Friday 28 September 2007

Pregnancy: Do's and Don't's

Pregnancy brings with itself a number of changes in your life. These include moments of happiness and joy; as well as stress and pain. With everybody giving his/ her opinion about the do’s and dont’s in the pregnancy period, it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. I have compiled some of the important factors that should be kept in mind to ensure a happy, safe and joyous pregnancy period.

You must avoid certain food items during the pregnancy period. These include uncooked and semi cooked meat, soft cheese, some of the seafood and other dishes that might cause miscarriages and birth defects.

Obtain a complete list of food items from your doctor or medical advisor, which have to be discontinued for the period of pregnancy.

Smoking can be a disastrous choice if continued for the period of pregnancy. The recent researches have proved that it can cause birth defects, premature births and miscarriages. In addition, if your partner smokes, the second hand smoke may result in the similar unfortunate events and hence, this must be avoided at all costs.

Stay away from cats and other pets as far as possible since there are bacteria in their fur and bodies that might cause undesired effects on the baby and mother.

Studies have proved that excessive intake of caffeine is harmful to mothers and babies and might result into miscarriages and low birth weight. 300 milligrams and more amounts to excessive amount of caffeine and should be avoided.

When moving inside the house, try to avoid getting into contact with aerosol cans, solvents, paint fumes and other similar things which have a history of causing problems to both pregnant women and might also result in a permanent disability of the child. If you can afford it, it is a much better idea to stay away from the household work for the period of pregnancy.

Hot baths and saunas are better to be avoided during pregnancy period. You have to keep your body temperature under strict watch and must note any irregular changes. This is critical for the health of your child. Try to keep yourself hydrated all the time.

Alcohol is a strict no during the pregnancy period. You should not take a risk with your baby’s life by sticking to alcohol and drugs during pregnancy. Observe the impact of alcohol on a grown-up and imagine how it would impact some one as small as your child. This could lead to birth defects and miscarriages.

It is recommended to do moderate level of exercise during pregnancy. The body parts get tensed hence it is a good idea to get them back in order through light exercise. Avoid doing difficult and complex aerobics for obvious reasons. Massages during pregnancy can also make you relax and help in relieving the stress you might have. But consult an expert before undertaking any of these.

Though it seems that pregnancy is associated with a number of banned activities, yet the purpose of these is to ensure that you remain healthy during pregnancy and get a healthy and normal baby.