Wine and Sushi and Coffee! Oh, my!

Catch Up:
Day One
Day Two

Day Three
Fertile? Not with a temperature of 96.94.

According to my “Fertility Analysis” that popped up today after opening the “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” software program, I’m in my "fertile phase". As it turns out yesterday may have been my “peak day” which is disconcerting because after a girl's night out with two bottles of wine and several plates of sushi, I ended the night under my husband. I’d be excited if it were May and time to get knocked up.

Ahhh, wine and sushi. Two wonderful things I will have to give up for little Lorna. Those and coffee. Well those, coffee, and about a gazillion other things like my rebounder, tuna, traveling to developing countries, crack. I know, crack, who knew? Coffee will be the hardship I throw in her face whenever soliciting guilt. Some mothers use hours of labor; I’m going to use my coffee deprivation.

An avid drinker and Starbucks shareholder, I had to start weening myself in January. Jan 1 I cut down to two 20oz caffeinated coffees a day. Feb 1 I had cut down to just one 20oz. February was a freaking nightmare. I’d still had a caffeine headache when I went to bed. Thankfully I got three days of respite before March when I had to cut down to one medium caf coffee a day. Now I’m in April and I get a splash of caffeinated coffee in my large decaf. Which will go to just a large decaf next week and so on until I’m off the jungle juice altogether by May. Wish hubby luck.

During my rehab support has been strong with responses of "really" and "why" whenever I tell someone I'm giving up caffeine. We won't even go into the responses to giving up dairy. I find it both funny and a little bewildering. I mean would you give your baby a cup of coffee, a mountain dew, a surge? Now how about your unborn baby. "But they say a little caffeine is ok." Like a little alcohol or a little nicotine? Ok, so caffeine doesn't have as serious side effects as say smack but it does have some negative ones and some "possible" serious ones. So my response??? If I can't sacrafice something of as little importance as coffee am I really capable of being a parent? Or at least an awesome one. I'm going to be expected to sacrifice my hormones, my body, my freedom, my spare bedroom and probably my future sex life. So giving up caffeine is like a steeping stone. You know, like when you get a puppy before you decide to get married.

If you'd like additional reading on some reasons why not to comesume caffeine while pregnant or while trying to get pregnant then keep reading. I'll try not sound like a medical journal and you try not to fall a sleep on your keyboard.

Let's start off with the fact that both sides agree that pregnant women and those trying to conceive should avoid large amounts of caffeine but nobody can agree what "large amounts" are. Now time to dissect that statement. Both sides! So not only is the side of obstetrics against your daily latte but the coffee industry has also reluctantly agreed that yeah maybe it's not a good idea but whatever.

Last March a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology by two doctors and a MSPH (I don't know what MSPH stands for and I'm not really interested enough to look it up) found an increase in miscarriages between women who consumed 200mg of caffeine a day and those who consumed none. Those who took in more than 200mg??? Their numbers of miscarriages almost doubled that of the 200mg consumers. Of course you could argue that this study was a right-ovary conspiracy and the doctors obviously are herbal tea drinkers that have it out for the coffee and soda industry. Denmark must really not care for Starbucks because they did a study on women who drink more than 8 cups of coffee a day and found that their risk of stillbirth more than doubled. 8 cups, really? I mean you really drank 8 cups while pregnant? Why didn't you just go bungee jumping while high on crack.

Caffeine causes blood vessels to constrict which "may" reduce blood flow to the placenta and an increase risk of giving birth to a son with undescended testicles. Try explaining that one away when he turns 14.

Babies born to mothers who consume caffeine during pregnancy have faster heart rates, breathing rates and spend more time awake the first couple of days. Not a problem though as you guys have coffee to get you through the sleepless hours.

If what happens to baby doesn't sway you how about the affects it has on you?

Coffee and tea contain phenols which prevent your body from properly absorbing iron. Since you being pregnant is taxing on your iron level all ready this may be of some concern to you.

Caffeine is a stimulant so it raises your heart rate and possibly your blood pressure. It could cause the jitters, insomnia and heart burn (like you need any help with that one while pregnant).

There's lots more but my fingers are tired and I'm afraid that any more research will deprive me of more of my favorite things. I'd love to hear from any one that doesn't agree that it's potentially harmful or doesn't think that the risk merits the deprivation. Of course I'd love to hear from anyone that wants to give me applause for being so strong and maybe an ovation for my martyrdomness (I know it's not a real word I just made it up).

Day Four