# Is diet soda bad during pregnancy?



## dinkygreg (Feb 9, 2011)

I am 8 weeks pregnant and I just read somewhere that it is bad to drink diet soda or anything containing aspartame/sweeteners while pregnant, but one of the pregnancy books I've read says aspartame is not harmful to most pregnant women or their fetuses. I searched online and found tons of mixed up reviews on diet soda. Is it safe to drink diet soda or anything containing aspartame and any other artificial sweeteners while pregnant?

Thanks for your inputs.


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## bonified (Feb 9, 2011)

Why drink chemically laden crap when you can hydrate yourself with something way more nutritionally beneficial for both you and you baby? 

It cant be taste.


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## Missy9579 (Feb 9, 2011)

I am 31 weeks pregnant and avoid it. There are no long term studies about what it can cause in the end...so no one really knows. I had been told it is okay to have it up to 3 times a day...a light yogurt would count as one, an 8 ounce glass of crystal light etc....

But then I was told my a nurtitionist that it just isn't worth risking it....so I would avoid it. Make water your new best friend!


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## Miss Vickie (Feb 9, 2011)

I wouldn't do it, and I recommend that my patients avoid it. It might be safe, but do you really want to take that chance? If nothing else, the phosphoric acid is potentially bad for your bones.

So yeah, my vote? Find other tasty things to drink. If you're nauseous, ginger ale is great!


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## Sweet Tooth (Feb 9, 2011)

I wholeheartedly, despite being an avid diet pop drinker, support the effort to drink healthier, non-chemical laden stuff during pregnancy.

Having said that, my sister drank diet pop throughout 2 of her 3 pregnancies. The girls who are now in college are beautiful, intelligent, healthy, athletic, hardworking, and all sorts of positive things most parents would want their children to become. I can't see that, in her case, drinking diet pop harmed them in any way. Of course, she otherwise had healthy behaviors during pregnancy. No smoking or drinking, ate in a healthy and balanced manner, minimized stress, stayed active, took prenatal vitamins... all that stuff.

Guess it's up to you and your doctor, really, whether it's necessary to reduce or quit the stuff entirely. Congrats on the pregnancy!


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## CastingPearls (Feb 9, 2011)

My doctor told me phosphoric acid can dissolve bone and citric acid (in Sprite and 7Up for example) over time dissolves teeth so what it can do to a developing fetus is suspect.

Also aspartame which is in most diet soda is still questionable and my friends' ob/gyn's tell them to avoid all of it FWIW.


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## shuefly pie (Feb 10, 2011)

Is diet soda EVER really good for you?

Or regular soda for that matter?

Skip it. Water should be your best friend when you're pregnant.

AND

Congratulations!!


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## it's only me (Feb 10, 2011)

if i was in your shoes i would lay-off the diet sodas at least until u give birth, but u can try the sodas at the health food stores their made from cane juice instead of high fructose corn syrup, but i don't drink the diet ones so i don't know what's in them, but i'm 100% sure it's not any kind of artificial sweetner, so check out the health food stores. but congratulation on your precious bundle of joy & take care of yourself.


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## Miss Vickie (Feb 10, 2011)

shuefly pie said:


> Is diet soda EVER really good for you?
> 
> Or regular soda for that matter?
> 
> ...



According to some recent data, the answer is no. It's never really good for you. As much as it pains me to say it, it looks like those of us who consume a lot of it should cut down.

Lots of reasons why it's bad for you. The phosphoric acid is bad for your bones, the caffeine leaches out essential minerals, and who knows what the aspartame does to you. 

I'm pretty sure, though, that growing brains and hearts don't need it.


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