How much caffeine is okay?

3 min read

Most guidelines suggest staying under about 200 mg of caffeine a day in pregnancy. That is roughly one mug of filter coffee. Caffeine crosses the placenta, and your baby cannot break it down as well as you can. Higher intakes have been linked to lower birth weight and a higher risk of miscarriage in some studies.

A rough guide: a mug of filter coffee has about 95 mg, an espresso shot 60 mg, a cup of black tea 47 mg, a can of cola 35 mg and 30 g of dark chocolate 25 mg. Sizes vary a lot, and a large café latte can hold two shots.

Caffeine also hides in green tea and matcha, energy drinks, some cold and pain medicines, chocolate and coffee-flavored desserts. Energy drinks are best avoided altogether, as they combine high caffeine with other stimulants. Decaf still has a little caffeine.

A simple plan: have your first coffee, then switch the next one to decaf, tea or a warm milk drink. The caffeine tracker in Bumplet adds it all up for you, so you can enjoy your coffee without counting in your head.