During pregnancy, the preferences of the expectant mother can change dramatically. Violation of the biorhythm is also a common occurrence, especially in the later stages, when the baby moves with might and main and may not let you sleep at night. Many pregnant women are afraid to drink coffee and often feel lethargic and sleepy. Sometimes the expectant mother simply cannot do without this invigorating drink, as she has always preferred it. So is it possible to drink coffee during the period of bearing a child? The composition of coffee and its effect on the body

Coffee is a drink made from roasted beans of plants in the madder family, which are rich in caffeine.

Coffee and coffee beans
Natural coffee is considered the least harmful to the health of the expectant mother and her baby.

Active ingredients in coffee:

chlorogenic acid (creates an aftertaste);
tannins (add bitterness);
trigonelline alkaloid (gives taste and aroma);
alkaloid caffeine (stimulant).
The first 3 components are responsible for the tart and bitter taste of coffee, as well as the characteristic aroma.

Benefits of drinking coffee:

increased heart rate, increased pressure (at low);
expansion of blood vessels (if the pregnant woman suffers from their narrowing);
elimination of drowsiness;
stimulation of brain activity;
improvement of mood due to the production of dopamine (“pleasure hormone”) against the background of caffeine use;
diuretic effect;
elimination of constipation;
reducing the risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver and breast cancer.

Can expectant mothers drink coffee?

At what stage of pregnancy can you drink coffee

Pregnant at an early date
Avoid coffee in early pregnancy

The main property of coffee is its stimulating effect. There is no unambiguous opinion about the likelihood of a negative effect of caffeine on the health of expectant mothers and their babies, however, one should take into account the nuances of the course of pregnancy, as well as the characteristics of the woman's body. As a rule, doctors strongly recommend drinking no more than three cups of this drink per day.

A US study of 1,000 women in the first trimester of pregnancy found that the miscarriage rate doubled with more than 200 mg of caffeine per day.

The latest recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which guide physicians are not only North America, but also Europe and Australia, were adopted in July 2010, they state that 200 mg of caffeine per day does not increase the rate of miscarriage and preterm birth. However, strong coffee (espresso, Turkish, etc.) is not popular in the USA and Canada.

E.P. Berezovskaya
One 240 ml cup contains 75 to 160 mg of caffeine. Based on the results of the studies cited above, it can be argued that in the first trimester of pregnancy it is better to refrain from coffee, tea and other drinks containing this component.

In the II and III trimesters, you can drink coffee if the pregnant woman does not suffer from high blood pressure, disorders of the central nervous system, and in the absence of other contraindications that a doctor can detect. Instant coffee contains less caffeine than ground coffee, but people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract should not drink it. Decaffeinated coffee still contains this component, albeit in small quantities. If you do not take into account contraindications, but pay attention only to the amount of stimulant in the drink, it is recommended to consume no more than 3 cups of instant coffee and 1 cup of ground coffee per day.

Sometimes a doctor may even recommend coffee. However, this applies only to patients with low blood pressure. As described above, coffee enhances intestinal motility, and also has a diuretic effect. If a pregnant woman suffers from constipation or rare urination, then perhaps the doctor will prescribe other means, since you should not get carried away with caffeine, because its benefits do not outweigh the potential harm.

Is it possible to drink coffee with toxicosis? This condition is more typical for the first trimester of pregnancy, during which this drink is not recommended. Toxicosis, as a rule, is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, stool disorder. Since caffeine is a stimulant of the intestines, and can also negatively affect the gastric mucosa, it is better to refrain from coffee during this period.

Coffee
The harm of coffee lies mainly in the fact that with excessive use, caffeine causes addiction.

Sometimes it seems that it is impossible to do without the usual cup of coffee. Why does this happen - does this mean that the body is lacking something? Coffeeин вызывает привыкание. If you want coffee again and again, and a woman feels tired and lethargic, then this means that her the body is accustomed to receiving this stimulating drink. Therefore, you should gradually abandon it in order to feel cheerful and without it.

Why caffeine may be contraindicated?

Tonometer
The use of caffeine in large quantities leads to a pathological increase in blood pressure and problems with the cardiovascular system, which leads to the development of fetal pathologies

What are the potentially harmful properties of coffee when consumed in excess?

Increase in blood pressure. This can have a negative impact on both the mother and the fetus.
Negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract, manifested in the form of nausea and abdominal pain.
Removal of calcium, as well as other elements and vitamins from the body.
Negative effect on sleep due to the stimulating effect of caffeine.
Dehydration due to increased work of the urinary system.
High blood pressure is dangerous in each trimester in its own way. With narrowing of the walls of blood vessels, oxygen enters the fetus in insufficient quantities, which is fraught with a slow rate of development, as well as miscarriage. A future mother with hypertension may feel dizzy, tinnitus, headache, swelling, she may feel sick, and her vision will fall. Pressure in the later stages indicates gestosis (late toxicosis), which is undesirable in the second half of pregnancy due to possible complications (cerebral edema, for example). Therefore, the expectant mother must necessarily control her weight, the presence of protein in the urine, as well as pressure.

If a pregnant woman suffers from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, then you should not drink coffee. Gastritis, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, erosions and polyps are contraindications to drinking this drink. Especially during exacerbation of diseases. If the expectant mother is haunted by nausea, abdominal pain, then this will at least affect her mood. For example, with chronic gastritis, vomiting, dizziness, and upset stools may appear, which will negatively affect the health of the unborn baby.

One of the important elements in the formation of the skeleton of a child is calcium. Drinking coffee helps to "wash out" important vitamins and minerals from the body of a pregnant woman. The fetus in the process of its development "takes" the necessary the amount of calcium in the mother. If it is not enough, then this will negatively affect the development of the unborn baby, as well as the health of the pregnant woman.

Coffee
The invigorating effect of coffee can turn into irritability and nervousness

The negative effect on sleep is the least that can occur when drinking coffee. Of course, rest is very important. It affects both the mood and the tone of the whole organism. If the expectant mother is already overly excitable (tearfulness, mood swings, aggression are typical), then such a stimulating drink is undesirable. Any mood swings affect the health of the baby. With aggression and irritability, pressure may increase, spasmodic abdominal pain may occur, which is fraught with hypoxia and miscarriage in the early stages and premature birth in the later.

Coffee обладает мочегонным эффектом — при его употреблении почки работают в усиленном режиме, и количество мочи возрастает в 1,5 раза. Lack of fluid in the body can cause weakness, dizziness, nausea, lethargy. How many cups of coffee can you drink to prevent dehydration? A lot, but no one can say the exact number. What's more, studies have been conducted that have not found a link between coffee and fluid loss.

In any case, a pregnant woman should not drink more than three cups of coffee per day and it is recommended to drink more water.

Types of coffee: in what form it can be consumed during pregnancy

First, let's find out what types of coffee are. As a rule, natural coffee (freshly ground) and instant coffee are distinguished. They have a different composition, and also differ in their effect on the body. Thus, instant coffee is undesirable during pregnancy due to the high content of caffeine. Ground is not contraindicated, but nevertheless you should not get carried away with it. Coffee без кофеина, несмотря на своё название, всё же содержит этот ингредиент, хоть и в небольшом количестве. However, the harmful substances used in its production are not allowed for use by expectant mothers. What determines the caffeine content in a serving

The simplest classification of coffee is its division into ground, instant and decaffeinated. But there are also different varieties of coffee. How can you replace your favorite drink?

Coffeeин содержится не только в кофе, но и в других напитках и продуктах, таких how:

tea
cocoa
chocolate
Cola and Pepsi
energy drinks Note that espresso coffee contains the highest amount of caffeine. In terms of a regular serving (240 ml), 1 cup of such a drink will contain about 320 mg of caffeine.

So what can replace coffee if this drink is banned? The following ingredients will work:

chicory;
beet;
barley;
pear seeds;
dogwood bones;
sunflower seeds;
rye seeds.
From the above products, you can brew "coffee". Drinks based on these herbal ingredients do not contain caffeine, but it is important for a pregnant woman to observe the measure. So, excessive consumption of a drink made from sunflower seeds can cause constipation, flatulence and bloating. Beetroot coffee can cause intestinal relaxation and is contraindicated in people with urolithiasis and high acidity of the stomach.

The most common caffeine substitutes are chicory and