Pregnancy is the happiest and most unusual period in the life of any woman, because it is at this time that the body changes, rebuilds, new sensations, desires arise. This is especially true of gastronomic addictions. Very often, a woman wants some unusual food or, conversely, a prohibited product. The article will focus on a drink that is not recommended to be consumed in large quantities, namely coffee. Doctors still can not decide whether you can drink coffee during pregnancy or not, whether it harms the fetus. Some people think that a little drink does no harm, others say caffeine is harmful to mothers and their unborn children. Can I drink coffee during pregnancy in the early stages or later? Or is it better to abstain altogether? We will talk about all this in an article.
Danger to the unborn child
The effect of caffeine on the body is often compared with the effect exerted by narcotic substances. In addition, it is often part of medications, and for pregnant women, most medications are strictly prohibited. The use of large quantities of coffee during pregnancy affects the baby as follows:
- the level of blood flow to the placenta decreases due to the diuretic effect of the drink;
- through the placenta, the child receives a portion of caffeine;
- contributes to an increase in heart rate;
- the child's breathing quickens;
- affects the development of the nervous system and the formation of the skeleton;
- if you consume 200 mg or more of caffeine in one day, the likelihood of a miscarriage or premature birth is doubled.
How does caffeine affect a mother
Naturally, not only the child receives a negative impact due to coffee. But the expectant mother also suffers due to an excess of caffeine in her body. What happens to a mother who abuses coffee during pregnancy?
- A woman's blood pressure rises. This is very dangerous for hypertensive patients, and can also contribute to the appearance of gestosis.
- If the future mother had an ulcer, or she suffers from gastritis with high acidity, then caffeine is strictly contraindicated. The reason for this is that coffee increases acidity in the stomach.
- A diuretic drink.
- Abuse of it contributes to the occurrence of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels. Particular care should be taken in pregnant women after the age of 35 years.
Early dates
The drink has a tonic and exciting property. And if you drink coffee during pregnancy in the early stages, then these properties will affect the general condition of the uterus and blood vessels, which (as mentioned above) increases the risk of miscarriage. All this is true, but there is one quite significant “but”. In order to provoke a critical condition for the fetus, the mother should drink more than five cups of coffee a day, moreover, regularly. And here we are talking about a real strong grain drink. Therefore, no matter how much a woman loves him, it is quite possible to abstain from such "killer" doses. So if you do not abuse the quantity and do not consume a constantly strong drink, then the risk of negative effects will be negligible.
II trimester
The second trimester begins at the 15th week of pregnancy and ends after the 26th. This is the calmest and safest period for both the unborn baby and his mother. Can I drink coffee during pregnancy during the second trimester? Now let's figure it out.
During this period, the placenta is already formed and fully functioning, it is through it that the child receives a part of the caffeine drunk by the woman. What does this threaten? Coffee causes vasoconstriction, which means that the amount of oxygen entering the placenta is reduced. There is a danger of hypoxia. Another drink provokes leaching of calcium from the body, and in these weeks the unborn child needs it more than ever, because the formation of the skeletal system occurs. Of course, if pregnancy is easy, there are no deviations or health problems, then you can afford to drink a cup of your favorite drink. But better let it be coffee with milk or cappuccino.
The last weeks of pregnancy
The most important thing is to know the measure. One cup of weak coffee per day will not have irreversible effects. It is always better to focus on your condition and well-being, as well as adhere to the recommendations of a leading doctor. As in the second trimester, the main threat from coffee is the occurrence of hypoxia. Large doses of caffeine can cause premature birth, and can also affect the fact that the baby will not be able to gain the necessary weight before being born.
How much coffee can you get during pregnancy?
As mentioned above, one cup of coffee per day is not able to harm either the expectant mother or the baby. It is advisable that this ritual is not daily. A more accurate answer can be given by a doctor who guides you from the first days of pregnancy and is fully acquainted with the state of your body and the history of the development and growth of the fetus.
If you still can’t do without coffee, then it is best to drink it with milk and a bite with a hearty sandwich or a fragrant bun.
Reasons when doctors strongly recommend completely abandoning the use of drinks and products containing caffeine:
- stomach problems;
- systematically increased blood pressure;
- low hemoglobin.
But if the pressure is very low, then coffee, on the contrary, will contribute to its normalization and save the woman from unnecessary edema.
Low pressure
In the initial stages of pregnancy, a woman may have signs of toxicosis and low blood pressure. They may be accompanied by:
- weakness
- tinnitus;
- lethargy;
- nausea
- dizziness.
Any of these symptoms can occur at the most inopportune moment and take the woman by surprise. In this case, a cup of coffee will be a real salvation. An attack of nausea can stop a hot drink with a slice of lemon.
Strong sweet tea has a similar effect on the body . But in any case, neither one nor the other should not be drunk in large quantities.
Coffee with milk
Coffee during pregnancy is best drunk with milk. Doctors say that women who consumed such a drink did not show any negative changes in the analyzes. Milk is rich in calcium and other beneficial substances needed by the expectant mother. Thus, it compensates and replenishes the reserves of substances washed out by caffeine. In addition, milk is able to somewhat slow down the rate of caffeine intake in the blood, and this reduces its negative effect on the uterus and the cardiovascular system.
Therefore, if the question of whether coffee is possible during pregnancy is acute for you, the answer is simple: the drink can and should be consumed in small quantities and with the addition of milk.
Decaffeinated coffee
Most women believe that if caffeine can adversely affect her condition and the health of her unborn baby, decaffeinated coffee will be an excellent substitute. But this is the deepest error. The fact is that in the production of decaffeinated coffee, grains are subjected to special processing, as a result of which new substances are formed in their composition. They contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in women, and in children a tendency to allergic reactions can form.
Sometimes, if a woman systematically has high blood pressure during pregnancy, the doctor may recommend decaffeinated coffee in order to reduce this indicator. But the prescribed doses will be very small and limited in quantity.
Instant coffee during pregnancy
Many people have no time to waste their precious time preparing a natural, aromatic hot drink, and they prefer to drink instant coffee or 3-in-1 drinks. It should be noted that in these products the content of coffee beans does not exceed 15% of the total mass, and all other components of the composition are unnatural additives produced by chemical compounds. Of course, it is impossible to declare the categorical dangers of drinking this type of coffee drink, but they will not be of any benefit either.
So, while carrying a child, it is better to abstain from such a drink. If you really want to drink a cup of hot invigorating coffee, then it is better to brew a drink from natural beans. Or if this is not possible, then visit a cozy and quiet coffee shop. Here it will be possible to enjoy not only coffee, but also delicious aromas, an atmosphere of tranquility.
Do not forget that caffeine is found not only in coffee, but also in black and green tea. Therefore, replacing coffee with tea will not work. What then to drink? It is most useful to use chicory during pregnancy. Inulin, which is part of it, contributes to the normalization of the digestive tract and metabolism.