Should I stop drinking tea, coffee, and other caffeinated foods now that I'm pregnant? It is a good idea to limit your caffeine intake if you are pregnant, but how much caffeine is okay during pregnancy? Learn more about caffeine during pregnancy in this article.

 

What is Caffeine?

Caffeine is a stimulant, and drinking it increases heart rate and blood pressure and also increases urination when the body is dehydrated. Caffeine can also cause heartburn in some women. It is important to pay attention to your caffeine intake throughout your pregnancy. But to know the do's and don'ts of drinking coffee during pregnancy and the side effects of coffee for pregnant women, stay tuned until the end of the article.

 

Can you have Caffeine while Pregnant?

Yes, you can and it is safe to drink a cup of coffee or other caffeinated beverages from time to time during pregnancy. Just make sure you do not consume more than 200 mg of caffeine per day and observe a moderate caffeine consumption during this period. This is about two cups of instant coffee or one cup of filtered coffee. So drinking coffee while pregnant is permitted unless you take more than 200 mg per day. 

 

Effects of Caffeine on the Fetus 

If you regularly consume more than 200 mg of caffeine a day during pregnancy, this can increase risk of having a low-birth-weight baby. Babies born with low birth weight are at increased risk for health problems as they grow older. There is also evidence that drinking caffeine regularly during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage. However, this risk is still low.

 

Caffeine Limit in Pregnancy

This 200 mg caffeine limit pregnancy includes all sources of caffeine, so in addition to coffee, you should consider tea (including green tea), cola (an essential oil for non-alcoholic beverages), energy drinks, and chocolate. Be very careful when you plan to have coffee outdoors because your favorite coffee shop serves much stronger drinks than the drinks you make at home.

The caffeine content of espresso and espresso-based coffees such as cappuccino, flat whites, and lattes can depend on the amount of coffee obtained. One study found that caffeine levels in espresso cups in one café could range from 50 mg to more than 300 mg per espresso in another café. Decaffeinated coffee in the coffee shop can even contain 15 mg of caffeine.

 

Why 200 mg of Caffeine is the Limit during Pregnancy?

It is an excellent idea and decision if you keep your caffeine intake below 200 mg per day because:

• Frequent urination increases with caffeine consumption because caffeine is diuretic and makes you use the bathroom more often.
• Excessive urination due to high caffeine intake can cause you to lose more essential minerals such as calcium.
• Too much caffeine interferes with iron absorption.
• Caffeine can interfere with both your sleep and your baby's sleep.
• High caffeine may be associated with a higher risk of miscarriage, although there is still insufficient evidence to support this.

So it is vital to control your caffeine limit during pregnancy and if you do not know how much caffeine is in the drink, food, or chocolate you eat, read the ingredients on the package.

 

Drinking Coffee during Breastfeeding

Researchers say that before the age of 6 months, absorbing and excreting caffeine while drinking coffee during breastfeeding can take up to 160 hours, or more than six days. This is a warning for mothers who are breastfeeding their newborns. However, the time of this process is reduced to 3 to 7 hours after six months. Also, while the potential dangers of drinking coffee while pregnant are appalling, the risks of caffeine in breastfeeding are very mild.

 

Foods to Avoid during Pregnancy

If you need to reduce caffeine consumption, you can drink decaf coffee while pregnant by changing the filtered coffee to instant coffee because this type of coffee has a smaller amount of caffeine. You can also reduce the amount of caffeine by using only half a teaspoon of coffee per cup. Decaffeinated coffee is also a good and safe option, and it tastes almost like regular coffee. You can convince yourself that you have reduced the amount of caffeine. 

Remember, even if your coffee is caffeinated, your cup of coffee will provide the fluids you need, so if you decide to quit, be sure to replace it with another beverage to keep your body hydrated enough during pregnancy. If you are worried about your caffeine intake, talk to your midwife or doctor.

 

Which Foods and Beverages Contain Caffeine?

Coffee is one of the main ones. However, the amount of caffeine in a coffee cup varies greatly depending on the coffee bean, roasting method, brewing method, and, of course, the size of the coffee cup.

To manage your caffeine intake, you also need to be aware of other sources of caffeine, such as tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolates, and ice cream containing coffee. Caffeine is also found in herbal products and over-the-counter medications such as some headache, cold, and allergy medications, so read the labels carefully. Some caffeinated foods and beverages and the amount of caffeine in them are as follows:

Food/Beverage	Caffeine Amount (mg)
236 ml of brewed black tea	47 mg
236 ml of brewed green tea	25 mg
236 ml of brewed coffee	between 95 and 200 mg
473 ml of latte or cappuccino	150 mg
473 ml of mocha	175 mg
29 ml of espresso	75 mg
One teaspoon of Nescafe	31 mg
355 ml of Coca-Cola	35 mg
355 ml of diet soda	47 mg
245 ml of Red Bull	77 mg
236 ml of hot chocolate	8 to 12 mg
227 grams of coffee ice cream or yogurt	2 mg

  

Although herbal teas often do not contain caffeine, some teas can be dangerous in pregnancy, so read their list of ingredients and consult your doctor before trying any food or anything new.

 

What can You do to Reduce the Habit of Drinking Coffee?

Many women’s desire to drink coffee decreases spontaneously during the first trimester of pregnancy and when nausea occurs. You may find that the taste of coffee in your mouth has changed due to the increase or decrease of hormones, and your taste buds are quitting. At this point, coffee drinking habits will help you. But here are some tips to reduce coffee drinking or decaf coffee while pregnant:

• Substitute decaffeinated coffee:If the thought of your favorite morning drink is still very appealing, try substituting decaffeinated coffee. Decaffeinated coffee may contain some caffeine, but it is usually low. But if you are a strong coffee drinker, quitting caffeine will probably not be easy for you.

 

• Mix decaffeinated coffee with your regular coffee: You can start by mixing decaffeinated coffee with your regular coffee and gradually increasing the ratio of decaffeinated coffee to caffeinated coffee.

 

• Use more milk and less tea or coffee in your glass: Instead of a full glass of coffee or tea, fill half a glass with milk, gradually change the mixing ratio of milk and coffee, and fill most of the glass with milk.

 

• Shorten brewing time: Try brewing less coffee or dry tea powder or shortening brewing time and not letting them brew completely. For example, if a tea bag stays in the glass for a minute instead of five minutes, its caffeine is reduced by almost half.

 

Conclusion

Coffee is one of the most delicious caffeinated beverages that has many fans. If you are pregnant and worried about drinking coffee while pregnant and the effect of caffeine on your fetus, we talked about the impact of drinking coffee during pregnancy and the caffeine limit during this period.