Giving Up Caffeine During Pregnancy

Craving chocolate? You are advised to limit your daily consumption to 200mg of caffeine during pregnancy. This should include all of the caffeine in your diet, not just the cups of coffee. On average, the caffeine contents of popular dietary sources are as follows:

  • 1 instant coffee – 100mg
  • 1 filter coffee – 140 mg
  • 1 tea – 75mg
  • 1 green tea – 50 mg
  • 1 can of cola – 40 mg
  • 50g milk chocolate – 25mg

Risks of caffeine during pregnancy

Caffeine travels across the placenta and can affect your baby. If you exceed the recommended 200mg of caffeine each day, you will have an increased risk of miscarriage and low birth weight.

Giving up caffeine during pregnancy

Some women choose to cut caffeine out entirely for the duration of the pregnancy. If you’d like to cut out the caffeine, try the following tips to help you give up the hard stuff:

  1. Switch to water – instead of supping a soda during your lunch break, opt for a glass of water instead. Pregnant women are advised to drink eight glasses of water a day, you can achieve this by switching from caffeine drinks to good old fashioned water. Try adding a slice of lemon for flavour.
  2. Cut out chocolate – chocolate cookies, chocolate ice-cream and chocolate bars all contain caffeine. Give up chocolate, and replace it with a healthy snack such as fresh fruit or mixed nuts.
  3. Go herbal – give up your life-long tea and coffee addiction, and instead embrace life as an appreciator of herbal teas. Choose a herbal tea that is recommended during pregnancy (not all are), and have this as your new morning call.
  4. Get enough rest – if you get enough sleep at night, you won’t need to rely on caffeine to prise open your sleepy eyes in the morning. Sleep whenever you feel tired, and trust your body to tell you when it needs more rest.
  5. Expect withdrawal symptoms – for the first week of your new caffeine-free life, you may encounter a few symptoms. From headaches to mood swings, giving up caffeine can take its toll on your body. Caffeine is addictive, so expect the first week to be rough. Once that’s over, however, you should feel great.
  6. Stay motivated – when faced with the withdrawal headaches, it can be hard to stay motivated. You may feel like running to the nearest coffee shop and ordering a double espresso, but don’t. Stay strong, stay motivated, and you’ll be over the worst of the symptoms in no time. Keep a scan photo, or a list of reasons why you’re quitting, with you to remind you why you’ve embarked on this challenge.

Do you have any tips for battling caffeine withdrawal during pregnancy?

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Staying Hydrated During Pregnancy

Adults are advised to drink six 8-ounce glasses of water each day, and during pregnancy this rises to eight 8-ounce glasses. This works out at around 2.5 litres of water every day. It may sound like a lot, but you should try to make sure you drink this much water each day throughout the pregnancy.

Does it have to be water?

No, you can breathe a sigh of relief, you should drink eight glasses of fluid each day, but they don’t all necessarily need to be water. Fruit juices, cordials, soft drinks, milk, soya milk and even tea and coffee all count towards your fluid intake.

Sugary drinks (sodas and juices) contain a lot of empty calories, so you may want to limit your intake of these drinks.

You should also limit your intake of caffeinated drinks, such as tea, coffee and soda. Not only does caffeine actually dehydrate you, but research has found that consuming over 200mg of caffeine each day increases the risk of miscarriage for pregnant women. This equates to two instant coffees, one brewed coffee or five cups of tea. The 200mg of caffeine each day should also include any caffeine from food sources such as chocolate.

If you don’t like drinking water, consider adding fruit (lemon or lime, for example) to make it more palatable.

What about fluid retention?

Some women limit their fluid intake in an attempt to avoid fluid retention. In fact, drinking more water helps to avoid fluid retention. If you are not drinking enough water, your body begins to store water, and during pregnancy this can lead to swelling.

Benefits of staying hydrated

You may have noticed that pregnant women are frequently told to stay hydrated, this is because drinking enough water can help you to avoid a number of pregnancy conditions. The following conditions can be worsened by dehydration:

  • swelling

  • headaches

  • constipation

  • hemorrhoids

  • bladder infections

  • nausea

  • skin problems

  • braxton hicks contractions

Drinking the right amount

Not many people keep track of how much they drink throughout the day, but it is worth doing during pregnancy to make sure you’re getting enough fluids. You could buy a 2.5 litre jug and fill it with water at the start of the day, and try to drink the contents before the end of the day. If you’re out and about, you may prefer to carry an 8-ounce glass with you so you can keep track of your fluid intake. By drinking out of a cup you know to be 8-ounces, you’ll know when you’ve hit your minimum target.

You don’t need to keep track of your fluid intake for the whole nine months, but it might be worth doing a couple of times so you get an idea of how much you drink. If you’re falling short of the 2.5 litre recommendation, you may have to make a concentrated effort to drink more water.

When to drink more

You should increase your fluid intake by one 8-ounce glass for each hour of exercise you do. Even if it’s just light exercise such as swimming or walking, you should still increase your fluid intake. You may find that you are thirstier on hot days too, as your body tries to cool down, so try to increase your fluid intake on these days too.

Are you staying hydrated during pregnancy?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Constipation During Pregnancy

Constipation causes difficulty when passing stools. You may notice you are passing stools less often, or simply being less effective when you do. If you are suffering from constipation, you may notice that your stools are:

  • dry and lumpy
  • abnormally large
  • abnormally small

You may also notice the following symptoms:

  • bloating
  • stomach ache and/or cramps
  • nausea
  • loss of appetite

What causes constipation during pregnancy?

During early pregnancy, hormonal changes make you more susceptible to constipation. As your body begins to nourish a developing baby, your digestive system slows down to allow your body to absorb as many nutrients as possible from the food you eat. This slow and sluggish digestive system can lead to constipation. As the pregnancy progresses, your growing uterus will put pressure on your digestive system, which could cause constipation.

How to avoid constipation during pregnancy

Try the following tips to reduce your chances of suffering from constipation:

  • Increase your fibre intake – make sure you eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds dried fruits, and whole-grain cereals and breads.
  • Reduce your intake of refined foods – far from helping you avoid it, some foods can actually increase your likelihood of suffering from constipation. Refined foods such as white bread and white rice can add to your problems, as can a high intake of red meat or dairy products.
  • Stay hydrated – during pregnancy you need to drink at least two extra glasses of water a day. Dehydration can cause constipation, so it’s important to make sure you are drinking enough water.
  • Eat little and often – gorging on big meals can lead to a back up in your digestive system. Instead, try to eat six smaller meals each day, this may help to relieve constipation.
  • Keep exercising – light exercise can help to get things moving, so try to exercise at least a few times each week. Swimming, yoga and walking are all great exercises during pregnancy, and can help you to stay fit and healthy as you prepare for the birth.
  • Supplement carefully – some iron supplements may cause constipation. If you are taking iron supplements, speak to your doctor about trying another brand.

When to call your healthcare provider

If you have tried all of the above, and still can’t go, it might be time to give your healthcare provider a call. Your healthcare provider will be able to advise you on safe treatments for constipation during pregnancy. Your doctor may advise laxatives, although only certain types are suitable for pregnant women so you must seek medical advice before taking these.

Do you have any tips to help readers suffering from constipation?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Five Tips to Reduce Pregnancy Nausea

Pregnancy nausea is a much more appropriate name than the more commonly used ‘morning sickness’ which unwittingly implies you’ll feel better after lunch. If you’re suffering from pregnancy nausea, you’re probably already aware that it can strike at any hour of the day. The word sickness is misleading too, because not all women vomit, some experience nausea without vomiting. Whatever you’re experiencing, whether it’s a handful of sick each morning, or a full day of stomach turning nausea, chances are you’re feeling fed up and ready to try almost anything to spend a few hours with your head out of the toilet bowl.

Every pregnancy is unique, and every mother-to-be is different, so not all of these tips will work for everyone. Give them a go, and hopefully you’ll find something that helps you to feel a little better. Here are five tips to reduce pregnancy nausea:

  1. Try some ginger – some women swear by ginger as a natural way to tackle pregnancy nausea. Ginger tea, ginger biscuits and ginger beer (non-alcoholic, of course) are all popular amongst pregnant women. Some women find that the ginger helps to settle their stomach.
  2. Eat first thing – some women find that the nausea kicks in as soon as they get out of bed. Low blood sugar could be one of the causes of pregnancy nausea, so you may find that eating before you get out of bed can help to reduce sickness. Snacking on a plain cracker a few minutes before standing up could reduce pregnancy nausea, although feel free to demand a full cooked breakfast in bed from your partner if you think it will help.
  3. Eat little and often – instead of gorging on three big meals a day, try picking at smaller meals throughout the day. Keeping healthy snacks near your desk at work, and eating light meals, could help to prevent dips in your blood sugar level.
  4. Stay hydrated – drink plenty of water. This seems to be go-to advice for any pregnancy ailment, and that’s because you need extra water during pregnancy. Drink plenty of water, and you may find that your pregnancy nausea becomes more manageable. If you are struggling to keep water down, try adding lemon or ice to see if that helps.
  5. Eat the right foods – while you may be craving salty, sugary snacks, these foods can actually make pregnancy nausea worse. Try to increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, and make sure you are eating a healthy, balanced diet. Some women find that strong flavours increase nausea, so you may want to avoid spicy food for a couple of weeks. If you’re sick each time you eat an orange, cut oranges out of your diet for a few days to see if that helps.

If you’ve found any tips that have helped your nausea, please share them in the comments section. Remember, all women are different so what works for someone else may not necessarily work for you, but it might be worth a try just in case.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

When Can My Baby Start Drinking Water?

Many parents wonder if and when they should be offering their babies water. This is especially true if your grandma keeps hinting that your baby is crying because he is thirsty (ignore her, she’s probably wrong). The rules are different for breastfed and formula fed babies, so you’ll need to make sure you’re following the correct advice for your baby.

Should my breastfed baby start drinking water?

Simply put, no. Breast milk consists of over 80% water and provides all of the thirst-quenching water your baby needs throughout the day. Exclusively breastfed babies don’t require additional water, as long as baby is allowed to nurse as needed. But what about on hot days? Fear not, you have very clever boobs. On warm days, your breast milk actually contains more water to prevent your baby from becoming dehydrated. Isn’t your body the most amazing and brilliant thing in existence?!

Should my formula fed baby start drinking water?

Formula fed babies don’t need to be offered water during the first six months. During this time, the formula milk will provide enough hydration. However, some people recommend offering sips of water on very hot days, though formula milk should offer all of the hydration your baby needs. In certain circumstances, your doctor may advise you to offer water to a baby who is unwell. If you are unsure whether your baby should be offered water during bouts of illness, speak to your healthcare provider for advice.

When should water become a regular part of my baby’s diet?

At six months, your baby will be starting to experiment with solid foods. Around this time, you may want to offer water in a sippy cup at meals. This will teach your baby how to drink from a cup. Consuming water with solid food may also help to prevent constipation. Your baby will still need to have either breast or formula milk throughout the day.

Should I offer juice?

You may be wondering whether you can swap the water for a fruit cordial or fruit juice, but it’s best not to. These sugary drinks are filled with empty calories and contain sugars that could be harmful to your baby’s teeth. There is no need for babies and small children to drink anything other than water and milk.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.