You must be on cloud nine to bring a new life into this world. But you might be getting stressed at times thinking about whether you are doing enough for the baby or not. We are sure you must be taking every precaution and measure to welcome a healthy baby into the world, but just as a reminder we have made a list of certain things that you must avoid doing during pregnancy. Re-check once again for surety.
1. Say No To Certain Foods
Avoid eating raw shellfish, raw meat, fish with high mercury levels, deli meat, raw eggs, soft cheeses, and unpasteurized dairy. Raw and undercooked meat and eggs can cause food-borne illnesses, such as toxoplasmosis and listeriosis. They can even cause food poisoning, leading to life-threatening illnesses that could lead to miscarriage or severe birth defects. If you still want to have these items, make sure they are properly cooked for consumption. Always choose well-cooked, healthy, and nutritious food to eat during pregnancy.
2. Do Not Sit In Hot Tub Or Sauna
While relaxing in a hot tub or sauna might sound tempting to ease pregnancy discomfort, it is best to avoid hot tubs, jacuzzis, saunas, or anything that increases your body temperature. A high-heat environment may be dangerous for pregnant mothers.
Many research studies have suggested that using such methods for relaxing, especially during the first trimester can double the risk of miscarriage. Hot tubs can cause hyperthermia, or abnormally high body temperature, which may increase the risk of birth defects or congenital abnormalities. Although this is predominantly a risk in the first trimester it can create issues later in pregnancy as well.
For that matter, you should avoid hot yoga, pilates, sunbathing, or any other form of exercise that causes the body temperature to rise too high. Thus, it is best to consult your doctors to know about the types of exercise that are best to do during pregnancy.
3. Avoid Contact Sports Or Heavy Lifting
If you are into sports, avoid any form of contact sports like boxing or football, as it can increase the risk of placental abruption, and premature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall. This is a severe condition that can cause stillbirth, preterm birth, or miscarriage.
After the first trimester, you should avoid rock climbing, skating, skiing, amusement park rides, or any activity that has a risk of falling. A minor fall can result in injuries or placental abruption, leading to serious issues.
You should even avoid lifting heavy objects during pregnancy as in some pregnancies it can result in preterm labor, low birth weight, pulled muscles, or hernias.
4. Quiet Smoking And Alcohol
Do not smoke during your pregnancy if you want to healthy child. Smoking can restrict oxygen supply to your little one, increasing the risk of low birth weight, heart disease, sudden infant death syndrome, cleft lip, cleft palate, placental issues as well as asthma later in life. So, stop smoking immediately or getting exposed to secondhand smoke.
Even alcohol consumption should be stopped completely as it can lead to physical abnormalities, seizures, poor growth, behavioral problems along other serious illnesses. In case, you find it difficult to quit both, do not hesitate to consult your doctors to find a solution.
5. No Caffeine Too
Caffeine might give you a boost and keep you energized for the rest of the day, but it’s not good for your baby. Since caffeine can travel through the placenta, it can increase the heart rate of your baby as well as yours along with blood pressure. So, avoid drinking too much of tea, coffee, and sodas, and eating certain chocolates. Always, ask your doctor for the recommended amount of caffeine intake allowed per day.
Other than these avoid changing your cat litter, standing or sitting for too long, wearing high heels, and taking certain medications. Always consult your doctor to clear your doubts. Your child’s health should always be your priority. So, avoid these things during pregnancy to give birth to a healthy baby.
You can also read 5 Ways To Know If Your Child Is Being Bullied
