This may be my last caffeinated coffee for a while

On theBump last night, there was some firey controversy over drinking during the 2WW (the two weeks after ovulation, before a preganancy test). I'm glad it wasn't me getting flamed, but I'm glad someone else brought it up.

I know that it's a personal choice, and with practically everything pregnancy-related, no research definitively condones or condemns it. Everything basically says, "no definitive research has be made..." or "there is no known safe level..." or "some studies have shown... but..." or something to that effect.

My first month TTC, I cut out caffeine and alcohol entirely for the whole 30 days, just to be safe. I met with my doctor early in the month, and her advice was to just start living like I was already pregnant - eat well, sleep well, don't drink, etc. Especially since I had just come off the pill and didn't know what would be normal for my cycles, I had no idea when I would ovulate or conceive, if at all, and I didn't need to throw any other variables into the mix. If I did get pregnant and had any complications early on in pregancy, or even 9 months later, I'd want to look back and know I did everything I could to ensure a healthy pregnancy in those early days.

However, I kept reading on theBump, the "drink till it's pink!" mindset, and was almost embarrassed that I was abstaining. It made me feel kind of silly that I was so worried about my "phantom baby" (a term I hate, as I feel it belittles those who are not yet pregnant but are thinking about pregnancy) But at the same time, I just couldn't buy it when people would say "you don't share a bloodstream with the fetus until 6 weeks anyway." I'm not a doctor, but I can't see the logic in this. If the fetus is dependant on you for nourishment from day 1, would they not also be "dependant" on you for toxins - even if it's not directly through your bloodstream?

Anyway, I decided for cycle 2 that I would live 'normally' until I ovulate, and then I'll cut out caffeine, alcohol, and all of the other no-nos (like soft cheeses and my salacylic acid-based pimple cream). Two weeks isn't really that long to wait to see if you're pregnant (though at the time, it does seem like forever), but it's not like I'm some kind of alcoholic who can't abstain from a glass of wine for two weeks. Even if I'm trying to get pregnant for months or even years, I think holding off during those 2 week periods will give me peace of mind that I'm doing everything I can, right from the start.

I know that my choice would get me ridiculed, if not crucified on theBump, but this is my blog, so whatever. I'm on day 10 of my cycle, and I plan to "live like I'm pregnant" as soon as I see signs of ovulation. I'm glad that someone else brought it up on theBump, and that I didn't. And I'm glad I'm not alone. And with that, I'm going to have a full-caf cappuccino, as it may be the last I have for 10 months.