Caffeine & pregnancy

Guaranteed to wipe your eyeballs of sleep-sand and give your brain and bowels a nice little jump-start in the morning, it's no wonder most adults are addicted to this bitter brown little bean.

So what's the deal, really?

• Yes, caffeine crosses the placenta and enters your baby's bloodstream.

  More importantly, research indicates that consuming loads of caffeine during pregnancy increases your risk of miscarriage. We're talking 5 or more cups a day, every day.

• Caffeine cause your arteries to constrict

  (tighten up and shrink) and momentarily increases blood pressure. Thus - if your arteries are constantly constricted from caffeine, it may negatively impact implantation and vascularization of the placenta (aka your unborn child's lifeline).

• It's all about the dose and moderation.

  You'll be happy to know that most medical doctors agree: a cup-r-two of morning java is just fine. We'll agree with them... as long as you promise to banish soda entirely from your pregnancy. Drinking loads of soda (caffeinated or not) increases your risk of gestational diabetes.

• If you're a hard-core addict:

  Be gentle while weaning to avoid releasing excessive stress hormones. Try to cut out a half a cup a day until you're down to a morning and after-lunch coffee only. Avoid an evening coffee if you need to get to sleep at a decent hour.