Right I've given up caffeine - TTC 2 months and counting - what else have you given up when TTC

[CantwaittillSpring]

This is my last chance to get pregnant I reckon. As in I'm going to be 42 later this year. My DD will be 4 by then! I've taken lots of advice from other MNetters and reckon it can't hurt to give up tea and coffee for a couple of months. If I get pregnant the stuff will make me sick anyway. Wondering if I should give up wheat/dairy (don't eat much of it by the way) I love eggs too, are those good for us TTCers?

Are you really meant to give up caffeine to TTC?? I thought it was just to make sure you didn't have too much once you had conceived as its bad for the embryo etc. I was downing proper American coffee & sharing a bottle of wine between DH & I on a cruise in the 2ww as I had no idea about being pg, but I wasn't yet 30 then... DD is a healthy little 21mo girl & it was a problem-free pg.

2.5yrs on, & we're TTC again & now on cycle#2. I've never gone back on the full caffeine tea or coffee after bf-ing and I thought I could live w/out it, but that and taking folic acid are all the concessions I'm making.

I wouldn't cut anything healthy (like carbs etc.) out because you need a balanced diet to get all your vits, you don't know how long it will take to get pg & you'll have to give up enough when pg!!!

Long story short - why give up healthy stuff to get pg??!!

Hello,

I'm only in the first month of TTC but I've cut way back on alcohol as I've read that it can reduce chances of conception (now drinking no more than 2 small glasses of wine per week). Like you, I've also cut back on caffeine to only 2-3 cups of "real" coffee or tea per week (otherwise am just drinking decaf). I've been reading this book "Planning a Baby?" by Dr Sarah Brewer (www.amazon.co.uk/Planning-Baby-Pregnancy-Possible-Pre-Conceptual/dp/009189848X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328347522&sr=1-1) which has a really good overview of what you should / shouldn't eat and drink to give yourself the best possible chance of conception. It has lots of stats and studies to back up the advice.

Obviously there's also an element of 'everything in moderation' to keep you sane so I'm just trying to eat LOADS of fruit and veg, not get too stressed out (v hard at the moment as work is manic) and taking a pre-conception vitamin, including folic acid.

Hope that helps! Let's see if it works for me - I'm currently in my first 2WW!

Rational thought processes.

Logic.

Hope.

to say i'm not an expert is an understatement, please take this with a mound of salt but i'd read that caffiene and alcohol take water out of your system and make you pee, so your innards have less moisture, pardon the detail but we need as much moisture in our bodies as possible ttc, especially 'downstairs' to make it easy for the little darling tadpoles to swim their journey. I've conceived twice in the alst 6 months, unfortunately miscarried both but i did cut my caffiene and alcohol a lot and increased my intake of good wholesome water so that's my plan again!
best of luck
also a few people have bought kittens and then conceived so maybe there's something scientific there!!!

You are right hugahuddy caffeine & alcohol do cause dehydration BUT as a biochemistry student, we learnt that the water in the tea or coffee drink offsets the amount lost in peeing as it were... so you're not adding water nor are you taking it away. Coffee, however, does tend to a stimulatory affect, resulting in more urination anyway, so I would guess cutting down on caffeine wouldn't hurt in the whole rehydration front!!! Remember there's water in food too and you actually have to lose a LOT of water to become seriously dehydrated.

However, everyone knows that alcohol & caffeine are drugs & have harmful effects on a foetus, so cutting them out will certainly not be a bad thing!!

I'm just not sure how obsessing over every little thing you eat for months on end while you're TTC is that helpful mentally. I mean, its like when you're on a diet & someone says you can't eat x, all you want is x!!! Not sure that's the best way to relax & get your stress levels down. And stress has to he the biggest factor in conceiving - adrenaline, immunological responses, raised BP, heart rate: none of these are good for you for any length of time!!

I was getting worried I was obsessing but four days in I actually do feel much better for cutting out caffeine. I did have a couple of glasses of red wine on Friday night, and I had my slice of Sunday cake. I don't think I'm going to cut out carbs! That's silly but I am trying to eat more wholegrain stuff, like spelt bread and brown rice. I have to say I do feel better TTC or not. But then maybe I needed to cut down. Have to say my body has changed after DD - I drank loads of coffee before I got pg with her. But am older now.

I dont think you need to cut down on carbs, you need energy to carry a pg.

my bible zita west book only advises cutting tea to one cup a day, limit alcohol and eat more good oils like wild fish not farmed and walnuts etc.

Thing is fluffycloud - I can't do just one tea a day - it's 8 cups or nothing! I do feel better and that's probably the point for me.

is there any advice about green tea? Is it ok?

dontcarehow it still has caffeine in - not sure how much though?