Caffeine...blah blah blah

[AbiElizabeth]

I usually drink looooooads of tea (we're talking 6-7 cups a day) but since I found out I was pregnant I have stopped. I went to my Dads house today and I made us tea and he seemed shocked that I was drinking it. He told me I shouldn't drink even one cup of tea else i'll probably lose the baby.

I know it was nonsense but I was wondering how many cups of tea is the limit. I think you can have 200mg of caffeine safely but I don't know how much is in a cup of tea.

Anyone got any idea.

[juniper9]

The nhs website says 200mg, and one cup of tea is 75mg, so using the power of maths... That's 2 and a bit cups.

I reduced my caffeine intake in the first trimester (I used to drink about a litre of diet coke, then maybe 6 cups of tea a day) but I've relaxed on it now I'm into the second trimester.

The risk of miscarriage worried me, but like others have said- the effects on birth weight are tiny. My asthma is far more likely to affect the baby than my coke problem!

I think a lot of pregnancy related dos and donts are thrown around unnecessarily. It seems like almost competitive parenting.

[TobyLerone]

My MW told me 3 cups a day is fine. TBH, I'm not the best person to ask. I'm mostly taking the food advice with a pinch of proverbial salt. I'm not necking raw eggs or mainlining espressos, but if I want to lick the spatula when I've made a cake, or have a bit of goats' cheese on a cracker, I'm doing it!

[Kafri]

I drank, and still drink, Redbush tea. Admittedly, it was, er, interesting at first but I love it now and I could drink as much as I liked while pg.

[OurJourney]

OMG - just reading this now at around 8 weeks and I LOVE TEA - i mean i really love tea... i have read 4 cups a day is fine?

[Snowflakepie]

2oz! PMSL to that, that's one day less inside for a full term baby. In general terms its nothing. If your day is made less stressful by enjoying a choccy biccy or two dunked in tea then do it. Seriously. I have tried to cut down on the caffeine but frankly with a toddler, bright sunlight waking us all up and a big old bump giving me no rest at all, I need all the caffeine I can get. On the up side, all the dark choc has increased my iron levels so no need for tabs, and oats are good for milk supply later. Dark choc hobnobs rule!

Sorry about the crap dad comments OP. People do feel they can comment on everything, and it doesn't stop afterwards either. I just used it to my advantage when I didn't fancy something. My mil got it into her head that smoked venison would be nice for Christmas lunch. Bleurgh. I was 15 weeks and declared it to be a definite no no. Same with the smoked salmon that I cannot stand. No idea about either but it got me off the hook! There is very little that is completely out and and even then, one small slip will make very little difference.

[Gonnabmummy]

Thanks abi the study I read showed that eccesive consumption lead to overall birthweight decrease of around 2oz which kind of relieves me.

[AbiElizabeth]

It doesn't make you a bad mum at all. I think you have to have a lot of caffeine for it to really harm baby. You have changed your diet and I presume you're getting all your vitamins and whatnot so I'm sure having 4 cups of tea a day is going to cause too much harm.

[Gonnabmummy]

This post has made me feel terrible :/ I've never smoked and haven't touched a drop of alcohol since preg. I've also changed my diet and exercise for the better throughout preg however I've gone from maybe having a cup a day to having around 4. I really enjoy my little tea break on the sofa it's something I really look forward too. Does this make me a bad mum to not want to give this up? Off to trawl some studies off caffeine/birthweight :(

[Quodlibet]

Have now cut to one or two cups of proper tea a day, and a proper coffee every now and again (like once a fortnight). I have found it hard as decaf tea to me is just brown water. I think I've got a high caffeine tolerance and used to drink gallons of the stuff - not having caffeine has made me realise I was quite caffeine dependent before.

I can't stand people commenting on what you eat, particularly if they are ill-informed and widening their eyes about some imaginary threat that isn't even on the guidance notes (like prawns).

[MisselthwaiteManor]

Yorkshire decaf is really nice, I can't tell the difference. I have a real tea in the mornings sometimes though to wake me up.

[mumoftwoboysS]

I went off coffee and tea a bit when I was first pregnant but now I'm on 1 small cup of coffee (decent) in the morning and 1-2 teas in the afternoon. Tried decaf but I'm almost asleep at lunchtime so need a pick me up!

i drank coffee and tea with both DS's and they both turned out fine! I'm a bit more relaxed this time round though DH does frown at me if I have too much!

I really don't think it's a problem unless you're chugging tons of strong coffee (perhaps not wise in early pregnancy due to the risks) and poor baby might be buzzing on it too! My SIL drank 4-5 strong coffees a day but I don't think they have this advice in Holland -she looked at me blankly when I mentioned it to her.

[AbiElizabeth]

Apparently I read the information wrong and semi skimmed milk is fine. Phew. There are so many do's and don't's it gets mighty confusing

[HumphreyCobbler]

UHT - this is NOT TRUE.

[BabyHMummy]

With everything else I have given up I am buggered if I am.giving up tea. Have switched to decaff but not really cut down..

[snickersnacker]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with semi-skimmed milk. The only milk to avoid is raw, or unpasteurised, milk.

[Excited85]

Ooh what's wrong with semi skimmed milk?!! I've knocked coffee on the head completely (decaf just isn't the same!) but have been having 2/3 cups of decaf tea a day which IMO doesn't taste any different at all

[AbiElizabeth]

I'm not too worried about it to be honest. If I have more than i'm supposed to in a day then I wont freak out too much. It's hard enough giving up smoking so I can let myself off for having an extra cuppa now and then haha.

I have also just discovered I am using the wrong milk. I just use fresh semi skimmed milk but apparently this is completely wrong and I should be using UHT milk. ugh. That does not taste like milk at all.

[LouiseD29]

I drink one or two cups of tea a day and most days eat some chocolate. No coffee though (just because I don't like it). More or less gave up caffeine in the first trimester but have decided not to stress about this particular 'rule'!

[BraveLilBear]

Thanks... will be more vigilant going forwards. Think my aversions were a godsend really - and I can now tolerate nice decaff lattes again (yum)! So at least have other hot drinks to keep me amused.

Will just have to find something else to dip my evening biccies into...!

[HumphreyCobbler]

I couldn't face caffeine in the first trimester, I now have two or three cups of instant coffee a day. I am normally a worrier about such things but I can't get too worked up about this one.

[HumphreyCobbler]

Bravelilbear, I would not worry. You did not drink it at all in the first trimester and the NHS website says the risks are very small. The theoretical risk is of having a low birthweight baby. You can limit your intake now and I am sure you will be fine.

[RJM17]

Tetley decaf is really nice and that is what I drink now x

[Bunnychan]

I drink decaf tea now and like it more than normal tea. But I do like a glass of coke and choccy in the evening too. Like everyone else says, you'll have a constant stream of what you should/should not be doing from others lol x

[TinkyPeet]

Hmm. Actually I have started to add a cup of tea with my lunch aswell....

[TinkyPeet]

Well, and yes feel free to shout at me if you wish, I have a coffee in my hand most of the day, lets round it to 8 cups a day (big cup, decent coffee) and I have a cup of tea, sometimes 2 (as my dh makes lovely tea) before I go to bed.
I have quit the fags though!