Pregnancy means treating your body with more care because it isn’t just your life and health any more, but your babies as well. Many people tell you that there are some things that you shouldn’t do during pregnancy, and most of them are myths. There are however, valid scientific facts that strongly advise against certain foods or activities during pregnancy. I have made a short list of these facts bellow. I hope they can be of use and will help you have a strong, healthy, happy baby.
1. Avoid raw meats and un-pasteurized milk or cheese products. Things like sushi or feta cheese should be of the table. They have chemicals that can affect the immune system when it is not at its full capacity, which is the case during pregnancy. You should always cook your meat products thoroughly, and give up for while blue vain chesses, or other soft chesses that haven’t been pasteurized. Liver should be consumed in limited amounts because it is very rich in vitamin A, which in large quantities can be damaging for the embryo. Also uncooked hot-dogs can be harmful. So, remember, eating raw meats or un-pasteurized cheese are definitely things you shouldn’t do during pregnancy.
2. Avoid dehydration. This is one of the problems that can occur during pregnancies. The doctor’s advice of drinking plenty of liquids should be adamant for all mothers. Dehydration can lead to a number of minor and major problems for your baby. So, you must avoid overheating, and most important of all drink plenty of water. You shouldn’t count on other liquids such as sodas, juices, or tea, because they can sometimes be counter-indicated for some women during pregnancy. Bottled water is the safest and in most cases the best way to re-hydrate.
3. No alcohol. If you take anything away from this article than I hope it is this: consuming alcohol is the one thing you shouldn’t do during pregnancy, along with smoking. There is no safe amount of alcohol that you can consume during pregnancy. This is because alcohol freely passes thru the placenta. So if you’re drinking something, than your baby is as well. The risk of your baby suffering from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome goes up with every drink you take. And the effects of this illness are irreversible and will last for the baby’s entire life. This syndrome can cause birth defects, along with other problems involving decreased mental capacity, or physical disorders.
4. No smoking. I can’t be adamant enough about this: smoking will have grave implications on your baby’s health. As with alcohol, the placenta doesn’t filter all the damaging chemicals that you ingest while smoking. Second hand smoke is almost as dangerous, so you should definitely let people know, that no matter the occasion, smoking is not allowed in your house. Some of the effects of smoking are premature births, and babies that have low body weight at birth. Recreational drugs such as marijuana are also forbidden, even though some studies that are emerging place marijuana with a lower risk of causing illnesses in reference to tobacco and alcohol.
5. Don’t drink excessive amounts of coffee. Studies have shown that low birth weight along with other minor problems of the fetus can be traced to excessive ingesting of caffeine. The limit should be around three cups of coffee a day, anything above that will be harmful for the baby. Caffeine can be found in sodas as well, along with other chemicals such as sweeteners that have been proven to cause cancer and affect a baby while still in the womb, if consumed in excessive quantities. This doesn’t man that you can’t have you’re regular diet Coke once in a while, the idea is not to over do it.
6. Pets are not such a good idea. It would be ideal if you could limit your contact with pets during your pregnancy. Every contact with an animal can be potentially dangerous. If you have a cat, let your partner take care of the kitty litter, because there is a chance of infection with toxoplasmosis. You should take more precautions in order to protect yourself from tick bites. They are a carrier of lyme disease that can be exacerbated during pregnancy. So getting a pet to celebrate the future addition to the family is definitely one of the things you shouldn’t do during pregnancy.
There are many other things you shouldn’t do during pregnancy, but these I believe are the essential. If you are a drinker or a smoker, I’m afraid you will have to make a choice: your baby or your addiction, because the two can’t mix during pregnancy, because the risks of illness for your fetus are just too big. So the main thing you need to remember is that having a healthy diet and a healthy way of life will ensure the best chances for having a healthy, happy baby.