Is caffiene really that big if a problem?

[24hourM0MMY]

I know that too much is defo a bad idea, but for those who have given up completely, did you have a doctor tell you to cut it out or was it a personal choice? I'm currently 6 weeks and I cannot for the life of me stop that first morning cup of coffee. The rest if the day, i have no problem staying away. Is it really linked to early misscarriages?

I can't cope without my morning coffee either so still have it. I then have a coffee or tea in the afternoon but otherwise am on decaf coffee which is vg taste wise. Two (regular) cups a day is well within acceptable limits.

NHS website says you should limit to 200mg per day. A normal cup of instant coffee is (give or take) around 100mg. 1 cup per day will be fine.

A doctor friend told me there's more/better evidence of harm to the foetus from caffeine than alcohol and I am rabid about not drinking during pregnancy after having worked with alcohol-affected children. So I felt, for consistency's sake I'd have to quit both! Hearsay, although physician-heard so carried some weight with me.

I gave up completelly as personal choice. I did not like that it increases fetal heart rate which is already so high, especially in early pg. I didnt want her little heart having to deal with that.

I was also morning coffee drinker. I did replace it with decaf coffee and as much as I tought it will be hard to go caffeine-free it was actually was very easy transition.
Mind, that decaf coffee and teas are not totally caffeine free but I think it is the best we have available at this time and better than regular ones.

For the reason that even the decaf is not totally caffeine free I cut off all tea black and green and their decaf variants. I hated fruit tea before but found strawberry/mango tea which was not so sour and quite like it now.

So I only take one decaf coffee per day. I am having no issues with it, now I am in 9th month and I think after the baby is born I will stick with this for indefinite future.

Hmmm...maybe i could try decaf.

I have just drunk within the 200mg guideline although I haven't had caffiene if I haven't really wanted it - so if I've had 1 cup of tea then someone offers me another which I don't really fancy I don't bother, if I really want another I'll go for it.

And yes for coffee I've switched to decaff. I find decaff coffee fine, decaff tea on the other hand is vile IMO!

With my first pregnancy I was told to give up by the mw, I was a pretty heavy tea drinker so it was probably best. After having ds caffeine made me feel sick when I tried it again (I had two lage coffees and felt sort of car sick). Now I'm pregnant again I'll have a cup if there's no alternative, for instance at toddler groups I don't ask specifically for de caff. I drink Yorkshire De-caff and I really can't tell the difference now.

I've moved to decaf as much as possible (although will still drink non decaf tea if out so I don't give the game away as I haven't told people yet). I can recommend clipper decaf tea if you want to try it, actually tastes like tea! I bought a selection of decaf nespresso pods for coffee - they've got quite a big range now :)

From the other side, I have been drinking/eating caffeine. Not every day but if I feel like I really need the pick-me-up then I have it but stay well within the 200mg. My thoughts are that if you are going to have an MC in the first trimester then you will have one, it is predetermined from the moment of conception.

To be honest I completely went off tea/coffee/chocolate in the 1st trimester and I don't have a lot now but if I have a headache or am super sleepy at work then half a cup of coffee, can of coke or bar of chocolate really help.

I would get some good decaf instant. Cheap decaf is ugh! but milicano do a nice one

It was a personal choice. I'm not a coffee drinker but used to have 4/5 cups of tea a day and occasionally a bottle of coca cola. I cut the tea out very easily to start with as I just went off it. I like fruit teas and have just got into the habit of drinking them instead. I have had the odd glass of coke so I'm not being as strict with my caffeine intake as I am with alcohol.

I went to decaf tea and coffee as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I don't drink cola etc anyway but remember that has caffeine in it too in some varieties. I do treat myself to a liptons peach ice tea if I fancy one though.

Yorkshire and typhoo decaf are nice I think.

I used to have one caffeinated tea in the morning then drink decaf tea or coffee all day. I still drink a lot of decaf now actually.
I breastfed and I was convinced if I had a lot of caffeine it made the baby grumpy.
Don't forget about caffeine in chocolate and coke too.

I've had around 100mg per day since conception, I can't get through work without it! I do feel bad, but no one's perfect...

I have given it up out of choice (with the exception of chocolate!)

I tried aldi's decaff and I really can't taste any difference and its cheap!

I have fancied a decaff coffee too so will be looking out on here for some recommendations :)

that should say aldi's decaff tea!

From what I've heard, there's no evidence that caffeine consumption under 200 mg per day is linked to miscarriages or other problems. Your morning cup of coffee might have more caffeine than that, if it's a venti coffee from Starbucks or something like that.

Without caffeine, I have two moods. Really tired, and murderous rage. Giving up caffeine is not going to happen for me. I've been addicted to it since I was 14. I keep my consumption under 200 mg per day, but I'm not happy about it. I have a 2.5 yo DD and am 22+6 with DS. I have not had any miscarriages that I know of (I suppose it's possible that I've had some that were too early for me to know about, but I haven't had any after a positive pregnancy test).

I am 41+1 with DC3 have drank caffeine in every pregnancy with no problems, I am addicted to coke (the drink!!) and also love my chocolate! I do mostly stick within the guideline amounts but I'm sure some days I go over because it's just impossible to know the caffeine content of most things, chocolate doesn't even say on the wrapper that it contains caffeine! Let alone how much!

So as I understood it you can go down to a cup a day? Don't loose sleep over it. I had two and all through pregnancy I have 1-2 cups of espresso type coffee a day. if you are really u sure talk to your midwife and ask what harm caffine can do to the unborn baby.

You could read a book called "Expecting Better" by Emily Oster, there's loads of discussion about what the actual research shows rather than just telling you what to do, so you can decide for yourself what is sensible to do in your own case.

Caffeine links to miscarriage are almost certainly due to the difference in nausea, i.e. the more nauseous you are the less likely you are to miscarry AND the less likely you are to drink coffee. So it's not actually the caffeine which causes problems.

Wish I'd read this book much earlier in my pregnancy, do get hold of a copy it is great!

BTW even the most conservative guidelines don't say you can't have a cup of coffee in the morning, why do you think that one cup would be a problem?

I drank tons of tea and coffee with my first. Didn't know I should have cut down. At least 10 cups a day probably more. She's fine btw. The horrendous morning sickness solved my addiction to caffeine with my second.

I drink a decaff cappuccino every morning which I think has a little caffeine in it then I drink decaf tea throughout the day. If there is only caffeine tea though I will drink it!

I have drunk at least one and often two small, strongish, fully-caffeinated coffees everyday of this pregnancy. I've also eaten sushi (salmon not tuna) most weeks, and occasionally had some soft cheese and cured meats. I'm now 36+3 and the baby is fine, just head up. It would be interesting if there was a link, but I doubt it! Had a long scan yesterday (student medics practising) and he's measuring perfectly, good strong heart beat, good fluid levels etc. I'm an advocate of doing what feels right, within moderation. And after watching women in France consume cheese/wine/coffee I figure a lot of advice is far more culturally relative than we realise.

Of course you can have a cup of coffee. In my day (only 6 years ago) you could have 6 cups of tea a day and I did. Was , ok at the mw when it had dropped to one a couple of years later. The way I see it is that giving up tea would have killed me, which would have been very bad for the baby. Interestingly enough with dd2 I ended up in hospital twice with bleeding (25 weeks) and then contractions (31) and they bring tea round on a trolley every 2 hours. I kinda see that as evidence it's OK as long as you avoid mainlining expressos.

Sorry but alcohol is worse on evidence, not sure what the doctor friend has been reading.

i don't like tea or coffee myself, but my friends who were addicts all swore by teapigs when they were pregnant, as they do so many different flavours. my best mate was in love with the ginger and lemon one, but they seem to do hundreds!