bad breath

hoosierdoula · 01-12-2007, 12:19 PM

Do any of you drink coffee during births? How do you manage coffee breath? Do mints and a quick toothbrushing help?

I LOVE COFFEE! I'm addicted, and I can't imagine getting through a birth without practically mainlining coffee. I'm worried about my breath though.

Whatever you do, just please don't tell me I can't have my coffee... unless you can offer a good, hot, caffienated alternative (I'm not into sodas). Any good teas I can try?

~Tranquility~Doula · 01-12-2007, 12:34 PM

I try really hard to stay away from coffee at births but I have had to drink some at some really long ones. I usually end up brushing my teeth, rinsing with scope, eating 10 altoids mints then chewing some altoids gum. Then I cross my fingers and hope mama doesn't get offended.

karamaia · 01-12-2007, 12:52 PM

I'm a big tea drinker, I like my tea strong and highly caffienated. However, due to my supreme pickiness about what tea I drink, what I can make at a hospital or birth center usually doesn't do much for me. So, I've been drinking lots of juice at births, and it helps give me nutrition, sugar (energy), and keeps my mind surprisingly clear. I've even just drank juice through a couple long births.

I buy good organic juice, like Knudson VitaJuice or Morning Blend, and will drink two or more bottles of them at a birth.

When I go to the birth I pack a thermos of tea, but then I bring my juice for a mild yet nutrition energy pick-up. It works well for me.

Of course, I also bring my toothbrush and mints, just in case.

I stopped drinking coffee at births because it makes some women nauseous to smell it in labor. If I need to drink or eat something, I'll check in with the women and let her know to tell me if the smell bothers her, and try to keep it on the other side of the room. Also drink lots of water, that will help with coffee breath.

raddoula · 01-12-2007, 01:08 PM

hi!

i am a tea LOVER! so your question is in my field

i like my caffeine too. i'm picky about my tea, so i pack my own in my doula bag.
my recommendation: i loooooooove the british tea, PG Tips. you can get it at whole foods, indian grocers and on-line.
close second to PG is Tazo's Awake. lovely tea. can get at starbucks.
yummy, but not enough caffeine, is Tazo's Joy blend.
i drink my tea with milk, some people find PG TIps too strong on the stomach without milk. just a tad will do the trick.
tea doesn't funk up the breath half as much as coffee. but, i usually swill with water after anyhow.
good luck, and enjoy. i switched from coffee to tea way back, and am so happy. you may find that you have to drink more tea as your body adjusts to the difference between coffee and tea.
tea is also great for you - full of antioxidants.
ENJOY!

peace, radhe.

DL · 01-12-2007, 03:27 PM

I also LOVE tea, but for births, I stick to drinking Propel Water and eating Luna bars. I don't think that the Propel causes me to have bad breath (Luna bars probably do). I'm very careful and brush my teeth several times no matter what, even if I just drink the water with no food.

I despise the taste and smell of coffee, so that's why I couldn't address that specifically.

raspberrydoula · 01-12-2007, 04:20 PM

I drink Emergen-C, it gives me energy. And I keep mints in my pocket, and make sure I drink LOTS of water, which helps with bad breath.

tlcdoula · 01-12-2007, 05:13 PM

I am a HUGE coffee drinker and truthfully also am a mint addict. Almost constantly while at births I have a mint in my mouth. I found ones that do not dissolve fast and I eat them over and over again. I usually go through a tin of them per birth. I have never had anyone complain and have actually asked a few moms if they could smell the coffee on my breath - they all said no.

truelife · 01-12-2007, 05:25 PM

What mints do you buy Michelle?

tlcdoula · 01-12-2007, 06:24 PM

Ummmm, had to run and check

Eclipse

naturalbirther · 01-12-2007, 06:45 PM

just remember that even if you are not a coffee drinker, anything with sugar, even natural sugars, will cause bad breath. This is one reason that bad breath returns quickly after brushing, because toothpaste (like from the grocery store) has sugar added to it...weird, I know. I think that a natural toothpaste would be best at births (and even any other time

) Does anyone ever chew gum? Just wondering if that would be annoying to a mom? I tend to pop mine a lot, so I'd have to curb that habbit!
Ash

Jilian · 01-12-2007, 09:19 PM

I don't drink coffee during births because the smell is too strong and coffee usually makes me have to use the bathroom.

I stick with Emergen-C and water and I eat Altoids like they are going out of style.

tchatters · 01-12-2007, 09:31 PM

I don't drink coffee during births- I eat chocolate covered espresso beans LOL! I keep them in my birth bag, they don't make you have to go to the bathroom nearly as badly and the bad breath is easily covered by mints. I also carry lollipops in my bag for mom and if she's having one, I sometimes have one too to get better breath.

I have found that tea makes my breath smell just as bad as coffee, sometimes worse (earl grey is bad!).

Anyone ever tried caffeinated water? I used to drink it in college when studying, but I haven't seen it in a while.

tlcdoula · 01-12-2007, 09:47 PM

I chew gum all the time - just don't pop it

I also wanted to say that I never drink coffee in the room. I will usually chug a cup when I run to the bathroom.

DL · 01-12-2007, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jilian

...and I eat Altoids like they are going out of style.

I LOVE Altoids! I used to take Altoids to births, but I've had several mommas tell me that the mint was too strong...and that's when I was across the room!!

Now I usually take...oh, let me go look....I have Eclipse and Ice Breakers. They work well, but aren't as potent to momma, I guess.