How much coffee is safe when you are pregnant?

Question

I am 35 weeks pregnant and sleep is becoming a thing of the past due to back pain and all the other problems associated with my big belly :-) Anyways days at work are getting tough, i sit at a computer all day and could definatly stand to up my coffee dose. I usually only have one cup but if it is safe to have any more then that i sure would like to know! Thanks!

Answer 1

Doctors say that 1 cup a day is ok. Try not to drink too much more. Drinking cold water can keep you alert, so can snacking on fruit. Taking stretching breaks as well might help.

Try taking a relaxing bath before bed to get to sleep better and sleep with a big pillow between your knees to ease back pain.

Answer 2

My doctor said 3-4 cups is fine a day. I susually stop in the mornings and get a 20 oz cup with half of that yummy vanilla cappachinno that gas stations have in the machine and mix the other half decalf coffee, so I really only drinking 10 pz of coffee a day, which is about 2 cups.
Plus you are so far along right now, your baby is fully developed and you can not do much damage at this point

Answer 3

As far as I know there are no documented caffeine risks, I have been drinking a cup a day and my baby is healthy. I only do it because I cannot keep my head off the desk at work in the moring. Drinking alot of caffeine like 4-6 cups a day is a risk but if you need apickup I think your fine. Try tea also, coffee is harsh on the stomach. Goodluck

Answer 4

I had the same questions. I actually did some research on caffeine related to pregnancy.
Of course they say, too much of anything can be bad.
But, there is no significant thing that can be related to caffeine and health problems in children.
There is a plus side to caffeine that I found. If u consume caffeine during pregnancy, its supposed to decrease the possibility of SIDS after birth.
There are lots of sights that u can do some research on it. Use your own judgement. I personally drink my Diet Mt. Dew like normal. I make sure that I drink plenty of water and milk as well. But, if i want a cola, I drink it.
I see alot of people telling u to drink decaf. U r asking if its ok to drink it to give u a pick up. U would be defeating the purpose if u drank decaf. And of course u know this.
Also, if you havent felt your baby moving around, they will tell u to drink a Mt. Dew. It wakes ur baby.
Also, I have a friend whos wife went into labor at 26 weeks. The baby girl is making it, but was put on a caffeine pump to keep her alert. Its actually used for this. Pretty amazing huh? She was just taken off of it and gets to come home in two weeks. SO...............
With that said......there are good things about it too. Look it up, and do some research. Use your best judgement.
This late in your pregnancy, I would say if u increased your caffeine levels, it would have no bearing on the baby at all anyway. But, drinking it too late, may defeat your purpose if it begins to keep u awake even more at night.

I dont know of any birth defects related to it. Low birth weight and premature labor as well as misscarriage are the most common from what i understand. So, be careful.
Good luck to u and Congrats!!!

Answer 5

Can I continue to drink coffee or tea?
There is no evidence that regular amounts of caffeinated beverages, such as tea, coffee or colas, cause birth defects, but some studies indicate that heavy use of these beverages may be associated with a slight increase in your risk of miscarriage in the first and second trimesters. In a study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development the researchers found no harm in drinking up to three cups of coffee a day, but most experts advise limiting consumption to no more than two caffeinated beverages a day, or switching to decaf. Tea and colas have less caffeine than coffee does, and are also available in decaffeinated formulas.
http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/pregnancy/faq10.cfm

Answer 6

Generally 300mg of caffeine per day is considered safe, now you may want to know how many cups that is but really it depends on the kind of coffee, here's a small chart:

http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1148.asp
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregnancynutrition/3955.html

Also you should note that the main risk from caffeine is miscarriage and at 35 weeks that isn't a concern.

Answer 7

Caffeine isn't good. you can drink all the decaf coffee you want but that doesn't have the zing you are looking for.

Here's my suggestion since you work sitting down all day. When you get a case of the yawns, stand up and stretch your arms up as far as you can go. If your boss allows (and he should because you're pregnant) take a stroll around your office. This will boost your energy level. Little bouts of stretching and exercise are good for you.

Good luck

Answer 8

My doc told me no more than 1 CUP a day! Sorry, but i can't belive that some people say 3 cups is ok, to me, thats alot of caffeine!! It's just unsafe for the baby!

Suggestions, ask your doc if maybe 2 would be ok?


Sorry this isn't alot of help! Just an opinion..

Answer 9

I heard one cup (maybe 2) is ok. :o) Do you like tea, though? Sometimes it can be a little awkward to switch to hot tea especially if coffee is your comfort food. But hot tea offers a lot of the same comfort, it's nice and hot, but it's healthier and has less caffiene. When I thought I was drinking too much coffee I switched to hot tea and just felt better. You never know.

Answer 10

My Dr said that you can have about 2 cups and thats ok, but make sure you drink a lot of water to equal out the caffeine.