Why is caffeine bad during pregnancy?

Question

I know you're supposed to limit or ideally eliminate caffeine while pregnant but what o want to know is why? What have you been told it can do to harm the fetus? What has your own research told you? This is strictly for curiosity sake.

Answer

I've heard too much caffeine can be attributed to low birth weight but that's in high doses. I have and still drink it everyday throughout my pregnancies, babies have been great!

Answer

A high intake of caffeine is linked to miscarriages, stillbirths and also your baby having a faster heart rate after birth. It also adds to heartburn and can exacerbate palpitations, plus it can hinder your sleep too! This research was on women who drank more than 8 cups a day though so I think the intake has to be really high. I drink decaf tea and coffee and have tried to cut it out of my diet completely... Just easier that way! But I don't think a cup a day hurts :)

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If you are looking for a great book that presents all the research then let's you make your own decision. Read "Expecting Better" by Emily Oster. She discusses caffeine, alcohol, smoking, etc. I really liked it.

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The babies can't digest it properly... They aren't developed enough. 200 mg a day is what I've been told the max is. It can also cause low birth weight according to what I've heard. This is my first pregnancy & I've only had 3 cups of coffee the entire pregnancy. If I go to Starbucks I get a drink without caffeine. You can look up which drinks have caffeine on their website.

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I heard no more than 12 ounces of coffee a day.

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I've really only heard the low birth weight concern.  I drank on average 1-2 cups with my 1st two and they were 8.8lbs & 8.7lbs.  With this one I'm 2-3cups (because my kids wear me out...lol) and no problemos.  I'm surrounded by pregnant friends and some don't have any, most have a daily diet soda and then there are the hardcore addicts like me...lol.

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I was told to cut down I used to have one VERY LARGE cup a day, now I just have about 6oz.

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I think early on it's a concern for miscarriage when consumed in large quantities. The reason I've chosen to aviod it all together is because it is passed through the placenta to the baby. The baby feels the effects of the caffeine. A lot of women I know drink caffeine daily and their babies are fine. Just one of those things you have to decide for yourself.

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My dr told me no more than 250ml a day of caffeine and not until after 14 weeks. I think the others are right though. For serious complications I think it has to be a pretty significant amount consistently.

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I know that the instructions are max. 3 cups a day. I try to drink no more than two.
I think eating sushi is way worse than coffee. ..

Why is caffeine bad during pregnancy?

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