There are many doctors who will tell you to avoid or cut back on caffeine when you are pregnant or nursing. Other doctors will tell you that a normal caffeine intake won’t be harmful to a developing child. Studies into the issue vary quite a lot. Some say that the chance of miscarriages and birth defects goes up when women consume caffeine. Others disagree with that and say that other lifestyle factors have much more to do with it than whether a person consumes caffeine. There are women who are also worried about whether their caffeine intake is affecting their fertility in general if they are having a hard time getting pregnant. Again, studies do not show that moderate amounts of caffeine cause fertility problems. For people who are getting excessive amounts of caffeine, though, there could be problems. Most women who are trying to get pregnant or who find out that they are pregnant will usually limit their caffeine intake on their own, just as they will usually stop drinking alcohol and stop smoking. There will always be some who will not do this.

The idea that caffeine might be a problem for fertility, pregnancy, and a developing baby through breast feeding, came about because caffeine is a drug. Many people don’t think of it that way because it’s legal, occurs naturally in many plants and has been used for thousands of years. Despite this, though, it is still a stimulant drug and can still be harmful in large quantities. For people who are very sensitive to it, even small amounts of caffeine can make people ill. The most common complaints from too much caffeine are jitters, shakes, and nervousness. Other complaints include dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal issues. For sensitive individuals like those who already have anxiety issues caffeine can cause panic attacks and heart palpitations as well as a rapid heartbeat and a rise in blood pressure.

Withdrawals from caffeine can cause headaches, nervousness, depression, muscle aches, and other problems. If you’re a new mother, those aren’t things you want to be dealing with on top of everything else. You don’t want your baby to have to deal with them, either. It’s much easier to reduce or eliminate caffeine from your diet when you find out that you’re pregnant or when you decide that you want to try for a child. Most women who do this will likely have an easier time with pregnancy and breast feeding because they won’t have to worry about working caffeine withdrawals into their schedule, too. The most important thing about avoiding or reducing caffeine during pregnancy is likely not the stimulant qualities that it has but how much the withdrawal symptoms might be compounded by morning sickness and other pregnancy issues. If you want to have a moderate amount of caffeine during pregnancy and while you’re breast feeding, though, most experts agree that you won’t be doing your baby any real harm.

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