Kicking the Caffeine Habit

The March of Dimes recommends women of all ages that are pregnant or looking to become pregnant limit the usage of caffeine consumption to 12 oz per day. Although this specific unbiased recommendation does indeed provide for fair amounts of caffeine, it undoubtedly can not hurt to cut back or terminate any caffeine intake. High levels of caffeine can sometimes restrict blood flow to the placenta, and that can likewise make it tougher for the entire body to absorb iron. It could be beneficial to start scaling back while preparing for pregnant state so your overall body will be able to adjust.



Beyond developing a better environment for a baby’s growth in your womb, removing (or significantly reducing) caffeine consumption in your diet regime when preparing your whole body for giving birth supplies wonderful benefits which include:



· Much better quality uninterrupted sleep

· Reduced urinary tract infections

· Reduced heart palpitations

· Lessened jitters and stress

· Lower blood pressure

· Lower emotional tension, and many more.



Sources of Caffeine:



· Coffee

· Tea

· Candy

· Quite a few Sodas

· Many migraine, cold, and allergy medication

· Many herbal products, among them green tea



Letting go of Coffee



1. Easily changing to decaf is an alternative for individuals who enjoy the tastes and routine of coffee. It does have reduced amounts of caffeine, but can sometimes have the desired effect. Due to method to make coffee de-caffeinated, some individuals find drinking it can result in head pain along with nausea. If you realize that you can tolerate decaf coffee, try out mixing the two as you brew and slowly and gradually increase the proportion of decaf to caffeinated. After a while you’ll become a full-on decaf drinker.



2. As an alternative to brewing coffee in the morning, attempt moving to sipping black tea and green tea. They include lesser amounts of caffeine as compared to coffee which could keep severe headaches, crankiness, and various other caffeine withdrawal symptoms at bay. Sweetening your tea with honey as well as milk may help you adjust to the taste if you are typically not a tea drinker, and it still comes with a hot, creamy beverage.



Psst! Starting out as a tea drinker seeking to kick the habit? Get started here!



3. After 2-3 weeks of tea drinking, move to decaf teas and also herbal teas. It'll be a less strenuous change for your body simply because it gets used to lower and lower amount of caffeine. If you do opt for herbal teas while looking to end up pregnent, you'll want to consult your doctor since certain herbs are not acceptable during pregnancy.



4. Once you’ve been drinking decaf and herbal teas for two weeks or so, you’ll be ready to be able to transition to warm lemon water (1/2 squeezed lemon or 1 - 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice in 12-16 oz. warm- not hot- water. Feel free to add ½ teaspoon of honey to make it even more palatable). Warm lemon water isn't only caffeine free (thereby realizing the goal of kicking the coffee habit), but it is also shown to give a myriad of health benefits ranging from better digestion, better skin tone, and promoting your body's defence mechanism. These health rewards are wonderful normally, and while preparing your body for giving birth.



Laying off Soda



1. Like coffee, gradually reducing your soda intake is usually generally the best route to kick the habit. In this case, you happen to be also significantly reducing your sugar as well as artificial sweetener intake which has wonderful health and fitness benefits past just eliminating caffeine in preparation for pregnancy. If you happen to take in lots of soft drinks each day, start by alternating soda and 100% fruit juice (check the label!), lemonade, or water.



2. After a week or two of alternating pop and a different option, commence eliminating how many days each week that you take in soda. Buying a reusable water bottle along with powdered lemonade mix is an excellent tool for the remaining steps (particularly for people who do not delight in drinking water…. yet!)



3. Once a week or two has passed, get started drinking primarily lemonade, water, and 100% fruit juice. If you are going the lemonade route, slowly and gradually diminish the level of lemonade powder you use each time. If you are going the 100% fruit juice road (still contains a lots of sugar), commence blending your juice with water and slowly lower the amount of juice you add to the bottle.



4. In a short time you will be drinking plain water. Some people even find that "full strength" lemonade and fruit juice are generally much too sweet after a while!