This seems to be more about **caffeine** than coffee. In 2008, due to [this study][1] that suggested that **caffeine intake during pregnancy could increase the risk of fetal growth restriction**, the **"UK Government's Food Standards Agency"** issued [new advice to pregnant women on daily caffeine consumption][2]: > **Pregnant women are being advised to > limit their daily caffeine intake, > ideally keeping this below 200mg a day** > (previously it was 300mg). This is > roughly two mugs of coffee a day, > although caffeine is also present in > tea, chocolate, some soft drinks, and > certain medicines. ... > **Too much caffeine might result in a > baby having a lower birth weight than > it should**, which can increase the risk > of some health conditions for the baby > in later life, or could possibly > result in spontaneous miscarriage. ... > **We would emphasise that the risks are > likely to be very small** and believe > our new advice, which is based on new > research and has been considered by > leading independent scientists, is > sensible and proportionate. ---------- Caffeine isn't just in coffee, it can also be found in (ice-)tea, soft and energy drinks, cocoa and even chocolate. I'd guess these sources for caffeine are more common for children than coffee. [Here][4] is a list of caffeinated beverages (including the amount of caffeine in it). ---------- [BabyCenter][3] has this to say: > No. Caffeine has plenty of undesirable > effects, but interfering with a > child's growth isn't one of them. > > The United States hasn't established > recommended limits for kids' caffeine > consumption. In Canada, it's > recommended that kids ages 4 to 6 get > no more than 45 mg a day, kids ages 7 > to 9 get no more than 62.5 mg, and > kids ages 10 to 12 get no more than 85 > mg. [1]: http://www.bmj.com/content/337/bmj.a2332 [2]: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/2008/nov/caffeineadvice [3]: http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-true-that-caffeine-can-stunt-a-childs-growth_10310763.bc [4]: http://www.energyfiend.com/the-caffeine-database