Less than 12 weeks pregnant club! Part 4!!

Rachylou1981

Thanks Becky and Kynthia. Although I have a much bigger worry now...

I drink Green tea excessively, usually about 4-5 cups a day. I happened to stumble across some info last night when looking at what not to eat. I found that not only should I not be drinking more than 200 mg of Caffeine (1 mug Green tea 75mg), it is possible that excessive amounts can cause MC and that it can affect folic acid from working (been taking since November). I'm so anxious. Obviously going to book GP appt tomorrow but I am wondering what damage I may have done and how I am going to cope without tea in my life - can I switch to normal tea and how many cups is okay??

Does anyone know anything about this? Not once have I read it anywhere before

Kynthia

Rachylou I'd tell you not to worry but I bet you wouldn't listen to me. Many people don't realise they're pregnant for a long time, my sister has known 2 people get to approximately 20 weeks, and I'm sure they went over the recommended limit. Plus you don't have to follow most of the pregnancy rules until you are pregnant and you've only just become pregnant. Plus the placenta doesn't connect to your blood supply for a few more weeks.

There are caffeine calculators on various baby sites and I believe the NHS site has guidance. Filter coffees have the highest caffeine (excluding caffeine energy drinks), followed by instant coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and chocolate. It sounds like green tea and normal tea are about the same so depending what else you have you might need to cut down to two cups a day. You can supplement with decaf tea or fruit teas. Plus in a couple of weeks when the nausea kicks in you might not even feel like drinking any.

pigpen

Rachylou1981 wrote: »

Thanks Becky and Kynthia. Although I have a much bigger worry now...

I drink Green tea excessively, usually about 4-5 cups a day. I happened to stumble across some info last night when looking at what not to eat. I found that not only should I not be drinking more than 200 mg of Caffeine (1 mug Green tea 75mg), it is possible that excessive amounts can cause MC and that it can affect folic acid from working (been taking since November). I'm so anxious. Obviously going to book GP appt tomorrow but I am wondering what damage I may have done and how I am going to cope without tea in my life - can I switch to normal tea and how many cups is okay??

Does anyone know anything about this? Not once have I read it anywhere before

It won't have done any damage at all.. not a single bit.

Speak to the surgery before making a GP appointment most surgeries don't want to see you they just give you the phone number to ring the midwifery department who then send you a booking appointment for about 10 weeks-ish.

I just drink tea to exactly the same extent as I always have.. about 7 or 8 pint mugs a day.. if you are going to miscarry it is usually because there is something wrong with the baby and very rarely anything you have done or not done. If alcoholics and drug addicts can have babies it doesnt mean very much when they say 'might' and 'may' does it??

If you're that bothered get some decaff tea .. it doesn't taste any different just takes a bit longer to brew. 200mg caffeine is about 2-3 mugs... but caffeine is also in chocolate! as well as coffee and tea and some people consume mountains of the stuff.


The do nots are also only guidelines and unless you are a total moron (keeping cheese on work surface instead of fridge or eating improperly kept meat for example) you are no more at risk than at any other time in your life! .. realistically it is extremely difficult for anything to make much difference to a growing foetus.. your immune system takes care of most stuff and the whole point of the placenta is to filter out the toxic stuff.

Rachylou1981

Thanks Kynthia. My OH and my friend are saying exactly the same and I've calmed down a bit.

Pigpen, thank you for that, you make some great points there. I initially was just going to ring up and get the info regarding a booking appt as the last thing I want to do is waste their time. If I do book an appt, I think they will say that there is no proof and everything is just guidelines, as you say, but to be sensible. I guess I have the info I need going forward and whatever has happened in the past, I cannot undo.

I must say that I get sad when women blame things they have done for a MC, it's just so difficult to see them beat themselves up for something that was most likely out of their control. I will certainly do my best not to be one of those women. Thanks again

pigpen

I've lost 7 to MC.. one we had confirmed the baby wasnt 100% .. it does make you more anxious but just because its happened before doesnt guarantee it will happen again.. I think the worst part is when it is unexplained, if they could give you a reason it would be easier to see why it shouldnt happen again.

I just think if you are sensible and use your common sense the guidelines are irrelevant.. we KNOW alcohol and drugs and smoking are not good for the baby, but they are also not good for you!.. we also know (of) people who still do all 3 while pregnant.


If you have never given yourself food poisoning before it is very very unlikely you will do it during pregnancy. The guidelines change every 5 minutes too.. before you couldn't eat nuts, now they are ok, they used to say no dippy eggs now it is no dippy eggs unless lion stamped.. and whatever you do someone will say you are doing something wrong! You can't win. Just use your common sense.. if it is meant to be, it will be..

Dozey_crow

Hello everyone,

I have been reading this thread since we found out that we were expecting our first child 6 weeks ago, I am10 weeks EDD 21 November. I was really worried about my pregnancy because of spotting and daren't join the thread in case things weren't as they should be. I had my first midwife appt last week and she arranged for a reassurance scan. Thankfully all seems fineand we got to see our baby on screen which was an amazing experience and were given a picture to take away!:j:j We are both over the moon, so excited and thankful.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I like tea and brewed coffee. I was drinking yourkshire tea prior to pregnancy but found the decaffinated tea bags are very weak but the PG Tip decaffinated tea bags are really nice and one of the big superkmarkets often have an offer on. For coffee we have been buying Aldi's decaff for the coffee maker- it is about £1.69. Asda sell caffeine free coke which is fine (I don't have much of this - it is more OH's tipple) . Only a small amount of caffeine in these.

I have been lucky enough not to have morning sickness but I am very tired and very thirsty! I can tell that I have put on a bit of weight but no-one else has (or they have been too polite to say!) and my breasts went up a cup size in a week. I had lost a lot of weight over the past year and am now back in my old bras but will need the maternity ones next.

Like a lot of people we have only told family and close friends so far. I will leave telling work until after the 12 week scan. Hiding it isn't too bad so far but we'll see.

This thread has been invaluable for me, I found it very reassuring and wanted to 'meet' you all! Sorry for the long post..

Rachylou1981

Hi Dozey Crow and welcome to the thread

I think this thread is probably good for the anxiety in us all and there is probably a reason why there is a less than 12 weeks and then a 12 weeks+. Let's hope we are all able to migrate over. I was on the TTC thread but feel bad staying, even though I loved chatting with the people there. Some are coming over though, which is great.

Nice to hear you got a reassurance scan and a pic :j. I work in a hospital so could probably get special treatment , however I want to choose my birth unit at a different hospital with more choice i.e. water birth. What a traitor! I'm also going to keep it from work until after 12 weeks...aaaages away.

As for the tea, I have bought some decaf and got an offer...before I read your post. I got Yorkshire so hope they are okay as I like a strong cup of tea. But at the minute as long as it's hot and wet, I'll just grin and bear it. Got some hot chocolate too

Dozey_crow

Hi Rachylou,

Thanks for the welcome! :-)

I don't blame for exploring options at a different hospital. I have to choose between two and made my decision based on the proximity of parking to the maternity suite- may not be the best way but it will be handy!

Ha, with the tea. I am sure that the Yorkshire may be fine once it's left to brew long enough. I am really impatient and probably don't leave it long enough. Which hot chocolate did you go for? Is it a decaff one? Is there such a thing?

Rachylou1981

I was very impressed with the decaf tea, tasted no different to normal tea to me. I guess I am so used to green now.

I just got normal Cadburys hot chocolate, apparently that is fine

pink_petal

Hi all

Just popping over from the ttc thread as I got a bfp on Saturday and again on Sunday so I'm finally believing that it's actually happening!

According to my app I'm 4+2 but I think it might only be +1. So my likely due date is 31st Dec/1st Jan. A happy new year indeed!

So first question, when can I go to the docs? Is it too soon???

PP x