During pregnancy, one of the first things you may be tackling is decreasing your caffeine consumption. While you don’t have to give it up completely, research has made it pretty clear that minimizing coffee is a beneficial thing to do, especially during early pregnancy. Which frankly is ironic because that’s when we can be the most tired!
It’s generally advised to keep your caffeine consumption at no more than 200 mg/day. This comes out to about two cups of coffee a day (and I’m talking two actual measuring cup size portions aka 8oz each— not two giant mug fulls!).
While this can totally feel like a bummer at first, I’m here to give you all the positives and smooth transition techniques for breaking up with coffee. With a little creativity and a positive mindset, this could be your most positive break-up yet. So let’s do it!
For the record, even when I’m not pregnant, I periodically get off coffee a couple times throughout the year as a way to detox and let my natural rhythms reset. I think this is super beneficial for everyone to do, and something that often comes up with my health coaching clients— especially mamas with excessive stress or anxiety! So if you’re in the pregnancy season of life, just think of this as your natural caffeine detox time. Do your best to enjoy the process and get excited about some of these techniques!
1) Start out by going half caf
Try starting out by going half caf (as in half as much caffeine as normal). If you make coffee at home, then buy some decaf grounds and make a mix that is half and half! If you buy your coffee at a coffeeshop, ask for “half caf” and they’ll do it. I find this to be a friendlier option than drinking half as much coffee as usual, but either way would work! For the record, yes there is a very small amount of caffeine in decaf coffee, but it’s so small that I don’t really count it toward my overall caffeine count. If you wanted to be extra cautious, you could simply drink purely decaf.
2) Cut your coffee with herbs
Try cutting your homemade coffee with roasted chicory root or roasted dandelion root. Both of these herbs have a slightly bitter, earthy, rooty flavor that is similar to coffee. Buy the roots ground (or grind them yourself) and mix them with your coffee. You may have to play around with amounts to find the right flavor for you, but start out with a 1:1 substitution (so it’s just like going half caf). Over time you can move to 1 part coffee, 3 parts roasted roots, until you phase off completely (if desired).
3) Switch to tea
Caffeinated tea contains considerable less caffeine than coffee, so making the switch can be a smart transition. It’s also a smart swap because tea contains other health benefits too, like polyphenols— great for our long term health! Teas do vary in the amount of caffeine they contain. In general, the highest caffeine levels are found in yerba matte and matcha. The next highest is black tea. Then oolong. Then green tea. Then white tea. Try out some of these options you may have never tasted before to see what you like. And of course, over time you can transition to caffeine-free herbal tea as desired! If you use loose leaf tea at home, you can even make your own blends. For example, I LOVE Earl Grey tea, so I make a special blend called Fancy Earl that uses Earl Grey (which is black tea with bergamot oil), rose, lavender, and orange peel. Heavenly! If you are looking for a trusted brand for tea bags that is easy to find, I recommend Traditional Medicinal.
4) Try an elixir drink
If you’re ready to go caffeine-free but you want to keep your morning ritual of a tasty warm drink, try an elixir beverage. You can try out something like “mushroom coffee,” that uses ground mushroom powder in place of coffee. I like the brands Four Sigmatic and Mud Wtr. I’m also a fan of Dandy Blend. There are more options on the market every day in this sector, so experiment with different drinks to find something that feels good on your body and tastes delicious! Just use your own common sense and talk to your midwife or doctor first with any concerns about ingredients.
5) bonus tip— Keep a positive mindset
I hear a lot of mamas whine about having to give up coffee during pregnancy. And frankly, I totally get it! You may feel like you are already having to sacrifice a lot and letting go of your beloved cup of coffee that gives you a much needed energy boost in the morning is not a fun addition.
I encourage you to keep a positive mindset about this. Think of all the other health benefits you’re getting by taking a break from coffee! To name a few, coffee is super acidic and this is rough on our GI tracts (and also NOT helpful if you deal with UTIs or yeast infections). A lot of people experience smoother digestion when they let go of coffee (everyone can benefit from that!). Coffee also tends to make our breath smell like ass. Just sayin. The high amounts of caffeine in coffee may give us a quick mental boost but they can rob us of sleep later on and the effects on our body mimic those of stress. I’ll say that again. The effects of caffeine on the body mimic those of stress. That’s a pretty big deal. So you’re truly doing yourself (and sweet baby) a favor by cutting back now. And if you enjoy your coffee still or accidentally go over the 200 mg limit every now and then, not to worry. Send your body and baby loving messages and you’ll be just fine. Just make an effort to make those consistent healthy choices as much as you can!
If you want to read more about all things caffeine, Michael Pollan has a tremendous quick read (also a short listen on Audible) called Caffeine. It’s fantastic and may help motivate you!
Personally for me, I love coffee but I also love feeling my best, and to me this means having smooth digestion, low anxiety, and natural steady energy. Focusing on my why and embracing that energy helps me feel positive about my choices. Think about the positives you’re experiencing too, and maybe say thank you to baby for this opportunity to experiment with other drinks and lifestyle practices that you may not have reached for otherwise!
Do you have a favorite tip not listed above? Or a favorite elixir beverage? Share about it below!
Want more on coffee? Check out my blog post 5 Hacks to Make Your Morning Coffee Healthier