coffeeAs I sit here, typing these words, my eyelids are closing little. I'm yawning. And, like usual these days, I'm finding it difficult to concentrate. Because I haven't had coffee. In eight and a half months. Because I'm pregnant. And it sucks. However, a new study is now claiming that a few cups of coffee while pregnant or breastfeeding (not just the precautionary 200 milligrams per day) is A-okay.

Great. Now you tell me.

The researchers of the study concluded, "Maternal caffeine consumption, even in large amounts during gestation and lactation, had no consequences on sleep of the infant at 3 months of age." Awesome! But ... what if it disturbs the sleep patterns of the mom?

One of the first questions I asked my OB/GYN was, "Can I still highlight my hair?" And after that came, "Is it okay to have coffee?" She told me that, in small amounts, it should be fine. But still, I decided to eschew my favorite morning treat. Because I'm super affected by caffeine (also part of the beauty of it).

Unlike most people I know, who can enjoy an afternoon cup of joe, I cannot. Any caffeine that enters my system after, oh, say 11:30 a.m., seems to stay in my system the rest of the day -- and it seriously affects my sleep. "So, you know what?" I figured, "It's not worth it."

I have friends who have drank coffee during pregnancy, and friends who haven't. I know people who've exercised just as hard as they normally do during pregnancy, and people who've scaled it back. I've met women who have thrown out every single cleaning/beauty product in their home in exchange for completely organic ones. There's no proof that any of this stuff will have an effect on pregnancy or baby, but it's what you feel comfortable with.

If you're the type of person who can handle a cup of coffee in the morning -- without acting like a lunatic -- and you feel comfortable consuming one, why not? If, like me, you get all hyper and jittery, common sense says it's probably not the best idea. A new study is published every single day, telling us what we can and can't do during pregnancy. It's maddening. I think the best thing to do is go with your gut. No one knows your body -- or your baby -- like you.

Did you drink coffee during your pregnancy?


Image via Robert Bahn/Flickr