did you drink tea or coffee during pregnancy?

[bebejam]

I have been drinking usually one, sometimes two cups of decaf tea recently (28 weeks preg). Occasionally I will have the full leaded stuff, but rarely.

Yesterday, I was walking down the street with a decaf cappucino in my hand, and this woman gives me a dirty look and sneers that I'm going to stunt my baby's growth. ???

Am I being wild and reckless with my tea and coffee urges? What was your policy on caffeine during pregnancy? I tend to trust Mumsnetters more than random sneering old ladies on the street, so I'd value your opinions on this....

Yes. But only a little because I couldn't abide the smell of coffee.

Didn't eat or drink anything much with the DTs. Sickest I've ever been.

Also, the amount that you would have to drink to affect the baby. Honestly... well done for such restraint. I would've thrown it over her. (Bad Mars....bad Mars!!!!!!!!!!)

Oh man!!! Peanuts? Oops! I really must start paying attention around here... So I guess I'll keep the decaf tea and cappucinos but cut out my peanut butter and honey sandwiches.

My initial reaction was shock and annoyance that a stranger would comment on my beverage choice... but then this is my first baby and I find it is hard not to be a bit thrown and intimidated by that kind of thing- silly and rude as it is.

I'm so glad for you mumsnetters for dishing the real deal on things like this.

I'm off to put the kettle on!

I drink two cups of instant coffee a day. I drank a couple of cups whilst pregnant w/DD and her physical growth is not stunted - she's 26 months and over 3ft. tall.

I puked at the smell of coffee when PG, supped loads of tea though.

Stupid bag. How come anyone and everyone feels it is their right to judge what we do when PG??

I never knew coffee was on the loooooooooong list of 'don'ts' till I was buying coffee in our wholefood shop at around 30 weeks and the girl behind the counter said 'oh, I hope that's not for you'. I looked at her blankly. I'd actually increased my caffeine intake slightly in the hopes of quelling pregnancy exhaustion, with the interesting effect that one post-lunch espresso sent me straight to sleep.

Kept up the daily espressos with DD2 as well. I have to say my children are quite small and quite, er, full-on but then I have to admit that so am I

Jesus I'd have been tempted to throw the wretched coffee at her and plead temporary insanity due to pregnancy hormones.

Yes I drank tea but I found I couldn't stand the thought of coffee, it made me feel sick. Every morning I had to get off a train at Charing Cross and walk through the station which absolutely reeked of brewing coffee and it made me feel nauseous.

According to my doctor you have to have 300 units (whatever they are) of caffiene per day before it has any effect.

That is 6 cups of tea, apparantly.

Plus, with ds I had no idea that caffiene was upposed to be dangerous, and took to drinking Red Bull to get me moving for a 6am start at work!

Didn't rally fancy either until about 30 weeks pregnant then I only had the odd cup and it had to be decaf..Didn't want to risk anything...LOL though, I ate chocolate till it was coming out of my ears (contains caffine )

P.S re: Growth and caffine/decaf...dd was 9lb 4oz. Note to self: Next time drink more tea and coffee !!!!!!

I've only started having coffee again for the last 4 weeks or so - am 36 weeks now. I think this baby is obviously big enough and if a nice cup of coffee enables me to drag my sorry self out of bed and carry on with the day then that's gotta be a good thing. Thinking of taking up smoking in a week or two. [joke]

Early on in pregnancy (this time and last) I wanted nothing but ice cold water.
With dd I drank 1-2 cups of tea a day, sometimes a coffee, but never felt any guilt over it.
this time I'm drinking no more than 3 cups a day, but some days have none at all.
I think my midwife told me never more than 4 coffees or 6 teas and plenty of water in between because the danger lies in becoming dehydrated rather than caffeine overload.