Caffeine and Pregnancy

I had morning/noon/night sickness for all 9 months with both kids. Here are some things that worked for me:
--Yogi ginger tea (with honey)
--ginger ale
--potato chips
--Coke

These things ONLY worked when I was taking Zofran. If it's bad enough, ask for the drugs.

My OB said a Coke a day would be fine, and it seems to have been!

I had severe nausea. I ended putting saltine crackers and a glass of water right by the alarm clock. I would hit the snooze and even stay laying on my side and nibble on some crackers and then sit slowly and have some water. I would do this the first 10 minutes and then I would be able to go through the rest of the day not sick or dry heaving. I guess it also works with pound cake. My OB/GYN told me to do this.
I was very addicted to Pepsi before getting pregnant so had to slowly wean off even when I was pregnant. I don't think the caffeine is the worst thing for you to drink but the aspartme in the Diet Coke is what I would totally avoid. That is the dangerous ingredient. Have you tried 7 UP or sprite or even just club soda?
Hang in there as it should get better! And after you have that cute bundle of joy it makes it worth it.

I've read that one caffeinated drink a day is ok and my doctor backed me up on that. It's when you are drinking 3-5 cups of coffee everyday that it gets to the harmful stage. I also found that coke helped with my nausea. I would get so sick to my stomach that I wouldn't be able to eat ANYTHING. I found that drinking caffeine free pepsi or coke helped just as much as the regular and I wasn't getting the caffeine. I, too, stayed away from diet sodas because the artificial sweeteners are more harmful than caffeine. Try caffeine free, it worked for me!!

I drank caffeine every day and my kid came out with mutant heads...have you ever heard that? I mean besides in a tabloid with a doctored picture? I tried hard to get off the dr. pepper just because I didn't want the extra calories and was of course more concerned about the health of my baby than I ever have been about my own health. I had a hard time with my headaches, I get migraines and you can't take so many things!! My midwife said Drink your caffeine. the most important thing is to stay hydrated and if that is what settles you and you keep it down and as a bonus it helps with your headaches? why wouldn't you go that route before going on anti nausia medications? it's a 3fer. (3 for one) You don't go crazy drinking it but seriously--you will get more opinions on here for both sides than you will know what to do with. Listen to your body, to your doctors and make the best decision for your life. My daughter is 3 and I have never had anyone say "oh, you must have had caffeine when you were pregnant with that one" lol...even when things go wrong and we question everything we never know the answers to it all. there comes a point when you just have to stop the chatter in your mind, make the best decision for yourself and trust your instincts. obviously you are doing all you can for the health of your baby or you wouldn't be worrying about it...so just go with what makes you the best mom and if that is having a cola each day to help you function so be it.

I have been having one cup of coffee every day during my pregnancy and I've heard that's okay. However, be aware that other things, like chocolate, also have caffeine, so factor that in when you're calculating your caffeine intake. Also, like other posters, I'd be more concerned with the artificial sweeteners in diet sodas than the caffeine.

I second what Carrie says.... Artificial sugars are way worse than caffeine, so go with regular, caffeine free Coke if possible.

I was having terrible headaches for the first 4 months of my 1st pregnancy and my OB actually suggested that I drink caffeine so I did. Then with my 2nd, I drank it almost everyday. Probably not the best thing to drink but it it helps, why not? I hope you start to feel "normal" again soon!

I was I pregnant with my three kids, I drank nothing but coke, and I would drink 3 or more one liters a day. And there is nothing wrong with my kids, they are 100% healthy. So I would have to say you have nothing to worry about.

From what I have read, a little caffeine is not going to have an ill effect....especially after your first trimester. They did a study that showed that women who consumed caffeine in their first three months of pregnancy were more likely to miscarry, but they were consuming several cups of coffee worth of caffeine. And many of my co-workers (who had kids in the 80s and 90s) swear that they drank tons of coffee and soda while they were pregnant and everything turned out fine.

Drink up - Hope you start feeling better.

Don't even worry!! I asked my Dr. when I got pregnant with my second and he said that caffeine as little to no affect on the baby. As long as your not over loading it should be fine. Since you said that it is only coke that is helping it might be the syrup stuff instead of the actual coke, in stores they sell cola syrup in the medicine aisle. So if you are really worried about it then I would try that instead.
Good luck and do what makes you feel better and enjoy it!

The person you most need to talk to about this is your health care provider! I can share my personal experience, but every woman, and every pregnancy, is different.

Here's what my doc told me when I explained that I was seriously attached to my morning coffee (as in the times I'd tried to stop before, it triggered ugly migraines that lasted for three days - might have lasted longer, except that's the point at which I gave up). He said that the studies on caffeine and pregnancy identified 2 6-oz. cups of coffee as the threshold, so he allowed me one 6 oz. cup a day. The maternal-fetal specialist I worked with during my second also allowed me that much, because while I think he would have preferred that I have no caffeine, he agreed that my withdrawal symptoms would be harder on the baby than the relatively small amount of caffeine would. And indeed, one small cup of coffee or tea (which has less caffeine), was enough for me to make it without a withdrawal migraine.

But I really recommend that you talk to the health care professional who is helping you with your pregnancy.

From what I've been told during my two pregnancies, caffeine in moderate amounts is not likely to have any effects on the baby. You can do an internet search for how much you can safely have. My bigger concern would be the aspartame, or NutraSweet in the diet soda. It is NOT recommended during pregnancy. Again, you can internet search. My advice would be to try a non-diet soda, and stick to one per day?

When I was pregant with my 2nd, my dr's nurse suggested soda, like Coke, to help. She said that the syrup that is in coke used to be sold as something to help with stomach aches and such. When I asked about the caffiene she said to just be careful not to over do it. But the caffiene in soda is much less then the amount of caffiene in a cup of coffee. I would say if it helps, then go for it!

If you are worried about caffeine and want to avoid it while still drinking coke, Coke makes caffeine free regular coke. I drank the regular caffeine free coke throughout my pregnancies because I had all-day sickness the whole pregnancy. We still drink it when one of us has a stomach virus.

You can also buy cola syrup at the drug store to help with nausea. I keep some in the medicine cabinet, although I didn't try it during pregnancy. But my kids and my MIL swear by it.

I hope your morning sickness settles down for you soon.

I think a little caffine is fine. With my son I drank a cup of coffee a day, if I didn't have coffee in the moring I would allow myself a soda in the afternoon. I am now expecting #2 in September and still, I have drank a cup of coffee everyday.. I can't drink soda at all this time around due to heartburn but I allow myself a cup of coffee in the morning. I am much more pleasaunt that way :)
My doctor knows and said that a minimual amount of caffene a day is fine.

I don't really feel like caffeine is the worst thing. I would stay away from the artificial sweeteners in diet soda. They are especially scary when it comes to your baby's developing brain. I feel that coke would be a lot better for both of you than diet coke. I have had a brain injury and diet anything with artificial sweeteners gives me a terrible headache in about 2 minutes. I feel it definately does effect your brain. Be careful especially when you are pregnant.

Most of what I've read says that some caffeine is fine. I drank a cup of 1/3 caffiene coffee every day. A friend of mine drank a diet coke a day during both of her pregnancies - only during her pregnancies! I say go for it if it makes you more comfortable. Good luck, mama!

I drank Diet Coke through both of my pregnencies. Both kids are healthy and great. My doctor told me (my sister-in-laws doctor told her this also) that if something helps you keep food down then drink it. My advice is drink it in moderation. I had 1-2 cans per day. That is what worked for me.

I too suffered with morning sickness and I found that caffeine did help. I think most docotors agree that anything you can do to keep from throwing up is worth it. After doing some research and speaking with my doc, I found that one can of soda per day has minimal if any effect on your baby. What I found that the caffeine found in coffee and the high amount in lattes, etc. is what is more concerning because there is so much. I have have about 1 can of soda per day or every other day and baby is fine! Best of luck, hope the morning sickness subsides and Congrats!!!

I would be more concerned with the aspertame and other chemicals used to sweeten diet coke. Try sipping on a caffeine free coke but not diet. My blood sugars and blood pressure were low at times during my pregnancy and it caused me to feel light headed and nauseated so it was important to always have a snack handy. Best of luck to you and hopefully the nausea will pass soon.

Miss M
DON'T DRINK DIET ANYTHING!! The chemicals and the artificial sweetners will harm the baby. A little Coke is ok now and then. I was sick 24/7 and sometimes all I could get down was Dr. Pepper. The caffine slows down the rate you absorb nutrients so too much will result in you and your baby not getting enough of the nutrients you are eating. The baby will get less iron and protein (2 important ones) as you absord less of these nutrients. If it is too much to suffer through always ask your Doc. He/she knows best and can give you something that is good for you and your baby. I suffered through 2 pregnancies but it was worth having my 2 healthy boys. I was sick very little with my last pregnancy. I had a healthy little girl (what I wanted)!
Good luck and take care. M.

I totally remember that stage in my pregnancy, 8 weeks of all day nausea & dry heaving...only thing that helped me were Preggie Pops.
I personally think sodas are terrible for us, and rarely drink any at all. If you're convinced it's the only thing that works, just take it in moderation. I've met women that crave coffee when pregnant, possibly craving antioxidants. Anyway, have you tried chilled coffee? maybe even decaf?
Here's a link for the lollies:
http://www.morningsicknesshelp.com/preggiepop.html
Congratulations mama!

p.s. no need to be extremely scared, M, women have been doing this for hundreds of thousands of years, waaaay before soda ;)

A little caffeine is not going to hurt you. However, stop the diet coke. Get regular coke or do some coffee. I did one cup a day and my doc said that was fine. Seriously, the fake sweetner is way more dangerous than the caffeine.

Just try caffeine free diet coke -- you're in Utah so it shouldn't be too hard to find. Then you can have the coke that helps with the nausea and not worry about the caffeine.

Also, talk to your doctor about medication for nausea. I was fine with my first, but my second pregnancy really threw me for a loop on the morning sickness. When I mentioned it to my doc he gave me something that really helped me get past it -- and remember that most morning sickness tapers off after the 3rd month.

Good luck and congratulations!

I wouldn't worry about it. I was told that I was allowed to have 200mg. of caffinee a day, which is about a cup of coffee, however there were days when I had two maybe 3 and I didn't really have a problem. However, if I did drink those 2 or 3 cups I did notice that my baby was very active and moved around a lot more that day. Best of Luck and congratulations!

I am not sure that a little will make any difference to the baby or not. I know that when I was pregnant with my first I was going through about 3-4 cans of Mt. Dew everyday. The only thing that I noticed when she was born, was that she was small (only 7 lbs), but with my other pregnancies, I laid off the caffeine and didn't do much better weight wise (my biggest was 8 lbs 6 oz.) But if it is helping with the morning sickness, then I would say keep it in moderation. If you are really concerned ask the doc. Good luck.
J.--SAHM of 6

I drank caffeinated soda here and there during my pregnancy. Maybe the equivelent of 1 can of diet coke a day. I read that up to 1 cup of coffee was okay and I was drinking far less than that amount of caffeine, so I figured it was fine. I did not drink any energy drinks or anything like that though, because those contain SO MUCH caffeine. I never noticed whether or not coke helped with my morning sickness, I just drank it because I worked at a restaurant and I was tired of drinking just water during my shifts.

However, when I DID have morning sickness I found one things that REALLY helped me feel better and less nauseous that wanted to share with you. I found that eating a hearty meal (think something with carbs, protein, and fat like mac-n-cheese, beef stew, basically any sort of "comfort food") REALLY helped my nausea go away! If I just ate a decent sized meal of something hearty and rib sticking it would make my nausea go away almost completely for atleast 3 hours before it started coming back. This REALLY helped me get through my first trimester. I did gain about 5 lbs because of it, but it was definintely worth it and you are supposed ot be gaining weight anyways. It was backwards from what I had cravings for (I didnt have much of an appetite and I mostly craved light food like fruit and veggies, crackers, ect, but I found that those foods did NOTHING to help with the nausea) So, as long as I ate a good hearty meal whether or not i was in the mood to, it would make me feel almost normal for the next few hours. I reccommend trying it and seeing if it works for you! good luck!

Hi Miss M,
Good for you for staying away from those things before you got pregnant, nutrition is so important in general, but even more important while pregnant!Here's and interesting article by Dr Mercola....http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/0...

Have you tried ginger tea or accupuncture? These worked very well for me when I was experiencing nausea. Also, staying hydrated help.

L.
www.DenverJuicePlus.com

It's not just the caffeine that you want to avoid... but you also want to completely stay away from any type of artificial sweetener such as in Diet drinks. Typically doctors will say a small amount of caffeine is ok but it's even better to completely avoid it. I was very sick with my first pregnancy. What finally helped me is getting prescription from my doctor for phenergan. It's causes drowsiness but it's better than being completely miserable with morning sickness.

Other things that help tremendously are extra vitamin B6 (you can safely take up to 100 mg a day with pregnancy but no more).

Stay away from greasy, fatty, sugary, or otherwise unhealthy foods. High fat/greasy foods cause indigestion that translates to severe morning sickness in early pregnancy. As well as any foods that drastically affect blood sugar levels. With my current pregnancy the only time I've ever felt sick is if I eat unhealthy foods.

Ginger - ginger snaps, ginger herbal tea, foods with fresh ginger.
Make sure you are eating a small, healthy meal every 2 hours. If you start to feel hungry you will start to feel sick again, keeping your blood sugar steady is key. Eat a piece of toast, wait eat a half an apple....etc.

Don't gulp liquids only sip small amounts and don't drink within a half an hour before or after eating.

If that doesn't work definitely get the prescription (that has been thoroughly tested and is safe during pregnancy, unlike artificial sweeteners and caffeine) and try a BRAT diet. That would include eating only plain bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Eat a small bite every half an hour. Don't drink anything again within a half and hour of eating. To stay hydrated you may have to start drinking something with electrolytes like Pedialyte but be sure you drink an equivalent amount of water during the day. It's tough...it's what I had to do and it worked. I was hungry and thirsty but I wasn't feeling terribly sick.

Another thing that works is making sure you get a nap during the day. I didn't really start feeling better until I started listening to my body and napping during the day.

Good luck, it's hard work growing a baby but you will get through it and soon enough you will feel that little one moving around in there....it makes the sickness worth it!

Coke syrup is one of my secret tools for helping calm a yucky stomache when my kids are sick. It is a miracle cure. They sell it at pharmacies in just the syrup. Do you have to have the caffinated kind? how about coke without caffeine? I don't think that you are in danger and I am of the opinion that if it helps you feel better than go for it. Another good combo for morning sickness is 1/2 of a unisom and a vitamin b6. Good luck and Congratulations!

Before babies I had migraines and was so paranoid about giving up caffiene and getting them since I obviously could not take the migraine meds with pregnancy. When I got pregnant my OBGYN said one regular coke NOT diet a day was fine.
The substitue sweeteners there is no studies with pregnancy and I wouldn't risk it, granted it is a lot sugar to drink a regular coke but I would pick that over artificial things.
Talk to your OB, if it helping you I see no reason one a day would hurt you. Just ask your Dr.
I did it with both of mine and after I had my two kids the migraines went away for whatever reason..! :)
Good luck and Congrats!

I craved Cherry Coke my 2nd pregnancy & I started just buying caffeine free Coke & grenadine to make my own. I've heard of Coke being used when you have a flu tummy; personally I like Ginger Ale better, but I'm not a Coke girl.
If you believe "they", my 1st child has ADHD because I drank caffeine. I drank maybe a Pepsi every 10 days (a can). With my 2nd, I drank a LOT more caffeine & he has no problems. I didn't think about the caffeine blocking vitamin/mineral absorption-can you up your milk intake later in the day to help balance it out?
My doc told me, when I couldn't eat anything w/my 1st preg but tuna salad on cream cheese bagels, 7-Eleven hot dogs, potato chips, Dasani & carrots (first 3 mos that was basically it), Baby will get what it needs from your body, you're taking in extra nutrients for yourself. I think that's a good "rule" to follow-Baby will be fine (for the most part) & you're replenishing YOUR nutrients. If that's what works for you now, do it til it doesn't anymore. I ate those hot dogs for days on end & everybody's just fine.
If your nausea is debilitating, go to the doc. They've got several options for you, even pregnant, for nausea. You don't need to suffer.
Congratulations & good luck!

I drank caffeine. I just wonder if the kids get enough calcium since we know it can reduce calcium absorption. Anyway, like I said, I did it. Personally, I'd be more worried about the artificial sweeteners, especially now that there are studies that are showing that artificial sweeteners during pregnancy may actually be the cause behind regressive autism. You can get caffeine free regular Coke. I do understand it's helping. I survived an entire pregnancy off oatmeal and Coke. Oatmeal really works, but I haven't eaten any in 6 years since! I don't even buy it and my kids beg for it. I just can't even stand the smell. :) Congratulations! Enjoy your Coke!

I drank caffinated soda with all 4 of my pregnancies, and never had any effects on me or the babies. I didn't drink an excessive amount, but I probably had at least one can everyday. I think you are fine to drink it to help you feel better.

Soda always helped my morning sickness too, and I craved coke like crazy with every pregnancy! I also read mixed reviews about caffeine, but I allowed myself up to one can of diet coke per day when I was pregnant, and all four of my kids were born full term and perfectly healthy. Good luck with your pregnancy! Hopefully the morning sickness will go away soon, and you can enjoy the time you have with your husband before baby is born!

Don't worry about it! One can of Diet Coke a day isn't a big deal. I am 6 months pregnant (2nd pregnancy) and want to be as healthy as possible too, but I get horrible headaches and Diet Coke (not other brands) is the only thing that will take them away. My doctor and midwife said I need to avoid drinking 4+ Diet Cokes a day or multiple cups of coffee--that kind of thing.

If you are still concerned, have you tried caffiene free Diet Coke? Doesn't work for my headaches, but it might work for you...

Dear Miss M,

I"ve got great news for you!! I have two daughters. BOTH I had terrible nausea and the works with. The first one is 7 years old and I drank Coke and Dr. Pepper the entire pregnancy, and not because it made me feel better, just cause I had to have it!! ;) The second daughter is turning one month tomorrow. I went off carbonated beverages to help me to feel better, less run down. And I stayed off them for several months prior to conception and throughout my pregnancy. For nausea I just got up in the morning and puked, brushed my teeth and ate breakfast if I could. Every day was different!! As you well know!!!

Now, if a doctor can tell you that having one cup of coffee each day is okay then you can probably justify having a sip or two of Coke. I personally stay away from artificial sweeteners that are in diet drinks though. Call your OB, ask him/her. But overall I'd say GO FOR IT!! If you feel better, you'll feel better ya know?!

V.

It really should be okay, but if you are really concerned, try drinking the caffeine free diet coke and see if that works. Also, have your doctor check your iron levels, because if you have a sufficient iron supply, and you are taking a prenatal, that will cause EXTREME morning sickness. When my doctor had my levels checked, and the iron was high, he prescribed me a low iron prenatal and my morning sickness was practically gone.

drinking caffine really depends on who you ask. I thought the same thing when I first got pregnant. I asked my dr and nurse, they said it is ok and even reccomended it if I have a headache etc.. I was told that the amount of caffine you would have to intake to harm the baby would be about (if I remember correctly) 8 cups of coffee an hour for like 24 hours, because your body digests it so quickly. they also told me that the study that most people read about that is incredibly flawed.
I have drank it sometimes during my pregnancy (not a fan of soda myself) and have found that it just makes my little boy hyper for a few minutes.

Anyways if you feel uncomfortable about drinking it I would suggest calling your dr or a nurse in your dr's office, they will let you know what they think.

This is what my dr told me about it though.

I drank a small cup of coffee in the morning throughout my pregnancy with no problems. I had "morning sickness" all day for the first three months and coffee did help a bit. But I believe that it's best to avoid diet soda because of the artificial sweeteners. I'd try a little regular coke or coffee. Too much caffeine has been linked to miscarriage and low birth weight, but I don't believe a little hurts.

With my first pregnancy I was soo good. Didn't eat or drink anything that I wasn't supposed to. So instead of drinking soda I had diet caffeine free soda. Well 3 years later I got pregnant with my twins and all of that just went out the window. I drank coffee and soda all of the time. I swear my twins came out loving coffee :) but there were no complications or problems due to me drinking coffee or soda every day.
Hope this gives you comfort and Congratulations!

I am exactly the same way. I don't drink soda ever but the ONLY thing that helps me with nausea is Coke. I tried all the other colas and sodas as well and its just coke. I talked to my midwife and she said one a day wouldn't be bad. I was just still so nervous so I kept some on hand but only drank it when I absolutley couldn't stand it. THe other thing I tried was chewing cinammon gum which took the edage off sometimes. But i has nausea for a long time. The other thing I did was once the critical time was over I stopped taking prenatal vitamins. I was just really careful about my diet and I did get some flinstones vitamins. The prenatal vitamins just made my nausea SO much worse. I tried switching to the kind that is supposed to be the softest on your stomach and I puked within minutes of taking them. BUt I have a very healthy thriving baby girl who is three months old now.
Good Luck, its all so very exciting.

I had a terrible time staying away from my AM coffee during my pregnancies. It was a double whammy for me: the caffine plus the hot AM drink. I did ok on my first round, second one got a single cup of coffee daily (didn't do a thing to her), and the third one got that cup of coffee daily plus by the second trimester was getting a Dr. Pepper (plus all the sugary candy I could consume) daily. Would I recommend that to you? NO. But do what you have to do to get by, especially if you're working and have to deal with outside life during the preganancy. BTW: my 3rd is a total sugar addict, so I think I did have an effect on him there.

That said, I absolutely avoided any chemicals during all pregnancies...like diet anything (still do, they don't taste like food anymore). I also (especially during the first round) discovered Reed's Ginger Beer (not alcoholic, it's like really strong ginger ale, but actually has ginger in it) at Trader Joe's (but now is in supermarkets), and Juice Squeeze (carbonated juice). I drank those daily. They're delicous and natural.

Best of luck. Keep us posted.

After I was already 7 months along with my 3rd son, a new study came out that it was not advised to drink ANY caffeine in the first 5 months of pregnancy.

I got horrible migraines with all three of my boys. I had different doctors for each one and they all told me it was fine to consume one or two caffeinated beverages per day. The caffeine kicked my headaches.

I also had horrible nausea and vomiting- all 9 months, all three boys- and found that a regular soda poured over crushed ice helped stave off the nausea.

All three of my boys are very healthy and I believe that a little bit of caffeine won't hurt if it helps you eat and feel better. Your mood does effect your baby!

I agree with Colleen C. - Go for the regular Coke and not the ones with artificial sweeteners. A little caffeine won't hurt; the aspartame is a bigger concern IMO.

I have an occasional Dr. Pepper and think it's fine. You'd have to be drinking several (3 or more) caffeinated pops) a day to be more concerned, I think. I know coffee is more caffeine-packed, so you have to go easier with that. I think sipping on one Coke a day should be totally fine. Talk to your doctor, of course.

Well while we all grew up with the myth that 7up would help us with stomach issues, in fact it is Coke that works the best. In hospitals they actually give you Coke syrup. It is a thick kind of cough syrup to settle stomachs. My mom bought me some at a drug store and it helped with my morning sickness. It does have some caffine, but not much.

I would say if it is making you feel better keep doing it until you hit that mark of feeling better- that will be sooner than later. I would say however switch to REAL Coke and perhaps the caffine free kind. With Diet Coke you aren't only dealing with caffine, but chemicals from whatever makes diet- diet.

So I am sure a caffine free option of Coke could solve those worries... but many docs also say one cup of coffee or caffine a day isn't too bad. And when all else fails call your OB. I am sure the office nurses can even answer your question.

Hey girl! I think you need to do what you need to do. Coke does have caffeine and I know intuitively that caffeine isn't great for a growing baby, but as long as you don't overdo it, I think you are OK. I remember reading that 1-2 cups of coffee is considered "safe" during pregnancy. I would try to not make a habit out of it, but I've known other women who said that coke was the only thing that settled their stomach. I would, however, switch to regular coke and get rid of the diet. You don't need the extra chemicals going to your baby. Have you also tried ginger, extra B6, eating protein and small meals throughout the day (i.e. don't let yourself get hungry), peppermint tea, or chamomile tea? Hang in there. Hopefully the nausea will pass!

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I remember how excited I was at this time too - I think a little caffeine is okay and doesnt affect things too much. Coke is well-known to help nausea. But, if it were me, I would drink regular Coke rather than Diet Coke or Coke Zero. The artificial sweeteners concern me more during pregnancy than the caffeine.

Hope that helps you!