How much coffee is safe to drink while pregnant? 

You’re late. And I don’t mean fashionably late to the party, late for work, or late to practice. The test is positive and your whole life is about to change. It’s time to clean up your diet to make sure your baby has the healthiest start possible. Giving up sushi and happy hour is a piece of cake, but giving up caffeine? Come again?

I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news. The good news? No, you don’t have to give up your daily cup of Joe entirely. The bad news? You do have to hold off on the refills… at least for the next 9 months or so. 

How much coffee can I have when I’m pregnant?

The recommended limit of caffeine consumption during pregnancy is fewer than 200 mg per day. Some studies linked drinking more than the recommended amount with an increased risk of miscarriage and low birth weight. Consuming large amounts of caffeine have been linked to stillbirth. While more studies need to be done to confirm these links, it’s a good idea to be cautious throughout your entire pregnancy.

Important to note: All coffee is not caffeinated equally. 

• The amount of caffeine will vary depending on the type of coffee and the brewing method.
• Decaffeinated coffee does not mean it is 100% caffeine-free, nor is it actually coffee, anyways.

In short, if caffeine made you anxious before discovering your pregnancy, you might want to reach for something different. Hell, just the smell of coffee has been proven to wake you up. Give it a try! If you handled caffeine well pre-pregnancy, as an avid coffee drinker, I will never be the one to deny you your one cup of heaven with your morning breakfast.

Related: This is why coffee makes you anxious and how to stop it