Can pregnant women have cappuccino coffee: the effect of caffeine at different times

Black and bitter, but so tasty and aromatic! 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 for many years to unravel all the secrets of this mysterious drink, but in vain. Every time coffee discovers something new about itself, it leaves many more mysteries unsolved.

Even the question about the benefits and harms of this drink still remains without a clear answer. It has been reliably established that coffee is both healthy and harmful at the same time. But it’s hard to say which side of the scale weighs. However, hardly anyone would argue that any harm during pregnancy is extremely undesirable, even something as tasty and sometimes healthy as coffee.

If you are used to waking up to a cup of aromatic coffee, and not a single meeting of yours - be it business or personal - takes place without drinking coffee, 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 is better to completely eliminate it while bearing and feeding the child. And that's why.

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.

When should a pregnant woman not drink coffee?

Not all pregnant women can drink coffee. There are situations when you should refuse it if you do not want to harm your baby. So, coffee is not recommended if a woman has:

Toxicosis of early pregnancy. Drinking coffee may cause increased nausea and vomiting. Once in the blood, this drink causes spasm of blood vessels, blood circulation decreases, which means that toxins that accumulate in the mother’s body are eliminated more slowly.
Poor placental circulation, abnormal placental development. Caffeine impedes blood circulation in those vessels that nourish the placenta and the fetus itself, and if such problems existed, they only get worse. If the situation is serious, drinking coffee can become one of the factors that slows down the child’s development or even lead to disturbances in its formation.
Arterial hypertension in a woman. If she was diagnosed with this before conceiving a child, drinking coffee during pregnancy is strictly not recommended. High blood pressure is especially dangerous for an expectant mother, and caffeine is known to make it even higher.
Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), irregular heartbeat. Although these problems in themselves are not usually considered something serious, they are aggravated by drinking coffee, so it is better to avoid this drink before giving birth.
Increased nervous excitability. If a pregnant woman is emotionally unstable, her mood fluctuates, she is whiny, complains of headaches, trembling hands, her body definitely does not need caffeine during this period.
Insomnia. Many pregnant women complain that they have difficulty falling asleep and often wake up. In this case, you should also not drink coffee, even in the morning.
Severe forms of anemia. Caffeine makes it difficult for the body to absorb iron, and iron deficiency can only get worse.
Gastritis with high acidity, stomach ulcer. Coffee increases the acidity of gastric juice, so it is contraindicated for such stomach problems. At the beginning of pregnancy, many women experience stomach pain; in this case, even without gastritis, you should not drink coffee.

Drinking coffee several times a day increases cholesterol levels in the body. This is especially true for women over 35 years of age.

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 does coffee affect pregnancy?

Everyone knows that coffee has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. Excessive excitability can adversely affect the expectant mother’s sleep, mood, as well as the functioning of internal organs and systems. Drinking coffee leads to increased urine output due to accelerated kidney function (and therefore to dehydration), increases gastric secretion of hydrochloric acid five times and doubles the secretion of the salivary glands, irritates the gastrointestinal mucosa, increases breathing and heart rate, increases blood pressure. Coffee removes calcium and other essential microelements from the body (iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium), and not only removes it, but interferes with its absorption.

Undoubtedly, a pregnant woman does not need such influence at all. But what's even more concerning is coffee's ability to affect reproduction. It has been proven that consuming this drink in large quantities is directly related to difficulties in conceiving. More than three cups of coffee a day can act as “contraceptive.” That is why couples planning pregnancy are advised to avoid drinking coffee. This applies to those who are already pregnant in the sense that regular consumption of coffee provokes uterine tone and, therefore, increases the risk of miscarriage.

We hasten to reassure you that 2-3 or more 150-gram cups of coffee daily have this effect. So if you drink a couple of sips once a week for pleasure, don’t worry too much. However, if you can resist, doctors strongly recommend, then 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 say that you should absolutely not 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, the placental vessels narrow, it is more difficult for oxygen to reach the fetus (like all nutrients in general), and hence hypoxia. 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. This is quite filling (especially with cream and sugar), but absolutely not a nutritious drink, because of which a woman may refuse the necessary “normal” food intake.

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 does a woman’s body perceive the drink?

Coffee in moderate doses produces a tonic effect, improves mood, and increases blood pressure. Long-term use of the aromatic drink leads to undesirable reactions:

the blood circulation process in the placenta is disrupted;
the removal of fluid from the body is activated;
the concentration of hydrochloric acid in the stomach increases - local pathologies worsen;
cholesterol accumulates on the vascular walls;
iron deficiency anemia develops;
Regular headaches, insomnia, and anxiety appear.

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.

Can pregnant women have coffee with milk?

Drinking coffee with milk during pregnancy will help avoid unpleasant consequences. The benefit of one or two cups is to replenish the body of the fetus and mother with calcium. The main thing is a large amount of milk or cream and a little natural espresso. You can drink latte, cappuccino, macchiato. Please note that milk in these drinks increases the calorie content of a serving.

Ladies may mistakenly believe that instant coffee during pregnancy will not cause much harm, but this is a big misconception. It is better to exclude this surrogate from your diet, impose a categorical ban on it. The soluble granular analogue only causes harm. During production, many chemicals are used and it is additionally enriched with caffeine. Drinking an instant drink will cause allergic reactions in the baby.

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.

How to replace coffee during pregnancy

During pregnancy, you should give preference to proper nutrition.
There are many alternatives to an invigorating drink, you just need to configure yourself that all of them will benefit the health of mother and baby. First of all, you should review the diet of a pregnant woman. The more varied it is, the better. What should be on the expectant mother's menu:

Fresh vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs;
Whole grain cereals;
Protein foods: lean meat, fish;
Fermented milk products: low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, cheese, yogurt;
Milk;
Chicken eggs.

Expectant mothers can drink herbal teas, compotes, and fresh juices. The body should receive a sufficient amount of clean drinking water or non-carbonated mineral water.

Chicory

Chicory is a natural coffee substitute
Coffee has a natural substitute - chicory. The chicory drink tastes very much like aromatic coffee and contains a lot of useful substances. Can pregnant women have chicory instead of coffee? Doctors unanimously claim that chicory is absolutely safe for the health of mother and baby. Chicory can lower blood sugar levels, improve intestinal function, and have a positive effect on the cardiac and hematopoietic systems. For liver diseases, chicory drink is prescribed in combination with other methods.

In what cases is the use of chicory undesirable:

For varicose veins;
For hemorrhoidal disease;
For stomach problems.

As you can see, there are very few contraindications, so doctors recommend expectant mothers to drink a drink made from chicory.

Barley

The barley drink is caffeine-free and contains many minerals and vitamins. In terms of taste, it very vaguely resembles natural coffee, but the taste of the barley drink is very rich and pleasant. There are no contraindications to drinking barley drink. You can prepare a drink only from barley, or you can include it in a mixture of rose hips, chicory, and healthy herbs.

A pregnant woman must decide for herself whether to drink coffee or not. If she really wants, she can afford a cup of weak coffee with milk. But you should not abuse drinks that contain caffeine. If in doubt, it is better to consult a doctor.

Nervous system and skeleton

Caffeine excites the nervous system, and this negatively affects the development of the fetus.
This condition in itself can disrupt the sleep of any person. And for a pregnant woman this can result in insomnia, fatigue, and frequent mood swings. But there are also more serious explanations for why coffee is harmful for pregnant women. Even a slight excess of the normal dose of coffee affects the nerve cells and the general functioning of the mother’s body. And her innocent love for the ancient drink affects the child’s nervous system and skeleton. According to research and medical observations, coffee helps remove calcium from the body. While this may not have much effect on the well-being of a healthy person, a deficiency of calcium and minerals has a detrimental effect on a child in the mother’s womb, whose skeleton is at the stage of formation. The fetus receives all these elements from the mother. Even if she eats well, large doses of caffeine will prevent the normal absorption of microelements and vitamins from food.

Mom and caffeine in the 1st trimester of pregnancy

Scientists have been arguing for a very long time about the consequences of excessive coffee consumption. The most common predictions you can hear are:

premature birth;
miscarriages;
increased blood pressure;
placental abruption.

Please note that this only applies to pregnant women who drink coffee in very large quantities. But girls who dream of drinking a cup of coffee with cream several times a week need not worry.

Conception and gestation

Experts working with problems of conception and the inability of women to carry a pregnancy have come to the conclusion that coffee plays an important role in this matter. Their observations showed that coffee drinkers have a harder time getting pregnant than women who prefer other drinks. Therefore, even at the stage of planning motherhood, it is recommended to give up coffee. Or at least significantly reduce the number of cups you drink per day.

Why shouldn't pregnant women drink coffee? It is possible that, if she keeps this seemingly harmless habit, a woman will lose her child at an early stage, because due to the increased tone of the uterus, miscarriages often occur. The risk of premature birth among those who drink three (or more) cups of coffee daily is 60 percent higher than among women who give it up.

The benefits and harms of the drink

Based on the characteristics of the effect of the basic component on the body, we can say that the product will benefit a woman:

For hypertension.
In case of chronic fatigue, loss of strength.
If significant swelling is visualized.

According to European standards, the permissible daily intake of coffee drink for pregnant women is 200 ml. WHO advises consuming no more than 300 ml daily.

When pregnant women abuse coffee, the above-mentioned negative consequences are observed, threatening the health of the patient and the unborn child.