the9months

Caffeine and artificial sweeteners

While a moderate amount of caffeine-a couple of cups of coffee or tea a day-is considered safe during pregnancy, large amounts of coffee-six or more 10-ounce cups a day-is not. Too much caffeine can increase the risk of low birth weight, preterm delivery, and stillbirth. New research suggests that more than 200 mg of caffeine a day in early pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. While you may never drink that much coffee, keep in mind that many coffee drinks contain more caffeine ounce per ounce than regular coffee. Soft drinks and chocolate can also include caffeine, so keep an eye on your total caffeine to be sure you’re not taking in more than you realize. For every eight ounces of caffeinated beverage you drink, be sure to drink eight ounces of water in addition to the six to eight glasses of water you already are drinking.

The MayoClinic.com provides information on how much caffeine is in many popular coffee drinks.

Aspartame and saccharin are artificial sweeteners used in many diet foods and soft drinks and available in small packets for coffee and tea. The American Dietetic Association has stated that it is safe to use aspartame during pregnancy. However, remember that during pregnancy you may enjoy some freedom from calorie counting. If you were at a good weight before your pregnancy, you can gain 25 to 30 pounds before your baby is born. For most women, while healthy eating is important, dieting simply isn’t necessary. In fact, restoring cream, butter, and yes, even a small amount of real sugar to your diet may be one of the pleasures of pregnancy.

Your Baby’s Development during this week

* In the second trimester, the fetal brain develops folds on its surface, signaling the advancement of its many regions, especially in the forebrain that controls the intellect, motor control, and memory. Brain development continues years after birth.
* The fingertips already have ridged patterns unique to each fetus. Even identical twins have different patterns.

Courtesy: University of Virginia Health System

Tags: artifical sweeteners, caffeine, soft drinks, tea, week 16

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 at 6:37 AM and is filed under Week by Week. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.