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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Coffee??

53 replies

Mummytono2 · 29/04/2014 07:43

Does anyone drink coffee while pregnant? I'm 14 weeks and still have one a day. Just looking for advice on what others do

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Gen35 · 29/04/2014 11:48

Me too penguins. If I had a pound for every time someone had said to me 'but why take the risk'...it's a personal thing, personally, I love coffee and every day without it is a sucky rubbish day. I've already had to stop my other great love, red wine :)

PenguinsLoveFishFingers · 29/04/2014 11:53

I get a bit soapboxy if people start on me at any length in real life and explain that, based on my research, what I'm doing isn't a material risk and that I can modify my risk profile a lot more by changing other behaviours that aren't on the 'banned' list. For example, I am far more likely to avoid all forms of food poisoning by avoiding buffets, dodgy takaways and food that has sat around than by not eating a soft boiled egg.

FoodieMum3 · 29/04/2014 11:58

Thank you greenstone and penguins.

I do it all the time, even saying 'but I don't do this, I don't do that...'.

I'm not even sure who I feel like I need to explain myself to!

Gen35 · 29/04/2014 12:02

That's the thing about pregnancy and being a mum, i found it to be a de-individualising experience in a way, you are subject to so many professionals trying to push you around in the belief they know what's best based on some outdated and partially contradicted paper from years ago...and also, it's the key area where people feel they have a right to judge :)

ChicaMomma · 29/04/2014 12:03

I'm having one decent coffee per day, in the morning. Without it it seems i wont go for a poo.. (sorry, tmi)

I've said it to all my health professionals along the way and they all say 1 cup is absolutely fine. I'm choosing to ignore the chocolate in my count, conveniently enough lol

Greenstone · 29/04/2014 12:18

I do it all the time, even saying 'but I don't do this, I don't do that...'.I'm not even sure who I feel like I need to explain myself to!

Oh yes me too Foodie. And I often think, Hey, I don't actually feel bad or guilty about this, so why all of the elaborate explanations? I'm going to catch myself and try to stop - never apologise, never explain Wink. I'll keep my guilt for when it's actually needed (like when 2 yr old DD said to me this morning while I was MNing and not paying attention to her, 'Mama! Stop going to sleep!' Blush).

squizita · 29/04/2014 12:59

Penguins & Gen I have actually sworn at someone in RL for lecturing me about coffee (as mentioned I don't even drink it, just tea) and reminding me I've had miscarriages (caused by a blood condition nothing more nothing less). To my mind that was sick. I'm not sorry I gave them a piece of my mind! Angry

How sanctimonious people can be, it enrages me. I strongly suspected that person had spent years saying the "you'd never forgive yourself" line not realising how false and damaging it is i.e. if fate and DNA made someone's baby/embryo die, but people use those lines, it will make them so much more traumatised.

Gets off soapbox

squizita · 29/04/2014 12:59

BTW- agreeing with you both there re those cliches. :)

Gen35 · 29/04/2014 13:04

I agree squizita, that person was sick to say that to you, I'm glad you told them straight! I especially enjoy hearing the 'why take the risk' advice from men of a certain age who I know did absolutely zero with their kids (not thinking of my FIL or dad at all :)

squizita · 29/04/2014 13:12

Gen My dad asked me if I 'should be driving in my condition'. I pointed out my mum did back in the 70s in a clapped out Dahtsun Sunny with no air bags and possibly no seatbelt! Grin

NerdyBird · 29/04/2014 13:13

I switched to decaff tea and coffee so that I could scoff lots of chocolate without having to worry. Don't really drink much cola so that wasn't a problem.
Looking forward to having proper coffee again though!

PenguinsLoveFishFingers · 29/04/2014 13:40

Good for you Squizita.

I also get very irate with people on the "it's only 9 months" thing. Well, for a start, I've got (nearly, when this one finally shifts!) 3 children. Plus a couple of miscarriages. So that's 2.5 years+ of pregnancy overall.

Added to which, these people tend to have similar views on breastfeeding. I have bf both my children up to about 2, so at the present time I have been pregnant or breastfeeding, or both, for 6 years. Assuming I do similar for this baby, we'll be talking about 8 years total. So it's no wonder I want my deprivations to be properly weighed up and evidence based.

But "it's only 8 years of your life" doesn't have quite the same ring to it does it?

Gen35 · 29/04/2014 14:18

Squizita, the double standards re daughters are funny, my dad took to driving my dsis around in the last few months. He didn't do that for my mum!

Amyrose82 · 29/04/2014 15:16

Oh this judgmental attitude over what we pregnant ladies should and shouldn't be doing/eating/drinking really pees me off too - like we're all suddenly incapable because we're carrying babies!

I did stop my usual tea/coffee at work pre-pregnancy at the start of the year as I swapped for hot water and fresh lemon, but I was a Costa-holic - salivating at the thought of a caramel latte right now! Was getting by on one or two Costas a week - didn't monitor chocolate though as that's just too cruel! But the tiredness has taken it's toll and after getting busted napping at my desk I'm now on one, possibly two teas a day and weekend Costas!

Not a drop of alcohol though, but got 12-week scan tomorrow and if all goes well I'll be celebrating at the weekend with a glass of red! Grin

HalfPintPickle · 29/04/2014 19:30

I'm having a proper coffee as and when i fancy one - one or two a week maybe. Same with alcohol, I've had two glasses of red and two glasses of champers (separate occasions) thought the pregnancy and I'm 6 months nearly ( and I've enjoyed every blimmin drop!!)

Petal26 · 29/04/2014 19:47

I'm daydreaming about coffee!
I'm 11+4 today and have felt awful for the last 4 weeks so haven't been up to hot drinks at all. Have had 2/3 iced lattes in the last month which have been lovely. As soon as I feel better I will be back at Costa and using my machine at home!
I can't remember how much coffee I had during my last pregnancy but I only usually have one proper one a day (skinny hazelnut latte, ahhhh) and really look forward to it usually so will see how I feel when Im over this sickness. Nice to hear what others are doing as well.

Heatherbell1978 · 29/04/2014 20:46

I used to have 1 or 2 'proper' coffees a day eg Starbucks grande lattes and a couple of cups of tea. I've cut that down to 2/3 cups of tea a day and a decaf latte. I don't drink coke/diet coke and have managed to not eat too much chocolate so I think I'm staying within guidelines.

sarahquilt · 29/04/2014 22:00

I've had one cup of instant a day the whole pregnancy and am nearly 38 weeks. No ill effects.

Gennz · 30/04/2014 02:50

I have one double shot trim flat white every day. I don't feel guilty about it, I NEED IT. Anyway I think it = about 150mgs of caffeine which is well under the safe limit. Emily Oster who is my guru on all things pregnancy (thanks to her I am still eating sushi and I would have a wine every so often if it didn't make me heave Sad) reckons that 3 - 4 coffees per day are fine.

If anyone lectures me about my coffee I will throw it at them (and then get another one)

magpiegin · 30/04/2014 12:47

After my 12 week scan I mentioned in a team meeting that I was going to have a single beer on the weekend. The cries of horror from my colleagues (who are all health professionals) was amazing saying 'but why take the risk' etc. You would have thought I had told them that I was going to down a bottle of absinthe or something!!

I was a huge caffeine drinker before I became pregnant, didn't really fancy too much in the first tri due to sickness but I will have some diet coke most days and tea and coffee here and there.

Gen35 · 30/04/2014 13:05

It makes me long for the old days - my mum was advised to drink Guinness while pg in the 70s as it was good for you then! Enjoy the beer :) I like Emily Oster's book too!

freakedmum · 30/04/2014 20:28

I feel very guilty reading this post as i was horrendously lax about caffeine intake up till after 20 weeks. Went for a lot of that time drinking 8 mugs of tea a day. Come from a tea addict household and didn't read thoroughly about the risks until later on. Felt as bad as if i was an alcoholic when i did read up fully :-(. When i talked to a midwife i wasn't ticked off, she said it wouldn't do any harm but switch to decaff from then on. I now just drink water and fruit juice but still feel guilty about drinking so much tea x

squizita · 30/04/2014 20:45

Freaked it really isn't that harmful or dangerous. There are marginal risks, so don't worry.

pickletalk14 · 30/04/2014 22:43

My name's pickle and I drink coffee (less than before and another one that went off it in the first tri)

Another Emily Oster fan that drinks booze, eats sushi and runny eggs.

Happy on the naughty step (with the knowledge that risk:benefit supports my decisions)

Gennz · 01/05/2014 02:54

1 cup of black tea = 20mgs of caffeine, so 8 cups of tea is about the same as my one coffee freaked mum Don't worry!