Drinking coffee during pregnancy is something that many women wonder about. It is difficult going from four or five cups a day to drinking nothing so many women will wonder what the danger really is. However, the good news is that some coffee is fine to drink.
Safe amount of coffee during pregnancy
You cannot drink as much as you usually would because there are dangers to too much caffeine. You will need to limit yourself to 200mg of caffeine per day. This equates to two cups if you choose to drink instant coffee; however, you will need to limit yourself to one cup of coffee if it is brewed.
If you only drink coffee for the taste then you should consider switching to decaffeinated drinks.
You can have as much as you want of this – just keep telling yourself that it is the real stuff. You may also want to switch to drinking decaffeinated and herbal teas.
You may also want to make your coffee weaker. This will help to cut down the amount of caffeine that you have in it so you will be able to drink more.
Consider all of your options before you start sulking about not being able to drink coffee during pregnancy.
The dangers of coffee during pregnancy
Why caffeine is so bad for you? There are a number of reasons why you need to limit the amount of coffee that you drink. The main concern is that women are more prone to miscarriage if they drink more than the recommended amount of caffeine in one day. This is the case during the whole term of pregnancy.
Another danger is that the baby will have a low birth rate. This is because the ingredients in the drink will not have the nutrients that are needed. It causes problems with the growth of the baby and can lead to other health complications later in the baby’s life. Do you really want to risk that?
Side effects of coffee during pregnancy
You will also need to consider the affects that coffee has on your body so the affects that it will have on your baby’s. Caffeine is a stimulant. This means that you will feel more alert but it will also speed up your metabolism. The stimulation will do the exact same to your unborn baby, which will lead to it being unsettled for some time afterwards.
You will also find that you are awake more during the night, which means that you will not get the rest that your body needs during this time. This also causes a number of problems, including your immune system struggling and your muscles not having the time to relax. There are also chances that you will struggle to stay away during the day, when you are at work.
So, before you decide to have that cup of coffee during pregnancy, it is worth looking into the side effects and the dangers that you are putting your baby through. Limit the amount that you drink and consider other options that you have, such as decaffeinated or herbal teas.
