Keep Avoiding Some Things during First Pregnancy

Keep Avoiding Some Things during First Pregnancy

What you eat or drink or do during your pregnancy can affect your child possibly forever. Which is why one must be very sure about the dos and don’ts of pregnancy with their first one itself. 

things to avoid during first pregnancyNot that following pregnancies are less important but first experience should be handled with care which in turn puts you at practice for the next one.The same holds true with first pregnancy.

 A safe first pregnancy ensures mother’s health along with the child’s. A certain things should be avoided if you are expecting your first baby.

1.Raw Animal Food

Rare meat, raw oysters, clams, sushi, unpasteurized eggs, raw cookies or cake may contain bacteria, viruses and parasites. Test if your food is cooked right and fully. Eggs shouldn’t be runny. Do not eat raw dough.

Hot Dogs, Luncheon Meats and Unpasteurized Dairy Products

The aforementioned food options are prone to Listeria monocytogenes, bacteria that causes listeriosis. This condition can result into miscarriages and still births.

Avoid raw dairy products made from unpasteurized milk.

2.Large Fishes

Large fishes contain high amount of mercury which is a by-product of coal-burning plants and can interfere with normal development of child’s brain and nervous system. These include swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel. Approved by FDA, pregnant and nursing women may eat up to 12 ounces of seafood weekly that is low in mercury. This list constitutes salmon, shrimp, canned light tuna, sardines and catfish.

3.Raw Vegetable Sprouts

Alfalfa, radish, mung bean sprouts must be avoided by pregnant women. The reason being, that bacteria can get into sprouts and seeds which makes it impossible to wash it out. However, it is alright to eat thoroughly cooked sprouts.

4.Drinks

Alcohol is a big no during pregnancy. Beer, wine, spirits steal developing cells of oxygen and nutrients, preventing healthy fetal development.

There is no level of alcohol that can be proved to be safe for expecting women.

It affects the womb on intellectual and physical abilities.

Stay away from unpasteurized juices, these may contain E. coli. Do not buy unsealed drinks from anywhere.

If you live in an old house, where water pipes are made of lead, the substance can get into the drinking water, leading to low birth weight, preterm delivery and developmental problems in the fetus. Limit your intake of caffeine that you consume through coffee, tea and soft drinks. It may result in miscarriages, stillbirth and reduced birth weight.

5.Smoking

Tobacco is harmful to health irrespective of whether one is pregnant or not. But smoking during pregnancy puts your unborn child also at the risk along with you. Do not, we emphasize, do not smoke while you are pregnant and after you have given birth. It is not worth risking your child’s health.

6.Hair Dyes

Hair dyes contain harmful chemicals that can hinder with the growth of the developing fetus, more so in the first trimester. Go for streak highlighting that does not involve chemicals to get into your bloodstream and into the baby through you. One can also go for a natural and safer option like henna to cover greys during pregnancy.

7.Paints

A study undertaken by The California Birth Defects Monitoring Programme indicated that women who were regularly exposed to solvents in paints were 2-4 times more likely to have a baby with gastroschisis (where the intestines protrude in the stomach through an opening).

But an odd job like painting your baby’s room might not put you at this risk. Consult your doctor regarding this.

Insect Repellents

A lot of bug sprays contain diethyltoluamide (DEET) which can get absorbed into your skin and could damage baby’s nervous system (if taken in enough doses).

8.Sauna Baths

Sauna raise your body temperature which if increases over 102 F may increase the the risk of risk of certain brain and spine defects in the developing fetus. You can use facials and body scrubs instead for relaxation.

9.Exercise

Though exercising is advised to maintain good health, an expecting mother should consult with the doctor first about how much strain can her body take. 

The doctor would usually prescribe some light physical activity like walking.