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Original poster

pregnant sister drinking redbull

137 replies

handsoap · 08/09/2024 16:10

i've had 2 children myself, and did no drink any energy drinks due to the fear of what could happen. my sister is 36 weeks pregnant, drinks a 355ml of redbull a day and has multiple coffees a day.

i have told her multiple times that she shouldn't be having so much caffeine as it goes straight through to her placenta and she doesn't listen to me or anyone, she hides it from her boyfriend. i think she forgets it's her own child she has put at risk here, no one else's. she also occasionally vapes.

am i being an *hole for calling her out?

OP posts:
ThisBlueCrab · 08/09/2024 17:26

handsoap · 08/09/2024 16:48

her baby has dropped multiple percentiles in weightt/growth. i have been a NICU nurse for 11 years.

i'm not sure why people are offended i'm telling her it isn't good for her or the baby. why has it become a crime to care about my sister and her child?

Then you should know better about lecturing people and should be a whole lot kinder and less judgemental.

Wind your neck in. She is a grown ass adult. Drop in weight could be down to a huge number of factors and as anjurae you should be fully aware that those measurements are highly unreliable in later pregnancy at the best of times.

FatmanandKnobbin · 08/09/2024 17:26

handsoap · 08/09/2024 17:05

i would love to know what you have to say after what i just updated.

Show quote history

I still say its up to her.

She is a grown woman with autonomy over her own body.

Mentioning it once, fair enough, 'calling her out' after mentioning it multiple times, that's not OK, and achieves nothing.

She is being seen by medical professionals regularly, they are keeping an eye on things.

You've made your feelings clear already to her.

pushchairprincess · 08/09/2024 17:21

Will the baby have severe withdrawal symptoms - going cold turkey in effect ? would she cope with a screaming baby for weeks ?? plus any damage to the wee one ?

KurtShirty · 08/09/2024 17:17

Op i understand your frustration and distress completely. All you can do is hope it’s ok and try not to damage your relationship with her. If there’s a way you can broach the subject with her not getting defensive then of course do it, but it sounds like she’s perfectly aware, especially because she’s lying about it. You may find yourself having to watch her make shit parenting decisions for a long time yet, it’s a special kind of hell watching siblings not put their kids first and not being able to do anything about it. Hopefully she is a good enough mother once baby is out, and hopefully baby is ok

kitsuneghost · 08/09/2024 17:14

Tell her she'll have fat kids. That might put her off.

Anywherebuthere · 08/09/2024 17:11

She knows the dangers so really it's a matter of her body her choice.

Nothing you can or should do. Going on about it won't make her stop drinking it.

PP mentioned diet coke. Diet coke does help with migraines and nausea. I don't understand the science behind but it works where tea and coffee don't. So I do think there are worse things than caffeine during pregnancy.

BobbyBiscuits · 08/09/2024 17:10

Coca cola is the absolute panacea for a migraine. And hangover, and headache. And nausea. It's really bad for your teeth and bones though. I've severe osteoporosis in my 40s.
You can't force her not to drink those drinks. I've heard a lot of pregnant women get repulsed by coffee, but I think red bull just isn't good for you generally. I don't think you're unreasonable for saying what you think. But she'll just do it without you seeing/knowing if she doesn't want to or cant stop.

Original poster
handsoap · 08/09/2024 17:05

FatmanandKnobbin · 08/09/2024 16:28

She's a grown up. It's not up to you to tell her anything multiple times, nor to 'call her out'.

She's making her choices in pregnancy, just as you made yours.

You sound tedious actually. My first couple of pregnancies were full of people who had kids telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing because they felt they did pregnancy better than me.

Leave the woman be.

i would love to know what you have to say after what i just updated.

OP posts:
Original poster
handsoap · 08/09/2024 17:04

blahblahblah24 · 08/09/2024 16:22

It's not your concern. If someone was telling me what I should and shouldn't do I'd tell them to piss off. Currently 34 weeks pregnant myself.

this is laughable. people are allowed to offer advice if baby has dropped in growth & weight while overconsumption of caffeine is involved.

OP posts:
Original poster
handsoap · 08/09/2024 17:02

@timenowplease we can assume due to the sugar & caffeine in them. i tell people this advice too.

OP posts:
Original poster
handsoap · 08/09/2024 17:00

@Dotto can i ask where you assumed i am berating her at all? when her baby's growth dropped at her most recent growth scan, she lied to the midwife and said she 'watched' her caffeine intake and is sure she doesn't over step her daily limit.

after she had told us that she is new classes as high risk, i had informed her about the risks of too much caffeine. and she didn't drink any during her first trimester and early second trimester.

she read somewhere on tiktok a can a day is fine.

OP posts:
Dotto · 08/09/2024 16:54

handsoap · 08/09/2024 16:48

her baby has dropped multiple percentiles in weightt/growth. i have been a NICU nurse for 11 years.

i'm not sure why people are offended i'm telling her it isn't good for her or the baby. why has it become a crime to care about my sister and her child?

Ah I see. Presumably she knows the risks and continues, though? You can show you care and support her, but berating her isn't going to change an addiction.

Dotto · 08/09/2024 16:53

GettingStuffed · 08/09/2024 16:43

TBH there is little proof that caffeine causes problems with the fetus. It may cause lower birth weights which may cause diabetes type 2 or obesity in later life. ( Taken from a Penn university statement)

I think you need to Google a bit further, particularly the RCM key takeaways and the research referenced by NICE

timenowplease · 08/09/2024 16:51

stripybobblehat · 08/09/2024 16:23

I got told to drink a can of coke a day during my 2nd trimester

Do you have any idea why it works for migraines?

I always have Coke in the fridge because it's very effective when I've got a migraine. I can't figure out why it works as tea or coffee doesn't have the same affect.

Original poster
handsoap · 08/09/2024 16:50

pinkyredrose · 08/09/2024 16:14

have told her multiple times that she shouldn't be having so much caffeine as it goes straight through to her placenta

Are you sure about that?

yes, yes i am! over 500mg of caffeine a day in no way shape or form is good for fet growth & development. never mind my sisters general health and sugar intake.

OP posts:
IDontLoveTheWayYouLie · 08/09/2024 16:49

She probably knows it's not great for her to do it. She isn't going to stop just because you told her to.

Original poster
handsoap · 08/09/2024 16:49

StMarieforme · 08/09/2024 16:13

If you've raised your concerns with her I don't see what else you can do? It's not illegal, just ill advised. I have never heard of foetal caffeine syndrome so my guess is baby will probably be fine. It's better that heroin and vodka.

im not asking advice on what else i should do in this situation. i'm asking if im being unreasonable to show concern for her.

OP posts:
Original poster
handsoap · 08/09/2024 16:48

her baby has dropped multiple percentiles in weightt/growth. i have been a NICU nurse for 11 years.

i'm not sure why people are offended i'm telling her it isn't good for her or the baby. why has it become a crime to care about my sister and her child?

OP posts:
LoremIpsumCici · 08/09/2024 16:47

I was told the risk of high caffeine intake was increased chance of miscarriage during the 1st trimester. High caffeine intake was described to me as a pot of drip coffee or 4 espresso drinks a day.

I was assured there is no risk to drinking moderate caffeine in 2nd-4th trimesters.

stripybobblehat · 08/09/2024 16:44

Sia8899 · 08/09/2024 16:42

For what reason?

Show quote history

Severe migraines which left me unable to string together a sentance

GettingStuffed · 08/09/2024 16:43

TBH there is little proof that caffeine causes problems with the fetus. It may cause lower birth weights which may cause diabetes type 2 or obesity in later life. ( Taken from a Penn university statement)

Sia8899 · 08/09/2024 16:42

stripybobblehat · 08/09/2024 16:23

I got told to drink a can of coke a day during my 2nd trimester

For what reason?

FatmanandKnobbin · 08/09/2024 16:28

She's a grown up. It's not up to you to tell her anything multiple times, nor to 'call her out'.

She's making her choices in pregnancy, just as you made yours.

You sound tedious actually. My first couple of pregnancies were full of people who had kids telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing because they felt they did pregnancy better than me.

Leave the woman be.

stripybobblehat · 08/09/2024 16:23

I got told to drink a can of coke a day during my 2nd trimester

blahblahblah24 · 08/09/2024 16:22

It's not your concern. If someone was telling me what I should and shouldn't do I'd tell them to piss off. Currently 34 weeks pregnant myself.