Hide the Extra K-Cups: Sorry, Future Daddy—You're on Caffeine Restriction, Too
When couples planned to start a family in the past, a focus on lifestyle changes and dietary restrictions was primarily touted to the prospective mothers. While the recommendations are valuable tips to boost your fertility and lower your risks for miscarriages and birth defects, the same healthy choices apply to your partner. This means that if you are trying to conceive, your baby's future father will also have to make sacrifices, including cutting back on his intake of java right along with you.
Limiting the Coffee
It has been determined that when expectant mothers consume more than two caffeinated beverages a day during her first two months of pregnancy, their risks for miscarriages increase. In a recent study, however, researchers concluded that the prospective father's caffeine intake prior to conception similarly elevates the risk for miscarriage. Researchers observed that when couples consumed more than two cups of coffee during the preconception period, there was an increase in miscarriage risk. Remember that drinking two cups of coffee does not equate to a green light to order two super-sized coffee drinks with extra shots of espresso. To keep your limitations in perspective, an eight-ounce cup of regular coffee contains approximately 100 milligrams of caffeine.
Beyond Your Coffee Cup
Remember that the two of you not only need to curb your coffee sipping, but that since caffeine lurks in other beverages and treats that you might savor, you'll need to take those into account, as well. Remind your partner to refrain from the following additional items during the weeks that precede conception (or to have them instead of coffee, but be aware of overall daily caffeine consumption):
- Energy drinks
- Cola
- Espresso
- Lattes
- Tea
- Hot chocolate
- Chocolate bars
- Baked goods that contain chocolate, mocha, or coffee
- Ice cream that contains chocolate, mocha, or coffee
- Craft beers that contain chocolate or coffee, such as coffee porters or chocolate stouts
- Liqueurs that contain coffee or chocolate
If you and your partner are planning to become pregnant, be sure to take an inventory of your medicine cabinet and inform your physician of all over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs, and supplements that either of you take. Some of these remedies, especially those used to treat such conditions as migraines, pain, colds, asthma and extreme fatigue, contain caffeine.
Ensure a Healthy Pregnancy Together
As the old adage goes, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Just as future mothers are advised to maintain healthy habits and follow fetus-friendly diets, future fathers can also take steps before conception to maximize the chances that babies will be carried to term and mothers will deliver healthy newborns. Restricting caffeine intake is one step that the two of you can take together in united support. The same study that evaluated the effects of caffeine on pregnancy also concluded that women who took multivitamins from preconception through early pregnancy reduced their risk for miscarriage. Future fathers can bump up their healthy sperm count by also taking a daily multivitamin, which will increase the chances for conception. By hiding the extra K-cups, swapping out the chocolate ice cream for vanilla and making other healthy lifestyle choices together, fertility will increase and risks for miscarriage will decrease, rewarding you with the prospect of raising a healthy baby.
For further advice, contact a doctor from a facility like Women's Care Inc.