In the gaping hole left by caffeine... what are you drinking?

[PallasCat]

I love a cuppa. Actually, the problem is that I love several cuppas. Cutting down is tantamount to a lifestyle change. Having had my measly permitted daily tea, I'm left wondering... what to drink?

I haven't found a decaf tea that doesn't just annoy me. I do like herbal teas, but I've also read it's not a great idea to have lots of one particular flavour - you should vary.

So I'm interested to know: what's your hot beverage of choice when preggers?

That's good to know Thursday, I'm 10 weeks on Saturday so hopefully it will be soon! I feel very lost first thing in the morning without a coffee in my hand

I replaced my caffeine with orange juice and my God am I living on Orange juice go crazy if I don't have none

I have one cup of tea (which DH brings me in bed- so really can't say no!) and then usually one cup of filter coffee.

Then I have decaffeinated tea for the rest of the day and, without fail, I regret bothering with it by about the third mouthful

Tetley redbush and vanilla

I'm having caffiene. Where did you read the silly idea that you can only have one cup of tea?

Read Expecting Better by Emily Oster and crack on with drinking tea

I agree with Urethra and NoArmani. This baby has (mostly) taken wine, hot tubs and pate away from me, I'm dammed if it is going to take away my teabags.

Emily Oster and Zoe Williams are both great on this subject.

Rooibos Tea all the way for me!

I do have a 'normal' cuppa in the morning, but I drink Rooibus in the same way I drink my regular cup of tea and it is keeping me from feeling deprived.

Hot water with lemon.

I've yet to find a decaff tea I like. I might give the yorkshire decaff tea a go!

Yorkshire decaf. It's brilliant!!

Well if you're planning to breastfeed you might want to think about limiting caffeine as it can affect baby's sleep (and who needs that?!)

I think a lot of us on this thread simply went off our usual cuppa, rather than actively choosing to avoid caffeine.

Have you any evidence that drinking tea can affect babys sleep? I bet you don't.....

I'm sensitive to caffeine - would avoid it after lunch time to avoid affecting my sleep - so have pretty much entirely stopped it in pregnancy. I'm drinking decaf coffee, rooibos, and herbal/fruit teas.

I've read Emily Oster and while I enjoyed her book, I will note she is an economist and not a medical professional. A lot of pregnant moms quote her because she says it's OK to drink alcohol and caffeine. But depending on your personal situation and health needs, you really need to make that choice for yourself with advice from medical authorities.

The guidelines are 200mg per day and while I do go over that on occasion, I use it as a rough guide.

I drink ginger tea 2 cups daily. I prepare it for myself.

I have completely gone off tea and coffee since being pregnant. It makes me quite sad as I really miss a good cup of tea, and had a 6 or 7 cups a day habit previously! I can just about stomach a cup every now and then if I force myself, but I can't say I enjoy it. And the smell of fresh coffee now makes me feel ill, when previously it was one of my favourite smells. Same thing has happened with diet coke :(

I haven't found any decent replacements though, just drinking loads of water, squash, juice and lemonade.

200mg a day is a random number based on nothing at all. There is zero evidence for it.

I'm not in the UK and do go off coffee a bit when I'm pregnant but here caffeine isn't a concern.

In my last pregnancy I remember a consultant saying to me you look tired drink more coffee! Massive coffee culture here.

I am drinking the odd frappuccino and full sugar coke but am mostly drinking fizzy water with something citrus in it.

urethra I think the guidelines are derived from the results of this study

I hope not, international guidelines should never be based on ONE study. Especially one based on self reported intake, and with a large range of confounding factors that can't be controlled for well. AND goes against the results of a much larger meta-analysis.

If you want a proper ground coffee, try North Star decaf

www.northstarroast.com/product/mexico-finca-muxbal-decaffeinated/

It's gorgeous coffee and you'd never know it was decaf

Hmmm, and yet the guidelines are there, for people to adhere to, or not, as they wish.

Funny that, eh?

Thanks for the tip furchester , I've been hunting for a decent decaf!

Yes they are. But don't you question things for yourself? Few people do, more people should.

Urethra do you work for the coffee lobby or something?

Caffeine is not a fundamental nutrient, most people would benefit from reducing consumption or giving it up, pregnant or not. Yes guidelines are not going to fit everyone's case but that's why they're guidelines and not laws. Ignore then if you want to, adhere if you want to.

OP was asking for tips on decaf drinks and she's well within her rights to stick to those if that's what she wants!

Urethra have a to go with your tea...