pregnant sister drinking redbull

[handsoap]

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?

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 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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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 ?

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.

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.

@ThisBlueCrab so how do you know how i went across with it? you assume i have been 'lecturing her' this is funny to me.

This is a great idea

Probably exactly the same - that you're overstepping. You've already given your opinion multiple times and she is perfectly within her rights to not listen to you, rather than perhaps point out that caffeine is given in NICU for assorted issues with premature infants or tell you to butt out.

Her body, her choice.

I’d be concerned as well. A couple of coffees plus a red bull will definitely push her above the 200mg/day recommendation. But unfortunately I think there’s little you can do as it’s her choice ultimately.

It is unfortunately her choice. She clearly knows it's wrong if she's hiding it from her boyfriend. I'd causally mention it in front of him. Maybe he'd have more luck getting through to her.

I was scanned 2 days before DD was born … she was 10 days over, and the Comsultant said she was a “big baby” .. she weighed 5lb 13oz (I give growth scans a bit of side eye)

No I assumed it was the caffiene +sugar

In your OP you asked if you were the asshole for "calling her out", which sounds a bit berating-like, eh?

@ExtraOnions i totally understand. i had been through yeh same with both my kids apparently measuring but my whole pregnancies but born @ 8lbs and 9lbs. but going from 47th centile to 3rd isn't something anyone should take with a pinch of salt.

ahead*

A young adult ended up {Tragically} as an organ donor after a freak accident.

This young adult was very good at a certain sport and was sponsored by an energy drink company I won't mention.

Young adult's liver couldn't be used because of the ingredients in the energy drink.

But other organs were donated.

i have told her multiple times that she shouldn't be having so much caffeine

And now you drop it. Unless you want to ruin your relationship with her.

It's not really a reason not to drink it though