fine if you cut out all the other caffinated stuff.
Ask your dr. if anything but I think a cup of joe every now and then is fine.

[Fluffypuppygal]

I agree - I miss coffee and soda in a way I just can't describe! (And I miss having cocktails or wine with dinner, but I don't want to push it too far!) My doctor said that one or two cups a day of either soda or coffee shouldn't hurt anything, but of course, the optimal option is water, water, water.
But it is more than just drinking the beverage itself - I miss sharing a pot of coffee with coworkers. I miss being able to go out for cocktails and parties with friends. I miss going to movies and being able to drink as much diet coke as I liked without counting the sips and wondering if I should cut myself off after four.
Like you, as much as I am looking forward to my new life and new family member, there is still a part of the old life I miss and some things which are going to have to be set aside right now!

[toobee]

Fluffypuppygal

I so understand what you mean about social coffee. I really miss that. I was also a big diet coke fan as well. I feel so grateful to be pregnant, and I am not complaining about sacrificing such things, but sometimes I wonder if all this is overkill. I mean woman used to smoke, drink, and all that stuff in my Moms generation. Here I am afraid to do anything...and told not to eat or drink and avoid so many things!!! I really went on a health kick before I embraked on IVF....I mean totally ceaned myslef up...my diet was sterile :) I was no fun!!!! I guess Its been along time since I enjoyed all those simple pleasures. I feel like I have been pregnant forever as well....but I am just in my early 2nd tri!!! I guess it will be over before you know it and I hope for all our sakes who watch every little thing we all bring home healthy bundles of joy!

[sugabeanzs]

I do not drink coffee but I talked to my OB when I was preggers about caffeine. I had HORRIBLE headaches the whole pregnancy (it was my morning sickness I suppose). He said it was ok to drink 8 oz a day to help out with the headaches (coke, not coffee) but no more than that. SO I think moderation is ok. But, I think coffee has more caffeine in it than coke

[liz35]

I drink decaf every morning with just a touch of regular for better taste. There are so many negative studies with regard to caffine. If you can sufice with decaf with an occasional yummy latte here and there, it's only short term.

[karenvancouverisland]

although i feel guilty about it...i drink a half-caf small cup a few times a week. i've always heard that a small cup a day is ok..but i'm so desperate for this to work..that i don't want to risk doing that much.

i also have an occasional caffeinated tea, but not both in 1 day.

i think you should enjoy one once in a while (maybe once a week at least)..

[tinaO]

Enjoy your coffee - just in moderation! I always drank a cup a day throughout my pregnancy. My son was born full-term, a day before his due date. I even enjoyed an occassional 1/2 glass of wine on special occasions. My son is perfectly healthy and I had an extremely easy, wonderful delivery. Don't worry about it! My doctor told me the same thing - so I listened to him!

[sharishu]

Here's what I did regarding coffee:
I did without it for my first trimester. I was ALWAYS tired, and finally my ob said to me 'PLEASE drink some coffee'. So I did. One to two cups a day, which is what he 'prescribed' . I think that I'd do the same thing next time. Cut it out during the tenuous first trimester, and then do the two cups a day. My beautiful baby was born at a healthy 8 pounds.

Enjoy your pregnancy!
Shari

[babyloves]

The reason caffeine is discouraged is that the fetus can't metabolize it well, and it's been linked to miscarriage. However, for the most part 1-2 cups a day is considered "safe." I've tried to cut it out all together, but its tough. I drink herbal tea most of the time, but occas black and green tea (which i think still contains caffeine). I don't know how much caffeine is in "decaf," but sometimes I don't believe its much different from regular coffee.

I actually feel diet drinks are really bad for you, with all the artificial sweetners (we don't their long term effects) and phosphoric acid..Our country has been brainwashed into diet this and diet that, yet we're still getting heavier and heavier..everything should be in moderation.

I'm probably being harsh, but in a way I feel our pregnancies are forcing us to eat healthier for not just our babies, but us too! We should not be feeling deprived and we should try these good habits after we delivery - not go back to drinking 3 cups a day or 2 glasses of wine a day - something that our livers can't metabolize (more than 1 glass of alcohol is bad for women).

[Summerbda]

I drink 2 cups in the morning and 1 in the afternoon of 1/2 caff. and a coke if I'm out shopping or whatever.....caff is fine in moderation...as is most everything.....(it's dehyderating though so lots of water)
Miscarriages and birth defects are VERY rarely caused be ANYTHING you do!! It's cromonsonal 99.8% of the time!
I live on diet rootbeer w/lots of ice.....artifical sweetners have never been proven bad....(DR.'s want you to gain proper amount of weight, thats why they say sweetners IN MODERATION!!!!)
I'm not a first time mom/and I'm older....years ago NONE of this stuff was ever even discussed. Ask an women whom had their babies 25 yrs ago, about these things...a lot will tell you they drank a pot of coffee/w a cigg. hanging out their mouth.LOL
Healthy babies are born everyday to druggies/alcoholics/malnutritioned etc. No reason to worry so much........
Everything in moderation/pregnancy isn't suppose to make you miserable...or I for one wouldn't be pg. again...........

[babyloves]

i don't feel like pouring caffeine, nicotine, and artificial sweetners in your body are the way to go while you pregnant or not. Babies are born with chromosomal defects as well, and not all babies are aborted in miscarriage due to chromosomal defects. Babies born to alcoholic mothers mostly have low birth weights, and coke babies are known to have small brain volume as adults...whether it causes intelligence defects is unknown.

There is no way to determine why a certain pg ends in m/s - but why not take a FEW precautions during those precious 9 months...esp when you've spent $10K plus for IVF treatments. Moms back in the day 25 years ago also didn't have IVF to turn to when nothing else worked. We should take care of ourselves and stop being so selfish when it comes to the health of our unborn babies. Lets stop being such a caffeine and prozac nation! And lets not blame doctors for trying to make money by advising us things that cause us to become fat. We didn't go to 15 years of school to harm patients and then hear things like that

At least we can agree on moderation

[kerpupples]

I don't think this is a place for preaching our own personal views about what we do when we're not pregnant.

The majority of doctors say moderated caffeine consumption is fine. If you're not comfortable with it, don't do it!

I was 8 weeks pg when I accidentally drank a VENTI caffeinated Starbucks drink that I'd meant to order as a decaf. I'm currently 16 weeks in and doing fine. I was extra cautious during the first trimester because of a prior m/c, but I did and still do have a cup or two of fully caffeinated coffee a week. It helps me feel less deprived.

[Summerbda]

First of all I certainly hope you weren't implying your pouring coffee/CIGGS??COKE etc. towards me??! LOL
Your really are taking this a BIT out of context!!! LOL
My Husband is an internist M.D..
So the statment's I made were correct....Coffee in moderation is FINE! As well as Art. sweetners!!
I was trying to calm down some girls that were worried....WORRYING ISN'T good for you either (BUT it won't cause problems)
You need to work on your anger (obviously)!!
Your welcome to your opinion, BUT I chose to know the facts.(and my hubby the DR. would laugh to see your post!)........By the way we spent over $40,000 to have our baby (with many struggles) (is there a point your making about? You payed for IVF so this baby is diff. from others???
BY the way maybe you should read what I wrote again....Coke?? Cigg.?? Your too funny...........

[woodcliff]

Puh-leeze.
I drank 2 cappucinos every day during my pregnancy, and delivered healthy as you can get twins at week 37, NO NICU time!

My doctor said not to worry...the studies are based on inSANE amounts of caffeine abuse.

Do what you are comfy with, though...
I never gave it a second thought.