Green and black tea, cola, and other soft drinks contain caffeine. Try switching to decaffeinated products which may still have some caffeine, but in much smaller amounts or caffeine-free alternatives. If you're wondering about chocolate, which also has caffeine, the good news is that you can eat some in moderation. A cup of brewed coffee has 95— milligrams of caffeine, but the average chocolate bar has 5—30 milligrams.
So, small amounts of chocolate are fine. Are there some I should avoid? Foods that are more likely to be contaminated with bacteria or heavy metals are ones to try to avoid or limit your exposure to. Those you should steer clear of during pregnancy include:.
Also, although fish and shellfish can be an extremely healthy part of your pregnancy diet they contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and are high in protein and low in saturated fat , you should avoid eating certain kinds due to high levels of mercury, which can damage the brain of a developing fetus.
Although it's important to eat plenty of healthy foods during pregnancy, you also need to avoid foodborne illnesses, such as listeriosis , toxoplasmosis, and salmonella , which are caused by the bacteria that can be found in certain foods.
These infections can be life-threatening to an unborn baby and may cause birth defects or miscarriage. Be sure to thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables , which can carry bacteria or be coated with pesticide residue. And be mindful of what you're buying at the grocery store or when dining out. When you choose seafood, eat a variety of fish and shellfish and limit the amount to about 12 ounces per week — that's about two meals.
Common fish and shellfish that are low in mercury include: canned light tuna, catfish, pollock, salmon, and shrimp. But because albacore or white tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna, it's best to eat no more than 6 ounces or one meal of albacore tuna a week.
You may have to skip a few foods during pregnancy that you normally enjoy. But just think how delicious they'll taste when you can have them again! Pregnancy is the prime time to get out of cleaning kitty's litter box. But that doesn't mean that you have to keep away from Fluffy! An infection called toxoplasmosis can be spread through soiled cat litter boxes and can cause serious problems in a fetus, including prematurity , poor growth, and severe eye and brain damage.
A pregnant woman who becomes infected often has no symptoms but can still pass the infection on to her developing baby. Have someone else change the litter box, making sure to clean it thoroughly and regularly, then wash his or her hands well afterward. Should I avoid them? Some, yes; others, no.
There are many medicines you should not use during pregnancy. Be sure to talk to your doctor about which prescription and over-the-counter OTC drugs you can and can't take, even if they seem like no big deal.
Even common OTC medicines that you can buy in stores without a prescription may be off-limits during pregnancy because of their potential effects on the baby. Certain prescription medicines may also harm the developing fetus.
The type of harm and extent of possible damage depends on the kind of medication. Also, although they may seem harmless, herbal remedies and supplements are not regulated by the U. That means that they don't have to follow any safety standards and thus could be harmful to your baby. To make sure you don't take anything that could put your baby at risk, talk to your doctor about:. Also, let all of your health care providers know that you're pregnant so that they'll keep that in mind when recommending or prescribing any medicines.
If you were prescribed a medication before you became pregnant for an illness, disease, or condition that you still have, your doctor can help you weigh the potential benefits and risks of continuing your prescription. If you become sick for example, with a cold or have symptoms that cause you discomfort or pain like a headache or backache , talk to your doctor about medicines you can take and other ways to help you feel better without medication.
Also, if you are in your third trimester, talk to your health care professional if you are scheduled to have surgery or a medical procedure that would require the use of general anesthesia. The FDA has issued a warning about its possible effects on an unborn baby's brain development. Pregnant women who use drugs may be placing their unborn babies at risk for:. If you've used any drugs at any time during your pregnancy, it's important to tell your doctor.
Even if you've quit, your unborn child could still be at risk for health problems. If you're still using drugs, talk to your doctor for help on how to quit. Health clinics such as Planned Parenthood also can recommend health care providers, at little or no cost, who can help you quit your habit and have a healthier pregnancy.
You wouldn't light a cigarette, put it in your baby's mouth, and encourage your little one to puff away. As ridiculous as this sounds, pregnant women who continue to smoke are allowing their fetus to smoke too. The smoking mother passes nicotine, carbon monoxide, and many other chemicals to her growing baby. Likewise, you should avoid people who are smoking, whether they're coworkers, friends, family members, or people in public places. And the risks to a fetus from regular exposure to secondhand smoke include low birth weight and slowed growth.
If you smoke, having a baby may be the reason you need to quit. Talk to your doctor about options for kicking the habit. If you spend time with people who smoke, ask them nicely to do it outside — and away from you if you're outside as well. Aspartame, sucralose, stevioside, and acesulfame-K have been found to be safe to use in moderation during pregnancy. However, you should avoid aspartame if you or your partner has a rare hereditary disease called phenylketonuria PKU , in which the body can't break down the compound phenylalanine, which is found in aspartame.
In that case, you should avoid aspartame altogether since your baby may also be born with the disease. Experts are still unsure about whether saccharin, which is found in some foods and in the little pink packets, is safe to use during pregnancy — it can cross the placenta and could stay in the fetus' tissue. Also, a sweetener called cyclamate is banned in the United States because of concerns about a possible link to cancer. What are the risks, if any, to my baby? Although some people say that the artificial sweetener aspartame is linked to birth defects and illnesses, government authorities and medical groups throughout the world have evaluated aspartame and approved it as safe for human consumption, including during pregnancy.
Research done during the s suggested that saccharin caused bladder cancer in lab rats when given in large quantities.
Since then, though, those studies have often been called into question. Also, a warning saying that it could cause cancer was removed from all saccharin-containing products' labels in With aspartame, sucralose, stevioside, and acesulfame-K, moderation is the key.
It's OK to have an occasional diet soda or sugar-free food with these sweeteners here and there. But if you're really craving something sweet, it's probably better to have the real thing, as long as it's in moderation. If you've already had something with saccharin in it during your pregnancy, don't obsess about it. It's highly unlikely that small amounts could harm your baby. Still, it's wise to check product labels and try to avoid — or at least limit — anything with artificial sweeteners especially saccharin , just to be safe.
After all, this is one time in your life when you have a good reason to avoid diet foods! And the more naturally flavored whole foods you eat during pregnancy, the better. No, not unless your due date is near or your doctor tells you that you or your baby has a medical condition that warrants keeping you near home.
Women with certain health conditions — like high blood pressure hypertension or blood clots, a history of miscarriage, premature labor, ectopic pregnancy, or other prenatal complications — are encouraged not to fly. Otherwise, most healthy pregnant women can fly up to 4 weeks before their due date. After that, it's best to stay close to home in case you deliver.
Note: it is recommended that pregnant women not fly to areas with high altitudes, regions with disease outbreaks, or where certain vaccines are recommended for travelers beforehand. For women with healthy pregnancies, there are no significant risks.
However, women who have difficult pregnancies, especially involving their cardiovascular system, could be compromised by air flight and should discuss any flying plans with their doctor. Discuss any plans for lengthy or distant travel with your doctor during your last trimester, just in case.
If he or she says it's OK, check with the airlines to find out what their policies are regarding flying during pregnancy. Most airlines will allow pregnant women to fly up until week According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ACOG , because very little dye is absorbed through the skin, dying your hair is "most likely safe" during pregnancy, despite what doctors in years past may have advised.
That's good news for many expectant women — coloring your hair can be a great little confidence boost when everything else going on with your body feels so out of your control. While very few studies have closely looked at the many different kinds of hair treatments and their potential effects on a fetus, what is known shows that hair treatments are most likely safe.
If you're concerned but want to give yourself a little lift, try having your hair highlighted. This uses far fewer chemicals than dying your entire head of hair. For most pregnant women, low-impact exercise is a great way to feel better and help prepare the body for labor.
Low-impact exercise increases your heart rate and intake of oxygen while helping you avoid sudden or jarring actions that can stress your joints, bones, and muscles. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, stick to low-impact exercise. How much is enough? The U. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least minutes that's 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week for healthy women who are not already highly active or used to doing vigorous-intensity activity.
If you were very active or did intense aerobic activities before getting pregnant you may be able to continue your exercise routine, as long as your doctor says it's safe for you and your baby. Using weed during pregnancy can be dangerous for your developing baby-to-be. Your baby dropping is one of the first signs that your body is getting ready for labor.
A registered nurse and mother of four tells you what you need…. These are the best iPhone and Android apps to find information, answers, tools, and tracking during your pregnancy. For everything from what to eat during pregnancy to how to plan for birth and what comes after, check out these best pregnancy books!
No matter what you're going through, check out these videos offering a mixture of spoofs, uplifting tales, and somber accounts of pregnancy.
Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Certain foods. Share on Pinterest. Wet paint. Certain medications. Hot tubs and saunas. Kitty litter. Secondhand smoke. Sitting or standing for too long. Believing everything you read. The takeaway. Parenthood Pregnancy Pregnancy Health.
Medically reviewed by Katie Mena, M. Myths vs. You may also want to start taking prenatal vitamins. Despite its name, morning sickness can last all day typically during the first trimester. There are teas specifically formulated to combat nausea and vomiting in pregnant women. There are also morning sickness hard candies that you can eat in addition to your cup of tea or instead of it. If you find that you have mild morning sickness, then you can take measures like eating small and frequent meals and sticking to foods that are bland and simple.
If you already have health insurance, you should look into the plans for prenatal care and delivery expenses. If healthcare is provided by your job, look into the benefits offered by the health insurance company. A good way to find a healthcare provider is through recommendations from friends and family. Ensure they are under your health insurance plan and, if possible, meet with a few to see if they are a good fit.
Before your appointment, make a note of the first day of your last period as they will ask you this, and write down any questions that you may have for your doctor. You should also make sure to consult your doctor about any medications you are on to make sure they are safe for pregnant women.
Continue to do this throughout your pregnancy if you are prescribed different medications, including over-the-counter ones. Mention any herbs, vitamins, or other supplements you take. Easier said than done, right? Well, there are a few measures you can take in order to make this process easier for yourself:. There are things that will be important throughout your pregnancy. We included the importance of exercise you may need to modify your workouts to accommodate your pregnancy , eating healthy, and getting enough sleep.
0コメント