18 Things to Avoid During Pregnancy – Mistakes You Must Never Make!

Pregnancy is a wonderful period in a woman’s life, truly god’s greatest gift. You may have to make some sacrifices during this period that are all worth it for your unborn child. Utmost care must be taken to ensure good health of you and your child. There are several things that you may have to give up during your pregnancy. While some of them may be bad for your health in general anyway, some may be hard to give up on.

List of Things to Avoid when Pregnant:

There are various things a pregnant lady ought to be wary of or abstain from during pregnancy. In this article you will locate various items or exercises you should keep away from or use with caution.

1. Avoid Alcohol:

Alcohol is among the must avoid things to when pregnant. Although just a little in quantity may not cause much harm, but too much of it is highly dangerous for the health of the mother and the baby. The alcohol you drink enters your bloodstream. Drinking during pregnancy can be majorly harmful because the alcohol you consume crosses the placenta and thus reaches your baby. The baby’s developing liver cannot process it as fast as your body can. Too much alcohol greatly raises your risk of miscarriage.It also increases the baby’s chance of having a low birth weight. It may also cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which can cause serious health problems for your baby, such as heart defects and behavioral disorders.

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2. Quit the Smoke:

Smoking is not good for you or your baby. Cigarettes increase the risk of babies having a low birth weight. Smoking can also increase the chances of the baby being born prematurely or with respiratory problems.In extreme cases, expecting mother’s smoking is linked to miscarriage as well as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

For women who don’t normally smoke, pregnancy is the ultimate aversion therapy. Even a single whiff of tobacco can make you feel nauseated. But, for the otherwise regular smokers it can be more of a struggle to give up, especially when there is the added stress of pregnancy. Now, the baby is your priority and every smoke you don’t take is good news for your child. This is among the list of things to avoid during pregnancy.

3. Say no to Drugs:

Drugs are anyway very harmful for the normal functioning of the human body. They become dangerous when you have a baby inside you to take care of. Every drug you take is also taken by your baby. Whether you are using cannabis, ketamine, ecstasy, cocaine, or any other illegal drug, you are also passing them down to your baby because drugs cross the placenta. This majorly increases the risk of pregnancy complications and fetal abnormalities. Sometimes even prescribed drugs, such as painkillers, could interact negatively with your body during pregnancy. Visit a doctor or midwife to take advice on the correct dosage of the drug and other possible alternatives, if necessary.

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4. Avoid Harmful Chemicals:

Chemicals in everyday items such as food and drink packaging, cleaning products, pesticides and paint may also turn out to be harmful for you and your baby during pregnancy. Try to avoid exposure to products and foods that may contain chemicals such as bisphenol A and phthalates, which could affect your unborn baby. These are things pregnant women should avoid. Although coming in contact with everyday chemicals is inevitable, you should be aware of possible risks and take all the precaution you can.

5. Food to Avoid:

There is a pretty long list of food and things to avoid during pregnancy first trimester. Certain types of cheese, shellfish and most sea food, rare meat, caffeine are known to harm pregnancy. Food that contains bacteria should be avoided as they may cause infections and in extreme cases, lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or infection in your newborn. Moderation over abstinence is the key in this phase. You should be aware of risks and take necessary precautions.

6. No Caffeine:

Research says that high levels of caffeine can result in miscarriage or low birth weight. It is advised to not to exceed 200mg of caffeine a day. To reduce the intake of caffeine while also fulfilling its purpose, you could substitute your daily cups with decaffeinated options or herbal teas. They will keep your refreshed in the day while also not causing harm to your baby.

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7. Avoid Hair Dye:

Although it is perfectly fine to color your hair during pregnancy, enormous doses of the chemicals used in semi-permanent and permanent hair dyes would cause your baby some serious harm.If you’re doing it yourself at home, it is advisable to wear gloves and open a window for ventilation. And because of increased hormones, you might be more susceptible to an allergic reaction from a dye. So do a patch test 24 hours before application.

8. Avoid Sun Bathing:

Your skin becomes much more sensitive during pregnancy. Heatstroke could also be very dangerous for the fetus. So, it is best to stick around in the shade, keep cool and hydrated than spend hours getting a tan. Also use a high SPF sunscreen even for a while outside.

9. No Heavy Workout:

Regular aerobic exercise is good for health and keeps you fit and active during pregnancy. However, heavy work out causes stress in your body and to your baby. It may cause joint strain and fatigue. Any stress on the baby is undesirable.

10. Avoid Sick People:

Some diseases are easily transmittable. During pregnancy, your immune system is weak and could easily be affected. Avoid people suffering from shingles, chickenpox or rubella, unless you have taken necessary precaution.

11. Don’t Skip Meals:

The right diet and being regular with it is very important during pregnancy. You are not only eating for yourself but also for your baby. It’s very important to be regular with meals. Skipping them could leave you feeling weak and tired. It will also not provide the required nutrition to the baby.

12. Avoid Heels:

Heels can anyway be very uncomfortable to walk in for the whole day. Now that you are pregnant your centre of gravity is off balance. You don’t want to wobble in those sky high heels and fall, causing harm to your baby. These are among the major things to avoid when pregnant.

13. Avoid Junk:

Eat healthy and nutritious home cooked food. Junk food contains more than required amount of oil and spices that is not good for health. Street food may contain bacteria and other germs harmful for you and your child. These unhealthy foods are things to avoid when pregnant.

14. Avoid Some Medicines:

You might have always used the same balm for a headache or popped the same pill for pain. But now that you are pregnant it is highly important to ask a doctor if any medication you take is good for the baby.

15. Avoid Heavy Household Chores:

You might be woman of the house and keeping everything in order has been more a habit. However,in this fragile phase do not stress yourself with heavy work. Your baby is your first priority. Stressing household work are things to avoid while pregnant.

16. Acupuncture and Massage:

While some reciprocal treatments, for example, acupuncture and massage, are felt to be sheltered during pregnancy there is restricted confirmation that shows how successful they are. Nevertheless, there are still circumstances during pregnancy when they may not be protected. For instance, your midriff ought not be rubbed during the initial three months of pregnancy.

It is by and large safe to have acupuncture when you are pregnant, and you should search for a qualified acupuncturist who has broad training and experience with pregnant ladies. Fill your acupuncturist in as to whether you are pregnant because specific needle therapy focuses can’t be utilized securely during pregnancy.

17. Felines:

Toxoplasmosis is a typical disease that happens in many fowls and vertebrates, including people. The parasite called ‘Toxoplasma gondii’ (T. gondii) can be found in feline dung or soil or feline litter that is tainted with contaminated feline defecation.

The danger of getting toxoplasmosis when you’re pregnant is low. If you get toxoplasmosis in the first trimester of pregnancy, the danger of premature delivery is expanded, and it can cause visual deficiency and brain damage in an unborn child.

18. X-Rays:

If possible, you ought to abstain from having an X-ray while you’re pregnant. Healthcare professionals will survey whether your treatment can hold up until you’ve had your child. For instance, they will survey whether the advantages of treatment exceed the generally safe of having an X-ray. They may likewise consider utilizing another imaging strategy rather, for example, an ultrasound scan.

There is slight danger of birth defects and physical and mental development issues. In any case, exposure to radiation can harm the body’s cells, which can build the danger of malignancy. This is the reason the dose of radiation utilized as a part of an X-ray is dependably as low as could reasonably be expected. X-rays during pregnancy convey a little danger of exposing the unborn infant to radiation, which could cause childhood cancers.

You will discover a wide range of opposing data on the web, in books, and in magazines. Be sensible, confide in your impulses, and remember that being alert is never an awful thought. If all else fails, talk to your doctor. Keep in mind, you won’t be pregnant until the end of time. Keep it together, as these beyond reach sustenance and exercises will soon be accessible to you once more.

Those were some of things to avoid during pregnancy. Every woman is anxious about what is right and what is not for their baby during pregnancy. There are some things that are a must for good health while there are some things that you should avoid altogether during this phase. Be aware, stay safe and give your baby the best.