I am looking for ways to curb the caffeine habit that does not involve going cold turkey. With my first baby, I did everything right until I was in the hospital with preterm water breaking. They kept me out of labor as much as possible, but the week I was in the hospital consisted of take out and Dr. Pepper. Those seven days of DP caffeine made my baby suffer withdrawls when he was born, and I vowed never to do it again. I never thought that just those seven days would have such an effect. My next baby, I didn't, and everything went well. With my third, now, I am in school full time taking care of two children while my husband works thirteen hours a day plus a two hour commute......so.....it goes without saying my daily diet has consisted of diet soda. BUT... now I am ready to stop. My problem is I cannot go cold turkey. With finals coming up and kids, I cannot afford to be bed ridden by a caffeine withdrawl migraine. What is the best way to wean? Cut out a little a day? Take excedrine for a couple of days? Any ideas?
I started out by mixing half a glass with diet coke and filling the rest of the glass with caff free diet coke. slowly started making it a little less regular diet and more caff free diet till the whole thing is caff free. I still drink that and somehow it satisfies my soda craving but don't need the caffeine
Hi, I'v been an RN for 35 years & we nurses are known for living on caffeine!!! Is it only soda or coffee or both?? If it's coffee, you take your reg & mix with decaf(remember decaf has a little too) a LITTLE bit everyday. Ex:90/10...80/20..70/30..etc. Go Slow! Mix soda with sparkling water to slowly dilute. Once your detoxed, I mix a little 100% juice to sparkling H20 for my drink I sip all day long. Variety of flavors & you get your H20 in!!! Hope this helps. Best! C.
I was also a student going through finals and pregnant at the same time. I wanted to quit for the same reasons - I didn't want my child to suffer withdrawals, plus, the unknown side-effects of asparatame and what I later learned - the Calcium and iron absorption-blocking properties of soda and tea.
Anyhow, I was able to reduce my caffeine intake during pregnancy by purchasing the smaller bottles of soda and drinking all-natural sodas and/or mixing my own with seltzer and 100% juice.
When I finally quit my diet soda and tea habit, however, it was by going cold turkey. The headaches only lasted a couple of days. I don't think I took any Tylenol, but I have since and my body is really responsive to it since I hadn't been taking any regularly during and after pregnancy - only 500mg. I wouldn't recommend taking Excedrin, because as you know, it contains caffeine and may not be approved during pregnancy.
Congratulations on getting to this point. Being caffeine-free is very liberating.
It seems almost cruel that the very reason you need caffeine (pregnant) is the same reason you can't have it, doesn't it?
The 'tireds' was hard on me, too, when I was pregnant. It takes a lot of energy to make a baby!
What helped me was Yoga. It's good for you AND baby because you intake and deliver oxygen to places/blood cells that need a little more juice, and you exhale toxins as well. It's all in the breathing. Your local library should have books/videos on how to get started. They might even have mommy yoga! I did that when I couldn't get into regular Yoga positions.
Yoga has proven to be helpful with those who suffer migraines. I don't have them, but my BFF does. I got her started on yoga when she was pregnant because she couldn't take her usual medication. Even 5 years after having her baby, she is still doing yoga and medication free!
With everything you have going on right now, the hard part is finding time to do it. The morning is the most effective time and will help with craving your usual caffeine dose. You may think I'm crazy (you won't be the first :) but getting up 10 minutes early to do a little yoga will go a LONG way for you and your baby.
Try it. The worst that could happen is that you'll feel better!
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My ob told me I could safely have as many as three 8oz servings of soda a day. I have seriously cut back on the sodas, most days having none or a single can, but there are also those days I need all three servings I'm allowed (today is going to be one of those, I can already tell). I would stay away from the diet soda, though. Sure the regular stuff has more calories, but the artificial sweeteners in diet are not good for you or baby.
As for the Excedrin, my ob said I could take it, but just to make sure it's the aspirin-free kind.
Do not substitute excederin - believe me - you will become addicted to that as well because you will start having headaches daily and will have to take the excederin. A little caffeine daily will not hurt you or your baby. I drank one diet soda daily with both of my children and neither one had any issues when they were born. Try to limit your intake and gradually reduce the number - depending on how many you drink now. Good luck.
The headache is really only part of the equation. I keep trying to let go of caffiene. Each day that I don't drink it, the headaches get a little better. But as time passes the crushing fatigue gets worse. I've tried everything from daily walking to meditation to the best diet I can come up with to just plain pretending to feel better than I do. I can not get through the day with anything that even remotely looks like or feels like energy without caffiene. I can't even imagine being pregnant again. I'd be flat out I'm afraid.
I'm curious how you know that your baby had caffiene withdrawl? I never limited my soda intake when I was pregnant and none of my babies seemed cranky at birth.
That was the hardest thing for me when I was pregnant, and I cut down to a soda at lunch and decaf iced tea for dinner, and juice the rest of the time. It was super hard, as I drink Coke like it's water, but it was worth it not to hurt the baby. Good luck!
I have found a technique that is very effective for addictions and reducing withdrawal. It's called EFT or Meridian Tapping. If you go to youtube and search EFT you can find instuctions and videos you can tap along with. Also therre a website called www.emofree.com where you can also search archives for more information and case histories. If you need more help contact me and I will assist you. A. B
A liitle about me: A grandmother and an EFT therapist, Minister, life/spiritual coach.
Good Morning M K, Congrats on your new little one coming soon. I would at least cut down, and in it's place drink Tea or Water. Then there is Diet Sierra mist with no caffeine. I can't or won't drink dark soda pop anymore. I do drink Sierra mist but not diet either.
Just cut down to where you no longer feel the withdrawal effects. Coffee for me would be hard to give up completely. It doesn't keep me awake either...lol
I do enjoy the flavored hot teas too.
Hope everything works out well for you MK
God Bless
K. Nana of 5
I think probably just gradually switching to non-caffinated is the best.. and the problem with the headaches, is excedrine is loaded with caffiene! ;(
Good luck!
wean yourself! Drop one round a day until you reach the caffeine-free stage.
