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Mumsnet Discussions: Pregnancy : Decaf coffee- how much can I drink? (15 messages)
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Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By aurorec on Fri 09-May-08 15:05:36
Hi
Just wanted to double check. I have one of these Nespresso machines that makes expresso-strength coffee.
If I have one decaf espresso for breakfast, and one after lunch, both decaf, is it OK?

I love the taste of coffee, I don't really care about the caffeine content anyway. I had loads of morning sickness and couldn't have any, now that I can again, I just want to make sure it's OK.
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By MrsBadger on Fri 09-May-08 15:07:14
yes it's fine

if you wanted real coffee you can have 300mg caffeine a day (ie 3 mugs of instant or about 3 espressos) but don't forget to count caffeine in coke / tea / chocolate too
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By aurorec on Fri 09-May-08 15:25:53
That's the point, I don't care about the caffeine, I just like the taste of a strong espresso.
I have no problems drinking decaf at all, just wanted to make sure for some reason decafs espressos weren't stronger than decaf coffee, if that makes sense!

I don't drink coke, very rarely tea and usually green tea which has less caffeine anyway.

I'm not massively bothered about chocolate either, I only have choccie ice cream from time to time
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By MrsBadger on Fri 09-May-08 15:28:07
[bewildered]

how could an espresso with no caffeine at all be 'stronger' than a caffeinated one?
What is the 'strength' if not caffeine?
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By aurorec on Fri 09-May-08 15:37:06

I'm not making much sense am I?

I was asking about decaf cos I'm happy not to drink regular- I just wanted the taste. I wasn't aware that I could drink 3 regular coffees a day while pregnant, it does seem quite a lot!
But I read that decaf wasn't exactly an accurate term, that decaf drinks still contain caffeine, just in smaller quantities- hence my confusion.
Contact the poster See this person's profile Contact mumsnet about this post By lollipopmother on Fri 09-May-08 15:49:42
Decaf has formaldihyde or something in it from what I can remember, and you really don't want to be drinking that! Check what is actually in it before you commit to it, it might be better to just get normal coffee and not drink loads of it.
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By aurorec on Fri 09-May-08 15:53:03
WHAT????? Now you're scaring me!!!! Where can I check this?
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By charitygirl on Fri 09-May-08 16:06:19
It will be fine to drink some decaf espressos, however the decaffination process works!

Whenever people stress about these things unnecessarily (rather than taking sensible precautions, which I'm sure you are smile)
I always think 'If caffeine (or whatever) was such a sure fire route to miscarriage, why did all those poor bloody women risk their lives pre-1968 sticking knitting needles up themselves?? They should have just cracked open the coffee!'

Hope that doesn't sound too harsh btw, was meant to be more amusing. Please don't stress about decaff coffee of all the innocuous things.
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By kat2907 on Fri 09-May-08 16:07:27
Just have one espresso a day and enjoy it!

Decaff is chemically treated so caff is probably better for you and baby. Limit yourself to one a day and you will be well within guidelines.
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By kat2907 on Fri 09-May-08 16:08:25
PS if you are out of the 1st trimester you really don't need to worry. It's the first trimester when it's risky. I went off coffee naturally during the first trimester but I'm now having one cup a day and enjoying it immensely!
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By Aubergenie on Fri 09-May-08 18:37:30
You can buy coffee that has been decaffeinated through a water process, rather than with chemicals if I remember correctly. I have bought it from the Monmouth Coffee Shop in Covent Garden, London but I'm sure it must be available in other places too.
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By staranise on Fri 09-May-08 18:43:54
Espresso (the normal type) is also not too bad re. levels of caffeine as the steam pushes through the beans quickly. The strongest type of coffee is often filter, because if it has been sitting on one of those hot plate machines this concentrates it further.

One-two cups of coffee a day, particularly past 12 weeks, is well within recommended guidelines.
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By LadyThompson on Thu 15-May-08 12:47:50
I know instant coffee is usually gross, but actually, Nescafe Alta Rice decaf (blue lid) is also decaffeinated using water and it's really not too bad...
Contact the poster See this person's profile Contact mumsnet about this post By tallbirduk on Thu 15-May-08 15:39:41
Clipper Organic decaff is also chemical free, and tastes suprisingly like 'real' coffee.

I usually have a couple of cups of caffinated coffee and tea a day, then a cup of decaff if I want more.

There is a bit of caffeine in decaff - but not very much, I think (because I looked it up a while ago) to be classed as decaff it has to be 99.9% caffeine free - something like 10 cups of decaff = 1 cup of ordinary.
Contact the poster Contact mumsnet about this post By loopsngeorge on Thu 15-May-08 17:53:17
In my You are what you eat book it says that there are 3mg of caffeine in decaf versus 100mg in normal coffee. I'm converting to decaf coffee so I can use my 'extra points' to drink more tea smile
thanks for the info about the chemicals in decaf though, I didn't know about that.


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