There are so many controversies surrounding the dos & don't during pregnancy that it makes my head spin. People can get really twitchy about these hot topics and it's very easy to find yourself in an awkward situation. The only one I'm going to get into today is caffeine, coffee in particular.
A few weeks into my pregnancy I developed a major coffee aversion. I could barely even stand to see commercials for it without feeling sick. It was disappointing because I so looked forward to my Starbucks run on Friday afternoons pre-pregnancy. But I know aversions often come with growing a baby and that's just that. I'm mostly a water drinker, really, aside from the occasional tea or very occasional pop. So really I didn't even think about the whole caffeine thing during pregnancy until coffee finally sounded good again early in my second trimester.
Of course I Googled and came up lots of contradicting studies, information on miscarriage rates and recommended amounts. I treaded lightly with just a grande latte (about 150 mg) here and there until my next pre-natal appointment and talked with my doctor. In those few weeks I was on my own though I discovered that coffee was no longer a huge offender for my bladder condition. The main reason I drank it sparingly was to avoid the pain or possible flare up that too much could bring on. Apparently pregnancy has somehow lessened my body's response because I was happily downing my coffee like my condition didn't exist. So I consulted my doctor, who is a very matter of fact person, and she told me 300mg/day or less is fine. Have a daily overpriced latte if you want.
So what's 300mg equal to? Well, that's the real question. I'm strictly talking about coffee here so it depends on the strength of the brew. Instant coffee or coffee you make at home from your coffee maker are going to pack less of a punch than if you're drinking it professionally brewed from Starbucks or the like. Espresso based drinks are typically lower in caffeine because it's concentrated into a smaller amount. And even so, not all drinks are created equal. Your vanilla latte on Monday might have 165mg of caffeine while the same drink ordered from the same store on Wednesday will only have 150mg. So it's really common sense. If you are having coffee out somewhere there should be a menu telling you what the caffeine content is per size. You are probably safe drinking 16-24 oz of instant coffee or 2 k-cups at home. Really want a venti caramel macchiato? Well think about it. Half of those 24 oz are milk and syrup so you're not actually drinking that much caffeine. Frappucino kind of person? Those have even less caffeine, although lots more calories. Pick your poison.
Here's the thing: if you're even bothering to ask the caffeine question, you're obviously a concerned mother who cares about the health of her child and herself. So probably you aren't going to be downing 5 cups of coffee a day or adding extra shots of espresso every rough morning while you're pregnant. Ask your doctor and go with that recommendation regardless of what anyone else thinks. Me included.
P.S. Baby P wants to let everyone know that the caramel waffle cone frappucino from Starbucks is amazing.
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