Can pregnant women drink coffee? The benefits and possible harm of invigorating coffee for a pregnant woman and her unborn child. The diet of the expectant mother: is it possible for pregnant women to have coffee

Pregnancy is a time when the world turns upside down. For the health of the future baby, you have to change your lifestyle, give up habits that can even cause indirect harm. This also applies to addiction to coffee. How to refuse in an instant from your favorite drink, with which the day began and ended? And is it necessary to do so? Let's try to figure it out.

It's all about the caffeine

The main reason why coffee can be dangerous for a pregnant mother and her baby is caffeine. For the unborn baby, caffeine is dangerous because it is able to cross the placenta. He easily bypasses the barrier, and is able to increase the heartbeat of the fetus. Excessive amounts of caffeine (more than 4 cups per day), which is officially proven by studies, increases the risks of:

- miscarriage;

- premature birth;

- critical underweight in a newborn baby, etc.

Interesting fact! Coffee taken by a woman in the amount of 10+ cups per day can act as a “contraceptive” agent and prevent conception.

The fragrant drink is extremely rich in caffeine, and the amount of this substance varies depending on the type of grains and on the method of preparing an invigorating cup.

Average amount of caffeine contained in coffee (volume 170 ml):

• soluble - 70 mg;
• boiled - 80 mg;
• Arabica - 60 mg;
• Robusto - 200 mg;
• Espresso (30 ml) - 40 mg;
• American without caffeine - 6 mg;
• Decaffeinated (according to European standards) - 10 mg.

According to medical standards, a healthy person can take up to 300 mg of caffeine per day. For expectant mothers, the permissible daily intake of caffeine is not indicated - experts assure that it is not recommended for pregnant women to drink coffee, and the ban is valid for the entire period of bearing a child.

Coffee and pregnancy: when it is better not to take risks

It would seem that if coffee is such a pernicious drink, then why can ordinary people drink it for years without any complications? In fact, if a person does not have problems with the cardiovascular system, then a couple of cups of the drink a day will even have a positive effect. But whether it's a child developing in the womb - for him it is a stimulant that negatively affects only the emerging nervous system.

In the first trimester - up to 14 weeks (embryonic period), the rudiments of future organs are formed in the embryo. The coffee drunk by the expectant mother in the early stages can dramatically increase blood pressure, cross the placenta and literally force the fetal body to “work” in an enhanced mode. Such loads on the growing embryo can lead to growth failures; on ultrasound, the fetus will not correspond to the week of development. The risk of spontaneous abortion is high.

In the second trimester - up to 26 weeks (fetal period), coffee can provoke toxicosis, even if you avoided it in the first 12 weeks. Now, not only the fetus, but also the mother herself will feel uncomfortable from a large amount of caffeine.

In the third trimester, the diuretic effect of the drink raises concerns. Coffee removes fluid from the body and this is bad - frequent urination is unpleasant in itself, the lost fluid needs to be replenished; but at the same time, in the later stages, edema is not uncommon, in which the doctor limits the daily intake of water. Coffee during pregnancy is undesirable at any time, but in the third trimester it is frankly dangerous.

To drink or not to drink - the benefits and harms of coffee for expectant mothers

You can write a separate article about the benefits of coffee as a drink. But the use of coffee by the expectant mother, based on numerous studies, is not welcome. And that's why.

Coffee is a drink that quickly removes water from the body. Its frequent use leads to leaching of useful substances necessary for mother and child along with water.

- Penetrating through the placenta, caffeine accumulates in the body of the fetus, which can lead to negative consequences - for example, hypoxia.

Caffeine provokes a decrease in blood flow to the placenta, which leads to anemia and more serious complications, up to hospitalization.

How to overcome the habit of drinking coffee during pregnancy?

The conclusion is that coffee is harmful for expectant mothers. Strong or soft, 3 in 1 coffee, any of them contains caffeine. Of course, it will not be easy for pregnant women to immediately give up coffee if they really want to. For starters, you can leave coffee only in the morning, and the rest of the time you can drink other liquids (water, juice, sour-milk drinks).

Here are some tips to minimize the risk of drinking coffee during pregnancy:

• Drink coffee with cream or milk. The caffeine content in a drink diluted with milk components will decrease by 10-15%.
• With low pressure, you can sometimes afford up to 2 freshly brewed cups of coffee a day. If the pressure, on the contrary, is high, you should say goodbye to the drink.
• If you want coffee so much that you can’t endure it, opt for a drink made from natural raw materials. Instant coffee, in fact, is the “garbage” of coffee production and there is not a single gram of usefulness for you and the unborn baby in it.

The article discusses coffee during pregnancy. We tell you whether it is possible to drink it in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester, how it affects the fetus. You will learn about the benefits and harms of the product, reviews of doctors and those who drank coffee while carrying a child, and how you can replace it.

Coffee is a tonic drink that can quickly drive away sleep and energize you. It contains a large number of aromatic substances that give the drink a unique flavor.

Drink no more than 4 cups of coffee per day

The composition also contains alkaloids - tonic compounds that provide a burst of energy after each cup of coffee. An important place among them is occupied by caffeine, the concentration of which depends on the type of coffee. On average, one coffee spoon of ground coffee contains about 0.2 g of caffeine.

The fragrant product also contains many vitamins, mineral salts and carbohydrates. It is worth noting that the chemical composition of coffee beans is not fully understood, for this reason, most of the components have not yet been identified.

An interesting fact: 100 g of coffee can provide 50% of the daily human need for riboflavin, phosphorus, iron and vitamin D; up to 20% - carbohydrates, amino acids, calcium and sodium; up to 132% of the daily norm of nicotinic acid.

Such a rich chemical composition has both benefits and harms to the human body. Its effect on a woman directly depends on the amount of drink consumed and the personal characteristics of the body.

The benefits of coffee in case of moderate consumption (no more than 3 cups per day) are due to the fact that the product:

• improves mood;
• charges with positive energy;
• enhances concentration and performance;
• prevents the development of caries;
• activates the work of the intestine;
• normalizes the condition with vegetovascular dystonia, hypotension;
• exhibits an antioxidant effect;
• minimizes the likelihood of the formation of malignant tumors, cardiovascular pathologies;
• improves the condition during an exacerbation of bronchial asthma.

Sometimes coffee becomes the safest product from, especially in the early stages of bearing a child.

Benefit and harm

In the absence of health problems and moderate consumption of the drink, it does not harm health, but only benefits. Future mothers suffering from hypotension and vegetovascular dystonia can drink weak coffee and only in the morning after breakfast.

It is useful to drink a drink in the 2nd trimester, especially if the pregnant woman has swelling. Coffee beans have a good diuretic effect, due to which they remove excess fluid from the body, eliminating puffiness. A similar technique is permissible in the absence of preeclampsia, anemia, and.

This is where the useful qualities of coffee for pregnant women end. The harm from the drink can occur at any stage of pregnancy, including the 3rd trimester, and it is expressed as follows:

1. Due to the diuretic effect, calcium, phosphorus and potassium are washed out of the body. This is fraught with problems with the development of the skeleton in the fetus and osteoporosis in the pregnant woman.
2. If you drink more than 4 cups of coffee a day in the second trimester, then this threatens with low birth weight of the child.
3. Caffeine contributes, due to which the vessels and the vascular cell of the placenta narrow. All this leads to fetal hypoxia and placental insufficiency.
4. All substances contained in coffee are able to penetrate the placental barrier, causing a change in the heart rate in the child.
5. If you drink coffee when, then it can cause a miscarriage.
6. An overdose of caffeine provokes a nervous strain in a pregnant woman, as well as aggressiveness, anxiety and irritability.

Why pregnant women have different attitudes to coffee

In the case when, before conception, a woman was indifferent to coffee, then during the period of bearing a child, as a rule, nothing changes. And in some cases, even its intolerance can be observed, especially during toxicosis. The smell of coffee can cause fainting, slight malaise, and even vomiting.

German scientists have conducted studies, according to which female coffee drinkers often experience problems with conception. It is for this reason that at the stage of pregnancy planning it is better to remove this drink from your diet.

But why can't some women deny themselves coffee, consuming it in large quantities? This is due to several reasons:

1. The desire to regularly receive energy “recharging”. You may not think it's true that coffee is as addictive as cigarettes and energy drinks. After caffeine enters the body, it is absorbed into the bloodstream and reaches the brain, stimulating the synthesis of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that causes a feeling of joy and cheerfulness. This effect lasts only a couple of hours, after which the body needs an additional portion of caffeine.
2. Lack of iron in the body - this condition provokes hypoxia in the pregnant woman and fetus, loss of strength and deterioration of well-being. In such a case, you should consult a doctor, upon confirmation of the diagnosis, undergo the necessary treatment, and not improve your well-being with a coffee drink.

Coffee is an invigorating drink that has contraindications

How much coffee can you

Pregnancy is a period when you need to be careful about your diet and health. If before conception a woman could afford to lead an unhealthy lifestyle and eat unhealthy food, now this cannot be done. Experts recommend refraining from coffee during pregnancy, as it negatively affects the body of a pregnant woman and the condition of the fetus.

According to studies, excessive consumption of a fragrant drink in the early stages of pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, in the later stages it can cause premature birth. But such consequences occur only when the pregnant woman drinks really a lot of coffee. For example, a cup of coffee drunk from low blood pressure will not lead to such complications.

To answer the question of whether pregnant women can drink coffee, scientists from Denmark conducted an experiment. According to the results obtained, a woman in position can drink up to 150 mg of coffee without harm to health. Such a volume of the product will improve well-being, give vigor, raise pressure and will not affect the baby in the womb.

Similar studies were carried out with the joint participation of European, American and Australian scientists. Based on the results, in 2010 they made recommendations according to which you can consume up to 200 g of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to 2 cups of coffee.

It should be noted that such a dosage is applicable only to women whose pregnancy proceeds without complications. In the presence of kidney and liver pathologies, as well as anemia, it is better not to drink coffee at all. The drink is of particular danger in the 3rd trimester in the presence of highly progressive preeclampsia.

How to drink coffee

There are certain rules for drinking a drink from coffee beans during the period of bearing a child. Here they are:

1. Drink the drink only after eating, as drinking on an empty stomach causes irritation of the stomach lining, which will lead to nausea, heartburn and pain in this organ.
2. It is desirable to dilute coffee with natural cream or milk. This procedure will reduce the strength of the drink and replenish the supply of calcium.
3. If you drink coffee, consider the caffeine content of other foods you consume.
4. Due to the fact that coffee dehydrates, after each cup of drink, you need to drink 3 glasses of mineral water to normalize the water balance.

Types of coffee

Since the stores offer a wide range of coffee, you should figure out which variety is best to use during pregnancy. Experts advise drinking only natural coffee beans due to the fact that it does not contain any additives.

Below we will look at the main varieties of coffee to understand what you can and cannot drink.

Natural coffe

On sale are coffee beans or ground, with varying degrees of grinding, as a mixture or a certain variety. You can choose the one you like the most. At the same time, take into account the fact that the degree of roasting of the grains affects the strength of the drink.

Prolonged roasting increases the amount of alkaloids. For this reason, coffee that is not heavily roasted should be purchased. You should also take into account the fact that the smaller the grinding, the richer the taste of the drink.

All coffee has several types: Robusta and Arabica. Robusta is high in caffeine and does not taste good. Arabica has a lower strength, while it has a delicate taste and aroma.

Decaffeinated coffee

On sale you can find coffee marked “decaffeinated”, but this is pure fraud. Although grains are processed to reduce caffeine levels, it is impossible to completely eliminate it.

In addition, most experts agree that such a product is dangerous to humans, since various solvents are used to eliminate caffeine. Based on the research, if you drink coffee that has undergone a decaffeination procedure, this leads to the formation of atherosclerosis.

Such a product has poor taste, it is insipid and odorless. For this reason, it is better not to use such a product, but to pay attention to natural varieties that have a little caffeine.

Instant coffee

Some people think that instant coffee is a safe drink because it contains little caffeine. This is fundamentally wrong, since this type of coffee is produced on the basis of sorted Robusta beans. At the same time, the concentration of caffeine may exceed that of ordinary brewed coffee.

Also, the disadvantages of this type of product include an uncertain composition. According to experts, this type of coffee contains no more than 25% coffee extract, while the rest is a chemical additive. Such a product cannot be called natural.

The same applies to everyone's favorite “3 in 1” drinks, which contain flavors, preservatives and vegetable fats.

If there are contraindications to drinking coffee, you can replace it with an analogue

What to replace

If for some reason you are forbidden to drink coffee, but treat yourself to something fragrant and invigorating desire to eat, then you should pay attention to plant-based coffee drinks. They can be made in the form of crushed raw materials or soluble powder.

“Kurzeme”

The product contains crushed and roasted chicory, as well as oats, rye and barley. This product is often used in maternity hospitals and perinatal centers as a general tonic that protects the cardiovascular system, improves appetite and kidney function.

The drink goes well with milk, juice, hot chocolate and cocoa.

barley drink

This product does not contain caffeine, but it is rich in vitamins and minerals. Yes, its taste is not similar to coffee, but it is quite pleasant, as is the aroma. There are no contraindications for its use.

Barley drink is prepared according to the same principles as coffee. It can be pure or combined (with berry powder, chicory, wild rose and medicinal herbs).

Chicory

The simplest, but not the worst, coffee substitute is chicory root. After preparation, such a drink is similar in properties to coffee. Chicory is allowed during pregnancy, moreover, it has such useful properties:

• normalizes the amount of sugar in the blood;
• increases hemoglobin and appetite;
• has a diuretic effect;
• has a sedative effect;
• has a cleansing effect.

You can drink no more than 4 cups of the drink per day. Prepare the product according to the instructions on the package. As a rule, it comes in the form of a powder, which should be mixed with sugar and poured with boiling water. If desired, milk, cream or condensed milk can be added to the drink.

It is forbidden to take chicory for varicose veins and gastric pathologies.

Contraindications

It is forbidden to drink coffee in the presence of such pathologies:

• preeclampsia;
• hypertension;
• lack of appetite;
• insomnia;
• diseases of the digestive organs;
• anemia;
• toxicosis;
• fetoplacental insufficiency.

In all other cases, a doctor's consultation is required. Remember, in the presence of these diseases, even not strong coffee can cause a strong deterioration in well-being.

Consequences

If you abuse coffee, it can lead to a number of complications, including:

• hypokalemia;
• hypertension;
• exacerbation of migraine attacks;
• urolithiasis disease;
• dehydration;
• hypercholesterolemia.

Caffeine belongs to the class of light narcotic compounds. This is due to the fact that most lovers of a fragrant drink are dependent on it both physically and psychologically.

The benefits and harms of coffee

Coffee is good if you drink it in moderation. Drinking a drink in excess can adversely affect the state of the body, especially women who become pregnant.

Positive effect of coffee:

• invigorates, provides energy and strength;
• improves attention and concentration;
• beneficial effect on the activity of cerebral vessels;
• increases efficiency;
• makes you more physically resilient;
• prevents caries;
• helps with stress and nervous tension;
• useful for low blood pressure;
• stimulates metabolism;
• improves memory;
• effectively fights drowsiness;
• has a diuretic effect (regular urination prevents swelling).

Harm of coffee if you drink often and regularly:

• flushes calcium out of the body;
• increases the release of hydrochloric acid and can lead to irritation of the gastrointestinal tract;
• the ability to increase pressure can increase the tone of the uterus during pregnancy;
• forms plaque on the teeth;
• violates the absorption of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium;
• additional dehydration may occur due to the diuretic effect.

How coffee affects the body of a future mother

Coffee is contraindicated for pregnant women in large quantities, as this threatens with negative consequences. Drinking more than 200 ml of the drink per day increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth.

The effect of the drink on the fetus and the body of a pregnant woman shows why you should not drink coffee in excessive amounts:

• impairs blood circulation in the placenta;
• increases the acidity of the gastric juice and can aggravate stomach problems;
• contributes to the accumulation of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels;
• increases the pulse and heart rate of the fetus;
• washing out calcium disrupts the development of bones in a baby;
• can cause iron deficiency anemia;
• prolonged use of the drink in unlimited quantities leads to insomnia, anxiety, headaches.

Pregnant women should drink coffee carefully, not only because of its harmful effects. The composition matters. Manufacturers may add flavors, flavor enhancers, pesticides, and other harmful substances that are harmful to the fetus. Healthy natural coffee should not contain such additives.

Is coffee allowed for expectant mothers and for how long

You need to think about drinking an invigorating drink when you just decide to have a baby. You should not drink coffee when planning a pregnancy, as drinking more than three cups daily can cause difficulty conceiving.

To successfully become pregnant, not only women, but also men need to limit the amount of drink. For those who are planning to conceive, it is important to remember that excessive amounts of coffee can impair ovulation, disrupt a woman's hormonal background and reduce the quality of sperm in a man.

Is it possible to drink coffee during pregnancy at different times:

To prevent calcium from being washed out of the body, maternity coffee can be mixed with milk or cream. So the drink will turn out less strong. In the absence of health problems, coffee in moderation can be drunk during lactation. The famous doctor Komarovsky believes that an invigorating drink should be discarded if it caused an allergic reaction, sleep disturbance, anxiety or excessive excitement in the baby. Coffee is prohibited for nursing mothers if the child is prescribed a medication containing caffeine.

Which coffee to choose

When you want coffee, many people prefer to drink instant coffee. It's easy to prepare, delicious, and contains less caffeine. But despite the positive aspects, instant coffee should not be consumed during pregnancy. The reasons for this lie in the composition of the drink. It contains no more than 15% coffee beans, and everything else is flavors, flavor enhancers and other chemical additives that can harm the expectant mother and baby.

It is better to choose natural, brewed coffee. It is not harmful to a healthy body if consumed in moderation. It is recommended to drink coffee with milk or cream. This will prevent calcium from being flushed out of the body. The amount of caffeine depends on the type of bean and the method of preparation. For example, 210 ml of espresso contains 100 mg of caffeine, while the same volume of Turkish coffee contains 80-135 mg.

Decaffeinated coffee: an option or not

Due to the harmful effects of caffeine, they began to develop and produce coffee analogues. It might seem like a good alternative that solves the problem. In fact, those who drink decaffeinated coffee may also experience negative effects.

Substances that are used in this drink can cause a tendency to an allergic reaction in a baby and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in a future mother. Caffeine-free grains increase blood cholesterol levels. This can lead to the development of atherosclerosis. Drinking decaffeinated coffee during pregnancy in unlimited quantities increases the risk of miscarriage by 2 times. Therefore, it is better to refuse the drink.

Contraindications and precautions

The negative impact of caffeine for pregnant women is manifested in the case of frequent use in large quantities. Taking precautions and following the rules for drinking a drink can reduce its harm.

How and how much coffee can pregnant women drink:

• drink a cup a day;
• drink in the morning;
• add milk or cream;
• do not drink coffee on an empty stomach.

Keep in mind that in some cases you can not drink coffee at all. These include:

• diseases of the stomach;
• high blood pressure;
• liver disease;
• Iron-deficiency anemia;
• nausea, vomiting, headaches, convulsions and headaches with toxicosis.

Expert opinion

Certified Dietitian. Work experience 5 years.

Nutritionist advice. There is no consensus among nutritionists about the use of coffee by pregnant women. Some argue that if you drink one or two small cups of weak coffee a day, then there will be no harm to the fetus. Others believe that caffeine outweighs the risk of miscarriage. Other scientists have proven that caffeine does not affect the development of the fetus and is not related to miscarriages.

But pregnant women should still abstain from coffee. Its use leads to the fact that the child is born with a lower weight than other newborns. According to the norms, pregnant women can drink coffee in the amount of 200 ml per day. It is not recommended to drink instant coffee, as it can lead to problems with being overweight and provoke the appearance of cellulite. 85% of instant coffee is not coffee beans, but powder from various nuts, preservatives and other chemical products.

In order for the female body to “not miss” caffeine, it must receive a sufficient amount of proteins and carbohydrates during the day, eat whole foods.

Chicory as an alternative to coffee

Those who do not want to take risks can find a worthy replacement for the popular drink. Chicory is well suited for pregnant women instead of coffee. The taste of the drink is not much different from coffee, but dried chicory is used to make it. When using this coffee substitute, there are no negative consequences.

The drink improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, removes toxins from the body, regulates blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol, helps cleanse the blood, and normalizes the activity of blood vessels and the heart. It is also useful for stress and emotional disorders.

It is useful for expectant mothers to know how to replace coffee besides chicory:

• cocoa;
• green tea;
• herbal tea (choose only allowed herbs - rose hips, mint, chamomile, rowan leaves, currants).

Pregnant women can drink a small cup of coffee a day (maximum two). The main thing is to choose a high-quality natural drink without harmful additives. In the 1st and 3rd trimester, you need to be especially careful. Those planning to start a family should also minimize the amount of coffee consumed. A drink in large quantities is dangerous for the expectant mother. It is better to drink coffee with milk or cream for pregnant women. A useful substitute for a drink can be chicory. Drinking decaffeinated coffee is not recommended. Harmful additives that replace caffeine can adversely affect the health of a woman carrying a baby. The video below focuses on the topic of whether or not to drink coffee during pregnancy.

It is difficult to imagine the morning of a modern person without fragrant coffee. But what if this person is a future mother. What should pregnant coffee drinkers do? Is it worth giving up your favorite drink and how to replace it, if at all possible.

Pregnant women have their own quirks. Most of them are diet related. Well, who else wants to eat ice cream with something salty? Along with the appearance in the menu of the expectant mother, sometimes truly strange combinations of products and tastes that have not been held in high esteem until now, some have to be excluded. Mothers who are afraid to gain excess weight, with difficulty, but still deny themselves flour and sweets for the sake of their health and the health of their baby. And what about a future mother who cannot live without coffee and is used to drinking it several times a day?

The topic of drinking coffee while carrying a child causes a lot of controversy and doubt. Some say that drinking it with milk is healthy and even recommend drinking up to three cups of an invigorating drink a day. Others are sure that such experiments in the diet can lead to serious consequences, up to premature birth.

According to some opinions, excess doses of caffeine can even lead to miscarriage. It is known that the caffeine in the composition of the drink increases blood circulation and increases blood pressure. It also stimulates the nervous system. Now imagine what happens to the organism developing in the womb.

The note! There is an opinion that coffee prolongs life if you drink it in small portions.

Some experts argue that if you drink coffee with milk, it will neutralize the effects of caffeine at times. As a result, mom enjoys the usual taste, caffeine no longer has such a strong effect and the baby is safe. After all, if a pregnant woman wants something, then there will be a compromise even in the most dubious issues of the diet.

Research results

An experiment conducted by Danish researchers was a success for caffeine aficionados. More than one thousand women agreed to take part in it. Pregnant women were treated to coffee and their condition was monitored, but, most importantly, records were kept about the well-being and changes in the development of the baby. This continued until childbirth. It turned out that small doses of caffeine were not harmful.

Scientists also did not find significant differences in the weight of newborn babies. It turns out that nothing will happen from three cups of coffee, and even more so with milk. Although it is not recommended to exceed this amount. Fatal for a baby can be a dose of coffee without additives in the size of nine cups.

Scientists have also proven that you should start saying goodbye to coffee or looking for a replacement already at the stage of pregnancy planning. As it turned out, it is much more difficult for coffee lovers to conceive a child.

Benefits of coffee with milk

It turns out that coffee is not harmful to all pregnant women. But the milk really does take the brunt. Therefore, you can and even need to drink it with milk. As you know, coffee contributes to the leaching of calcium from the body. For the expectant mother and for her crumbs, this is a building material for the full growth and development of the child's skeleton.

The baby will not wait until the mother replenishes the diet with dairy and other products containing calcium. He will use the already available stocks. As a result, women doom themselves to fractures, bone pain, osteoporosis, low immunity and other problems associated with calcium deficiency in the future. So, if you are a future mother and love coffee, then drink it only with milk or cream.

Rules of use

A few rules for drinking coffee will help not only wake up in the morning, not change habits, but also not harm the health of the child:

• It is advisable to drink coffee in the morning. Just not on an empty stomach. It is not recommended to abuse coffee before going to bed;
• choose instant, granulated, or green coffee. They have less caffeine. And in a drink made from green grains, more useful substances are stored due to the peculiarities of processing;
• safe for pregnant women is weak brewed coffee with cream or milk;
• do not abuse the drink. Drink only if you have low blood pressure;
• for pregnant women, three cups of coffee with milk is the daily maximum;
• the invigorating drink is known for its diuretic effect. It will greatly help women with low blood pressure suffering from edema;
• reduce the amount of product used. Take a smaller cup and enjoy the taste while drinking in small sips.

Often we do not even notice that we drink coffee not because we want to, but just out of habit. Try to replace this habit with something else that tastes just as good for you. For example, eat an apple instead of a serving of caffeine.

The note! Watch the quality of the coffee you buy. Do not expect anything good from low-grade products. Do not buy bags of ready-made three-in-one drinks, and even more so with flavors.

Contraindications

When using most products above the norm, there are contraindications. Coffee is no exception. It is not recommended to use:

• with high blood pressure. With the onset of pregnancy, it already rises;
• with gastritis and peptic ulcer;
• if you suffer from insomnia;
• toxicosis and headaches are not the best friends of coffee, even if it is with milk;
• In the first trimester of pregnancy, the fetal heart is actively forming. Caffeine can cause disturbances;
• during the risk of preterm birth.

A good substitute for a drink

In order not to become a victim of your own experiments, find a replacement for the drink. But do not rush to opt for tea. Both black and green drinks also contain caffeine, and the latter even has more than coffee. Juices, compotes, fruit drinks or jelly will ideally complement the diet.

As for the taste, cocoa will be a worthy replacement for coffee, or even better, try chicory. During pregnancy, it is considered one of the healthiest drinks. Moreover, its taste is so reminiscent of coffee, especially if you add milk to chicory. Drinking this drink will be a huge contribution to the health of the expectant mother. The benefits of chicory are as follows:

• it removes toxins;
• regulates the work of the intestine;
• tones and stimulates appetite;
• stimulates the work of the stomach;
• recommended by doctors for anemia;
• calms and supports the nervous system;
• unlike coffee, chicory relieves heartburn;
• reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood;
• normalizes metabolism.

The note! Australian scientists have concluded that chicory cleanses and refreshes the composition of the blood, which is very important for the expectant mother and the good health of her baby.

If a pregnant woman is afraid to gain extra pounds while carrying a child, then chicory will help keep the figure in good shape. You do not have to deplete the body with diets and limit the baby in the womb with useful substances.

If you have long been an avid coffee drinker, and are now planning motherhood, try to keep coffee consumption to a minimum. Give preference to weak coffee with milk, do not drink more than three cups a day. If you have health problems, refuse the drink for the sake of your baby. Chicory will help temporarily satisfy the “coffee” needs, and will also bring much more benefit to you and the unborn baby.

Video - is it possible to drink coffee during pregnancy

A couple of cups of coffee a day is normal for a healthy person. However, since the start of pregnancy, many women are reconsidering their habits, in particular, food.

It is hard for those who love coffee to imagine their life without this invigorating and fragrant drink, and therefore the question of whether pregnant women can have coffee is especially relevant for them. And this also applies to coffee with milk, because it is believed that milk neutralizes the possible harm of caffeine.

How coffee affects the body of an ordinary healthy person

Before you understand how coffee can affect the body and the condition of the expectant mother and baby, you need to understand the general effect of this drink on the body.

• Drinking coffee increases heart rate and pressure rise.
• The caffeine contained in beans has a diuretic effect.
• Coffee stimulates brain activity. Therefore, it is popular among office workers and creative people, for whom a coffee break is a great opportunity to recharge for new exploits.

Thus, if we are talking about a person who does not suffer from problems with the heart and blood vessels, a couple of cups of this drink a day is not particularly dangerous.

Coffee in early pregnancy

Especially important is the question of whether it is possible to drink coffee in the first trimester of pregnancy. This period is considered a key period in the development of the fetus.

The child lays all the organs and their systems. Although many are so accustomed to coffee that they do not consider the option of refusing it, you need to think about whether it is worth giving an unformed baby to the body. additional load.

Caffeine passes through the placenta barrier very easily. Therefore, almost everything that enters the body of the expectant mother automatically goes to the child.

So, let's assume that in the normal state your pressure is low. And then, pampering yourself with coffee, you will feel great. But what happens to the child? At first, his pressure indicators will be quite normal. But with the intake of caffeine, they will have to increase.

As a result, all the baby's organs and their systems will begin to work faster, and the first too serious loads will rely on the tissues that have just formed. And is it necessary and not safe? Therefore, it is precisely in early pregnancy that drinking coffee absolutely not recommended.

At the end of the first trimester, the expectant mother may feel better, and then she has thoughts that she can already drink coffee.

However, keep in mind that the baby will experience similar stresses, and plus you can also feel discomfort. While in the first trimester the size of the fetus is still very small, then it grows rapidly and begins to put pressure on the bladder, as a result of which the expectant mother has frequent urge to urinate.

Drinking coffee only exacerbates this situation. Therefore, not in the early stages with coffee yet some caution is needed.

Can I drink coffee?

For the most part, doctors advise expectant mothers don't drink coffee. They rely on the results of numerous studies conducted in many countries.

The fact is that there are a lot of negative consequences from drinking coffee:

• Excessive activity, which is a normal consequence of drinking coffee, can impair a pregnant woman’s sleep, exacerbate mood swings that are already characteristic of this period.
• Excessive coffee consumption leads to narrowing of the vessels of the uterus. As a result, the baby's oxygen supply may deteriorate. It will absorb nutrients worse. Even hypoxia is possible.
• Coffee increases the tone of the uterus. This increases the risk of miscarriage.
• Under the influence of caffeine, toxicosis can become stronger.
• Caffeine provokes frequent urination, which causes some discomfort to the expectant mother. Also, as a result, dehydration and the loss of many useful substances by the body are possible.
• Caffeine, getting through the placenta to the child, increases baby's heart rate and may have a negative impact on its development.
• It is also known that coffee interferes with the body of a pregnant woman to absorb normally. iron and calcium. But the body of a pregnant woman loses them so intensely ..
• Drinking the drink on an empty stomach significantly increases the acidity of the stomach. As a result, the risk of heartburn increases. In the process of waiting for a baby, this phenomenon often manifests itself, and is far from the most pleasant.
• Some studies claim that women who abuse coffee drinking are more likely than others to give birth to children with a body weight less than average.
• Caffeine can be especially dangerous for those expectant mothers who suffer from high blood pressure. This drink enhances risk of gestosis.

But if you love coffee very much and cannot imagine your life without it, do not be upset ahead of time. Negative consequences mainly take place when the expectant mother abuses this drink. Scientists agree that small doses of coffee will not negatively affect either pregnancy or the baby itself.

In addition, coffee can be beneficial in moderation. For those who are prone to constant drowsiness and lethargy, a cup of coffee in the morning is a true salvation. It can also help you get rid of pain, despondency and depression.

How Much Coffee Can You Drink During Pregnancy?

The main negative effect remains with the caffeine contained in coffee, therefore, when calculating the rate of consumption of the drink, the amount of this particular substance is taken into account.

A cup of coffee is considered to be 226 ml, and this volume contains 137 ml of caffeine if the coffee is brewed, and 78 if it is instant.

But when calculating the allowable amount of caffeine, keep in mind that it is contained not only in coffee, but also in other products, such as tea, chocolate. Better limited to one cup in the first half of the day. Better yet, not every day.

Is it possible to drink coffee with milk

Many pregnant women believe that coffee with milk is more harmful than plain black coffee, as it can cause excess weight in the baby. However, if we are talking about one or two cups (and more in your position and you can’t), then what was said earlier is not relevant.

If you are too afraid of gaining weight, choose reduced fat milk.

In general, many experts insist that if the expectant mother drinks coffee, she must definitely drink it with milk or cream. First, they can neutralize the negative impact caffeine or reduce it. Secondly, since coffee can cause the body to lose calcium, dairy products will replenish its reserves.

Instant coffee during pregnancy

There is an opinion among some expectant mothers that instant coffee is not as dangerous as brewed coffee, as it is less strong and contains less caffeine.

It would seem logical, but in fact the amount of caffeine remains the same: a drink made from a spoonful of instant coffee and half a spoonful of brewed coffee is completely same.

It is necessary to take into account another point. To give coffee the ability to dissolve, it is supplied with all sorts of chemicals. And they represent additional danger for the health of mother and baby.

And there is also enough caffeine in a cup of such coffee, so excessive consumption of instant coffee can lead to a serious drug-like addiction. Therefore, this type of coffee should be abandoned altogether.

Can you drink decaffeinated coffee?

Many believe that the main risk factor for coffee is caffeine. Therefore, if you drink a drink where this substance is absent, you can completely save yourself from any harm. But this approach is also wrong.

During pregnancy, decaffeinated coffee can be even more dangerous for both mom and baby. In order to obtain such a drink, a difficult chemical process is required, involving the use of a considerable amount of aggressive substances.

Drinking decaffeinated coffee can provoke allergic reactions, and even have a carcinogenic effect. And the effect of this drink on the body has not yet been studied to the end. Therefore, the risk in this case is not justified - don't experiment with a similar look.

Can you drink green coffee during pregnancy?

This coffee is called green because it not subjected to heat treatment- grains in this case are not fried. This is what explains the specific taste of the drink. Many sources talk about the benefits of green coffee.

It is believed that it promotes weight loss, accelerates metabolic processes, and improves mood. However, be sure to take into account that studies have not yet been conducted on the effect of green coffee on the body of the fetus and expectant mother. That's why experts do not recommend expectant mothers to use this type of coffee.

How to replace coffee: worthy alternatives

One of the best and safest alternatives to coffee recognized chicory. It is similar in color and taste to coffee. At the same time, it is very useful. Drinking a drink will help prevent problems with sugar levels, purify the blood, and increase hemoglobin. In addition, unlike coffee, chicory soothes. The use of chicory with milk is very useful. It is allowed to add a spoonful of sugar to chicory.

Instead of coffee you can drink delicious cocoa. It has an amazing taste and aroma. There is caffeine here, but its amount is extremely small. Having a cup of warm sweet cocoa in the morning, you cheer yourself up and recharge your energy for the whole day. In addition, this drink will provide you with the intake of nutrients.

Another great alternative is herbal teas. With black and green, caution and moderation are needed, since they also contain a sufficient amount of caffeine.

But herbal teas are an opportunity to relax and saturate the body with useful components. Some of them invigorate, some, for example, mint, soothe. Brew lemon balm and mint, blueberries, cherries, raspberries and so on - as a bonus, you will also get a pleasant aroma. Try adding about a spoonful of honey to the drink - it will become even tastier.

As we can see from the above, it is sometimes permissible to indulge in a cup of coffee. But do not abuse it and do not drink it in the evening. The best option is a cup of weak bean coffee of high quality, diluted with milk.

Keep in mind that coffee flushes out fluid from your body, so try to drink plenty of water. Do not drink coffee when you are hungry - heartburn and indigestion are possible.

If you are in the first trimester of pregnancy, it is still better not to endanger yourself or your baby and refrain from drinking this drink. Perhaps you have individual contraindications to drinking coffee. Be sure to check with the doctor who is watching you.