Aspartame........FREAKING OUT!

[TeacupTempest]

Um just read on another thread about a connection between aspartame and miscarriage. Just googled and found some debate about links with birth defects too.

Freaking out now as I have sweetner in tea and coffee (decaff at the minute) and the bloody stuff is in almost everything it seems.

Am I/ have I hurt my baby?

I really wouldnt worry about it. I think just be sensible and try to relax. In terms of not eating what I wouldnt give an 18 month old whatever suits you but tbh pregnancy for me is about survival!

God I've just checked all the fizzy drinks I have in the house because I was craving fizzy pop and found that they have some of the worse sweeteners in!!! Worried to death now, even the squash I have when not drinking fizzy drinks (because water tastes metallic to me) has aspartame - God have I damaged my baby?

Why not just have a bit of sugar? Everything in moderation n all that. Id rather have something natural than a chemical.
But its pretty unlikely anything will happen to your baby. You probably breathe in more pollutants.
I do avoid artificial sweeteners and stuff like magerine. Prefer real food.

lol thread.

vicannhawk - did you actually read the replies on this thread or follow any links? Please don't panic. Aspartame has never been proven to be harmful. Check that wiki link, I can't be bothered linking to it. 'Aspartame contraversy'.

Yes I read somewhere that certain countries had banned aspartame...I just presumed this means sweetened diet drinks!

I avoid the stuff like the plague as I read that it's worse than sugar for your insides (regardless of pregnancy).

If you want to read up on the aspartame scare stories wiki has a good article.

I should add that I don't eat/drink aspartame, not because of any concerns over safety but because it tastes unpleasant. Why would you bother? Just sweeten stuff with sugar.

It's not so much the aspartame, I looked and it was the more dangerous ones from the what to expect when you're expecting that have bothered me. Just to add, I use sugar for everything like tea etc, it's just the fizzy drinks and squash. I don't actually like sweeteners they taste weird.

I agree nocake - it tastes the same as licking an envelope!!
And as Rivinside says, if having Aspartame is going to cause you any worries, just have the sugar version of products.

i worry a lot more about residual chemicals from plastic and the like that are in my body and which my baby will be born with in his/her body too.

I have aspartame every day - in my coffee and diet coke - yes, i have caffeine too, below the 200mg recommended limit.

by my estimation, it's less harmful than excess sugar, particularly in pregnancy when there's a real risk of gestational diabetes.