Caffeine Intake

[rmora029]

Hello ladies. I was just wondering if anyone else is going through the same struggle as me with caffeine. I'm due May 4th and I've been trying my best to stay away from my weakness (soda). I can go a couple of days without drinking one but then I will drink one as a "pick me up". Before being pregnant I drank A LOT of soda daily. I'm trying to figure out if the smaller amount of soda I am drinking now is bad for the baby? I know caffeine in moderation is OK, but I'm trying to figure out how much is moderation. Any advice or similar stories would be appreciated!!!!

[ruby31]

I'm pretty sure when preggo 8oz a day is considered okay, but that's including everything. ... coffee, soda, chocolate, etc. I'm a sprite drinker and is caffeine free and I'm only a social coffee drinker. ... so I really don't have this problem, but I would seriously try to limit yourself to 8oz a day. Do you like drinking anything else?

[AnnieBrooke]

If the soda is diet, caffeine is not your only problem, sorry to say.  The chemicals in it are nasty.  And of course if it is not diet, then you're into the massive sugar load of high-fructose corn syrup (said to be the equivalent of 12 teaspoons of sugar in one can of pop).  That be nasty too.  What I did to wean myself off my fave, Dr. Pepper, was to begin drinking natural sodas (like by Hansen's) instead, and especially, I would cut them in half with plain sparkling water.  They tasted almost as good, and were obviously half the calories and sugar.  In fact, now the uncut variety tastes like syrup to me.  Hansens makes a cola, if cola is your particular poison.  I'm now onto the San Pelegrino grapefruit soda, and it's quite good and flavorful enough even when cut with sparkling water.  I feel your pain, though, it was hard to give up the Doctor.  My love affair with him was long and sincere, but all he did for me was increase my (and my child's) risk of getting diabetes.  I wish the soda companies would realize they could regain at least some of their market share if they would at least just go back to plain sugar.  It's bad, but not near as awful for you as high-fructose corn syrup.

Good luck, try the cutting-it-in-half thing.  It will help with both the habit and the protection for the baby.