Caffeine and Fertility

[Ladynic]

I just wanted to see if anyone knows about or has experience with caffeine and it affecting fertility. I do drink more caffeine than the average person, and I'm wondering if it's playing a role in my being unsuccessful in conceiving so far. I usually drink an energy drink in the morning, a coffee around noon, and then another coffee around 4 pm. Part of this is during the work week I usually only get 5-6 hours of sleep a night, which I know some people do just fine on, but I am one that can't function on that amount of sleep without some caffeine to keep me going. I do and can continue to try to get more sleep at night, but realistically I know that it won't happen every night. I do usually sleep more on the weekends so at least there's that.

At any rate, I'm thinking it's time to reduce my caffeine intake, I'm thinking of switching the morning energy drink to an iced coffee, and then replacing the afternoon drinks with iced tea (which I know has less caffeine than coffee). I would also like to eventually get to the point where I'm only drinking one caffeinated beverage in the afternoon instead of two.

Also, just FYI, I was planning on stopping the energy drinks when I got a bfp anyway (I wouldn't take the chance to drink those while pregnant).

[Greydore]

Following because I'm interested in this too. I got two boys drinking little to no caffeine. I now drink 2 cups of coffee per day and am hoping it won't hurt my chances of conception. From what I've read, coffee seems to sway girl and I'm not sure which gender you're swaying for.


10/2013 2/2016

[Ladynic]

I'm swaying boy (trying to improve overall fertility). Something I forgot to add is, my caffeine intake doesn't seem to be having any adverse effects on my health overall - blood pressure is normal (even on the low side sometimes), heart is in good shape. I do work out regularly so that could be helping. However I'm just starting to feel worried that my caffeine intake may be adversely affecting my fertility even if it isn't affecting my overall health.

[MiaMelb]

I've been a reasonably big caffeine drinker, typically drinking 2-4 coffees a day, and fell pregnant within 4 months both times (we weren't even really 'trying' first time). I'm also a blue swayer and currently in pre sway mode so have started cutting it back to 1-2 coffees a day. I do want to drop it further, perhaps only 1 every few days when we do ttc. I did not find the caffeine personally impacted my fertility.

[Ladynic]

Thanks Mia. Cutting down the caffeine is so hard! But I know I have to do it. The good thing is I LOVE iced coffee, so switching the energy drink for an iced coffee in the morning hasn't been TOO hateful. It's just resisting that pick-me-up at work that's hard. I just found out my sister-in-law is pregnant with her fourth, so I'm really wanting to step up my game so to speak, partly because yeah, it's hard to see what you really want happening to someone else close to you (not that I'm not also happy for them, I am, and for myself, I love being an auntie). But also because that would be so neat for the cousins to be so close in age. Her husband (my brother) and I were really close in age growing up so I think that would be really neat if we both had children close in age growing up at the same time too. So yeah, inspired to step my game up this cycle! (That's a good boy mom trait I've read, stepping your game up. Lol)

[Greydore]

Ladynic I totally get what you're saying! My friend just found out she's pregnant with her third, and we really wanted to be pregnant together, so I want this to be my month! So frustrated at myself because last month we completely missed my fertile window bc I miscalculated O. Good luck to you, and blue dust!!


10/2013 2/2016

[Ladynic]

First of all I have been trying to thank your replies Mia and Greydore but for some reason the site isn't allowing me to.... Maybe it has to do with me being on my phone?

Greydore I'm glad you understand the feeling of wanting to be pregnant at the same time as someone close to you. It helps to know someone else feels that way! I also understand miscalculating O and / or getting the timing wrong, that's been my ttc story so far until this past cycle, where I had great timing finally, but it still didn't work :-(

I just wanted to pass along to you ladies who are also trying to cut down on the caffeine consumption, something I've found that seems to be helping me a little bit when I'm starting to feel like I need a little "pick me up" is peppermint. I have some Lifesaver peppermints in my office and I've noticed popping one of those in my mouth seems to help "wake me up" a little bit.

[atomic sagebrush]

GOSH I am so sorry, I answered this and it didn't post and was here in autosave!

we don't know that it's the blood pressure thing, though. We honestly don't know WHY it interferes with fertility for some people and though I personally have conceived with that much caff in my system it's definitely something to change up, for sure.

Now,I would say that another very real concern is the lack of sleep. It's not great for fertility or for health overall to be rolling with that little sleep so if there's any way to adjust that even just a little it may really help!

[Ladynic]

Thank you Atomic. I will make a concerted effort to try to at least get one more hour of sleep a night during the week. It's super hard for me because I am one of those people who is truly by nature a "night" person and my natural schedule seems to be to stay up late and sleep late - however during the week I have to get up at 4 am so that's tough when that's so opposite what your body likes to do naturally. I do usually manage to get to bed by 10 or 11 but trying to get to bed before 10 is very hard. But I will work on it!

I've found that as the week has progressed and I've transitioned from only coffee / no energy drinks and less total coffee, I actually seem to have more energy than I did before. I guess it's really true that your body gets "used" to a certain amount of caffeine and taking too much ends up backfiring and making you more tired when it wears off!

My gyn the other day agreed to refer me to an RE based on my age and having tried several months. I'm glad to move forward but at the same time nervous because I've read in general REs tend to be very negative with women who are older and kind of have the attitude that it probably won't work due to your age (which I don't necessarily buy because my grandmother had her two youngest at ages 42 and 43 / almost 44). I really think there's some individual difference and I think there is a lot you can do to impact your fertility. So I'm a little nervous about the RE :-(

[atomic sagebrush]

I completely understand because I'm the exact opposite, naturally a morning person and I can NOT sleep in no matter what.

The RE's will be negative but don't listen to them. There are plenty of us on here who had a baby in our early 40s (myself included) and I agree that there is a LOT of individual variation.