Coffee in pregnancy

IS IT STILL OK TO DRINK COFFEE? – Please say YES!!

A lot of women will go off their morning coffee in pregnancy due to nausea or a strong aversion to the smell, yet some will still crave their morning dose of caffeine, I know I did.  So how much is safe when you are trying to conceive, in pregnancy or breastfeeding?

Preconception: moderate consumption (1-2 cups of coffee/day) does not seem to reduce your chances of becoming pregnant but it can interfere with your estrogen levels. In males, it has been shown to increase the time it takes to conceive so, if you have been trying to conceive for some time, eliminate coffee from both your daily routines.

Pregnancy: caffeine clearance in pregnancy is slowed meaning the baby is exposed to caffeine for longer periods and they lack the enzymes necessary to metabolise it. There appears to be no long-term health affects on the baby with a moderate intake of caffeine in pregnancy. Limit your intake to 1 cup per day

Postpartum: Caffeine passes into breastmilk peaking at 1-2 hours after ingestion and some babies can be sensitive to these increased levels causing them to become restless and awake. It pays to have your morning coffee straight after you have fed baby a full feed to limit the amount in your milk. Try to stick to one a day to minimise the effect, especially in the first few months when feeding is frequent.

The effect of caffeine is very individual to each person. Caffeine can interfere with your sleep, contribute to nausea, increase urination and lead to dehydration, RANZCOG recommends less than 200mg which is about 1.5 cups of coffee per day. Remember there is caffeine in black tea, green tea, hot chocolate, kombucha, dark chocolate and cola drinks so it all counts. So the good news is – YES you can have your morning coffee but leave it at ONE.

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