Knowing What To Avoid In Pregnancy
Whilst you want to enjoy your pregnancy, you may be worrying about the sometimes conflicting advice that can be given by well meaning people around you. Older woman in particular are prone to giving information that may be medically outdated and could potentially cause problems to your unborn baby.
Grandmothers and mothers are very keen on saying things like ‘we were never told to avoid certain foods and drinks when i was pregnant and no harm came to you!’ This is because when they were pregnant doctors simply did not know what they now know due to medical intervention and research. Miscarriages occurred in their day due to what we now know to be preventable incidents such as avoiding foods that cause salmonella in the expectant mother.
There are obvious things to avoid if pregnant and common sense will tell you this (and your midwife!) Despite the vast array of beautiful tattoo designs for women it is not advisable to get tattooed when pregnant and you may find a reputable tattooist would not tattoo you when pregnant anyway. Tattooists have listed reasons such as the risk of fainting or the pain causing a big shock and sending women into labour prematurely as some of the reasons why they will not tattoo pregnant women.
A early pregnancy guide will most likely inform you that drinking coffee whilst pregnant has been shown to have an increased risk of miscarriage. There have been numerous studies on this and the advice is still unclear to some extent. Some recommend that no caffeine is the best approach, particularly during the first trimester, whilst other research has shown that it can be drunk in moderation with no harm apparent. If in doubt consult your midwife, but you may find mother nature will be at work and the slightest whiff of coffee will have you running to the bathroom!
You may find that the pregnancy hormones cause you to break out in acne. Should this happen do not use products that contain salicylic acid or retinoid as these are unsafe to use in pregnancy.
A glycolic acid skin care treatment is a safe option whilst pregnant and is usually very effective. If this does not work for you then a prescription of a topical skin care cream can be obtained from your doctor.
Remembering to check what is safe to eat in pregnancy is vital. Certain foods can cause food poisoning in expectant mothers and cause harm to the baby. Avoid prawns and other shellfish, blue veined and soft cheeses, unpasteurised milk, and food like sushi containing raw fish and undercooked meats such as blue steak.
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