Quite often they ask their doctors the question: “Can pregnant women have coffee?” Indeed, this topic excites many expectant mothers. Coffee quite a few years ago captivated the hearts of people on our planet. Experts have been studying this drink for many years, trying to unravel its secrets. The question of harm or does not currently have a clear answer. Experts have found that this drink is both harmful and useful at the same time. As for which bowl of the scales still outweighs, it is still difficult to say. However, most scientists argue that coffee during pregnancy is still undesirable. So is coffee harmful to pregnant women, we will tell later in the article.
For those women who for a long time meet the morning with a hot cup of fragrant and tasty coffee, this news is not comforting at all. From the initial stage of fetal development and pregnancy, the consumption of this drink should be significantly limited. In addition, it is much better to exclude him from your diet altogether until the baby is born and the woman stops breastfeeding him. That's why it needs to be done.
It is known for certain that coffee and coffee drinks contain a certain substance that has a stimulating effect directly on the mother. In addition to all of the above, even small doses of coffee have a diuretic effect. At the same time, the kidneys of a pregnant woman begin to work in an accelerated mode, and her body is simply dehydrated. Increased blood pressure, increased heart rate and breathing are all consequences of drinking coffee during pregnancy. It is also worth noting that coffee helps to remove from the human body such important elements as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and iron. And during pregnancy they are simply necessary for the expectant mother. To date, Russian scientists have established the fact that coffee can act on a woman's body as a contraceptive. To do this, you need to drink more than three cups of this drink in one day. If a couple is planning a pregnancy in the near future, partners should take care of this issue in advance by excluding coffee from their daily menu. should stop drinking this drink, since coffee most often provokes the so-called uterine tone. The risk of miscarriage in such a situation increases dramatically.
We hasten to reassure, since a small amount of coffee does not have such an effect. However, two to three hundred and fifty-gram cups are enough to get a similar effect.
Of course, in this case, how many scientists, so many versions about the harm and benefits of coffee. But all experts agree on whether pregnant women can drink coffee or not. Only the gestational age differs, at which the risk of problems with the health of the mother and child increases. For example, in the United States of America, the prevailing opinion is that the use of coffee and drinks containing it in the third trimester of a woman's pregnancy is especially dangerous. It is during this period that the baby's nervous system is very sensitive to the main component of coffee - caffeine. Coffee always crosses the baby's placenta. This must not be forgotten. When caffeine enters the baby's blood directly, his blood vessels begin to narrow, the supply of oxygen to the fetus becomes difficult. This is how hypoxia, or the fetus, develops. In addition to all this, coffee greatly suppresses a woman's appetite, which is highly undesirable during pregnancy.
To the question: “Can pregnant women have coffee?” , can be given an unequivocal answer. Coffee for pregnant women is best not to drink at all. For the sake of your health and the health of your unborn child, it is worth limiting the amount of this drink in your menu to a minimum. Naturally, from one or two sips of coffee a month, a woman will get nothing. In any case, those who are interested in the topic "is it possible for pregnant women to have coffee" can look for answers to their questions from specialists, doctors, and so on. Thus, the expectant mother will surely be able to find the answer to the question posed earlier: "Can pregnant women have coffee?".
Many women simply cannot imagine their lives without coffee doping. For coffee lovers, a morning without coffee is “not good”, and a day without a fragrant cup of Espresso is lived down the drain. But with the advent of a baby in the tummy, mothers begin to think about the effect of this alluring drink on the baby.
Is it safe to drink coffee during pregnancy?
Coffee beans contain many chemical components, the main one being caffeine. With prolonged use of coffee in large quantities, a person develops an addiction similar to alcohol. Therefore, if a woman drank coffee before pregnancy, then with the appearance of the cherished two strips on the test, one should not abruptly stop drinking her favorite drink. This should be done gradually, reducing the amount of coffee drunk per day. The optimal dose is no more than one cup of weak coffee per day, better diluted with milk.
Although it is believed that drinking coffee during pregnancy in small quantities is not capable of harming the unborn child, it is still recommended to completely abandon this drink for the period of bearing a child. After all, caffeine is able to cross the placenta, causing the fetus to have an increase in heart rate, and it can also reduce blood flow to the placenta, which increases the risk of developing anemia and fetal hypoxia.
Coffee has a strong diuretic effect on the pregnant woman herself, so it is necessary to replenish the loss of fluid by drinking at least 1.5 liters of pure water without gas per day. In addition, the constant use of coffee provokes the occurrence of urolithiasis, and also contributes to the leaching of beneficial trace elements and vitamins from the body of a woman. Coffee also causes heartburn and abdominal discomfort for many.
But how to refuse fragrant coffee? It invigorates, increases attention and productivity, improves mood. Caffeine is effective for some types of headaches, and enhances the effects of some painkillers.
But despite this, drinking coffee in large quantities (6-7 cups per day or more) in the early stages increases the risk of miscarriages, and in the later stages - premature birth, as well as the birth of children with low body weight. Therefore, drinking coffee during pregnancy more than one cup a day and more than 3 times a week is not recommended.
In addition, coffee should be natural ground and freshly brewed, and it is better to dilute it with milk or cream.
Chicory instead of coffee during pregnancy: what are the benefits and what are the contraindications?
Chicory cannot be called a full-fledged coffee substitute, although these two drinks are close in taste and color. But during pregnancy, it is preferable to drink a drink made from chicory than strong coffee in the morning.
Chicory is rich in B vitamins (B1, B2, B3), vitamin C, pectin, carotene, trace elements (potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron and others), as well as inulin, proteins, organic acids and tannins. It does not contain caffeine, which means that people with high blood pressure and arrhythmia can drink a chicory drink.
It promotes:
- improving metabolism and cleansing the body of toxins and other harmful substances, thereby helping the liver;
- normalization of the intestines and stomach, reducing the manifestation of constipation and relieving heartburn and nausea, which is especially important during pregnancy;
- reduces the load on the heart (which is important during pregnancy, because with the advent of the bladder, the volume of blood in the woman's body increases and the load on the heart increases);
- strengthening the walls of blood vessels, purifying the blood and increasing hemoglobin, which is important for anemia in pregnant women.
Chicory is also useful in congestive diseases of the kidneys and gallbladder, because it has a diuretic and choleretic effect.
For colds, a drink made from soluble chicory relieves fever and inflammation, inhibits the development of bacteria and increases the patient's immunity. But with a bronchial cough (including asthma), drinking chicory is not recommended, as it can increase the cough.
During pregnancy, chicory is an effective tonic. Also, chicory acts as a mild sedative that calms the nervous system after experiences, thereby improving mood.
Pregnant women with diabetes can drink chicory without fear, because it reduces blood sugar levels. In addition, chicory root tastes sweet, so there is no need to sweeten the drink with a sweetener, which is also good for weight loss.
During pregnancy, you should not abuse the drink from chicory without the advice of a doctor. It is recommended to drink such a drink no more than 2 times a day. You can add milk to it, so the drink will be even healthier and tastier. In addition, people with lactose intolerance do not experience discomfort after taking chicory with milk. This is due to the fact that chicory prevents milk in the stomach from curdling into lumps.
It is contraindicated to take a drink from chicory root for pregnant women with varicose veins, as well as for hemorrhoids. This is due to the vasodilating effect of chicory.
With the threat of miscarriage, bleeding, pain in the lower abdomen, shortening of the cervix, placenta previa, drinking chicory is not recommended, as it can aggravate the situation. But if the pregnancy is proceeding normally, then the periodic intake of a drink from chicory will not harm.
Pregnant women who are allergic to this herb, as well as to the vitamin C it contains, should also beware of chicory.
With gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, chicory is also not recommended, because it causes an increase in appetite due to the release of gastric juice, which irritates the damaged mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.
Pregnant coffee addicts with gastritis, who cannot deny themselves a cup of such a drink, are still better to give preference to chicory, but “soften” it with milk (can be condensed) or a scoop of ice cream and do not drink on an empty stomach.
In addition, chicory improves appetite, and excess weight during pregnancy is not welcome, so watch your diet and do not overeat.
Look for product brands that say "100% natural chicory extract." Please note that the presence of artificial sweeteners and colors, as well as industrial fortification with vitamins, is NOT welcome.
A good product is, for example, Chicory instant with blueberries TM "Golden Koreshok" (Russia) or TM "Galka" (Ukraine). You can also buy “pure” chicory (without the addition of fruits and berries), but if you don’t like bitterness, then it’s still better to buy chicory with natural additives, which makes the taste softer.
A tasty and fragrant drink is also obtained from soluble chicory with extracts of green tea and chamomile TM "Elite Health Line" (Russia).
As soon as two strips of a pregnancy test give a woman good news, she immediately begins to reconsider her lifestyle and eating habits. Strong enough from the very first days, the maternal instinct makes you think that from now on you need to take care not only about yourself. Now the condition of the growing baby directly depends on the mother's health. But what about the expectant mother to do with habits, without which she cannot imagine herself? How, for example, to give up a cup of your favorite coffee in the morning? Let's see if a compromise between pregnancy and caffeine is possible.
Of course, any woman is trying with all her might to avoid all sorts of risks that one way or another may affect her new position. And any expectant mother understands that the issue of optimizing nutrition and avoiding foods that are potentially dangerous to the fetus should be resolved in the first weeks of pregnancy. Naturally, all products with an admixture of "synthetics", odor and taste enhancers, and stabilizers are banned. Thus, in caring for the well-being of the baby, every product that a woman is used to seeing on her dinner table is subjected to close analysis.
Can you drink coffee during pregnancy
This question is inevitably asked by all lovers of an invigorating aromatic drink when they find out that they are expecting a baby. Natural coffee is indeed a very tasty and healthy product if consumed in moderation, however, many doctors convince avid fans of this drink to reduce the number of “coffee breaks” per day. So what's the catch? What convincing arguments do experts have to explain to us why coffee is not allowed during pregnancy?
To understand everything, let's first consider the effect of coffee on the human body as a whole.
So, the main active ingredient in coffee, which makes us open our eyes in the morning, is caffeine. This substance pulls us out of the arms of Morpheus due to its high tonic properties. After drinking one cup of coffee, blood pressure rises, there is a boost of energy and a desire to act.
When there is demand, there is also supply - store shelves amaze with the variety of forms of this drink. Grain, ground, instant, in sticks "2 in 1" and "3 in 1", coffee with a minimum caffeine content ... Agree, each of us has long ago found what he likes.
The “relationships” with coffee among coffee lovers are also different: for some, 1-2 cups of the drink before lunch is enough, while others drink an invigorating remedy all day long. Those who like to drink up to 8 servings of coffee a day, doctors strongly recommend giving up this habit, because jumps in blood pressure under the influence of caffeine will not lead to anything good. In this case, not only the heart experiences a great load - coffee also increases the acidity of the gastric environment, which can subsequently result in severe attacks of heartburn. This is why drinking caffeinated beverages on an empty stomach before breakfast is strictly prohibited.
In addition, the constant abuse of coffee is a great danger to female beauty: under the influence of caffeine, the skin becomes thinner and dries out, losing its beautiful natural shade, tooth enamel gradually darkens. It is no coincidence that in every "correct" coffee shop coffee is served along with a glass of ordinary drinking water.
But it would be wrong to mention only the negative effects after drinking coffee. In defense of this drink with a bright taste and aroma, let's say that coffee stops the development of caries (despite the yellow plaque on the teeth), and is also able to prolong youth due to antioxidant substances in its composition. In addition, more and more researchers agree with the assumption that caffeine stimulates parts of the brain responsible for sexual desire and thereby increases libido.
Features of drinking coffee during pregnancy
We have already drawn the attention of our readers to the property of coffee to increase blood pressure. As pregnancy develops, the volume of blood that circulates through the veins and arteries increases in the body, therefore, the load on the cardiovascular system of the expectant mother also increases. It is clear that the change in pressure caused by coffee can further exacerbate the situation. But for pregnant women suffering from hypotension, a few sips of coffee will come in handy.
Also, expectant mothers who are unable to give up their favorite drink should definitely take into account the property of coffee to stimulate and excite the nervous system. If a pregnant woman is addicted to coffee in excess during the day or drinks it in the evening, she can easily get insomnia or nightmares, while she absolutely does not need either. By the way, all drinks and products that contain caffeine have a similar effect: Coca-Cola, chocolate (especially black), strong tea.
But this is not all the remarkable features of coffee that are relevant for pregnant women - this drink has a pronounced diuretic effect. It is known that with the onset of pregnancy and up to the very birth, women experience severe inconvenience due to the increased urge to go to the toilet "in a small way." The reason for this lies in the constant increase in the size of the uterus, which every month more and more oppresses the bladder. It is quite obvious that coffee during pregnancy will only increase the frequency of trips to the restroom, and this is fraught with serious consequences in the form of dehydration of the body and disturbance of the water-salt balance.
According to recent research, coffee components can cross the placenta to the fetus, affecting its growth and development. For example, there is an assumption that the reason for the birth of children with an underweight of 100 - 200 g is the regular use of coffee (in moderation) by their mothers during pregnancy. And drinking about 8 - 10 cups of this drink a day, the expectant mother risks the well-being of her baby at all: in this case, he is threatened with hypoxia and developmental delay. Due to the fact that coffee increases the tone of the uterus, pregnancy can end in miscarriage or stillbirth.
However, according to the results of other studies initiated by Danish scientists, coffee is not such a dangerous drink for the expectant mother. A pregnant woman can drink 2 to 3 small cups of not very strong coffee a day without much risk to herself and her baby's health. Moreover, the likelihood of premature birth or insufficient body weight is out of the question. That's how much independent research data differs.
That is why doctors always insist that the future mother discuss such controversial issues with a competent specialist. Having studied the individual data and the clinical picture of the development of pregnancy, the doctor will be able to understand whether a woman in a position can afford this drink, or is it better to refuse it while carrying a child. And please do not listen to those who drank coffee during pregnancy without any unpleasant health consequences, and therefore consider caffeine to be an absolutely safe substance - all pregnant women have a different reaction to an invigorating drink. Being in an “interesting” position, carefully monitor your well-being: if you suddenly feel uncomfortable while drinking coffee (for example, your heart beats strongly or an unpleasant pulsation appears in your temples), immediately put aside a cup of coffee and forget about this drink for a while pregnancy and postpartum period.
Features of drinking coffee in different trimesters of pregnancy
The issue of drinking coffee by a future mother cannot be considered without taking into account the intrauterine age of the fetus. The effect of caffeine on the body of a growing baby is different at different stages of pregnancy.
So, in the first weeks after conception, the child is especially vulnerable - the laying of all his organs is just beginning, and therefore it is still difficult for a small body to get rid of the coffee components that come to it. It is quite obvious that during this period the effect of a stimulating drink on the fetus is very pronounced: the minimum dose of caffeine accelerates its heart rate several times.
Coffee as a diuretic will help expectant mothers avoid swelling in the second trimester of pregnancy, but will do a disservice in the first. The removal of large volumes of water from the body under the influence of an invigorating drink automatically worsens the rate of blood flow from the mother's body to the placenta in which the fetus lives, and, accordingly, worsens the quality of its nutrition. In addition, frequent consumption of coffee in early pregnancy can affect the formation of the baby's skeleton. That is why at this time the optimal amount of coffee for a pregnant woman is 1 cup every 2 to 3 days.
As your pregnancy progresses, you can increase the frequency of drinking your favorite drink, provided that the volume of servings and concentrations are adequate.
How to combine pregnancy and coffee
“I drink coffee during pregnancy, and I can’t do anything about it, although I feel guilty” - gynecologists constantly hear this phrase in different variations from their patients. Indeed, it is very difficult for a pregnant woman who cannot control her addiction to a stimulant drink to remain calm. However, a competent doctor will definitely offer the expectant mother some alternative to strong coffee.
To begin with, we note that there are a number of absolute contraindications to the use of ground and instant coffee during pregnancy, and there can be no compromises here. We list the factors that impose a taboo on a fragrant drink:
- tachycardia, heart rhythm disturbance;
- toxicosis;
- high nervous excitability, tearfulness, frequent mood swings;
- daily headaches;
- gastritis;
- stomach ulcer;
- chronic inflammation of the pancreas;
- insomnia, trouble falling asleep;
- anemia;
- abnormal development of the placenta.
If a pregnant woman noted at least one of the listed factors in herself, it is better for her to forget about her addiction until the birth of the baby.
Practice shows that all the serious consequences of drinking coffee are real if a woman drinks a rich drink often and in large quantities during pregnancy. The conclusion suggests itself: in order to minimize the risk of the negative impact of coffee on the condition of the pregnant woman and the fetus, you just need to drink it in reasonable amounts, monitoring its concentration.
First of all, reduce the use of aromatic drink to 1 - 2 servings per day. By the way, coffee with milk or cream during pregnancy can not be drunk very often even for those women who have unstable blood pressure with a tendency to increase.
Adding milk and cream to coffee will protect the expectant mother from another serious trouble. The components that make up coffee, entering the body, actively wash calcium out of its tissues, and this trace element, as you know, is of paramount importance during pregnancy. Dairy "additives" partially compensate for calcium deficiency, and also smooth out the negative effect of coffee on the gastric mucosa.
Also note that in addition to coffee during the day, you need to drink enough ordinary water per day, which will protect the body from dehydration. And a pregnant woman should drink coffee only in the morning, so as not to face the problem of insomnia and difficult falling asleep at night.
If a pregnant woman continues to worry about her baby, even with occasional coffee drinking, her doctor may advise her to replace the caffeinated drink. For example, chicory root has no less tonic and taste qualities. However, a chicory drink also has contraindications, which the doctor will definitely take into account. Another option to replace coffee is cocoa. This delicious drink has been familiar to us since childhood. By the way, cocoa with milk is a valuable source of calcium and vegetable protein for a future mother.
In general, all recommendations about drinking coffee during pregnancy boil down to the following: if the desire to drink a cup of your favorite drink is so strong that it forces all thoughts out of your head, you should give in to it. Nothing bad will happen if the expectant mother drinks a small portion of weakly brewed coffee in the morning after a delicious breakfast. But this little "prank" will provide her with a good mood and energy for the whole day!
Can I drink coffee during pregnancy? Let's ask the doctor! Video
Pregnant women often become hostages of their situation. They have to limit themselves in certain types of entertainment, give up bad habits and medications, and, finally, scrupulously review their usual diet. The last point is particularly controversial, since some women do not consider pregnancy a disease that requires dieting, while others choose their new menu very carefully. And here the serious problems begin. If some products can be easily abandoned or at least replaced, then what to do with coffee. Indeed, many of us simply cannot imagine our morning without the invigorating aroma and unsurpassed taste of Arabica. To dispel all the misunderstandings on this subject, we propose to figure out how coffee affects pregnancy, is this drink so dangerous, how do doctors scare and how to drink coffee in a “delicate” position.
Coffee during pregnancy How does frequent coffee consumption affect the female body
Drinking one cup of a fragrant drink made from coffee beans, we fill our body not only with vivacity and a pleasant sensation of flavors, but also get more than 1000 different substances. More than a third of these elements are aromatic compounds that give coffee its main highlight - aroma.
Second in number are alkaloids - tonic compounds that provide a burst of energy after each serving of coffee. Chief among them is caffeine. Its concentration depends on the type of coffee, but on average, one coffee spoon of ground coffee contains about 0.2 g of caffeine.
What else makes coffee so beneficial? It turns out that it contains enough vitamins, mineral salts and carbohydrates. In addition, scientists argue that the chemical composition of coffee beans is not fully understood and many components have not yet been identified.
100 g of ground coffee contains 50% of the daily requirement of vitamin B2, D, phosphorus and iron, as well as 132% of the daily requirement of vitamin PP, and 20% of sodium, calcium, amino acids and carbohydrates.
Interesting! An alkaloid is present in coffee beans, which, during roasting, depletes the characteristic aroma and is converted into nicotinic acid. And it, in turn, actively affects the nerve center.
Such a multifaceted composition makes coffee both useful and dangerous to health. But how the drink will affect you depends on the individual characteristics of your body and the amount of coffee you drink.
If you briefly describe the beneficial properties of coffee, then moderate consumption of the drink (up to 2-3 cups per day) has such a positive effect on health:
- provides a good mood;
- for a long time gives a feeling of a surge of strength;
- increases efficiency, concentration;
- stimulates the work of the intestines;
- prevents caries;
- contribute to the stabilization of the state with vegetovascular dystonia and hypotension;
- exhibits a stable antioxidant effect;
- relieves the condition during exacerbation of bronchial asthma;
- reduces the risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular disease.
On a note! Coffee during pregnancy is sometimes the safest remedy for low blood pressure, which often plagues women in the first weeks after conception.
The main consequences of the abuse of this drink are:
- urolithiasis disease;
- potassium deficiency;
- increased cholesterol;
- exacerbation of migraine attacks;
- dehydration;
- hypertension.
Important! Caffeine belongs to the class of light narcotic compounds, so many coffee addicts are both physically and psychologically addicted to coffee.
Coffee during pregnancy: is it possible or not?
Many women are frightened by the loud statements of experts that coffee and bearing a baby are completely incompatible. Therefore, all pregnant women are advised to refrain from drinking a caffeinated drink until childbirth. But how justified is this? Indeed, there is a lot of reliable research data on the negative effects of caffeine on the fetus and woman.
Official statistics indicate that drinking coffee during early pregnancy often ends in miscarriage, and in the last weeks - premature delivery. But such consequences are not threatened by women who occasionally allow themselves a cup of weak coffee, but by avid coffee addicts who drink many servings of strong espresso.
To resolve the dilemma of whether coffee is allowed during pregnancy, Danish scientists conducted an experiment. His results showed that a pregnant woman can safely drink up to 150 mg of coffee. This is enough for cheerfulness, well-being, and the complete safety of the baby.
Similar studies were carried out jointly with American, Australian and European scientists. In 2010, they provided a guideline that says 200g of caffeine is allowed per day. This is equivalent to 2 servings.
Important! These recommendations are for healthy women who have an uneventful pregnancy. If a woman has diseases of the liver, kidneys, anemia, then it is better not to drink coffee. Coffee can be especially dangerous during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester, if there is a strongly progressive preeclampsia.
Coffee during pregnancy Why women in position have different attitudes to coffee
If a woman was not fond of coffee before conception, then the question of its use rarely arises. And sometimes even its intolerance may occur, especially during the period of toxicosis. In women, coffee aroma can provoke a sharp attack of vomiting, slight malaise and even fainting.
Interesting! Berlin scientists have established an interesting fact. Women who drink a lot of coffee have a much harder time getting pregnant. Therefore, when planning pregnancy, it is better to exclude coffee from the list of favorite drinks.
Why can't other women refuse coffee, brew it again and again? There are two reasons for this. The first is the desire to constantly receive energy “recharging”. As unrealistic as it may seem, coffee is indeed addictive along with smoking and energy drinks. Caffeine, getting into the body, is absorbed into the bloodstream and reaches the brain, and there it activates the synthesis of dopamine. This neurotransmitter causes the desired feeling of joy, cheerfulness, drive. But this effect is short-lived, and after 2-3 hours the body begins to demand another portion of caffeine.
The second reason why a pregnant woman wants coffee is iron deficiency in the body. Its lack causes oxygen starvation in the mother and fetus, poor health and loss of strength. But in such a situation, you do not need to succumb to the temptation and improve your well-being with another portion of coffee. It is better to tell the doctor about the problem, do an examination, and if the lack of deficiency is confirmed, undergo treatment.
The harmful properties of coffee or why coffee is not allowed during pregnancy
Those women who do not have obvious contraindications to coffee can safely enjoy coffee and at the same time receive tangible benefits from it. Pregnant women with hypotension and vegetovascular dystonia are recommended weak coffee. But the main condition is its use after breakfast.
Coffee will also be useful during pregnancy from the 2nd trimester if a woman suffers from physiological swelling. This is due to the strong diuretic effects of coffee beans. But this method of getting rid of edema is appropriate only in the absence of preeclampsia, proteinuria and iron deficiency anemia.
Much to the chagrin of coffee lovers, the list of its useful qualities during pregnancy is exhausted here. But the list of possible negative reactions is much longer.
Undesirable consequences from the abuse of coffee can occur at all gestational ages and be of a different nature:
- Due to the diuretic effect, coffee is able to flush out vital calcium, phosphorus and potassium from the body. This threatens to disrupt the development of the skeleton in the fetus and osteoporosis for the mother.
- Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee during the second trimester of pregnancy leads to underweight fetus.
- Caffeine increases blood pressure, which is accompanied by vasoconstriction, including the vasculature of the placenta. This provokes phytoplacental insufficiency and oxygen starvation of the fetus.
- All components of coffee can overcome the placental barrier and provoke a change in the heart rate in the baby.
- An overdose of caffeine causes nervous strain in women: insomnia, irritability, anxiety, aggressiveness.
Important! Drinking coffee against the background of uterine hypertonicity can result in a miscarriage.
When not to drink coffee during pregnancy
Coffee is a conditionally dangerous product during gestation, so if you cannot refuse it, you need to consult a doctor to rule out contraindications. These include the following conditions and diseases:
- Hypertension.
- Diseases of the digestive system.
- Tachycardia.
- Toxicosis and gestosis.
- Sleep problems.
- Anemia.
- Appetite disturbance.
- Violation of phytoplacental blood flow.
In such situations, even weakly brewed coffee can greatly aggravate a woman's condition.
How to drink coffee for pregnant women
In order for a cup of an invigorating drink to benefit a pregnant woman and not harm the baby, doctors strongly recommend adhering to the rules of safe coffee drinking:
- Coffee is allowed to drink only after a meal, because getting into an empty stomach, caffeine will irritate the mucous membrane and provoke nausea, heartburn and stomach pain.
- Coffee is best diluted with milk or natural cream. This will slightly reduce the strength of the coffee, and also help restore the supply of calcium.
- Coffee contributes to dehydration, so after each cup of coffee you need to drink 3 glasses of mineral water to restore the disturbed water balance.
- When drinking coffee, be aware of the caffeine content of other beverages.
What type of coffee is better to give preference during pregnancy
The assortment of coffee is large, so it is not always clear to a woman which variety is better to use during pregnancy. There are no clear instructions on this matter, but experts advise buying only natural coffee beans to exclude the presence of third-party additives.
black coffee during pregnancy
In stores, you can buy coffee in beans or already ground, in varying degrees of grinding, in the form of a mixture or a specific variety. It all depends on your preferences. But it should be noted that the degree of roasting of the grains affects the strength of the drink. The longer they are fried, the more alkaloids are formed. Therefore, it is better for women to choose not heavily roasted coffee with milk during pregnancy.
There is another important point. All coffee comes in two varieties - Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is distinguished by noble sourness, delicate taste and aroma, weakness of the drink. And Robusta is much inferior in taste, but it has much more caffeine.
On a note! The degree of extraction of coffee is affected by its grinding. The finer the grind, the richer the drink.
Instant coffee during pregnancy
It is mistakenly believed that instant coffee is less dangerous because it contains less caffeine. This is not entirely true, since this type of coffee is made from sorted Robusta beans. And the concentration of caffeine can even be higher than regular brewed coffee.
Another reason to refuse this type of coffee is its uncertain composition. Experts assure that coffee extract makes up only 15-25% of instant coffee, and the rest is chemical additives. Therefore, it is simply impossible to talk about its naturalness.
The same goes for your favorite 3in1 drinks. There, in addition to flavoring additives, there are vegetable fats and preservatives.
Decaffeinated coffee during pregnancy
Coffee labeled "decaffeinated" is considered a fraud. Although the grains are processed to reduce the concentration of caffeine, it still remains in them. In addition, many experts are of the opinion that such coffee is not only useless, but also dangerous. Since various solvents are used to extract caffeine.
A number of studies have shown that coffee after decaffeination leads to the development of atherosclerosis.
Not the best way to extract caffeine affects the taste of coffee. It becomes non-aromatic and insipid in taste. Therefore, it is better to abandon such processed coffee and use natural varieties with a low caffeine content.
Is there an alternative to coffee during pregnancy
If coffee is absolutely contraindicated for you, but you really want to treat yourself to something fragrant and invigorating, there is a very good way out - to brew a plant-based coffee drink.
You may have noticed drinks containing chicory, barley, herbal extract and berries on the supermarket shelves. They can be in the form of a soluble powder or crushed raw materials that must be pre-cooked.
Chicory instead of coffee during pregnancy
An excellent coffee substitute is chicory root. After preparation, a drink based on it is very similar to the taste and smell of instant coffee. Chicory has many useful properties and is not contraindicated during gestation:
- It stabilizes blood glucose levels.
- Raises hemoglobin.
- Has a cleansing effect.
- Improves appetite.
- Shows a sedative effect.
It is impossible to use chicory only for diseases of the stomach and varicose veins.
Chicory is a diuretic, so you should not drink more than 3-4 cups a day. Prepare the drink according to the instructions on the package. In most cases, it is sold in powder form, which must be mixed with sugar and poured with boiling water. To improve the taste, you can add cream, condensed milk or milk.
Barley instead of coffee during pregnancy
Barley drink also does not contain caffeine and is rich in vitamins and minerals. It is very different from coffee, but it has a pleasant taste and fresh aroma. Unlike chicory, this product has no contraindications.
A barley drink is prepared, just like coffee. It can be an independent drink or is part of combined coffee blends containing chicory, herbs, rose hips, berry powder.
"Kurzeme" instead of coffee during pregnancy
This is another well-known coffee drink. It includes roasted and finely ground chicory and cereals (oats, barley, rye).
This is a real lifesaver for pregnant women. It is even served in perinatal centers and maternity hospitals as a general tonic. "Kurzeme" protects the cardiovascular system, increases appetite, supports the kidneys.
Such a drink is combined with milk, cocoa, hot chocolate, juices.
Ultimately, it is up to the pregnant woman to decide whether or not to drink coffee. But you should always remember that in large quantities, even vitamins can become poison, and vice versa. Therefore, if you drink only 1 cup of coffee, you can recharge your batteries without harming the baby. And in case of abuse, you can face many problems during pregnancy. Be attentive to your health!
Video "Coffee and pregnancy"
Black and bitter, but what a delicious and fragrant one! Coffee has captivated the hearts of many people across the planet. It is of not only gastronomic, but also scientific interest. Scientists around the world have been trying to unravel all the secrets of this mysterious drink for many years, but in vain. Each time discovering something new about itself, coffee leaves many more mysteries unsolved.
That's even the question of the benefits and harms of this drink still remains without a clear answer. It has been reliably established that coffee is both useful and harmful at the same time. But still, it's hard to say which scale outweighs. However, hardly anyone would argue that any harm during pregnancy is highly undesirable, even as tasty and sometimes useful as coffee.
If you are used to waking up with a cup of aromatic coffee, and not a single meeting of yours - whether business or personal - goes without coffee drinking, then this news is disappointing for you. From the moment of pregnancy, you should significantly reduce the amount of coffee you drink per day, and to be honest, it’s better to completely exclude it for the duration of carrying and feeding the child. And that's why.
How does coffee affect pregnancy?
Everyone knows that coffee has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. Excessive excitability can adversely affect mood, as well as the functioning of internal organs and systems. Drinking coffee leads to increased urine output due to the accelerated work of the kidneys (hence, to dehydration), increases gastric secretion of hydrochloric acid five times and twice the secretion of salivary glands, irritates the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, increases breathing and heartbeat, raises . Coffee removes from the body other trace elements it needs (iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium), and not only removes, but prevents its absorption.
Undoubtedly, a pregnant woman does not need such influence at all. But what makes it even more thought-provoking is the ability of coffee to influence reproduction. It has been proven that the consumption of this drink in large quantities is directly related to difficulties in conceiving. More than three cups of coffee a day can act as a "contraceptive". That is why couples planning pregnancy are advised to exclude coffee consumption. This applies to those already pregnant in the sense that regular coffee consumption provokes and therefore increases the risk of miscarriage.
We hasten to reassure you that 2-3 or more 150-gram cups of coffee daily have such an effect. So if you drink a couple of sips once a week for pleasure - do not worry too much. However, if you can resist, doctors strongly recommend that it is better not to drink it at all. And it is difficult to single out the most undesirable weeks or months of pregnancy for this. Some scientists argue that it is absolutely impossible to drink coffee in the first trimester, others - after 20 weeks and beyond. And there are studies that prove that the third trimester is especially dangerous in this sense, when the child's nervous system becomes very sensitive to caffeine. In any case, remember this: like any other liquid that gets inside a pregnant woman, coffee penetrates through the placenta to the baby. At the same time, placental vessels narrow, oxygen enters the fetus more difficult (like all nutrients in general), and hence -. In addition, there is evidence that drinking coffee during pregnancy can cause diabetes in the unborn child.
Another not so dangerous, but still undesirable property of coffee during pregnancy is appetite suppression. It is quite satisfying (especially with cream and sugar), but absolutely not a nutritious drink, because of which a woman can refuse the necessary "normal" meal.
So, coffee has a negative impact on the health of a woman and a developing fetus, provokes complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and affects the condition of newborns. Because coffee's metabolism slows down during pregnancy, it circulates longer in the blood and lasts longer. But what is remarkable, not all of the above is caused by the influence of caffeine. Some studies prove that the consumption of, for example, tea in the same caffeine equivalent does not cause a number of complications. This suggests that other caffeinated substances have as yet unexplored harmful effects on humans. Although it should also be borne in mind that many women drink coffee without fail with a cigarette, and this greatly increases all the risks.
Instant coffee during pregnancy
In general, drinking coffee during pregnancy is not so scary, if you do not abuse it. And in some cases it can even be useful, because it also contains substances that have a beneficial effect on our body and its systems. But this cannot be said about instant coffee - only a natural drink made from ground beans can be useful.
Instant coffee, which many people prefer mainly because of the speed and convenience of its preparation, contains no more than 15% of coffee beans, experts say. The rest is the chemical components that enrich the future drink after it is processed into a soluble form. One can only guess how instant coffee is far from natural and does not bring any benefit to a pregnant woman, her child and any person in general. Therefore, it is better to refuse to use such a drink, regardless of the position.
Decaffeinated coffee during pregnancy
The so-called decaffeinated coffee is also subjected to chemical processing. The so-called because, although a small dose, but still such a drink also contains caffeine in its composition. However, this substance is not the most dangerous in this case. After all, some teas, Coca-Cola and other drinks contain an order of magnitude more caffeine than black coffee.
In the process of “removing” the invigorating substance from coffee beans, they can be processed, after which they become many times more potentially unsafe for our health. If we talk about future offspring, then the use of such coffee in a child can cause the development of allergic reactions, and in the mother - the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
The harm of decaffeinated coffee has not yet been sufficiently studied, but scientists do not advise anyone to use it, especially women who are expecting children. It is better to choose a drink made from chicory root as an alternative to black coffee. If for you it turns out to be an unworthy replacement, then from all types of coffee you should choose only natural ground coffee, drink it freshly brewed and add milk to the drink.
In a word, you can drink coffee during pregnancy. The question is different: is it necessary and which coffee is better to choose, and is it worth the risk for a cup of this controversial drink? Meanwhile, many women are saved with the help of coffee from fainting and weakness at very low pressure. But in this case, experts recommend brewing natural ground grains, preparing a weak drink and diluting it with milk: you don’t need anything extra now.
Some facts
- The alkaloid caffeine (1,3.7trimethylxanthine) is a plant-derived substance that has a stimulating effect on the nervous system.
- Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, cola, as well as chocolate and cocoa.
- When a pregnant woman consumes 4 to 7 cups of coffee per day, the risk of fetal death is 33%.
- British scientists have calculated that consumption during any of the trimesters of pregnancy 100 milligrams of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to one cup of coffee, leads to an average weight loss of a newborn by 50 grams, and consumption of more than 300 milligrams of caffeine leads to a weight loss of 70 grams. Such a “lack” in weight can affect the health of babies in the first days of life.
- If it is still difficult to give up, then the amount of caffeine consumed should not exceed 200 milligrams per day, which corresponds to 283 grams of coffee or 700 grams of tea. That is, two cups of coffee a day is the limit.
Especially for- Elena Kichak
