Pregnancy & Caffeine
Caffeine, Pregnancy, And The Facts
If you are a devout consumer of caffeine, pregnancy may slow your intake of this beloved stimulant drug, and for very good reason. Though the most common and conclusive studies have shown that a reduction in the amount of caffeine ingested by expectant mothers is a good thing, most doctors do not recommend that a cold turkey quit is necessary. When we become dependant on any substance, it can be emotionally and physically painful to completely refrain from its use. With narcotic addiction this is the only feasible treatment, but with caffeine, pregnancy should mean a slow down or a weaning of the stimulant substance. Just as nicotine does, caffeine passes through the umbilical cord and into the baby’s blood stream. This undeveloped little system of organs has no idea how to deal with or metabolize caffeine, and should not be made to attempt this feat in large doses.
As far ad the diuretic aspects of caffeine, pregnancy can be adversely affected where dehydration is concerned. Lessening of bodily fluids as a result of frequent urination can cause the body to become lethargic, and many women report much more harsh morning sickness or flu like symptoms where caffeine consumption is a factor. Further along during pregnancy, the stimulant factors present in caffeine can compound, causing premature labor and birth. We must be very careful when determining what caffeine, pregnancy, and the combination of the two mean for not only our health, but that of your unborn children.
So, what is the proper slow down method and level? It will vary depending on the amount of caffeine that you have normally consumed in the past, and what types of withdrawal symptoms you experience when attempting to cut down. Because strong pain relievers are no longer permissible during gestation, the harsh and sharp headaches which can occur due to caffeine withdrawal. Small doses of Tylenol are the only acceptable pain medications for women during the better part of the first two trimesters of pregnancy. This scant amount of relief often does not touch the overall pain involved with these headaches.
Caffeine, pregnancy, and the way that they affect each other can be very different from case to case. The general consensus with the medical community is that a reduction in caffeine consumption down to around 100 mg per day can make a huge difference in the overall health and prospective future of both mother and child. Remember also that with the consumption of caffeine, pregnancy bound babies cannot escape or reduce the amounts which are absorbed through to them through mommy’s blood. Baby has difficulty sleeping and getting comfortable, just like mother does. Caffeine will also come through the breast milk, so keep that in mind if you plan to nurse your child.