Can I Still Drink Coffee While I'm Pregnant?

I love my morning wake-me-up coffee. But I'm pregnant — can I still have my morning cup of coffee?
– Dipti

Check with your doctor about having caffeine during your pregnancy. One cup of coffee is usually OK, but it's best to not have more than that. It's hard to know exactly how much caffeine is in a cup of coffee. The total can depend on things like the brand of coffee and the size of the cup.

Studies show that getting more than 150–200 milligrams (about 1–2 cups of coffee) of caffeine a day during pregnancy may not be healthy. High amounts of caffeine during pregnancy has been linked to problems with a baby's growth and development.

To help you cut back on caffeine:

1. First, limit coffee to one or two cups a day.
2. Start mixing decaffeinated coffee with regular coffee.
3. Then, stop drinking the caffeinated coffee.

Don't forget that caffeine also can be in:

• other foods and drinks, such as tea, chocolate, and energy drinks
• some medicines