Caffiene is it really that evil? Big time venting!

So I am craving a soda so bad. I know that caffiene isn't good for you while pregnant and I decided to research why. I wanted to know if one soda would be a bad idea. I assumed that in small amounts it's wouldn't be that bad. I go online and all I find is scare tatics and propaganda. I'm so irked right now. All these women wrote posts about how if you drink any caffiene your baby will die. It will cause you to have a miscarriage right away. That seems a little overboard. One pepsi is going to kill my baby???  

I guess I'm just at that early stage in pregnancy where you are having a hard time adjusting to everything you can't eat and do just because you have a baby on board. I guess I'd like to hear what you guys think.

[NicMom]

Ugh and I know it's caffeine.

[alwshopeful]

I found this site for you.  I read it and I seems if you drink 200 milliliters or less a day, you should be ok.

Hope this helps your craving!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/health/21caffeine.html

[kazwel]

Everything is fine in moderation.   If you are craving soda than have a soda,  It's not going to hurt you or the baby.

I am a pot a day coffie drinker,  I cut down to  1 cup a day while i was pregnant with my daugher.  
My Dr told me to keep my caffeine intake to under 300 mg's a day.

Women have been having children for hundreds of years,  hell 60 years ago there was no such thing as prenatal care.

[ArmyPrincess819]

My obgyn said caffeine is fine as long as you aren't drinking it by the pot full. I have soda which I normally hate. It's all about portion conrol including caffeine. I'm 15 wks and 1x or 2xs a week I still go to dunks for an ice coffee! What does your dr say?

[NicMom]

THANK YOU! I knew that other site just had irrational women posting.

[babypooh]

Wow, that is exaggerated! You should be fine with a soda every once in a while :)

[mj_mommy_manda]

my doctor said I could have 3 cups of coffee a day.. I dont remember how many sodas that equals.. I was a coffee addict and had an iced starbucks coffee almost every morning while I was pregnant.  Some women wouldn't agree with that, but you have to do what works for you, ask your doctor if you're worried but im sure he/she will tell you its just fine.

[zazou]

One cup a day is fine. You can even have 2 as long as it's not strong. But remember that chocolate also has coffeine as well so you have to take that into consideration. I was the biggest coffee junkie and then my gastritis flared up and I weaned myself off coffee prior to my pregnancy (talk about the headaches you get!!!) and was having decaf but now I'm completely turned off coffee during my pregnancy.

[evthing4reason]

don't worry and enjoy your coffee...have one very day if you want. no worries

[rdh1981]

Why don't you just have a Caffiene Free Pepsi, they taste just like the regular ones. My dh and I drank this the whole time we were trying to get preggo, because you know caffiene is not good then either! If it is just the taste you are craving then I would go for the Caffiene free, if it is the Caffiene you need, then like everyone else said in moderation it is all good!!

I did not drink caffiene until I was in my third trimester with my son.  Not because I was afraid but because the thought of soda then seemed so gross. Now I am about 11wks in this pregnancy and the thought of soda still grosses me out. Isn't funny how strange our bodies react to things when your pregnant.  

Sorry to ramble!!

[gingerplaynation]

I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO CUT MY CAFFIENE INTAKE AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE, DUE TO SEVERE HEADACHES. MY DR SAYS THE STRESS FROM THE PAIN IS WORSE THAN CAFFIENE. I HAVE 2 CUPS OF COFFEEE IN THE A.M. AND 3-4 CANS DIET DR.PEPPER DURING THE DAY. I HAVE DID THIS W/ ALL3 OF MY GIRLS W/ NO PROBLEMS. MY MOTHER & GRANDMOTHER DIDN'T HAVE ALL THIS INFO 25 YRS. + AGO AND WE ARE JUST FINE. I HAVE NO PROBLEMS W/ MY GIRLS, NO HIGHPER ACTIVITY NO LEARNING OR BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS. MY 12 TR OLD HOLDS A 4.0 IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MY 5 YR OLD IS A GREAT STUDENT. HAVE YOU A PEPSI/ COKE . ENJOY. PREGNANCY LIMITS YOUR ABILITIES ENOUGH.

[Mumita]

I think the no-caffeinne hype is ridiculous.  as long as you are not drinking a whole pot a day then you are fine.
I looooove coffee and I used to be a regular coffee drinker.  I stopped drinking coffee in my pregnancy NOT because of the caffeinne scare but because it makes me have to pee 5 times more than I currently pee which is too much I think.
Just drink less caffeinne than you would if you weren't pregnant and hydrate yourself if it makes you pee too much.

[jessbbg]

Even if you ARE drinking a whole pot a day... it still isn't going to kill your baby.  I just had some woman in my office look at me like I was a murderer because I said I need a soda.  

One of the things American media fails to realize (and that paranoid American citizens fail to wrap their minds around) is that "associated with increased risk of" does not mean "will definitely happen"...  There was a big headline I remember seeing, about "children born with birthmarks are ten times more likely to develop childhood cancer!!!".... the "chance" went from .000024 to .00024.... It does NOT mean there is even a small chance of your child having cancer if they pop out with a birthmark.  

If anything, things identified to "increase risk" are probably just markers of a demographic---i.e. "increased risk in coffee drinkers" does not even mean it's caused by the consumption of coffee!!!  It means there are a group of women who drink coffee and sometimes it happened more in them... The next step in scientific discovery is to find out WHAT OTHER BEHAVIORS OR FACTORS THESE WOMEN SHARE... duh.  If they're all from Sweden----it could be the freakin' water, people.  Sorry, I'm just not going to live in a bubble, especially when science says don't live in a bubble.  

I'm not going to go overboard and consume pots of coffee a day, but I'm a firm believer in "everything is fine in moderation".  You should see the looks on people's faces when I tell them I ate sushi yesterday---and on Friday too.  They freak out.  So I ask them what's wrong with sushi and they stammer and sputter and say "but you're pregnant!!".  I say "Yeah... and?  What's wrong with sushi?"  They don't have a clue.  Literally no idea why it's "bad"... It's "risky" for two reasons: 1. raw animal product of any kind is taking chances, admittedly, and 2. high levels of mercury over an extended period of time is harmful... (we won't even go there right now, most people have no idea---you can actually safely eat a boatload of tuna in one sitting and be fine, it's the "per week" part that is most important in those warnings)...  So if I'm eating a crab and cream cheese roll, it's not raw, and I can have a LOT of crab before I reach the risky threshold.  

People have GOT to stop freaking out. NicMom, if I were you, I'd register at that site and start blasting them back---only give it to them with hard scientific fact instead of their chosen medium of refortified myth.

Matter of fact, where was it you were reading these women's comments?  I would love to read just how brilliant they are...

Ok, I'm going to get down off my soapbox now... heh...

[GRose]

jessbbg- I totally agree with you, people are so scared these days that everything is going to harm the baby. I too eat sushi, I'm sorry but what do you think women in Japan eat??? Sushi! I don't eat it all the time but I do eat it when I get a craving. Mercury is only high in certain fish and most of those fish you can eat in moderation. The only reason they worry about sushi is that if you were to get a parasite from it the meds to help you may harm the baby. I have been eating sushi for 12 years and have NEVER gotten sick, so I think I am safe.

OK to get back on topic, caffeine is fine in moderation. My OB says I can have 2 caffeinated beverages a day.

[ashiepooh]

My ob says 300 mg a day of caffeine is PERFECTLY FINE!  Just make sure your still drinking 8 cups of water a day or more!  I drank one cup of coffee a day with all 3 of my kids and they are perfectly normal!  =)

[jessbbg]

GRose, I just discovered sushi about a year and a half ago, and I looooove it, volcano roll is my favorite, yumm!  Mostly I eat the Philidelphia aka cream cheese roll here (though I've learned to be careful because different restaurants have different ideas about what goes in what roll, lol)

Getting back to caffeine: the funny thing is, I was just reading up on a danish study of coffee drinking during pregnancy that is often touted as the proof we shouldn't consume caffeine while we're knocked up... It's the study that I would say is the source of most of the myths and "the-sky-is-falling-isms" out there lately.  

Women who drank MORE THAN two cups of coffee per day had a slightly increased risk of miscarriage... this risk group INCLUDES women (later discussed in the study) who drank MORE THAN EIGHT CUPS... Those women who drank more than eight cups a day had roughly a 50% increased risk.  You know that that means?  That means if risk of miscarraige (miscarriage) is 1 in 10, then this group had a chance of 1.5 in 10.  It's not good, but it's not as drastic as people with their own agendas would have you believe.  

And the real kicker?  You ready for this?  

The study found that this "considerably greater risk of miscarraige (miscarriage)" in those who drank 8 or more cups of coffee a day was specific only to coffee consumption.  Other caffeinated beverages and foods did not present the same risk, suggesting that it is other chemicals in the coffee that are largely responsible for the increased risk of miscarriage.  

How's that for blowing the lid of some serious misconceptions?

And really it's all relative anyway... Do you drink Danish coffee?  Do they drink the same coffee as us?  Which chemicals are the culprits in that coffee?  Are they universal to coffee?  Is it something in their filters getting into the coffee?  

I'm drinking a Diet Pepsi... right this very second.  (OH NO!!  ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER!!)

And for those looking to cut down but still enjoy their colas, coke and pepsi have roughly the same amount of caffeine per serving (about 40mg).  Diet Coke has MORE than Coke (about 45mg), while Diet Pepsi has LESS than Pepsi (about 35mg).  

Personally I'd rather have a couple of sodas than take the Darvocet that was prescribed by my OB for the headaches I get when I don't have caffeine.  

Wow... I didn't know I had so much built up aggravation, lol.  Sorry!!  I'll try to stop venting!

[eachatelain]

I read that caffeine is fine if you don't drink over 300mg per day on more than one website (and they all seemed trustworthy, otherwise I wouldn't pass on the info). I am just keeping my caffeine intake very low.

[Jame0223]

Caffeine is fine in moderation for a pregnant woman. I used to drink SO much soda, but have recently cut back for diet reasons. I now drink flavored seltzer, like Clear America from Walmart. There are many flavors and its the same as drinking water but since its carbonated and tastes good I feel like I am drinking soda..lol Or just go for like a Sierra Mist or other Caffeine free sodas. But if you just got to have a nice glass of original Coke...go for it, its not going to hurt anything, just don't be drinking a liter of it a day! Satisfy cravings, just don't go overboard!

[bryanarae]

So my opinion:
I need caffiene! :) I have a 3 year old little boy, who just so happens to be extremely rambunctious, much like every other 3 year old. And not only that, I am at the point in my pregnancy where I am having difficulties sleeping. I am lucky to get a good 6 hours of sleep, which for me, is nothing. I'm like a 10 hour a night kinda person. Before I got pregnant, my caffiene intake was well, let's just say wow! Now that I am pregnant, I have a small vanilla latte in the mornings when my son and I go for our ritualistic walks. Then around 2 or 3 in the noon I have a can of coke or something. My dr is more than aware of my caffiene intake and is not concerned at all. Sure, too much caffiene, *could* potentially cause some issues, but is is guarenteed? No! I'm not saying every pregnant woman out there should be drinking pots and pots of coffee, or drinking can after can of pop, but to indulge every now and then? Come on! Do whatever feels right to you. Ask your doctor is they have any concerns, but for goodness sakes, we can not take everything we read on the internet to heart. However, that is just my opinion. I hope I didn't offend anyone, cause that was totally not my meaning. Just that I think we need to start thinking for ourselves rather than always turning to the internet to find answers. All the internet does, is cause us all to doubt ourselves. :) Enjoy some caffiene for goodness sakes! :)

[hkenny]

my doctor told me keep it to 300 mg a day or less. that equates to 1 pop/coffee or tea.

[justice6920]

I have a cup of coffee in the morning and a soda sometime during the day.... Girl Enjoy your soda, your baby will be just fine.... caffeine is ok in moderation.... LOL even a little everyday!

[Mumita]

jessbbg and Grose- THANK YOU!  For mentioning Sushi.  I Love sushi and as long as I eat the crab or the shrimp rolls OR the tempura roll I'm good.  People freak out.  There's a good pregnancy book that
s called something like "Paranoid Free Pregnancy" and it debunks all of those myths.  Like, you can dye your hair, eat chocolate, exercise, etc, etc, etc.

[jessbbg]

Actually, hkenny, 300mg a day is the equivalent of 5.5 cans of Mountain Dew (or Diet Mountain Dew), or more than 8 cans of coke... A red bull has 80mg of caffeine.  

If you like tea, brewing your average lipton at home, you're averaging about 60mg per glass (but it can be high, if you steep it longer and depending on the brand, etc).  But it's still way safe to have 2 or 3 glasses.  Arizona has about 32, their green tea about 16.  One of my favorites is Starbucks Chai latte--a grande has 100mg of caffeine.

Granted, you have to be a lot more careful with some of the coffees out there, but you can still have quite a lot.  Your average cup of coffee at home has usually around 100 - 150mg of caffeine in it.  8oz of instant usually has about 95mg.

Starbuck's 16oz (grande) brewed coffee has around 320mg.  The same thing at Einstein Bros has about 300, Dunkin Doughnuts 16oz has 206.

Bryanarae, your vanilla latte (if 8oz) has only 75mg.  

So if the concensus you feel safe with is 300mg or less, you'll use up your allowance faster if you drink coffee, and if you use drink soda, you can drink a lot more than you think.  Bottom line----don't stress, and if you want one or need a boost, have one.

[Mumita]

Sorry, the book is called "The Panic-Free Pregnancy" by Michael S. Broader

[jessbbg]

Mumita -

Thanks for the book suggestion, I'll have to go find it.  Yeah, I can't stand it when people who've just heard some headline---or even worse, heard something someone else said---start running around judging people by it.  It perpetuates more and more ignorance and fear.  Does absolutely no good.

What's really sad is the doctors who perpetuate the same fears because of their own fears.  I hardly blame them---who wants to be sued over a miscarriage no one could have prevented?  But ignorant (and sue-happy) americans will do that because they think somehow a doctor is supposed to be God.  A doctor is another human being just like you and me and they only know what they've learned, just like you know what you've learned.  And "what they've learned" keeps changing all the time because of this study or that one, or this medical advancement or that, etc.  So they just play it safe.  Unfortunately, that's not only bad faith, it's deceitful, detrimental, and violates their oath.

Ok, that was another tirade.... I need to just stop talking... haha!  

[martikadragoon]

Drink a soda woman!~.... I think everyone agrees. A little bit of caffeine is a great trade for a P'O'd pregnant woman! lol.... (I promise just a joke~ I didn't read all the replys.)

my thing was Dr. Pepper when pregnant, my dr. told me I could have up to 2 cans a day~

[Mumita]

jessbbg- I totally agree, I've heard crazy talk of people saying that when you are pregnant, you can't walk barefoot on the beach (ridiculous in my opinion), can't eat soft serve, reheated rice, chocolate (I'd die if I can't eat chocolate) countless other ridiculous things.
What I truly believe is that 1st. somehow we've managed to survive and expand the human race for hundreds of thousands of years where sanitation rules didn't exist. Many overpupolated third world countries aren't having trouble conceiving babies, their issues are mainly surviving birth and keeping children alive once born.
2. the rate of miscarriages is 20% for ALL pregnancies regardless whether women drink caffeinated beverages or not.
My last thing is that our female bodies are designed  to have protection mechanisms in place to protect a pregnancy, a pregnancy that is not healthy your body will most likely reject it and a healthy pregnancy well, chances are it will go to term.

[martikadragoon]

Oh... and I ate sushi every other week when I was pregnant!~ (imagine~7 1/2 mo pregnant and sitting in the sushi place eating a roll of sushi).......mmmmmm..(homer simpson impersonation)

[JoyRenee]

The only issue with caffeine that I'm aware of is that it dehydrates you. For every 8 ounces of pop you drink you need to drink 64 *extra* ounces of water to make up for it. That is how devastating it can be to your hydration.

Other than that, if you drink water, indulge a little! It won't hurt baby any.

[martinsbride]

I agree with kazwel.  I have actually been drinking a fair amount of soft drinks (about one per day), and (if you listen to the propaganda) it's going to cause a huge elevation in the baby's heartbeat.  I just had my second check-up and the doctor said everything, including the heartrate, is on target.  

[jessbbg]

Amen, sisters!!

Why on earth can't you walk barefoot on the beach??  omg... what have we come to... there is one other girl in my office who is pregnant and her doctor has her so scared... it's killing me.  I am being very respectful of the concerns, but at the same time, I'm trying to help the girl see that she does more harm by being stressed than by drinking a can of soda.  

The first time we talked about it, she saw me putting a Crystal Light Peach Tea mix into a bottle of water and almost fainted----was actually very funny.  She was completely terrified if she drank Crystal Light she would spontaneously abort right there where she stood.  Poor kid.  And most of it is coming from her doctor of all people.  

Hey, NicMom----it's been almost 24 hours since you posted your vent/question.  I hope by now you've had at least 2 sodas.  If you have any more questions about what you can and can't do, we here are a very empowering group, so ask to your hearts content!

And if someone yells at me for drinking crystal light, I have two things to say: 1. Even the American Pregnancy Association gives Aspartame the big thumbs up, go read it for yourself (it's in the Safe category, well above Questionable and Unsafe), and 2. Would you rather I just be dehydrated??  (I hate plain water and barely get 8 oz a day without mixes).  

Mumita and GRose - it doesn't take much to fan my flame, can you tell?  I'm all fired up now, lol

[Mumita]

jessbbg- Yeah I get pretty fired up about things like this too.  I don't however eat/drink anything with any artificial sweetners because they taste bad to me.  Even splenda tastes awful to me.  But hey if you like it, go for it!
Yeah I heard walks on the beach were bad for some ungodly reason but I plan on spending a week at the beach in May when I'm 7months, I plan on flying, Im packing only shorts and tank tops and my bikini, oh yes, I will tan my belly AND I am going to float in the water like booie(sp).

I think we've vented a lot on this post ;)  I hope we've convinced her that one can of soda wont hurt.

[gokuangel]

I agree 1 wont hurt!! The only thing bad i have heard is like my X-SIL said when she drank pepsi non stop she would get a bladder infection!! So other than that i know nothing bad just in moderation like the girls said!!