Having a baby is a really exciting time, but pregnancy does come with aches, pains, and restrictions. You need to give up many things to ensure nothing bad gets to your baby through you. If you are used to having an alcoholic drink, coffee, or other beverages now and then, you may have a problem giving it up. It can be hard to give up unwinding with a glass of wine, going to a big party where everyone is drinking, or giving up your large coffee (or several cups throughout the day), but you do have some options.
Your baby’s safety is the utmost priority, so of course, you’ll do whatever is needed to keep your baby safe, including giving up alcohol and copious amounts of caffeine. If you miss the carbonation or just the taste of some things you used to enjoy, there are some clever drink swaps that you can enjoy that won’t cause any damage!
Swap Your Drinks for a Healthier Pregnancy
Interpreting Labels
If you are looking for some alternatives, not all of them are labeled the same, so here’s a quick rundown of what each term means.
Non-alcoholic
Despite what this sounds like, these beverages aren’t entirely free of alcohol. To qualify for this labeling, it only needs to have 0.5% or less alcohol per volume. This means that these beverages can have some alcohol, so this label is a bit misleading. Most are labeled this way, so it’s important to know what this means. While you probably won’t notice any effects, you should talk to your doctor before trying these.
Alcohol-removed
These beverages start as either typically alcoholic or have some alcohol, which is then removed. The problem is that alcohol can’t be removed completely, so there may be higher concentrations than in non-alcoholic beverages.
Alcohol-free
When something is labeled alcohol-free, there are no detectable amounts of alcohol in a lab analysis.
Adaptogens
Keep an eye out for adaptogens and avoid them while pregnant because they haven’t been researched enough to verify whether they are safe for pregnancy.
Quinine
Be sure to check tonic water labels if you’re using it as a mixer. Some brands have quinine, which is an anti-parasitic, and added to give tonic water a bitter taste. The problem with having this during pregnancy or while nursing is that newborns can experience withdrawal symptoms after exposure.1
Decaffeinated
If something is labeled as decaffeinated, it means that it has gone through a process where most of the caffeine has been pulled out of it. In terms of tea, this means that it now has less than 2.5 percent of the original caffeine level.
Caffeine-free
When something is caffeine-free, there was never any caffeine in it to begin with.
Alcoholic Drink Swaps
White Wine to Sparkling Citrus Water
If you are into white wine, give sparkling citrus water a try as a replacement. It is very refreshing while also being safe during pregnancy.
Beer to Topo Chico Mineral Water or Reed’s Ginger Non-Alcoholic Beer
If you’re looking for a beer replacement, these two are the best options, but there are plenty more non-alcoholic beers out there like Athletic Brewing Company and Bravus. The great thing about Reed’s is that it contains real ginger, so it can help ease morning sickness.
Rosé to Surely Rosé
You can still enjoy the taste of rosé with a non-alcoholic version. This one from Surely is so delicious. It’s a great option if you want to join in the celebration with your own special bottle.
Champagne to Ready to Pop
Champagne is a party favorite at many soirées. For your own baby shower or any big party, pop your own bottle of non-alcoholic champagne with Ready to Pop. They even have cute mini bottles in pink and blue that are perfect for a gender reveal party. (Use code BABYCHICK20 on Ready to Pop’s website to receive 20% off your first order!)
Cosmos, Mojitos, and Moscow mules to Mingle Mocktails or Ritual Zero Proof
If you are looking for a ready-made mocktail, Mingle Mocktails has you covered. They also use organic cane sugar and are low-calorie.
Ritual Zero Proof is great for mimicking the flavors of your favorite alcohol. They have alternatives that taste like whiskey, tequila, and gin.
Caffeine Drink Swaps
Black Tea to Herbal Tea
There’s about 47 mg of caffeine in black tea, so you may want to switch to herbal tea, which has none. You should be mindful of the kind of tea that you drink and which trimester you’re in. For instance, red raspberry leaf is probably best left to the end of pregnancy since it may help stimulate labor.2 There haven’t been enough studies on it to confirm. Peppermint tea is great for helping to relieve morning sickness.
24 oz Coffee to 12 oz Coffee
You may want to reduce your caffeine consumption when pregnant. 24 oz of coffee has almost 300 mg of caffeine, while 12 oz has 120-140 mg, depending on the type. This simple change will cut your caffeine consumption in half.
Coffee to Tea or Smoothies
If you’re concerned about caffeine consumption, you can switch to tea or smoothies. Smoothies are a great way to sneak in some fruits and veggies too!
Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun and yummy drinks. By making some simple swaps, you can enjoy these without worrying about harm to your baby.
