Pregnancy involves a series of changes in the routines of the future mother. In addition to all the physical, hormonal and emotional changes, women have to make stop to some important changes in terms of their care and daily routines. For many women, parking these habits for a few months can be a problem, as in the case of people used to drinking a lot of coffee.
It's fundamental control diet and everything consumed during pregnancy. Especially when it comes to products that contain potentially dangerous substances for the baby, such as coffee. For different reasons, this product can impair the growth of the child and even cause complications during pregnancy. But do you have to completely eliminate coffee in pregnancy?
What the specialists recommend is that during pregnancy you should reduce the consumption of coffee. However, each woman and each pregnancy are completely different and therefore, there are exceptions that doctors should always control.
The effects of coffee on pregnancy
Caffeine is one of the components of coffee, this is a stimulant substance that affects the nervous system. Consuming coffee or products that contain caffeine during pregnancy can cause complications such as the following:
- Increased heart rate and hypertension, thereby increasing the risk of suffering preeclampsia in pregnancy. A complication that can have very negative consequences.
- Difficulty getting to sleep. Pregnancy itself often complicates sleep time, caffeine abuse can aggravate this situation and it is essential that the pregnant woman get enough rest and sleep to be able to cope with her condition.
- Increases the risk of having heartburn. One of the most frequent symptoms in pregnancy, which also produces a lot of discomfort in those who suffer from it.
As for the baby, the effects can be similar since the caffeine passes the placenta. Therefore, the little one may suffer from nervousness, a fast heartbeat or respiratory problems among others. But in addition, coffee contains another substance that can interfere with the growth of the little one.
The antinutrients in coffee
Antinutrients They are substances that contain some foods that are consumed regularly. Despite not being harmful by themselves, when combined with other foods, these substances can become potentially dangerous.
Coffee contains tannins, a substance that interferes with iron absorption present in many foods and essential for many of the body's functions. In addition, it limits the availability of proteins, another of the essential nutrients for the development of the baby.
Consuming coffee and other foods that contain tannins, such as tea or some dried legumes, can cause the baby not to receive nutrients you need to grow properly.
Should I completely eliminate the coffee?
If your coffee consumption in general is not very high, It won't cost you to eliminate it from your diet while you are pregnant. Although you can have a cup of coffee a day, in principle without risk, it is advisable to eliminate it since it does not contain any essential nutrients for you in this state.
In the event that you usually drink coffee regularly and cannot do without it, you can have a large cup of coffee a day or two small ones. But do not forget that these are the general recommendations, it is preferable that you consult with your doctor before continuing to consume coffee. Pregnancy produces uncontrollable physical changes, and your caffeine intake may need to be different than recommended.
Besides coffee, caffeine is present in other products and it is important that you also control the consumption of these. For example, chocolate has caffeine, many herbal teas, or soft drinks. Therefore, if you drink a cup of coffee a day, you should eliminate the consumption of the mentioned products. Substituting coffee for an infusion without caffeine can be a great alternative, since in many cases coffee is drunk out of social custom.
In this article you will find information about the infusions that you can take during your pregnancy without suffering any risk. What's more, you can always have fresh juices, water with fruits etc.