While giving up your early morning coffee or your late night latte for the next nine months may sound like cruel and unusual punishment, you will probably want to consider reducing your caffeine consumption or switching to decaf once you consider the effects of caffeine on your baby.
Caffeine has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage (in women who consumed more than five cups per day), stillbirth, and premature labor; and women who consume a lot of caffeine also face an increased risk of giving birth to a low birth-weight baby or of having a baby succumb to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
And, in addition to all those super-scary stats about the effects on the baby, caffeine can add to the day-to-day discomforts of pregnancy: it can increase breast tenderness, heighten mood swings, and make it difficult for you to get a good night's sleep.
Suddenly, that cup of java doesn't look quite as appealing after all...
