mocktail hour

Filed Under Pregnancy and Birthing, Stuff, Tips & Tricks | April 23, 2009

When you’re pregnant (or trying to get there) and breastfeeding the question of what you can drink is a big one. How much caffeine is too much? Is it cruel and usual punishment to deny a sleep-deprived new mum a cup of coffee? Am I allowed a sip of champagne at a celebration when I’m gestating or nursing?

Too much caffeine while you’re pregnant can lower your baby’s birth weight and high levels of caffeine could cause miscarriage. Too much caffeine while you’re nursing may cause irritability and poor sleep in your babe, and who wants that? Health Canada’s guidelines for prenatal nutrition suggest that pregnant and lactating women limit their caffeine to no more than 300 mg a day. Which is the equivalent of two to three cups of coffee (depending on how it’s brewed) and up to six cups of tea a day. But remember your Venti Latte probably counts as more than one cup…

As for alcohol, we all know we need to avoid it when we’re pregnant, but if you do slip and have a sip once or twice while you’re gestating, don’t beat yourself up, just limit yourself to a sip. And if you’re already sick of cranberry and soda, that boring pregnancy standby, checkout Margarita Mama: Mocktails for Moms-To-Be.

Packed with creative, interesting and tasty recipes for twists on the classics including Mojitos, Cosmos and Mimosas and new bevies like the Nursery Rhyme Rickey and the Raging Hormone, there are also helpful tips and tricks scattered throughout. Did you know watermelon can help defeat water retention for example?  We thought that with spring springing and all this talk of caffeine we’d share their recipe for a Mudslide:

It’s time to indulge! The Mudslide serves as a delicious drink as well as the perfect dessert – there’s no better way to get the extra calcium and calories your pregnant body needs.

• 2 scoops of coffee ice cream
• ½ cup chocolate milk
• 1 cup ice2 tablespoons chocolate syrup, divided
• Whipped cream, for garnish

Place the coffee ice cream, chocolate milk, ice and 1 tablespoon of chocolate syrup in a blender and blend on medium speed until creamy. As an extra treat, garnish with whipped cream and the rest of the chocolate syrup. Serve immediately.

^{Recipe excerpted from Margarita Mama:  80 Mocktails For Moms-to-be by Alyssa D. Gusenoff. Published by Quirk Books (2008).M}