Hi Shanda - here is a late post in response to your caffeine question. I'm 31 weeks now with my first baby so can't say yet if the baby is affected but I haven't given up my coffee. In the first 15 weeks of pregnancy, I couldn't stomach a cup of coffee or tea but once my nausea ended, I began to enjoy it. I usually have a cup of day of coffee (sometimes none though). And, yes, there have been days when I have a cup of coffee in the morning and later in the afternoon, another cup or a cup of tea or a grande latte at Starbucks - 1/2 decaf. At first I tried to cut out all caffeine but felt so miserable; also, the caffeine really helps my allergies, asthma and sinus congestion (all worsened by my pregnancy)!!
Also, despite what books like "What to Expect When You're Expecting ..." (I hate that book!) will say, I looked through quite a quite a bit of medical research and it seems to me that effects of small to moderate intake of caffeine are inconclusive or show no effect. I could be wrong but it seems from the studies I looked that when a mother had caffeine related problems, they were usually consuming 5 or more cups a day and perhaps also smoked. I don't really listen to these website columns or pregnancy books that state you should stay away completely from something but then have no medical back-up as to why. Also, my dad's (he's a MD) been delivering babies for 30 years and he said there was no problem with the coffee - 1 -2 cups is fine. His warning to me was "don't drink alcohol". so, that I don't touch and you'd be surprised how many people who don't drink coffee will insist it's fine to have a glass of wine a day (or more!) while pregnant. I would worry more about alcohol than coffee. I'm rambling -it's late!!! sorry!!!;-)
I just try to stick to one cup of java a day and enjoy it and its effects on my asthma as well.
Helen