Caffeine: please be honest

[Arlington77]

Hi ladies,
Should I be totally caffeine-free? (Background, I'm 7 weeks and 2 days pregnant, early scan next week).
Am I the only one who is ashamedly not complete caffeine-free? I basically ditched beloved morning coffee months ago, never drank tea, and am having one or two small decaff coffees (instant) in the morning... but it's a STRUGGLE! And now I've discovered that sipping on one tiny, forbidden, deliciously cold can of Ginger Pepsi Max (ginger, seriously!!) really helps with the nausea - I'm not sick yet but very nauseous every morning. (V funny, I made my husband go and stockpile a few crates from the supermarket in case it was limited edition and they suddenly withdrew Ginger. When he brought back a Cherry version I nearly vomited :)
Please be honest: are you all treating your body like a caffeine-free-temple? I feel so guilty. But I get terrible migraines (ended up almost in hospital last week) which is aggravated by caffeine withdrawal, and I'd prefer one small can of aforementioned ginger soda (total caffeine content around 42mg, so below daily limit of 200mg) to resorting to painkillers.
Agh. The guilt is terrible. So anxious about miscarriage/early preg scan, and the caffeine warnings worry me a lot.
Any thoughts gratefully received xx

And at height of sickness there I was living on coke and sprite. Couldn't even take water. God pregnancy really does a number on your tastebuds!

I cut down tea, but have been having quite a bit of chocolate. So defo not caffeine free!

Went totally off it in first trimester but been having 2 cups a day since - we have a Nespresso as well so not even instant.
You should read the book 'expecting better' it explains all these restrictions and how much actual science is behind them. You're fine with a couple of cups a day!

Don't drive yourself spare. Everything in moderation (except crack cocaine).

I barely touched any in first pregnancy but I'm so knackered this time with a toddler to run after that I'm having a fair amount. I'm having regular growth scans as DD was tiny and he's on 75th centile at 32 weeks. I think the risk is low but just stay under 200mg if you're worried.

I used to drink about 4-5 cups of coffee a day before I was pregnant, when I got pregnant I did go off coffee quite a bit but definitely still had one in the morning. I still have the odd coke or costa aswell as my morning coffee now, i dont think there's any need to cut out completely! Your bodys going through enough being pregnant without the added strain of taking away whats it's been used to all those years! I think some people get much too carried away with what they can and can't have when pregnant, moderation is the important part.

These replies are amazing and so helpful! Thank you - relieved it's not just me who seeks occasional relief in a whisper it carbonated can of soda #fizzydrink #trashy #yepthatsme
I'm definitely staying below the 200mg recommended limit. Also, I agree that nausea does put me off caffeine in the morning, but somehow if I have some it settles stomach/relieves headache.
Keep the caffeine-confessions-coming! xx

I used to love coffee and tea but went off them (and all hot drinks - needed ice cold!) in the first trimester. Now 16 weeks and I've been having 1-2 teas a day. Still not interested in coffee but I would drink it if I were, within the guidelines.

Currently 27 weeks pg and have had 2 cups of tea a day throughout. Pre-pregnancy I used to have 1 strongish coffee and 1-2 teas a day.
I've stopped coffee purely because NHS says only 1 cup a day (apart from instant coffee, which I hate) so I can have 2 caffeine hits by sticking to tea!

I’m 20w2d and have a mug of coffee 4-5 mornings a week. My dr said it’s fine to have up to 200mg caffeine a day in pregnancy. It’s honestly hard enough dealing with the exhaustion and food aversions without cutting out caffeine too! Everything in moderation. Enjoy your ginger Pepsi max, you’ll feel better about everything when you don’t feel so gross! And congrats 😊💕

I've just stuck to decaf tea and coffee which still have a small amount. There are also lots of other day to day things that have a small amount of caffeine, so not 100% but have ditched normal coffee, coke and things like that.

I highly recommend the book, Expecting Better by Emily Oster. I had so many people recommend it to me and it's a very interesting read.

Basically, the book takes all the things we are told we can and can't do and pulls apart why and the studies behind them. Foe things like caffeine, if my memory serves me correctly, it said something like in the first 12 weeks you should strictly stick with what the NHS say but then after that you can ease up on it a little.

No way could I have survived without caffeine. I used to do half a spoon of normal instant and half a spoon of decaf when I had a coffee - that way I could have two or three.

I was going to do wonderful things: eat fresh organic food, avoid alcohol and stop caffeine. Then I got hyperemesis and the only liquid I could drink was full fat coke and only eat hula hoops. Coffee and tea were totally out of the picture as triggered vomiting. I'm now able to drink tea and do each day. Pregnancy is such a crappy time, if you need some caffeine then go for it! Just don't go necking back packets of pro plus and you'll be ok!

First trimester I stuck with the 200mg - I had a coffee in the morning and then odd can of diet coke.
34 weeks pregnant now and drink/eat what I want. Coffee or tea in the morning then whatever I want in the day which may be nothing or may be a load of chocolate and diet coke! I have looked at the evidence and am happy with any potential risks.
I hasten to add though that this is my 4th pregnancy. With my first I had none as I was a bit more anxious....now I need the caffeine as so bloody knackered! Have a look at Emily Oster's book.

Expecting Better is excellent - it puts the advice into context, so you can judge what is an absolute no-no and what you have some leeway on as long as you’re sensible

Well I had no idea I was pregnant for the first 10 weeks (was of menopausal age and never had regular periods, was not 'actively' trying to get pregnant) - I drank coffee, alcohol, probably ate all the wrong things.

I do think there are so many guidelines these days that's you have to take them all with a (large) pinch of salt .

Expecting Better is excellent - it puts the advice into context, so you can judge what is an absolute no-no and what you have some leeway on as long as you’re sensible

I agree with this - it presents all the evidence to you as if you're intelligent enough to weigh up pros and cons and make decisions about your own body

The first sign I was pregnant, before I even took the test was that I went off sugar in my cappuccino, and then within a week went off coffee all together.

I didn’t fancy it at all for the first trimester.

But come the second and third trimesters I regained my taste for it, I had one small/medium coffee-shop bought coffee every day. Usually (non pregnant) I have two a day, so I cut down to keep my caffeine intake under 200mcg a day.

I guess I’m saying that I trusted my body to make the decision for me. When my body didn’t want coffee, I didn’t drink it and vice versa.

Nope, never avoided caffeine in any of my pregnancies. I do limit myself to no more than two cups of coffee a day (and that's not every day). Most days I have just one cup of coffee in the morning (drinking it now actually) and occassionally I'll have a tea in the afternoon as well. Some days I just have the one cup but I don't finish it in the morning and just reheat that instead in the afternoon instead of a tea or a second cup. Coffee as I make it is probably roughly 100mg of caffeine (I make it pour over, so it's quite possibly less, just depends on how much I used, etc. but it shouldn't be more than that). So even on the days I have two full cups, I'm just at the 200mg recommendation. 200mg is considered safe for every day on average, so if you have more one day, but much less the rest of the week, you still work out to be under the average. I couldn't live without coffee and I don't see the reason to if you enjoy it.

i completely cut off from caffeine when i found out i was pregnant. i used to drink coke a lot, but stopped.
during the second trimester, i couldnt hold back from my chocolate though, and have gone to eating an occasional choc croissant (which i dont think is terrible) and having chocolate whenever i find the one i like on offer. i know i should be careful how much chocolate i eat, but i dont think that im having enough to do any harm.
all my mum ate when she was pregnant with me was chocolate. she never had proper meals, and whilst no one will recommend doing so, i turned out to be a perfectly healthy baby.

Well I don’t think it’s a ‘confession’ as that would imply having done something wrong, but I had 1-2 cups of coffee a day throughout pregnancy as per NHS guidelines.
Babies both over 8lbs.

Another thank you from me for these wonderful replies - I'm just ordering 'Expecting Better' on Amazon now.
I should add, I haven't touched a drop of alcohol for over a year, so I'm not ALL bad :)
Could really do with a little sherry actually

Ugh. Thinking about it, sherry makes me feel horribly queasy right now :(