Does caffeine really hurt during pregnancy?

Question

I don't drink much soda, and if I do it's caffeine free, but so many people tell me that caffeine doesn't do anything, I've had people say that's all they drank during their pregnancy.. could someone please help me put this to rest?

Answer 1

i was told to have one caffeine drink a day. and that wont hurt the baby.

happy new year! :]

Answer 2

The carbonated water is gonna mess ya up too....so I've heard, and so can eating too much peanut butter, or anything else that people disprove of.
Here's what MY doctor told me when I was pregnant....
First of all, we all know that a lot of Caffeine can make someone shaky, it has that effect, now imagine swallowing about 20 cans of soda or 20 cups of coffee one right after another. Thats pretty much what it feels like to your baby.
A little will probably be ok, not a big deal, same as some other stuff people say, but my doctor recommended no more than 1 cup of coffee a day, to soda, I'd say that equals about 1 can as well.
Good luck and if you are worried, ask your doctor.

Answer 3

An 8 ounce cup of soda has about 25-30 milligrams of caffeine. You'd need to drink a full liter a day for it to cause any problems. A different concern is the chemicals - those could potentially damage the fetus, especially PKU which is found in diet sodas. Decaffeinated sodas are fine as per caffeine, but many still have the same chemicals. Carbonated water is an excellent choice because it still has the taste of soda (well, sort of) and you will be drinking lots of water! My doctor told me I should drink a cup of liquid every half hour - water, carbonated water, or milk. You should avoid chemicals in general (such as MSG), and cigarette smoke and alcohol. Also, don't exert yourself - not with exercise, or lifting anything too heavy. Congratulations!!

Answer 4

Too much of anything is bad pregnant or not. I think caffeine is more in the "we can't prove it doesn't hurt the baby so don't drink it" category. Its all up to you. A lot of people told me a glass of wine wouldn't hurt while I was pregnant but it just was never worth even a small risk to me. Besides, I would have just wanted a second glass when I knew I couldn't have one. I did have some ice tea though. If you try and listen to all the warnings while you are pregnant you'll go crazy and never leave the house. Congrats on the pregnancy.

Answer 5

Most websites and doctors reccomend no more than 150mg or 250 mg (depending on which site you're looking at) of caffeine from all sources (this includes chocolate) a day.

Too much caffeine can cause premature birth or low birth weight but small amounts of caffeine should be fine in most low risk pregnancies

Answer 6

Just as with anything during pregnancy, don't overdue it. One study is going on that is showing links between caffeine during pregnancy and mild ADHD. they are still researching the topic, but they are finding a strong link. This was only in cases where women were drinking the eqivalent to about 5 cups or more per day. So as long as you don't overdue it, you should be just fine. But beware, if you drink it while you are pregnant, your child is more likely to crave it after being born.

Answer 7

Well, I drink it all the time. I have a couple of cokes a day and I drink a cup of coffee in the mornings. I have had 3 boys and Im pregnant with a girl and My kids were all completely healthy. No problems. Caffeine in moderation is fine. I wouldnt worry about it at all.

Answer 8

I drank caffeine, but cut down on it MAJORLY when I was pregnant. Its not good for anyone to drink, especially if you are pregnant. I think if you keep the caffeine intake low, your baby will be fine!

Answer 9

if you want to drink soda, get the one that has no caffeine in it. Just because your friends or strangers told you that they draink caffeine all through their pregnancy, doesn't mean you have to. The baby will probably get addicted to caffeine when they're born and may not survive. Caffeine is a drug too.
For example, crack babies. Their moms did drugs throughout their pregnancy and when the baby was born, they couldn't live without drugs, therefore, they didn't survive long.

Answer 10

I found this information for you on the website: http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregnancynutrition/3955.html

You can still enjoy your favorite caffeinated drinks as long as you don't overdo it. After years of controversy over the issue, most researchers now believe that, although caffeine does cross the placenta, moderate amounts (less than 300 milligrams a day) won't harm your baby.

That's about what you'd get from two or three 8-ounce cups of coffee or six cans of cola. (Keep in mind that the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee varies widely depending on how strong it is, and that your serving size depends on how big your mug is — a typical mug holds about 10 ounces.) Many pregnant women limit their intake even further or cut out caffeine completely. If that seems wise to you, you won't get any arguments from your midwife or doctor.

Is it dangerous to get more than a moderate amount of caffeine during pregnancy?
No one knows for sure. Some studies found that women who got 300 mg of caffeine or more a day had a higher risk of miscarriage. And according to the March of Dimes, high caffeine consumption may slightly increase the risk of preterm labor or low birth weight, which could make a difference for a baby who's already at risk for these problems.
Other research has shown that babies of women who got more than 500 mg a day had faster heart rates and breathing rates, and spent more time awake in the first few days after birth. Though the research isn't conclusive, it makes sense to cut back if you're downing more than three cups of java or more than 300 mg a day from all sources — sodas, tea, coffee, and chocolate — combined.

One thing's for sure: You'll feel better if you cut back on caffeine. It's a stimulant, so it increases your heart rate and metabolism and can cause insomnia, nervousness, and headaches. It contributes to heartburn by stimulating the secretion of stomach acid. It's a diuretic, so it makes you pee more often and become dehydrated more easily.

What's more, it has no nutritional value — in fact, it causes your bones to lose calcium. And all these effects are only likely to get worse as you approach your due date because your body breaks down caffeine more slowly as your pregnancy progresses, and that means a higher level of caffeine in your bloodstream (and in your baby's).

By the way, there's one more reason to cut back on coffee and tea during your pregnancy, whether it's caffeinated or not. These beverages contain compounds called phenols that make it harder for your body to absorb iron. This is particularly important because many pregnant women are already low on iron. If you drink any coffee or tea, have it between meals so it has less of an effect on your iron absorption.

Which foods and beverages contain caffeine?
Caffeine is in all the usual suspects (coffee, tea, and cola) as well as in chocolate, other soft drinks (including some orange sodas and root beers), and "energy" drinks. It's also in some over-the-counter drugs, including some headache, cold, and allergy remedies. The amount of caffeine in coffee and tea varies widely, depending on whether they're brewed or instant, weak or strong. Check the chart below for caffeine amounts in some common foods and beverages.
Brewed coffee, drip method 8 ounces 100-300 mg
Brewed coffee, percolated 8 ounces 65-275 mg
Instant coffee 8 ounces 50-190 mg
Espresso 2 ounces 40-70 mg
Cappuccino 2 ounces 40-70 mg
Decaffeinated coffee 8 ounces 1-8 mg
Brewed tea 8 ounces 35-175 mg
Green tea 8 ounces 8-30 mg
Instant tea 8 ounces 40-80 mg
Iced tea 12 ounces 65-75 mg
Coffee ice cream or frozen yogurt 1 cup 8-85 mg
Soft drinks a 12-ounce can 30-60 mg
Hot cocoa 8 ounces 3-30 mg
Chocolate milk 8 ounces 2-7 mg
Milk chocolate 1 ounce 1-15 mg
Dark or semisweet chocolate 1 ounce 5-35 mg
Baker's chocolate 1 ounce 26 mg
Chocolate syrup 1 ounce 4 mg