Once you get pregnant, it is essential that you take good care of yourself. You can’t continue the same diet and lifestyle as you did before getting pregnant. You will have to give up on some foods and make a few lifestyle changes. Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests – Click Here
Among the things that you should avoid is caffeine. Many doctors advise that you should either stop consuming caffeine completely or you should limit the intake while you are pregnant.
Accurate studies have not been carried out about the safe levels of caffeine during pregnancy but you should note that consuming caffeine could increase the risks of a miscarriage. If you want to consume caffeine because you are used to it and can’t do without it, you should talk to your doctor once you get pregnant. He will be able to guide you in the right direction.
Caffeine is basically a drug. It can be found in numerous things such as fruit, beans, leaves of certain plants, coffees, sodas, teas, and chocolates. It is also used in a few medications.
The reason why it has been classified as a drug is that it stimulates the nervous system. Caffeine also has medicinal properties. It is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic.
Coffees and teas containing caffeine can refresh you and remove all the drowsiness. This is why many people drink coffee or tea as soon as they wake up. However, too much is always too bad. If you consume too much caffeine, you will have to go through dehydration and jitters.
The reason why you are advised against drinking caffeine during pregnancy is that caffeine is among the few substances that can reach the fetus through the protective placental barrier. The fetus can’t metabolize it like an adult can and thus, it gets stored in the blood stream of the fetus. After a point, the levels of caffeine in the blood stream reach dangerous levels.
Also, caffeine will hinder the absorption of calcium and other important minerals during pregnancy. If calcium is not absorbed, the fetus will have very fragile bones. Once your baby is born, she may suffer with caffeine withdrawal too. Her breathing rate may increase rapidly.
A few experts say that you should not consume beyond 300 mg of caffeine per day. If you do, you might have a miscarriage. Additionally, if you continue consuming caffeine through your pregnancy, your baby can suffer with problems such as low birth weight and birth defects.
There is also the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to be aware of. SIDS is caused in infants who die without any explanation. One study has shown that it is more common in babies whose mothers consumed caffeine through the course of pregnancy.
Since there are so many risks revolving around caffeine consumption during pregnancy, it’d be ideal to avoid it completely. As aforementioned, if you are among those who are addicted to coffee or tea and just can’t do without it every day, you should ensure that you don’t consume more than 300 mg (or no more than 3 cups of coffee per day). Talk to your doctor and he will be able to help you with this. Stay safe!
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