Coffee/Caffeine Beverages?

I am curious about how you all are monitoring your caffeine intake? I have been limiting myself to 2-3 caffeinated beverages per day, but my sister was all freaked out... Saying I should avoid it and NOT have ANY?? I think she is mostly a spaz ALL the time anyway... I asked my Dr., and he said 2-3 caffeinated beverages per day was fine. Just looking for input and wondering what you ladies are doing in terms of caffeine intake?

[neasyc]

i try to stay away from them if i can but if you doc sayes 2-3 a day is ok then i think you should be ok

[Lance06]

I gave up caffeine when I found out I was pregnant because I didnt want to take ANY chances because studies show they increase your chance of m/c. However, I have heard that a cup of coffee in the morning is okay. My gf drank a dr pepper every day during her pregnancy and both of her children were fine.
I would talk to your doctor about your caffeine intake prior to pregnancy and how much you should have during pregnancy.

[agomez333]

I have to have my coffee in the morning so I switched to that new folgers called half caf. It is supposed to only have half the caffine as regulare coffee. I still only drink 1 cup, sometimes not even finishing that one cup. And until the other day I hadn't had any other caffinated drinks. I had such a bad headache the other day I ordered a coke at dinner. Caffine helps my headaches sometimes and since I haven't ha any and didn't have my coffee that day I didn't think it would be a problem. I don't really count, but it is very limited.... I'm not a big soda drinker thankfully so it is not hard for me. I drink mostly water and some ginger ale for the nausea...

[leighanne143]

after having 2 MC's, i have limited my caffeine intake drastically this pregnancy. i drink only caffeine free ginger ale for the vomitting and like once every week or 2 weeks i allow myself a peach iced tea from dunkin donuts but only a small.

[KM604]

My doc said that 2 cups of caffeine (whether is be soda or coffee) is ok.  I usually only drink caffenated soda if I go out to eat and try and buy caffeine free soda for when I'm at home.  I don't drink coffee but maybe 2 times a week I'll get a tall Caramel Frappucino at Starbucks and I don't even finish it.  Everyone else I have talked to that is/was pregnant, said their doctor told them the same (2 cups caffeine a day).

[kris777]

I absolutely CRAVE my Dr Pepper and I always have one per day.....sometimes one and a half:)  Then in between I drink plenty of water to help balance things out!  My 3 year old son is just fine and this pregnancy is almost over finally and went well.  I say if a little caffeine is the worst thing you do, you're doing great!

[LauraB78]

Good, I will stick to my 2 cups then. I also buy caffeine free soda for the house ( I am a HUGE soda and coffee drinker!) But during the week, I get lunch (take-out) almost everyday and they don't offer caffeine free soda (except sprite and gingerale, both of which make me want to hurl!)  =)

I saw a couple posters said gingerale helped them w. nausea.. It does the TOTAL opposite for me.. Ever since I was a kid, gingerale makes me nauseaous... Weird.

Thank you all for the input!

My Dr. also said 2 -3 cups is a-ok...He said that it definitely doesn't cause m/c...  I think I became addicted to caffeine b/c I have suffered w. migraines for YEARS, and if you are a headache/migraine sufferer, you understand that caffeine helps tremendously!!

Being preggers, I can no longer take my RX for migraines, and the caffeine is a lifesaver!

[Jonelle143]

i usually do 1 caffeinated beverage a day... its just enough to keep be going....  

[mami1323]

When I was pregnant I would have my coffee in the am and then my tea in the afternoon.  So about 2 cups of caffeine.  My doctor said it was fine.  Drink a lot of water though.  You can easily become dehydrated during pregnancy and it can bring on Braxton Hicks contractions.

[BTS1022]

I have weaned myself 100% off any and all caffiene. I was having issues with my kidneys due to it, your kidneys have to work extra hard when your pregnant and drinking caffiene doesn't help. I do however crave a mountain dew from time to time, but I grab a Faygo instead which is caffiene free. I also do not drink coffee or tea, I quit drinking those not only for my health, but caffiene and soda's add a lot of weight and I plan on trying to lose weight when baby is here and not having caffiene in my diet will help me shed the pounds faster.

[Kim1989]

i limited my caffiene which is good because i ALWAYS use to drink coke or pepsi. i limited myself to 1 mini coke a day, caffeine isnt horrible thought

[Gina209]

I completely limited my intake! I think I am just so paranoid with having 2 M/C's in a row that I got rid of Caffeine all together. But I eat bits of chocolate here and there which contains chocolate and every other week I treat myself to a Decaf Latte...which I know its Decaf so its not much of a treat! But when I gave up coffee and lattes completely, Decaf tastes amazing! LOL. Other than that, no Coffee, no Tea, nada! I've been fine, haven't been craving it at all!
My doctor told me 1 Caffeinated Beverage a day was okay...but I'm sure it varies. Congrats and Good Luck!

[Avanaar]

With my first pregnancy, I started off "No Caffeine!" but here and there I'd have a cup of coffee in the morning (hubby got me hooked on coffee when I moved up with him, then he got me pregnant! lol) ...and occasionally I'd have a soda.  After the miscarriage tho I looked at every possible thing I could have put in or done to my body to cause it (Yes, I know they say it's not your  fault, but it's kinda hard to think that anyway!)

With this pregnancy, it took me a lot longer to 'give in' to my random cravings for a soda or cup of coffee.  I still rarely drink them and tend to just splurge every now and then.

According to the books I've read, they recommend no more than 300 mg/day.  The average cup of coffee has between 60-180 mg of caffeine and 12 oz soft drinks have about 40-59 mg.  So you could have a cup of coffee and a soda and still be under 300mg.  =D

And just some info about cutting down on caffeine (since I went to grab my book to see what it said about the 300mg):
1. It's a nutritional loser, containing absolutely no vitamins or minerals.
2. It's a stimulant, increasing your heart rate and metabolism, and it can cause insomnia, nervousness, and headaches.  (I know when I occasionally have a cup of coffee in the mornings I'll get a headache from the caffeine ><)
3. It stimulates the secretion of stomach acids and can contribute to heartburn.
4. It's a diuretic, causing you to lose fluids and calcium--both of which you need to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

So ...as with all things "bad" for you ...take it in moderation and there should be no issues with your baby!!!

[LauraB78]

Thanks for the info.

I suffer from Migraines though and just wanted to say that caffeine has ALWAYS helped my headaches.. Weird how books sometimes say the opposite! =P

[Avanaar]

Well, when I used to drink a lot of soda, I never got headaches ...it wasn't until I stopped my caffeine intake the past few months that I get a headache when I drink it.  I think if you're body is already used to getting a certain amount of caffeine a day, it doesn't show some of its adverse affects.  Also, a friend of mine going off caffeine started getting headaches from caffeine withdrawal.

[Latrice414]

When i found out i was preggo in may i stopped, but i was having some withdrawl (withdrawal) symptoms, caffene is like a drug, its addictive. Its been two months and i havent had any, but i still crave for it sometimes so i try to tell myself oooooo this water is so good, mmmm i love  milk, lol. Now im craving chocolate, but im just going to stay away from it since its not good.  They say limit your caffene intake to one-two cups a day.

[LauraB78]

Some of my RX's for migraines have caffeine in them. I mostly drink caf. free soda, but I have GOT to have my coffee in the mornings! =)


I don't think I am addicted to caffeine.. Sugar.. Now THAT may be another story!

[Mumita]

You wont know if you are addicted to caffeine until you stop cold turkey for a week.  I've quit several times and get the worst headaches the first week, clouded mind second week and third week I feel great!

[jennymay]

I also have migrane (migraine)'s, and the med's that work the best for me have caffeine in them. Now that I am preggo, I can't take them, so I take 2 tylonol (sp?) and drink a can of soda, that usually helps so much!! I have limited myself to one can a day, and some days I don't even have that!

[StacyCPHT]

Words from the pharmacy..
caffeine will cause...(adverse effects)
Excessive caffeine intake can lead to a fast heart rate, excessive urination, nausea, vomiting, restlessness, anxiety, depression, tremors, and difficulty sleeping. It is  also a diuretic(fluid loser)
Abrupt withdrawal of caffeine may cause headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. Reduce caffeine intake gradually to prevent any symptoms of withdrawal.
And... Is beneficial in that it...can help burn fat(when appropriate) , be a diuretic(when appropriate) dilate blood vessels to relieve pressure in migraines , boost energy and improve endurance and stamina in exercise as well as helping coronary artery disease and heart by strengthening them under usage instructions of a physician.
SO... As with any pregnancy myth, consult you doctor, if you do use it know, your. body. and that you need to drink an extra 2 glasses of water or some low sugar pedialyte to counter act the diuretic effects and take all advice with a grain of salt...But not too many because salt will also raise blood pressure and dehydrate you too. :)
xoxo Stace

[Gina209]

Oops I mean Chocolate has Caffeine in it! Duh!!

Yes giving up Caffeine is SOOO hard! Especially when you're already Pregnant...the last thing you want is a Migraine! Way back after my first M/C in November 2007 I just decided that I was going to cut back on Caffeine (mainly coffee cuz I don't drink soda) and it was tough at first with the headaches..but a cup every morning helped. Than as time went on hubby & I were still TTC and I thought it would be easier if I just gave it up now rather than when I got Preggo. So little by little the cup a day turned to half a cup, than one every other day..to one a week and months before I even got Preggo I was totally off Coffee and now not one headache! I feel great! So just the taste of Decaf every now and then is so yummy but definitely dont need Caffeine anymore!

[kele1129]

I cut the caffeine 100% out while TTC and now have zero issues with it. Like a previous poster said there are no benefits to caffinated beverages, just full of sugar and empty calories that do nothing for my growing baby. I drink tons of water and milk for my fluids and have never felt better.  My migraines diminished which is awesome as I have been a lifetime sufferer.

[mandylee4christ]

Personally with all the new research out there linking caffine to miscarriage when I get pregnant again I will be drinking zero caffine. I miscarried 3 weeks ago and for me it's just not worth the risk. From what I have read about limitations though 2-3 does seem like a lot. I can maybe understand 1 cup a day but like I said - with all the new information out there I personally think it's best to avoid it altogether.

[heatherlynn22]

i actually was having caffine withdrawals at the begining of my pregnancy (getting the shakes and major migraines) and my ob said that having 1-2 cups of caffine wasn't bad. just not to drink an entire pot or have 5 grande lattes from starbucks. now i'm good with 1 cappuccino every other day or 2. i won't drink caffinated soda (but i never really did prepregnancy either) but i do enjoy my occasional latte or cappuccino.

[pmperez]

I have a little over half cup coffee a day and maybe 1 or 2 mountain dews a week....thats it

[kelliestarr]

I totally stopped drinking and eatting anything with caffine. Drinking caffine can increse your chances of having a miscarriage epecially in the first trimester. Ok my pregnancy book says:

The problem with caffine is that it acts as a diuretic, draining you of much-needed fluid. It also interferes with the absorption of iron, calcium, and vitamin C, thus negating all your heathy eating habits.

So I also read that if you are going to have caffine DON'T have it with your meals.

[LauraB78]

That's interesting b/c I asked my Dr. about the m/c possibilities due to caffeine and he said it was untrue. I guess different sources say different things.. Luckily I am in my 2nd trimester...

I appreciate ALL the input! You ladies are great.

I am going to stick to my 2 caffeinated beverages per day!! =)

XXOO
Laura

[kelliestarr]

What you said:

LauraB78
I don't think I am addicted to caffeine..


If you weren't addicted you would just stop. I have had some of the worst migraines and since stopping my caffine intake 100% I haven't had a headache or migraine at all. During the first trimester I had a really bad migraine when I was 5-7 weeks probably because my body was so used to the caffine. Now I don't have any which is totally awesome.

I also have to say I totally agree with kele1129.

[LauraB78]

I don't want or need to stop. I was just asking for input on the effects (if any), and if others were monitoring there intake at all, and that MY SISTER was worried about it and that my sister is a worry spaz!  My doctor told me it was fine and safe, and I like coffee and soda.

Geez...

I haven't had a migraine since the month before I found out I was pregnant, I was just adding that caffeine does help headache/migraine sufferers. I typically have a shot I give myself (in the case of a migraine) But haven't had to so in nearly a year.


And I also agree w/ Kelle1129 in terms of soda and coffee have 0 nutritional value. I drink plenty of water as well, but I find water boring and it doesn't satisfy my thirst at times.

I almost wish I never posted this.. Seems to have caused a bit of a debate and now I am annoyed..