just tested positive on a pregnancy kit - i am very thrilled but also really nervous.
Can one drink tea and coffee during pregnancy? any other do's and don'ts will be much appreciated.
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IMO, the No. 1 "Do" is to immediately start taking folic acid, if not already taking it. If you were taking it prior to becoming pregnant, it's time to up the dose. The recommended dose is 4 milligrams (4,000 micrograms) for the first trimester. Then drop to 600mcg every day.
If you breastfeed, take 500mcg every day
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Ahhh the old tea and coffee debate. Everyone has an opinion on this.
Personally I have one cup of tea when I wake up each day. Without this I could not function and would probably be a menace to society. For the rest of the day I drink water.
If I am having a particularly knackering day at work I will have a small decaf latte as I have now fooled my body into thinking that it's getting a regular rocket-fuel coffee. To be honest though, have gone off coffee a bit.
I must also add that I have 2 glasses of red wine a week so clearly I follow the 'european' attitude to pregnancey whereas the Americans would have you avoid all caffeienes and stimulants for the duration of your pregnancey. Very unrealistic.
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English decafinated tea has NO caffine (you can get some at Marks and Spencers) Green tea does have caffine, decafe coffee has caffine also. I drank decafe tea every day a had a friend who drank regular tea every day but it's personal choice who you feel happy and comfortaable with. Avoid deli goods such as cold hams, chickens etc If you have these heat them up. If you do a search on pregnancy you'll get lots of info also your gyni should have info to give you. Congrats it's all very exciting and looking forward t reading how it's all going.
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Vulvic is right. After decrying every stimulant, doctors (OK perhaps not in the US) reckon tea, coffee and the odd glass of wine is fine.
You should limit the amount of caffeine you have each day, but you don't need to cut it out completely – because otherwise that means no chocolate!
Keep it no more than 300mg a day. It’s equivalent to 4 cups of instant coffee, or 3 cup of brewed, or 6 cups of tea, or 8 cans of cola, or 8 (50g) bars of plain chocolate (milk chocolate has about half the caffeine as plain).
So if you eat a bar of plain chocolate and drink 3 cups of tea, a can of cola and a cup of instant coffee in a day, you'll have reached the 300mg limit.
You should drink only 1 or 2 units of alcohol, once or twice a week (one glass of wine is about 2 units).
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Ooops, may have to cut back on the vino then, lol.
I do think people go a bit far with what not to eatm list. So far I have eaten deli meats, pate, sushi and countless other things I am supposed to avoid. I don't eat these things often and not in any big quantity, literally just a taste.
However, it is all a matter of opinion and what you feel comfortable with as Perthites mentioned.
I do have a friend who is preggers and her hubby has forbid her from drinking her usual green tea. Now that is going to be a long pregnancy IMHO.
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Vulvic> Two glasses and you're ok... assuming they are not those massive ones. :-)
Most problems are not with the food itself. Tuna can have a lot of mercury so that should be limited. Raw/undercooked meats and eggs can give you food poisoning - so should be avoided.
Avoid cheeses such as Camembert, Brie or others that have a similar rind. You should also avoid blue cheeses. These cheeses are made with mould and they can contain listeria, a type of bacteria that could harm your baby.
And if you, the father, brothers or sisters have certain allergic conditions such as hayfever, asthma and/or eczema then you might want to avoid peanuts.
Having said all said, sit down, put your feet up and enjoy a nice cuppa. Everything in moderation.
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just for your info on the alcohol issue. don't get me wrong i'm not judging anyone when i say this it's just so you have all the info.If you drink while pregnant your baby could be effected by AFS alcohol fetal syndrome, now the only thing is they CAN'T say HOW MUCH alcohol effects the fetus so it's whether you feel comfortable drinking while pregnant. Same goes for the deli meats etc, ie.. now if your pregnant self and a non pregnant friend both ordered a ham sambo and it contained listeria you and your friend would more than likely both end up getting sick the real concern for you is that it COULD effect your baby. I had a friend in HK who didn't worry at all about listeria causing prodcuts and she had a heathly baby, i on the other hand was careful with what i ate and avoided all those foods after all it was only for 9mths and i would never have forgiven myself if i caused a problem to our baby. as Claire said try not to worry too much and have a nice bickie with that tea!
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Errr...the first thing you should do is find an OBGYN (if you have'nt already). ;)
He/She will give you a list of ALL the foods to eat & avoid.
After reading all the above(helpful as it may be)...you're just going to feel confused!
See your Doctor...& congrats!
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what i did/didn't eat/drink:
did: tea, decaf coffee, ham, smoked salmon, cola drinks but all in moderation, non-sashimi sushi, canned tuna
didn't: alcohol (too horrified by the fact that the week before the test kit was positive, i got very drunk at a friend's wedding so stopped and alcohol didn't appeal during these 9 months), soft cheeses, sashimi, not well done meats, chinese herbss of any kind, fishes with high mercury content (fresh tuna)
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Wheeleymate - I found out just after New Years Eve and that was a particularly big night out for me! I was horrified aswell and avoided wine until the last couple of weeks (am not at week 29).
Talking of tea, I just got caught in a torrential downpopur and am now about to warm myself up with a nice cuppa.....an several biccies!
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I think the 'issue' with alcohol is that it is known to actually cross the placenta. Not sure if caffiene does but have read stats that if you're drinking upward of 5 cups/day it may increase chance of miscarriage.
Having said that I enjoy the occasional glass of wine and couldn't live without my tea! :-)
As for all the things you 'can' and 'can't' eat, I agree, you should go with what makes you comfortable. Some of the things I've read that shouldn't be eaten are: smoked meats, soft cheeses, deli goods (because of potential cross contamination), pre-prepared foods (both salads and things sitting in baymaries), deep sea fish (mecury), msg... the list goes on and I don't stick to it like gospel, I do what is practical and what I feel is 'safe'.
Congratulation and enjoy your pregnancy (with bacon, coffee and brie if you choose:-)!
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Wow! So much panic over can and can't. Our mothers never did any of this and we are all here, happy, healthy and hatching the next generation. Be sensible, don't give yourself food poisoning,it will dehydrate you and the baby. Whatever that means to you in terms of what you feel comfortable not eating- do it. I drank tea, had wine, had decaf coffee, I didn't eat soft cheese( unless pasteurised) . My mother was appalled- she had done none of these things way back when. Amazing I am here really. Enjoy your pregnancy, its not a penance it's a state of being.Take care of yourself and your baby will be fine.
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I agree with you phoenix of course one can stress over every little thing you eat or drink when pregnant but back when we were born the miscarriage rate was higher. They didn't know what casue a lot of these miscarriages. Yes life was different then the food our parents ate was differnt and some less common than now. I was speaking to my mum about the soft cheese issue and they just didn't eat a lot of that then it wasn't as common or as cheap.
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OK, good point about the cheese, but actually, miscarriage rates and fertility problems NOW are higher than a generation ago - antioxidants, non-organic pesticides, lifestyle/stress differences -blah, blah. Want to go live in a bubble and eat only your own- produced food and drink for 9 months ? No, me neither. My point was not to get at any of the comments- merely to say, be realistic about yourself and your comfort zone. Should you panic if there was a peanut on your salad that you forgot to pick out? If there was some goats cheese in the flan you ate? Life is hard enough as it is, a happy and healthy pregnancy is a stress-free and sensible mother.( as much as HK will allow!)
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Hmmmm, I'm sure the Peking Duck I had at lunch was not on the 'approved foods' list either but it tasted bloody good!
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dear all - thanks very much for your replies
regarding coffee & tea - i need that cup of coffee to get out of bed in the morning and get to work. otherwise as Vulvic says - am a walking menace to society.
Nine months without chocolate - would be impossible too. A friend just brought a kilo of chocolate from switzerland and there's no way i'm just gonna look at it every day in the fridge.
As for Alcohol - don't drink at all so no problems there.
And yes i will go to see a gyni asap.
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Ha i total understand about the chocolate i had decafe everything but i ate chocolate. If you eat chockie high in coco it's better for you!
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Yes, chocolate is essential to a happy and sane pregnancy.
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...As I said to the fat middle-aged man in Movieland the other day who accused me of poisoning my baby with a twix.
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Did he say that whilst ordering a large soft drink and huge tub of butter soaked pop-corn? LOL
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Peking duck is not on the safe list? WWWHY?
My mum was awful funny on the phone - she said see cats & dogs - when they're pregnant they go about doing the same things they did when they weren't - they don't obsess - so take it easy and don't be paranoid was her thing.
BUT.....
can one help being just a wee bit paranoid?
I stopped going to the gym these days - would like to start working out a bit again - but not quite sure as to when is a good time.
Does anyone find that the internet has lots of contradictory advice on it?
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Mayafox - That's a classic!!!! I hope you gave him 'evils' as well!
Goddess - I have been going to the gym 3 times a week throughout my pregnancy. Speak to your Dr and get advice but there is no reason why you shouldn't be excercising now.
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Vulvic - had a slightly bad experience a couple of months ago. I went hiking up a bloody chinese mountain for the may holidays. I was four days late for my period. The hike was a very strenuos climb of several thousand steps.
the upshot was that i started bleeding - it was really rather painful and was quite traumatised.
just didn't want to risk anything like that again.
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Goddess -- I guess the trick is to do things in moderation. I am also excercising at least 3 times a week (same as I did pre-pregnancy) but there is no way I am pushing myself as hard as I used to. If the gym is too strenuous for you, maybe you can take up a yoga or pilates class or my current obsession -- going swimming as the sun sets after work! Makes me enjoy that twix bar even more ;-)
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Godess - I am so sorry, that must have been terribley upsetting and can understand your caution.
Yoga, pilates, swimming and walking - all good stuff! Mayafox is right, all things in moderation.
Only do excercises where there is a known start and finish i.e. walking on the treadmill, you can control the duration and intensity. Same goes for classes - you know when they will end and antenatal yoga and pilates takes into account that you are pregnant so the poses are modified. What you don't want to do it go for a hike where you could potentially get stranded if you have a fall or any other accident.
Basically -stick to controlled environments.
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I drank full strength coffee and tea during my pregnancies to no ill effect!
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Vulvic - no worries, you couldn't have known.
I started on the treadmill yesterday - it feels good to be back in the gym. Won't to too much with the weights for the moment though.
I know what you mean by controlled environments - and safe places -we just cancelled a holiday to outer mongolia.
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Outer Mongolia - seriously!!!???
Shame, that would have been a fab holiday but you do have to wiegh the risks.
Good news about your first day back in the gym, how are you feeling today? I find that a bit of excercise really helps boost my energy levels so can get more done during the day and am flying about like a whippet. By night I am totally knackered and just want to veg on the sofa and stuff my face, lol.
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Yes, I'm sure i would've loved mongolia with all it's throat singing and expanses of uninhabited wilderness.
Feeling quite good these days thanks - though my energy level fluctuates a lot.
How long do you still have to go?
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I am just turning the corner on 30 weeks now - birth feels imminent!
Feel great and have loads of energy during the day but work is full on so am pretty drained by the time I get home.
Only 8 weeks till maternity leave - plan to float about in the pool until I turn brown and wrinkly.
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ha congrats Vulvic 30 wks it is really getting exciting and you have work to distract you for another 8weeks...just keep in min dwhen flooting around in the pool pregnant women tan/burn much faster make sure you use a safe sunscreen and don't stay out in the sun too long!
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DO not cut things / clothes with scissors on the bed ....haha
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Wow, vulvic - i'm so jealous that you haven't got long to go.
Good luck with everything!!
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I can't wait!!!
Am having my lovely Braxton Hicks contractions as I type. After reading up onn them I now know what the books have been going on about.
My friend is 36wks now and still at work. The baby has turned and is bearing down so looks like her labour will be bang on time. She reckons she has slowed right down the last couple of days and feels completely wiped out. Luckily her maternity leave starts soon so she can rest up.
I have to say I have really loved being preggers, I find it so amazing. I am guess I'll be less enamoured with the labour and will no doubt be swearing like a trooper but it's all worth it.
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it's nice to have company!!
It's great that you enjoyed your pregnancy - i keep reminding myself that i'm happy to be pregnant and therefore should take symptoms like nausea and exhaustion with a smile.
I had a laparospic procedure last year - so won't be having natural child birth -am more than a bit relieved!!
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I love being pregnant too -- if only there was a way to get through labour without ripped perineums and haemhorroids! LOL!
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ah.....i miss being pregnant...felt like a goddess towards the end :)
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Thta has to be the ultimate downside to being preggers - the labour.
I am still trying to decide whether or not to consent to an epesiotomy. Have had lots of conflicting advice on it.
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Good point, Vulvic. I'll start a new thread on episiotomies...
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Ha just commented on your thread.
To cut or not to cut, that is the question.
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