Caffeine. Have I harmed the baby?

[freakedmum]

Ok, so i started cutting down on tea when first pregnant, but have always been a real devil for tea, and when i finished work much earlier than planned, i just slipped straight back into tea guzzle mode what with being at home feeling pretty awful much of the time.
I'm 23 weeks, and only just properly cutting down, just re read info on effects of caffeine, and read it could be linked to sudden infant death syndrome.
I feel really irresponsible, as i was drinking 8 or more cups a day for past few months.
Have i harmed the baby? Don't know what to think xx

No ,you'll be fine. I was told that 200mg (ish) would be fine. Tea is about 35mg so 5 cups is fine I know you were on about 8 but just as longs you're not bordering on 500mg you have no reason to worry. From now on try and keep to 5 cups of tea a day. Or 5 caffeinated and the rest de caff ?

I'd check with your midwife or doctor, but I think it's unlikely. If you want to cut down for the rest of the pregnancy, you can buy decaf tea. I'm addicted to tea as well, the decaf doesn't taste quite the same but its not too bad!

No

It is highly unlikely. Stay away from the internet and ask only qualified professionals! :) Especially avoid the daily mail!!

No. It's another really recent guideline created to make PG women worry.

No, you will be fine. Jesus there are so many things we're not allowed to eat/drink without this as well. I did try to cut down on my caffeine at the time and my mum just rolled her eyes and shook her head at me when she heard. She must've drank at least 8 cups a day with all 4 of us!

In a few months time they will say its fine to drink copious amounts of caffeine! With my first 2 I was told to avoid peanuts completely, with DC3 I was told they were fine to have. One minute you're told one thing and then it all changes!

Thanks, all of you, for the reassuring comments. Luckily i had a midwife appointment today, and she said it was nothing to worry about, just keep the intake low from now on :-)

My DDs are 16 and 13

I cannot believe the number of new PG?newborn things there are to panic about since they were small.

Co-Sleeping, Making up formula, leaving a baby in a car seat, parent facing push chairs and as Foxem says all the conflicting allergy stuff.

I'm a scientist by training, I sometimes climb off into the papers the new advice is based on. Honestly all you find is a tiny increase in a tiny risk.

I agree, if you want more anecdotal evidence, I drank a lot of cappuccinos with dc1 as exhausted, she's completely ok. Don't google things! I remember at one point reading peppermint tea was the devil and saw another website recently claiming ginger could cause babies without a clear gender...hard not to worry when pg though! Lots of ill informed rot online.

Honestly don't worry. My mum drank loads of coke in her last pregnancy, had a bad craving for it and baby was fine, he's now 17 at college studying to be a doctor! So he turned out ok lol

I know we are told to avoid energy drinks too but I know a few women who have drank plenty of energy drinks in their preg and babies all turned out healthy

Thanks ladies. I just freak out over a lot of things x

I'm LOL because I'm sitting here drinking a cuppa, my third today I think.

It should be fine. The main worry I would have would be that it would inhibit iron absorption in your body and you'd be left a little iron deficient?

I think we worry about everything these days and a lot of it is due to google at our fingertips!

Honestly, so many of these guidelines seem just to worry pregnant women for no reason. Very high levels of caffeine (in excess of 800mg per day) have been linked to miscarriage in first trimester. I'm not sure what the risk is supposed to be in later pregnancy, but 5 cups of tea won't put you over the threshold. I've cut down on caffeine, but only by about half, and I'm a coffee addict. In the mid afternoon I have to have a cup of coffee or I'm just too tired to manage.

If you're really worried, have a look at the book Expecting Better. It's all about looking at the guidelines, analysing the research, and debuting some of the more ridiculous of them. Caffeine is one of e first it tackles.