Coffee and early pregnancy: compatible or not

Many women, when they become pregnant, wonder: should they switch to decaffeinated coffee? The effect of coffee on the body of pregnant women has not been fully studied, and although scientists regularly conduct various studies, the sample of those willing to participate is small, which means the results cannot be considered final. Everyone’s body is different, pregnancy has its own characteristics, and something cannot be unequivocally allowed or prohibited. In addition, preferences often change, and avid coffee drinkers cannot smell the espresso, and those who previously drank only tea crave coffee around the clock.

You need to understand how caffeine affects the body to decide whether it's worth switching to a decaffeinated drink or whether it's better to give it up.

Is it possible to drink decaffeinated coffee during pregnancy?

In general, the answer is positive. If caffeine is not prohibited in principle (and it is found in tea, chocolate, cocoa, cola and many other products), then it is acceptable within reasonable limits. And in small doses (up to 200 milliliters per day), you can even drink a natural grain drink, if there are no complications or risks.

It is better to give up coffee (including decaffeinated coffee) if pregnancy occurs with the following features:

Increased stomach acidity, frequent heartburn, ulcers, gastritis - because organic acids can increase the secretion of gastric juice and stimulate the gallbladder, thereby making the pain more pronounced;
Increased blood pressure - the blood vessels are already compressed, and even after removal caffeine remains in minimal doses (0.08 - 0.1%), and the child does not receive enough nutrients. It has been proven that coffee lovers often give birth to children underweight by 100-200 grams;
Kidney and urinary problems - Coffee chemicals can directly or indirectly dehydrate the body, which will make you need to go to the toilet more often and require you to drink more water.

How to drink coffee correctly during pregnancy

Caffeine is also contained in Coca-Cola, so you should not abuse it.
It is worth noting that the caffeine contained in the drink is harmful. To weaken its effect, you must follow the basic rules:

A cup of coffee is allowed only after meals. If you drink a latte or cappuccino on an empty stomach, you can cause heartburn, nausea, and stomach pain.
The drink must be diluted with cream or milk.
To avoid dehydration, you should drink 2-3 cups of clean water after coffee.
It should be remembered that caffeine is also found in other drinks: chocolate milk, tea, Coca-Cola.

How much coffee can pregnant women drink per day?

If it is not possible to completely stop drinking it, limit yourself to 1-2 cups of a weak drink with milk.

Is it necessary to completely give up your favorite drink?

A small amount of latte or cappuccino will not cause serious harm to the expectant mother. But she should limit her consumption of the drink and not abuse it. If after drinking a cup you feel a deterioration in your health, you should abandon the drink completely.

A woman who feels well during pregnancy and has no health problems can afford a couple of cups of an invigorating drink.

Many expectant mothers believe that while breastfeeding they will need to completely give up their favorite drink. The competent doctor Komarovsky says that coffee during pregnancy is allowed in minimal quantities if the woman is absolutely healthy. During breastfeeding, the mother needs to pay attention to the baby's behavior. If he has problems sleeping, irritability, constant tearfulness, it is better for mom to drink water, compotes, and decoctions.

The dangers of decaffeinated drinks

Some expectant mothers believe that decaffeinated coffee during pregnancy is permissible in any quantity, but this is not true.

The fact is that in addition to the main caffeine alkaloid, the beans also contain many other substances: essential oils, natural acids, resins and tannins, which in high concentrations are not useful anyway, and especially when carrying a child.

Coffee beans contain the substance cafestol, which in large doses activates the production of cholesterol, thereby increasing the risk of atherosclerotic plaques in the mother’s blood vessels. During decaffeination, cafestol remains. The harm starts from about 4-5 cups of the drink per day; with occasional use of cafestol, there is no need to be afraid.

Both regular and decaffeinated coffee leaches calcium from a pregnant woman’s body, which is actively used to form the baby’s bones. And if you have problems with your own teeth, your doctor may advise you to give up caffeine altogether. To reduce the risks, you should add milk or cream to the cup; they will to some extent compensate for the lack of calcium.

It is important not to get carried away, and not to consider decaffeinated coffee harmless. 2-3 cups a day will not harm a healthy woman, but more can lead to risks.

How much decaffeinated coffee can you safely drink during pregnancy?

There are no official guidelines on decaf coffee and pregnancy.

Although decaf coffee has very low caffeine levels, the drink is probably safest to drink only in moderation during pregnancy.

Some people claim that decaffeinated coffee is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage.

Most of these claims appear to be based on a 1997 study that found that women who drank 3 or more cups (710+ ml) of decaffeinated coffee during the first trimester of pregnancy had a significantly greater risk of miscarriage compared to women who didn't drink any ().

One 2021 study had similar results ().

However, it's important to note that the study authors stated that the results were likely caused by bias in the study's data set rather than the decaf coffee itself.

Therefore, replacing your morning cup of coffee with decaffeinated coffee should not be a cause for concern.

However, if you want to completely avoid caffeine during pregnancy, opt for decaffeinated hot drinks, such as pregnancy-safe herbal and fruit teas, warm water with lemon and honey, golden milk and alcohol-free mulled wine.

Conclusion:
Although there are no official guidelines for decaf coffee during pregnancy, it is probably safe in moderation because the amount of caffeine is very small.

Benefits of decaffeinated coffee

That's right: in small quantities, decaf coffee can be beneficial, especially for pregnant women.

Improves brain function, maintains mental clarity, helps to concentrate. This is important for those women who continue to work during pregnancy, drive a car, or simply feel that they have become more distracted;
You can drink it even at night, which helps during the vagaries of pregnancy, when you suddenly have an unbearable craving for a certain product. Even if coffee is prohibited, you can drink 3-4 sips of decaffeinated coffee, and it will not harm the body or disturb sleep;
Potassium and magnesium are good for the cardiovascular system, iron improves blood, phosphorus is important for bones. Both the woman and her unborn child, who is forming and growing, need all this.

In any case, if you are in doubt between a regular and decaffeinated drink, it is better to give preference to the latter, at least during pregnancy.

How to give up coffee?

Let's think about what can replace such an invigorating drink? Can tea have this effect? From the point of view of the effect on the body, it can. It also invigorates, improves performance and mood, and all thanks to the caffeine it also contains (especially green tea). The ideal option is to drink coffee with milk, but not strongly brewed. Unfortunately, not many people can drink milk in its pure form, since this drink causes gas formation in the intestines.

In addition, some experts recommend replacing the coffee drink with chicory. A decoction from such a plant has the same tonic properties as coffee. To improve its taste, you can add a little coffee powder.

How to choose decaf coffee

You shouldn’t consider the first decaf you come across to be healthier than regular coffee. And you definitely shouldn’t drink instant, sold on the shelf of a regular store, it will cause even more harm. It is better to buy ground or beans in specialized coffee stores, or order online. If you are going to take care of your health during pregnancy and lactation, you should do so responsibly. And here are just a few recommendations:

Arabica by default has less caffeine than robusta, approximately 1.2% compared to 2.5%. And the less caffeine there was initially in the grain, the shorter the processing process, which means more useful substances are retained.
Roasting green beans that have already been decaffeinated is more difficult and requires special roasters. They are expensive and only big brands can afford them. Buy coffee from well-known world producers (beans or ground) to protect yourself from counterfeits and be guaranteed to get a quality drink.
The longer the roasting process takes place, the less caffeine remains. Choose dark roast beans.

Good decaffeinated beans are supplied by Montana Coffee (Ethiopia and Colombia), ground can be found in the brands Lavazza, Green Mountain, Cafe Altura. It is clear that the smell and taste may be slightly different from the usual coffee of the same brands, but these are trusted manufacturers, and in reasonable quantities the drink will not harm.

How to choose coffee?

Here are some tips that will be useful for expectant mothers:

If possible, drink cappuccino in coffee shops where you can choose your beans. Prefer Arabica, it has much less caffeine than Robusta. Separately, it is worth noting the Maragodzhip variety, especially from Mexico and Nicaragua. It contains minimal caffeine, so the drink is not very strong.
Decaffeinated coffee is still coffee. And it contains caffeine, albeit in minimal quantities. And also other biologically active substances, trace elements and acids. Therefore, you should not get carried away with this drink and drink more than 2-3 cups a day. Excess substances are not beneficial. Alternatively, you can drink a cup of regular cappuccino in the morning, and another one, but with decaffeinated beans, in the afternoon.
No instant drink! In addition to caffeine, there are also many chemical additives, emulsifiers, dyes, and flavor enhancers. Some people think that instant coffee is less strong, but in this case it is not so important.

Cafes often make cappuccino with different flavors: for example, chocolate, caramel or cherry. Choose pure taste, without additives. Do not put berries, a piece of chocolate or caramel there. Artificial concentrated syrups are used, with sweeteners, preservatives and other additives. It is better to refuse them.

How to make decaffeinated coffee for pregnant women

Despite the fact that decaf coffee already has a minimal content of this substance (5-10 times, or even more), the preparation method also affects the strength and benefits.

The most harmless option is espresso from a coffee machine, diluted to an Americano or latte with milk or water. There will be very little caffeine there.
In second place is Turkish cooking, oriental coffee. It is important to ensure that it does not boil and remove from heat as soon as you see the first signs of foam. Immediately strain it into a cup through a filter to retain the grounds.
A French press is not the best solution, since it requires longer contact with water (about 4 minutes). To reduce caffeine levels, experts recommend brewing the drink for no more than 3 minutes, during which time the beneficial substances will already have time to pass into the water, and the caffeine extract will only begin to open.
Cream or milk is a great addition, especially because it adds calcium that is washed out by caffeinated drinks.

Coffee in late pregnancy

From experienced doctors you can hear a sensible explanation of why pregnant women should not drink coffee:

It stimulates urination, which can cause dehydration. The third trimester is already marked by frequent trips to the toilet, and overloading a pregnant woman’s kidneys is of no use.
Coffee in late pregnancy causes calcium leaching, and this has a detrimental effect on the development of the fetal skeleton.
More than 2 servings of aromatic drink per day can disrupt the brain activity and heart rate of a small person.

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Can pregnant women drink coffee in the second trimester?

During the entire period of waiting for a child, the expectant mother needs to adhere to a nutritious and healthy diet, because she provides a supply of necessary vitamins and minerals not only for herself, but also for the baby.

Usually, by the beginning of the second trimester, all pregnant women say goodbye to toxicosis, and they finally return to a good appetite. In addition, it is in the second trimester of pregnancy that the most active growth of the unborn baby occurs, which means that it requires the maximum amount of nutrients.

Starting from 13-14 weeks, it is useful to increase the caloric content of food consumed to 2500-2800 kcal daily. Meanwhile, this increase must be satisfied through protein products. On the contrary, it is better to reduce carbohydrate consumption during this period.

In this article, we will tell you which products must be included in a woman’s menu during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester, and which, on the contrary, it is better not to consume for now.

List of required products

In the 2nd trimester, a pregnant woman’s menu must contain the following products:

black bread;
various cereals;
potato;
fresh fruits (except grapes) and vegetables;
meat;
fish;
milk and fermented milk products;
cottage cheese and cheese;
chicken eggs.

During pregnancy, it is important to consume all these foods daily, in certain proportions. You can use the sample menu below for the 2nd trimester or create a suitable option for yourself.