Tea and coffee during pregnancy: impact, harm, benefit. Tea and coffee during pregnancy

Pregnant women often become hostages to their situation. They have to limit themselves in certain types of entertainment, give up bad habits and take medications, and, finally, scrupulously revise their usual diet. The last point is especially controversial, since some women do not consider pregnancy a disease that requires adherence to a diet, while others are very careful about their new menu. And this is where serious problems begin. If you can easily refuse some products or at least replace them, 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 misunderstandings on this score, we propose to understand how coffee affects pregnancy, is this drink so dangerous, how doctors scare and how to drink coffee in a "delicate" position.

Coffee during pregnancy. How frequent drinking of coffee affects the female body

Drinking one cup of a fragrant drink made from coffee beans, we fill our body not only with vigor and a pleasant sensation of taste, but also get more than 1000 different substances. More than a third of these elements are aromatic compounds that give coffee its main zest - aroma.

Alkaloids are second in number - tonic compounds that provide a burst of energy after each serving of coffee. The main place 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 healthy? 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 niacin. And she, in turn, actively affects the nerve center.

Such a multifaceted composition makes coffee both healthy and hazardous 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 we 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;
• gives a feeling of a surge of strength for a long time;
• increases efficiency, concentration of attention;
• stimulates the intestines;
• prevents the appearance of caries;
• contribute to the stabilization of the state in case of vegetative-vascular dystonia and hypotension;
• exhibits a stable antioxidant effect;
• eases the condition with exacerbation of bronchial asthma;
• reduces the risk of developing oncology and cardiovascular diseases.

On a note! Coffee during pregnancy is sometimes the safest remedy for low blood pressure, which often annoys women in the first weeks after conception.

The main consequences of 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, which is why many coffee lovers are addicted to coffee, both physically and mentally.

Coffee during pregnancy: is it possible or not?

Many women are frightened by the loud statements of experts that coffee and carrying a baby are completely incompatible. Therefore, all pregnant women are advised to refrain from drinking a caffeine drink prior to 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 statistical reports suggest that drinking coffee during early pregnancy often ends in miscarriage, and in the last weeks - premature delivery. But such consequences threaten not women who occasionally allow themselves a cup of weak coffee, but avid coffee lovers who drink many servings of strong espresso.

To solve the dilemma of whether coffee can be used during pregnancy, Danish scientists conducted an experiment. Its results showed that a woman in a position can safely drink up to 150 mg of coffee. This is enough for vigor, well-being, and complete safety of the baby.

Similar studies have been carried out in collaboration with American, Australian and European scientists. In 2010, they provided a recommendation for a 200 g daily allowable dose of caffeine. This amount corresponds to 2 servings.

Important! These guidelines are for healthy women who have no complications during pregnancy. If a woman has liver disease, kidney disease, anemia, then it is better not to drink coffee. Especially dangerous can be coffee during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester, if there is a highly progressive gestosis.

Coffee during pregnancy. Why women in position have different attitudes towards coffee

If a woman before conception was not fond of coffee, then the question of its use rarely arises. And sometimes even his intolerance may occur, especially during the period of toxicosis. In women, the coffee aroma can provoke a sharp attack of vomiting, mild 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 a pregnancy, it is better to exclude coffee from the list of favorite drinks.

Why can't other women refuse coffee, they brew it over and over again? There are two reasons for this. The first is the desire to constantly receive energy "recharge". No matter how unrealistic it may seem, coffee really causes addiction along with smoking and the use of energy drinks. Once in the body, caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream and reaches the brain, and there it activates the synthesis of dopamine. This neurotransmitter induces the desired feeling of joy, vigor, and drive. But this effect is short-lived, and after 2-3 hours the body begins to demand another portion of caffeine.

The second reason a pregnant woman wants coffee is because of iron deficiency in the body. Its lack causes oxygen starvation in the mother and fetus, feeling unwell and fatigue. But in such a situation, you do not need to succumb to the temptation and improve your well-being with the next portion of coffee. It is better to tell the doctor about the problem, to do an examination and if the deficiency is confirmed, to undergo treatment.

Harmful properties of coffee or why coffee is not allowed during pregnancy

Those women who have no obvious contraindications to coffee can safely enjoy coffee and at the same time receive tangible benefits from it. For pregnant women with hypotension and vegetative dystonia, weak coffee is recommended. But the main condition is to consume it after breakfast.

Coffee during pregnancy from the 2nd trimester will also be useful if a woman suffers from physiological edema. 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 beneficial qualities during pregnancy is limited to this. But the list of possible negative reactions is much longer.

The undesirable consequences of coffee abuse can occur at all stages of gestation and be of different nature:

• Due to its diuretic effect, coffee is able to flush out vital calcium, phosphorus and potassium from the body. This threatens with impaired development of the skeleton in the fetus and osteoporosis for the mother.
• Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee in the second trimester of pregnancy leads to underweight in the 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 baby's heart rate.
• An overdose of caffeine causes nervous overstrain in women: insomnia, irritability, anxiety, aggressiveness.

Important! Drinking coffee against the background of hypertonicity of the uterus may result in a miscarriage.

When drinking coffee during pregnancy is prohibited

Coffee is a conditionally hazardous product during gestation, so if you cannot refuse it, you need to consult a doctor to rule out the presence of contraindications. These include the following conditions and diseases:

• Hypertension.
• Diseases of the digestive system.
• Tachycardia.
• Toxicosis and gestosis.
• Sleep problems.
• Anemia.
• Loss of appetite.
• 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 invigorating drink to benefit the pregnant woman and not harm the baby, doctors strongly recommend adhering to the rules of safe coffee drinking:

• Coffee is allowed to be drunk only after a meal, because if it gets into an empty stomach, caffeine will irritate the mucous membranes and provoke nausea, heartburn and stomach pains.
• It is better to dilute coffee with milk or natural cream. This will lower the strength of the coffee slightly and will also help replenish the calcium supply.
• Coffee makes you dehydrated, so after every cup of coffee you need to drink 3 glasses of mineral water to restore the imbalanced water balance.
• When drinking coffee, you need to consider the caffeine content of other drinks.

What type of coffee is better to give preference to during pregnancy?

The assortment of coffee is large, so it is not always clear for a woman which variety is best to use during pregnancy. There are no clear indications on this, but experts advise buying only natural coffee beans in order to exclude the presence of third-party additives.

Black coffee during pregnancy

In stores, you can buy coffee in beans or already ground, of varying degrees of grinding, in the form of a mixture or a specific type. It all depends on your preferences. But it should be borne in mind 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 very roasted coffee with milk during pregnancy.

There is one more important point. All coffee comes in two varieties - arabica and robusta. Arabica is distinguished by its noble sourness, delicate taste and aroma, and the weakness of the drink. And robusta is much inferior in taste, but there is much more caffeine in it.

On a note! The degree of extraction of coffee is influenced by its grinding. The finer the grind, the richer the drink will be.

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 caffeine concentration can even be higher than that of regular brewed coffee.

Another reason to refuse this type of coffee is its undefined composition. Experts say that in instant coffee, coffee extract is only 15-25%, and the rest is chemical additives. Therefore, it is simply impossible to speak of its naturalness.

The same goes for your favorite 3in1 drinks. There, in addition to flavorings, there are vegetable fats and preservatives.

Decaffeinated coffee during pregnancy

Coffee labeled "caffeine-free" is considered a fraudulent practice. Although the beans are processed to lower the concentration of caffeine, it still remains in the beans. In addition, many experts are of the opinion that such coffee is not only useless, but also dangerous. Because various solvents are used to extract caffeine.

Several studies have shown that decaffeinated coffee leads to the development of atherosclerosis.

Not the best way to extract caffeine affects the taste of coffee. It becomes unscented and insipid in taste. Therefore, it is better to give up 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 pamper yourself with something aromatic and invigorating, there is a very good way out - to brew a coffee drink on a plant basis.

You may have noticed drinks containing chicory, barley, herbal and berry extracts on the supermarket shelves. They can be in the form of a soluble powder or a crushed raw material that must be pre-welded.

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 beneficial properties and is not contraindicated during gestation:

• It stabilizes blood glucose levels.
• Raises hemoglobin.
• It has a cleansing effect.
• Improves appetite.
• Shows a sedative effect.

It is impossible to use chicory only for stomach diseases and varicose veins.

Chicory is a diuretic, so you shouldn't drink more than 3-4 cups a day. You need to prepare a drink according to the recommendations on the package. In most cases, it is sold in powder form, which must be mixed with sugar and boiled over. To improve the taste, you can add cream, condensed milk or milk.

Barley instead of coffee during pregnancy

The barley drink is also caffeine-free and 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 in the same way as coffee. It can be a standalone 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 contains roasted and finely ground chicory and cereals (oats, barley, rye).

This is a real lifeguard 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.

This drink is combined with milk, cocoa, hot chocolate, juices.

Ultimately, it is up to the pregnant woman to decide whether to drink coffee or not. 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 yourself with positive emotions without harming your baby. And in case of abuse, you can face many problems during pregnancy. Be attentive to your health!

Video "Coffee and Pregnancy"

If you are lucky, and you find yourself in a family of fans of a healthy lifestyle, then, most likely, you will be offered green or fruit tea, and if coffee, then necessarily natural, less often they offer juices from packages.

Which of this list should a pregnant woman choose? To the disappointment of many women, some of their usual drinks are not recommended during this period, and the range of drinks should be significantly limited.

Drinks to limit

Coffee - contains caffeine. Moreover, there is even more of it in a cup of instant coffee than in a cup of natural coffee. Plus, instant coffee contains chemicals that make it instant coffee. Regular consumption of more than 5-6 cups of coffee a day is the same drug addiction as cigarettes. The use of any drug during pregnancy, even as innocent as coffee, will inevitably lead subsequently to the same addiction in the child.

That is why coffee consumption during pregnancy should be reduced and minimized. However, you can drink it in small quantities (1 coffee cup of natural coffee per day). Not regularly, but in those cases when you really want it, or when a cup of natural coffee replaces the medicine for low blood pressure.

Tea - also contains caffeine, and a cup of strong brewed tea contains no less of it than a cup of coffee. Therefore, a pregnant woman should drink it strongly diluted, which usually affects the taste of the drink. Many people prefer not to drink tea at all than to drink it this way.

Some people mistakenly believe that replacing black tea with green tea will result in less caffeine. This opinion is wrong. A cup of green tea contains just as much caffeine as black tea, so the same restrictions apply. On the other hand, green tea is rich in microelements and bioactive substances, so if a pregnant woman drinks tea, then green tea is better than black, but do not forget about its strength.

Fruit tea, which has become fashionable in recent years, can be divided into regular tea with fruit flavors, and a purely fruit or herbal drink. Certainly, this tea is healthier than regular tea if it is brewed directly from dried leaves and fruits, and not from tea bags. However, do not forget that tea with fruit and herbal additives remains the same tea, and again we will have to remember about its strength.

Cocoa is a fairly strong allergen, cocoa allergy is much more common than coffee or citrus. In addition, cocoa (like coffee) promotes the leaching of calcium from the body.

Sparkling water - promotes excessive gas formation, flatulence. Sugary sodas like Coca-Cola contain a ton of synthetic chemicals that are not recommended for everyone, especially pregnant women. In addition, cola and other drinks interfere with the absorption of calcium. Still mineral water is rich in mineral salts and can pose a serious strain on the kidneys of a pregnant woman, especially if she is periodically found to have salt in her urine or has a tendency to edema.

Juices - of course, much more useful. However, it is more correct to drink freshly squeezed juices, and not from bags. The latter do not always contain safe and harmless substances: firms often add vitamins, flavor enhancers, preservatives, etc. to their juices. In addition, many of them are high in sugar. If you are going to choose among the juices in packages, you should give preference to those intended for baby food.

What can you drink?

What can a pregnant woman drink to quench her thirst? It's better to learn how to quench your thirst during pregnancy. clean water ... Spring water (tested by experts), bottled water, and just filtered boiled water will do.

This becomes especially important in the second half of pregnancy, when the activation of water-salt metabolism and an increase in the total volume of circulating fluid can lead to increased thirst. During pregnancy, you should drink as much as is required, except when fluid intake is limited by your doctor. If a pregnant woman gets used to constantly carry water and drink it in small sips at first desire, thirst attacks manifest themselves much less often.

Clean water should become the main and main drink for a pregnant woman and make up at least 2/3 of all fluid entering the body.

What to drink besides water:

• Firstly, natural juices and fruit drinks ... Freshly squeezed juice should be preferred over packet juice. In winter, it's best to use a homemade fruit drink. Fruit drinks can be prepared from preserves, jams, compote, dry and frozen fruits. These drinks are rich in vitamins and minerals.
• Secondly, herbal teas ... However, it is better not to use ready-made bags, but to prepare tea directly from dry herbs, leaves, flowers, dried fruits, brewing them like tea, at the rate of 1 teaspoon per glass of boiling water. Any herb that does not have a strong odor and unpleasant taste and does not affect the endocrine system is suitable for brewing. It is also good to use raw materials from those plants that grow in the same area where the pregnant woman herself lives. In central Russia, such teas are most often brewed from raspberry leaves, strawberries, currants, cherries, blueberries, lingonberries, mint herbs, lemon balm, Ivan tea, linden flowers, calendula, violets, rose hips, hawthorns, mountain ash, viburnum, etc. etc.

It is especially important during pregnancy not to mix plants with each other, so that you can drink only those teas that you really like, without masking the unpleasant taste. The sensitive body of a pregnant woman will immediately tell you which plant you do not want to drink now and what should be given up for a while. If there is no discomfort, then it is advisable to drink this tea for 2-3 days, then take a break for 1-2 days, and then brew some other plant.

Big choice

By alternating teas in this way, we will get a fairly large set of drinks, which will be repeated no more than 1 time per month. This simple recipe from the piggy bank of folk experience will help pregnant women fight the lack of vitamins and minerals. If the main part of a pregnant woman's drinking is pure water, juices, fruit drinks and herbal teas, then sometimes she will be able to pamper herself with a cup of coffee and other not very healthy, but more favorite drink. In this case, the temporary restrictions on the choice of drinking will not be so difficult for her.

Some researchers argue that coffee in early pregnancy does not harm either the mother or the fetus. Another group of scientists says that pregnancy and coffee are two mutually exclusive concepts. So who should you believe? Who can provide accurate information on how coffee affects pregnancy? And is the effect of coffee dangerous on pregnancy?

Recent studies by Russian gynecologists, conducted jointly with neonatologists, have shown that drinking coffee during pregnancy can have the most negative consequences.

Scientists have studied hundreds of women who have lost their pregnancies as a result of spontaneous miscarriage. More than 90% of them did not stop drinking coffee after learning about pregnancy. Among women who gave birth to their babies ahead of time, 80% also drank coffee throughout their pregnancy.

Women who drank instant coffee during pregnancy were much more likely to have a tendency to form swelling and bouts of heartburn. In addition, this group of women most often has a disease such as cystitis.

Based on the data obtained, the doctors conducted an analysis and came to the following conclusion: drinking coffee during pregnancy increases the risk of developing all kinds of complications, both from the maternal body and from the fetus.

In addition, pregnancy planning and coffee are also things that are poorly compatible. Regular consumption of every cup of coffee per day by a woman will reduce her chances of getting pregnant by about 10%. It would seem that it is not so scary. In the event that a woman drinks only one cup of coffee, and if 4 - 5 cups? It’s easy to calculate how her chances of becoming a mom are diminishing.

Sometimes it happens that a woman simply cannot bring herself to stop drinking coffee even during pregnancy. In such a case, decaffeinated coffee may be the safest alternative. Of course, it differs from the usual taste of natural coffee, but nevertheless it can deceive the body and help get rid of coffee addiction at least for the period of pregnancy, eliminate the harm of coffee during pregnancy.

Pregnancy and coffee with milk should also be mutually exclusive. There is a misconception that milk will neutralize the negative effects of coffee. However, this is not the case - milk only changes the taste of the coffee. So it is better to drink tea with milk, which will not harm your baby and not worry about whether coffee is possible during pregnancy.

Pregnancy and tea

Tea can be a worthy substitute for coffee. However, the choice of tea must also be approached with caution, because not every tea will benefit the expectant mother and her baby. For example, black tea should be drunk with caution during pregnancy, as theanine will be retained in it. Strong tea can harm your baby's health.

Herbal teas, even such harmless ones as Ivan tea, should also be consumed very carefully during pregnancy and only with the permission of your doctor - gynecologist. This precaution is explained by the fact that some of the herbs included in herbal tea can negatively affect the development of the fetus, and even provoke a miscarriage or premature birth.

Kidney tea during pregnancy should also be drunk only as directed and under medical supervision. Excessive abuse of renal tea can lead not only to the removal of edema, but also to the leaching of a large number of useful micro and macro elements from the body, and as a result, metabolic disorders.

In order for you to decide what kind of tea to drink during pregnancy, all the positive and negative properties that various types of tea have are described below.

• Despite its wide popularity, green tea during pregnancy is strongly discouraged. This is due to the peculiarity of green tea, which is that it completely interferes with the absorption of folic acid by the body, which is so necessary for a pregnant woman. It is folic acid that is responsible for the correct laying and further formation of the internal organs of the fetus. Lack of folic acid can lead to fetal malformations. That is why you should not drink green tea during pregnancy.
• Insti tea is a favorite remedy for colds and flu for many pregnant women. Medical reviews about this tea are ambiguous: some doctors believe that its use is absolutely safe, while others argue that this risk is not justified. When making a choice, consult with your doctor - gynecologist.
• Linden tea during pregnancy is an excellent alternative to pharmacological drugs for colds. Linden tea will relieve nasal congestion, relieve headaches, and normalize the nervous system. And if you drink linden tea with raspberries, then it is possible to achieve a decrease in the highest temperature. Just remember that raspberries are a powerful diaphoretic. Therefore, after you drink your tea, you will need to go to bed. And tea with honey during pregnancy is an excellent sedative.
• Lemon tea during pregnancy can be a great tonic. In addition, do not forget about the benefits of vitamin C found in lemons.
• But chamomile tea, despite its undeniable benefits, should be taken very, very carefully. Chamomile has a pronounced sedative and anti-inflammatory effect, however, in addition, it stimulates the production of estrogens on the ovaries. That is why, if there is even the slightest threat of spontaneous abortion, it is necessary to refuse from drinking chamomile tea. Those women whose pregnancy proceeds without complications should limit themselves to 0.5 liters of chamomile tea per day. Chamomile tea during pregnancy should only be consumed with the permission of your doctor.
• Tea with mint during pregnancy will help prevent the appearance of edema and eliminate the existing ones. And in the early stages of pregnancy, mint tea will help eliminate the symptoms of toxicosis. The main thing to look out for when choosing mint tea is whether natural mint is used, or just mint flavors. The recommended amount of tea per day is no more than one liter. Tea with lemon balm has similar properties.
• Some women in the first trimester of pregnancy experience severe, debilitating toxicosis, accompanied by constant nausea and bouts of vomiting. Ginger tea can be a real salvation in this situation. Ginger tea has a wonderful ability to quickly and permanently eliminate nausea. Typically, one cup of ginger tea lasts about 10 hours. It is worth taking note of this remedy for those women who are seasick in transport.
• White tea during pregnancy increases the absorption of calcium, which is very important for the normal course of pregnancy. In addition, white tea normalizes the functions of the cardiovascular system, lowers vascular permeability and has a general strengthening effect on the body of a pregnant woman.
• Rosehip tea is a real storehouse of vitamins. The rose hips contain almost all the vitamins necessary for the body. To make tea, pour 20 grams of rose hips with a liter of boiling water and let it brew for 5 hours. However, do not forget that rose hips have a mild diuretic effect.
• Hibiscus tea has the unique ability to both raise and lower blood pressure. If you have low blood pressure, you need to drink this tea cold, but if high - then hot.
• Bergamot tea has a pleasant taste and aroma, just like jasmine tea. However, they belong to the category of green tea and their use is highly undesirable.
• Lingonberry tea is also diuretic and quickly relieves swelling. However, it cannot be consumed without a doctor's prescription, since diuretic teas during pregnancy should be drunk only if indicated.
• But the tea with thyme, beloved by many women, is strictly contraindicated in pregnancy.

  For continuous use, it is better to choose some kind of neutral tea. Kuril tea has a pleasant taste and smell, and has no contraindications to use during pregnancy. For lovers of the classic version, rooibos tea is ideal.

  Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and is not a guide to action. For the correct choice, consult your doctor.

What drink is safe to drink during pregnancy? Can i drink coffee during pregnancy? Is black and green tea useful while waiting for a baby? Is cocoa harmful or useful for the expectant mother? Can mint be consumed during pregnancy? We will answer all these questions in this material.

Can i drink coffee during pregnancy?

Honestly, I am a real coffee lover. Before pregnancy, I could not live without coffee. Each morning began with a cup of aromatic coffee brought to bed by my caring husband, and then, at lunchtime, I drank another cup. I do not mean a substitute in the form of instant "coffee", I am talking about real bitter coffee, which must be brewed in a Turk.

As soon as I got pregnant, I had to reconsider my addiction to this drink. Everyone knows about the dangers of coffee due to the high content of caffeine, which excites the central nervous system. But not everyone knows that coffee in large quantities leads to dehydration and loss of fluid in the body (due to the activation of the kidneys). If you like coffee, do not forget to drink 2-2.5 liters of pure water!

In addition, coffee helps to flush out calcium and magnesium from the body. Agree that its presence in the body of a pregnant woman in sufficient quantities is mandatory. After all, a lack of calcium threatens not only your health and beauty, but also adversely affects the formation of a child's skeleton. Also, excessive consumption of caffeine slows down the absorption of iron.

Can I drink coffee? Yes, but not every day and not in "horse" doses. I drank it 3 times a week for a coffee cup. Also, try to follow these guidelines:

• do not drink coffee on an empty stomach;
• reduce your coffee intake as much as possible;
• use "light" coffee (less strong);
• add milk to coffee to compensate for the loss of calcium;
• compensate for the diuretic effect of coffee by drinking more fluids throughout the day;
• replace coffee with chicory if possible.

Contraindications to drinking coffee for pregnant women

• toxicosis;
• headache;
• high blood pressure;
• acidity gastritis or stomach ulcer;
• insomnia;
• kidney and bladder disease;
• calcium deficiency;
• anemia;
• high blood cholesterol levels.

Tea during pregnancy

I hasten to calm down, pregnant women can drink tea. But you should not abuse it (two cups a day will be enough). Tea, like coffee, contains caffeine, which in large doses does not have the best effect on the health of the expectant mother and her child.

Black tea is rich in calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. In addition, it contains vitamins and pantothenic acid.

Green tea is still preferable to drink, despite the benefits of black. It has a positive effect on the elasticity of blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, and has antioxidant properties.

It is best to consult your doctor about herbal tea. After all, the effect of various herbs on the body of pregnant women can be unpredictable.

• give preference to green, white or herbal tea (before using the latter, consult with your gynecologist);
• give up tea bags in favor of freshly brewed;
• do not brew very strong tea;
• do not drink tea at night;
• observe the measure in the use of black and green tea (1-2 cups a day is enough).

Mint during pregnancy

Mint can be safely called a natural medicine that even doctors recommend. After all, medication treatment is a risk in any case. Mint is recommended for pregnant women in the early stages (it helps to survive morning toxicosis less painfully), as well as as a sedative. In addition, mint is able to increase female libido.

But, nevertheless, on the question of whether you can safely drink mint tea for you, you should consult your doctor. The fact is that this plant is rich in estrogens, which cause hypertonicity of the uterus, which can provoke premature birth. Therefore, you should not consume mint in unlimited quantities.

• limit yourself to drinking 1-2 cups a day of your favorite tea with the addition of mint;
• if you are going to brew mint inflorescences purchased at a pharmacy, it is better to consult a gynecologist;
• under no circumstances use peppermint essential oil (both internally and for cosmetic procedures, aromatherapy, and even harmless aroma combing). The air contains a significant dose of menthol, which is prohibited during pregnancy. The ban also applies to chamomile essential oil.

Contraindications to the use of mint in pregnant women

• hypotension (low blood pressure);
• varicose veins (in the last months of pregnancy);
• chronic liver and kidney disease;
• tendency to allergies.

Cocoa during pregnancy

Many of us loved to drink cocoa in kindergarten. It is possible that love for him has passed into adulthood. Undoubtedly, the drink is rich in zinc, iron and folic acid. Many expectant mothers suffer from apathy and melancholy mood when nothing pleases. In order to calm down the "game" of hormones, pregnant women resort to the wonderful "mood enhancer" cocoa, which contains the hormone of joy - endorphin.

However, it is still not worth resorting to such "measures" on a regular basis. After all, cocoa, like coffee and tea, contains a small amount of caffeine. In addition, when consumed in large quantities, it interferes with the body's absorption of calcium.

• do not drink cocoa more than once a day (not daily);
• choose the drink you want to brew, not an instant powder (it contains a lot of chemistry);
• add milk to cocoa;
• in small amounts, you can use cocoa in baked goods or desserts.

Contraindications for consuming cocoa during pregnancy

• high blood pressure;
• tendency to allergies, because cocoa is a powerful allergen;
• lack of calcium in the body;
• chronic kidney disease

Otherwise, drink a small cup of cocoa 2 times a week. This "dose" will not harm you.

As you can see, most drinks can be safely consumed during pregnancy. Of course, in reasonable amounts.

What can you drink during pregnancy? (video)

Coffee during pregnancy

Probably, almost every woman thought about whether it is possible to drink coffee during pregnancy? On this issue, the opinions of scientists differ. Some believe that in the early stages of pregnancy, this drink does no harm to either the fetus or the mother. Others insist not to drink. So who should you believe?

Recent studies by gynecologists have shown that drinking coffee while pregnant can lead to negative consequences. Studies have been conducted on hundreds of women. 90% of those who found out about their position did not stop drinking coffee. Among these women, 80% of babies were born earlier.

Those women who drank instant coffee were much more likely to experience swelling and bouts of heartburn. In addition, they often suffered from cystitis. Based on the data obtained, the doctors conducted an analysis and came to the following conclusion: drinking coffee during pregnancy increases the risk of developing complications, both from the unborn baby and from the side of the mother's body.

In addition, it is recommended to give up coffee and those women who are just planning a pregnancy. If a woman consumes just one cup of coffee every day, then her chances of getting pregnant are reduced by 10%. At first glance, everything is not so scary. However, if more of this drink is drunk per day, for example 4-5 cups. It is not difficult to calculate the results.

Coffee is addictive. Therefore, its use during pregnancy will not be very easy for those who are used to it. addiction during pregnancy.

Some people believe that coffee with milk does not cause any harm to the body, since milk neutralizes the negative effects of caffeine. However, this opinion is erroneous. Milk just alters the taste. Therefore, it is better to drink tea with milk rather than coffee during pregnancy.

Tea during pregnancy

Tea can be a good alternative to coffee. But the choice of tea also needs to be taken seriously, since not all tea will go to the benefit of the expectant mother and baby. For example, black tea contains theanine, which in large quantities can harm the fetus.

Many people think that herbal teas are the best drink for a pregnant mom. But this opinion is not entirely correct either. These types of tea should be chosen with care. And it is best to consult a doctor first. After all, some herbs contained in teas can not only badly affect the fetus, but also lead to premature birth or provoke a miscarriage.

Before you start drinking tea from the kidneys, it is also recommended to first consult your doctor. Excessive consumption of this tea can lead to the leaching of useful elements from the body, swelling and even metabolic disorders.

To make it easier for you to decide on the choice of tea, below will be described all the positive and negative properties that different varieties of this drink have.

Green tea

Despite all its beneficial properties, doctors do not recommend using it during pregnancy. This is due to the fact that green tea is able to interfere with the absorption of folic acid by the body. And this element is extremely important for the expectant mother. Folic acid is responsible for the correct laying and further formation of the internal organs of the unborn baby. Lack of this substance can lead to abnormalities in the development of the fetus.

Insti tea

Many people prefer to drink it during flu and colds. Medical reviews about this tea are mixed. Some believe that it is absolutely safe, while others argue that the risk is not worth it, since its frequent use may affect the unborn child. Therefore, if you decide to drink this tea, first consult your doctor.

Lime tea

This tea can be an excellent alternative to pharmacological drugs for colds. Linden tea will help relieve headaches, relieve nasal congestion and normalize the nervous system. And if you add raspberries to linden tea, you can achieve an antipyretic effect. Just keep in mind that raspberries are a powerful perspiration. Therefore, immediately after drinking such tea, it is necessary to go to bed. Linden tea with honey is an excellent soothing remedy.

Tea with lemon

This tea tones up well. In addition, lemon contains vitamin C, which is very beneficial for our health.

Chamomile tea

Of course, this tea is useful, but it should be consumed with caution during pregnancy. Chamomile has a pronounced anti-inflammatory and sedative effect, in addition, it stimulates the production of estrogen by acting on the ovaries. Therefore, gynecologists do not recommend drinking chamomile tea to those who have even the slightest threat of miscarriage. If pregnancy proceeds without complications, then it is recommended to drink no more than half a liter of such tea per day, and then only with the permission of a doctor.

Mint tea

At small stages of pregnancy, this tea can help to eliminate the symptoms of toxicosis. In addition, it relieves puffiness well. The main thing is to choose natural teas with mint. It is best to add fresh or dry mint leaves separately to your tea. It is recommended to drink no more than a liter of it during the day. Lemon balm tea has similar properties.

Ginger tea

This tea will help to cope with toxicosis. Ginger quickly and permanently relieves nausea, and its effect lasts about ten hours. Also, ginger helps with motion sickness.

White tea

White tea increases the absorption of calcium, which is very important for a pregnant woman. In addition, it normalizes the work of the cardiovascular system, lowers vascular permeability and has a general strengthening effect on the entire body.

Rosehip tea

This tea contains many vitamins. However, rose hips have a diuretic effect, so drinking this tea should be done with caution.

Hibiscus tea

This tea is unique, it is able to lower and increase pressure. At low pressure, it is recommended to drink hibiscus cold, high pressure - hot.

Bergamot tea

This tea has a pleasant aroma and taste. But it is not recommended to use it during pregnancy, as in its action it is similar to green tea.

Lingonberry tea

It has a diuretic effect, due to which it can quickly relieve puffiness. But you can drink it only as directed by a doctor.

Thyme tea contraindicated in pregnancy.

Kuril tea and rooibos

These two teas are the best options to drink consistently during pregnancy. They have a pleasant aroma and taste and, at the same time, have no contraindications.