Caffeine paranoia... what do you do?

[Orlea]

I wouldn't have called myself a massive consumer of caffeine, usually 3 cups of tea a day and the occasional coffee, maybe 3 a week (some of which are double espressos). I also have an occasional can of coke and undisclosable amounts of chocolate

Then I got my BFP (7ish weeks along now) and read about needing to limit your caffeine intake to 200mg a day, fine, but was a bit unrealistic about what that actually means, so was shocked to find that it is 75mg per cuppa and a lot more for a coffee... So my seemingly-innocuous 3 cups of tea a day puts me over the limit and that's before any coke, chocolate or coffee!

I have tried for the last week to cut back: no coke, decaff tea (which does taste different ), less chocolate, and had managed to not have a single coffee until today when I cracked and by god it was good. I honestly thought I didn't have a very high caffeine intake and wouldn't have to make any changes here, especially compared to several friends who seem to chain-drink tea/coffee, but admittedly aren't currently pregnant...

So are there any other accidental caffeine addicts out there who didn't think you had a high intake and then realised you had to cut back a lot more than expected? How are you managing?? twitch

Please don't suggest fruit tea! I do drink this as well anyway (and lots of other hot drinks) and it's not a substitute for normal tea, let alone coffee

Agree about clipper organic decaf being the best decaf tea option. Really hard to tell the difference.

Oh god, giving up coffee has been so much harder than booze, it's cruel when you need it most! I have instant coffee in the morning as I can't stand decaf. After 12 weeks I'm going back to a cappuccino a day, the evidence is that if there is an effect it's more in the first trimester. I've been utterly useless since BFP and cutting down caffeine

Jess you're allowed 1 cappacino a day on the allowance (if it just has 1 shot/measure of coffee in it).

This is the only pregnancy no I struggle with. I need caffeine! My two year old still doesn't sleep through and I cannot function without some caffeine. I've cut down to 2 cups of tea a day (half cups really because I never manage to finish one) and have switched to decaf coffee. I'm still in denial about chocolate having caffeine in it, I should keep an eye on that really.

It's had but only for a short time

Cut down to:
-one really good cup of coffee in the morning (it is actually recommended if you have low blood pressure even in pregnancy)

• exchange cokes for water/diluting cordial with ice (coke full of chemicals!!)
• one treat size chocolate bar a day maybe after dinner?

Will take about 3/4 days to change the habit

But I def think cutting the coke will benefit most, it's sugar & chemicals - repeat this when you reach for some. Also don't buy it in, if it's not in the house you can't get it

Also check your protein & iron levels as choc cravings can be linked to low protein in the diet. (Eggs are a quick easy way to up these levels)

Thanks squizita just trying to be extra careful til 12 wks, hopefully I won't get sacked for snoozing at work meanwhile!

I've "cut down" to 3 cups of tea a day (2 in the morning one in the evening) which is already over the limit (75mg in each) and then on top of that I sometimes have coke and chocolate too so I am especially bad. I am just hoping all is well. Its my only vice so hoping so.......

Another recommendation for redbush (rooibos) tea. It's sturdier than any other herbal tea I've found, you can put milk in it and it's lovely. Granted, not the same, but maybe something you can get used to?

re. chocolate, have you ever tried cacao nibs? They do have some caffeine but no sugar and are nice sprinkled in muesli or porridge if you're having a chocolate craving. Lots of flavonoids too, they're dead good for you.

I didn't take much notice. I cut my intake of 6 cups of (regular) tea to 2-3 normal and the remainder of decaf.

Being a little bit scuzzy, if I was at home, I'd keep the caffeinated teabag and swill it around the decaf cup very briefly.

I did try to supplement with glasses of water, or add them in during the day, and replaced my weekly glass of wine with a fortnightly spritzer.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I will go shopping tomorrow. Drinking PG Tips decaff at the mo. It isn't absolutely awful, it's just a bit insipid and unfulfilling

DH is a comparatively big coffee drinker, 2-3 cups a day (equivalent to 6 shots of espresso) so he got a pretty basic bean-to-cup machine at Christmas, and good coffee suddenly became available literally on tap. I went from having an occasional coffee (something like once a month as I think coffee shop coffee is extortionate and therefore it was a 'treat') to having a cup some evenings when I got home from work, still as a treat but also cos it's there and technically free. It's a short-lived habit but something I really enjoyed, and obviously now that I'm not supposed to have it, the bloody machine is calling to me... If we didn't have it, I wouldn't have a coffee problem at all, I'd just be whinging about tea!

I have to be honest, it's less about the actual caffeine than the taste and ease of access to decaff stuff. Who knew it was in so many things! I've not had headaches or anything from cutting down, and I've never had any kick from drinking strong coffees anyway - obviously wasn't drinking enough! So I think giving up isn't a problem re caffeine addiction, but I miss the taste of real tea and coffee, and also being able to just make a drink without thinking about it, calculating it and judging myself!

I have cut coke out entirely so far, fiery diet ginger beer is just as nice for me (apart from my teeth) and I've decided to ignore the chocolate thing for now. I'm not eating tonnes anyway. Honest

WIBU to replace the coffee beans with decaff and see if DH notices? Clutching at straws... While I'm on a roll, has anyone found any good dealcoholised wine? Again, I don't miss the effects of the bad stuff, it's all about missing the taste!

I've been drinking decaff tea for years before I got pg with DS - it took me ages to find a tea I like though, I think you need to try a few as they all taste different.
I used to drink normal PG Tips so tried that decaff first, it was disgusting-tasted like fish! So did a few others, but then I tried Asda own brand and I've been drinking that ever since! Tastes normal but not as strong, so if you like strong tea (or not) you do need to let it stew a little while longer than normal.

Can't give any advice on the coffee as I can't stand the stuff and I don't really drink much alcohol. Although, I would try changing your DH's coffee beans to see if he notices. Years ago I went to Weight Watchers and the leader said she used to decant WW mayo into a Hellman's mayo jar for her DH, he didn't notice and even used to slag off the WW one while eating it! lol!

Dealcoholised wine is not the same. It doesn't taste the same. Just drink less wine. Honestly it's fine. Unless you're drinking a bottle of wine a night. One small glass a week will not be a problem.

Decaf coffee for me is not so bad. I don't drink a lot of coffee anyway.

I must confess that during pregnancy I just used the maxim 'everything in moderation'. I don't smoke, and I don't drink much anyway. However, before I knew I was pregnant, I was out sinking G&Ts with friends. That was a one-off though, rather than a regular thing.

I went off chocolate, so that was no problem. I just made sure I ate sensibly and had a glass of water with every meal.