An early morning cup of coffee is an integral part of life for many, including pregnant women. But with rising concerns regarding how much caffeine should be consumed during gestation, expectant mothers may wonder whether decaf is the solution or whether they need to forgoing their morning cup altogether. While decaf is safe during gestation and shouldn’t be completely discontinued altogether; be aware of your caffeine consumption though and be mindful about when and how much to drink; read on to understand more!

Coffee poses some risks during pregnancy due to its stimulating effect, increasing both heart rate and blood pressure. This may put the unborn fetus at risk by increasing risk for miscarriage or low birth weight babies; additionally, increased levels of caffeine could pose health problems in your baby later in life; it’s best to reduce consumption as much as possible while pregnant.

While pregnant, you can still enjoy coffee but experts generally suggest no more than 200mg of caffeine daily, which equates to roughly two cups of brewed or three cups of instant.

if you decide to enjoy some caffeinated coffee during your pregnancy, ensure it is of high quality decaf. Many brands of decaf are processed using chemicals like Methylene Chloride that could potentially harm the unborn fetus; Swiss Water decaf is much safer because no chemicals are involved at all in its processing; organic and Swiss Water processed decaf are best options when expecting.

Herbal tea can also be an excellent option. According to NHS guidelines, pregnant mothers are advised to drink no more than four cups per day of herbal tea while expecting. You can choose from green, black and oolong varieties – as long as these don’t contain milk-boosting herbs like fennel and star anise as these could actually interfere with producing enough breastmilk for your baby.

Notably, breastfeeding mothers can safely drink up to four decaf cups daily while nursing. When in doubt, always seek advice from either your midwife or doctor as they will advise what’s best for both yourself and baby. Good luck and enjoy drinking responsibly!