Mother Survival KitMother Survival Kit
Nausea relief Vomiplex by Brauer | Drakshadi Kashayam | Ginger tea Digestive enzymes Zygest by Direct Health Multi Natal plus by Eagle | Maha kalayanakam Ghritham Epi-No Prevent episiotomy or tear Delivery helpers Fit ball | Clary sage essential oil | Earphones with hypnobirthing CD | Rescue Remedy | Calm funny partner - Relaxed mid-wives - Good hospital staff Post partum Haemorrhoids Witchazel lotion Wound healer Scarless healer by Greenridge PND Formula Post Natal by Medicine Tree Anaemia Lohasavam Energy Chyavanaprash Baby Survival Kit Baby hammock Amy Colic free bottle Avent Electric breast pump Baby formula Holle Organic Stuffed nose Rasnadi powder on crown, Saline solution & Pump Colic Colic relief- brauer | Hing fried in ghee (external) | Spearmint essential oil or Minyak Telon oil from Indonesia (on baby’s tummy) | Mother drinks fennel tea Cradle cap Eladi coconut oil Swaddle Kiddopotamus Sling Bubba Moe Sinus clear - Rasnadi Powder (external use) Best Bunny suits Bonds Best Bottom talc Eden Organics Nappy Rash Argiletz green clay Best baby massage oil Balashwagandhadi / Lakshadi Oil Best nappies Moltex Eco Nappy -effective, biodegradable, cost-effective www.ecodirect.com.au Jaundice prevention Expose the baby to sun for the first few days by the window for 10 mins each |
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Vital factors
Which foods should I avoid during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, it's important to eat a nutritious diet with a large variety, in order to provide your baby with the nutrients it needs to grow. Your diet should also give you energy for the changes taking place in your body.
However, there are certain foods you shouldn't eat whilst pregnant to avoid exposing yourself to the risk of food poisoning, or because they can be potentially dangerous to your unborn baby.
Listeria
Listeriosis is a rare, flu-like illness, which can be contracted from food that contains listeria bacteria. Although rare in the UK, listeriosis can cause stillbirth, miscarriage, or severe illness in newborn babies.
Salmonella
Salmonella is a bacteria that causes a type of food poisoning. Salmonella is found in unpasteurised milk, raw eggs and raw egg products, raw poultry and raw meat. Although salmonella food poisoning is unlikely to harm your baby, it is advisable to take precautions to avoid foods that may contain salmonella.
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite found in cat faeces. It can also be present in raw or undercooked meat, and in soil left on unwashed fruit and vegetables. Although rare, the infection can occasionally be passed to the unborn baby, which can cause serious problems.
To reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis, you should avoid the following foods:
Vitamin A
If you're pregnant you should make sure you don't have too much vitamin A. Although you need some vitamin A in your diet, having too much could mean that levels build up in your body and harm your unborn baby.
Eating a normal, well-balanced diet should give you all the vitamin A your body needs. Avoid liver or liver products such as pâté, as liver contains high levels of vitamin A. You should also check with your doctor before taking any high-dose multivitamins or cod liver oil supplements, as these may also contain vitamin A.
Fish
Alcohol
The Department of Health advises that pregnant women, and women who are trying to conceive, should avoid drinking alcohol and should not get drunk. Heavy drinking, during pregnancy, is associated with low birth weight, and other, more serious birth defects.
However, if you do decide to drink alcohol while you are pregnant, you should limit the amount that you drink. The Department of Health and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists advise that pregnant women should not drink more than 1-2 units of alcohol once or twice a week. Binge drinking (drinking several units of alcohol in one session) should be avoided.
Caffeine
You should limit the amount of caffeine you have each day. Caffeine affects the way your body absorbs iron, which is very important for your baby's development.
High levels of caffeine can result in a baby having a low birth weight, or even miscarriage.
Caffeine occurs naturally in a range of foods, such as coffee, tea and chocolate, and it's also added to some soft drinks and 'energy' drinks. It's important not to have more than 200mg of caffeine a day. 200mg is roughly equivalent to either:
Listerosis
Toxoplasmosis
Food poisoning
Antenatal health and care
Antenatal care covers the entire duration of your pregnancy. During your pregnancy, it is very important that you take good care of your health and that of your baby. At this time, you may have a lot of questions that you want to ask – for example, what foods you should be eating, what illnesses may pose a risk to you or your child, or what your rights are during pregnancy.
Antenatal appointments
There are many health professionals who can help provide you with antenatal care. One of the main ways you will get support during your pregnancy is through your antenatal appointments and check-ups. During these appointments, your midwife or GP will be able to carefully monitor the development of your baby, and will also be able to check your own health. You will be offered a series of tests that can help to detect any illnesses or conditions that may cause complications for you or your baby. These tests will help to ensure that any necessary treatment can be provided promptly and efficiently.
Antenatal notes
During pregnancy, it's important to eat a nutritious diet with a large variety, in order to provide your baby with the nutrients it needs to grow. Your diet should also give you energy for the changes taking place in your body.
However, there are certain foods you shouldn't eat whilst pregnant to avoid exposing yourself to the risk of food poisoning, or because they can be potentially dangerous to your unborn baby.
Listeria
Listeriosis is a rare, flu-like illness, which can be contracted from food that contains listeria bacteria. Although rare in the UK, listeriosis can cause stillbirth, miscarriage, or severe illness in newborn babies.
- You should avoid foods where high levels of listeria are occasionally found. These foods may include:
- soft and blue-veined cheese, such as Camembert, Brie and Stilton. (There is no risk of listeria associated with hard cheese such as cheddar, cottage cheese or processed cheese),
- pâté (any type, including vegetable),
- certain prepared salads such as potato salad and coleslaw, and
- ready-prepared meals or re-heated food, unless they are piping hot all the way through.
Salmonella
Salmonella is a bacteria that causes a type of food poisoning. Salmonella is found in unpasteurised milk, raw eggs and raw egg products, raw poultry and raw meat. Although salmonella food poisoning is unlikely to harm your baby, it is advisable to take precautions to avoid foods that may contain salmonella.
- The steps outlined below will reduce your risk of getting salmonella.
- Avoid food containing raw or partially cooked eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise, and some mousses and sauces. You should only eat eggs if they are cooked until both the white and the yolk are solid.
- Avoid unpasteurised dairy products.
- Cook all meat and poultry thoroughly, and take particular care with products made from minced meat, such as sausages and burgers. Make sure these are cooked until they are piping hot all the way through and no pink meat is left.
- Take particular care with meat at barbeques, parties and buffets. Bacteria breed quickly on food that is left uncovered in a warm environment.
- Make sure that raw meat does not come into contact with other food (for example in the fridge), particularly food that is already cooked or that will be eaten raw.
- Always wash your hands after handling raw meat.
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite found in cat faeces. It can also be present in raw or undercooked meat, and in soil left on unwashed fruit and vegetables. Although rare, the infection can occasionally be passed to the unborn baby, which can cause serious problems.
To reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis, you should avoid the following foods:
- unwashed raw fruit and vegetables,
- raw or undercooked meat, and
- unpasteurised goats' milk or goats' cheese.
Vitamin A
If you're pregnant you should make sure you don't have too much vitamin A. Although you need some vitamin A in your diet, having too much could mean that levels build up in your body and harm your unborn baby.
Eating a normal, well-balanced diet should give you all the vitamin A your body needs. Avoid liver or liver products such as pâté, as liver contains high levels of vitamin A. You should also check with your doctor before taking any high-dose multivitamins or cod liver oil supplements, as these may also contain vitamin A.
Fish
- Oily fish is good for your health, but you need to limit the amount that you eat because it contains pollutants, such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
- If you're pregnant, you should eat no more than two portions of oily fish a week. Oily fish includes fresh tuna (not canned tuna, which doesn't count as oily fish), mackerel, sardines and trout.
- There are a few types of fish that you should avoid eating while pregnant, and some others that you should limit the amount you eat.
- Limit the amount of tuna you eat because it contains a high level of mercury which can have a damaging effect on your baby's developing nervous system. You shouldn't eat more than two tuna steaks, or four medium-sized tins (about 140g per can) of tuna a week. This works out at about six rounds of tuna sandwiches or three tuna salads.
- Avoid eating shark, swordfish and marlin as these fish also contain a high level of mercury. You should also avoid eating raw shellfish when you're pregnant. This will reduce your chances of getting food poisoning which can be particularly unpleasant when you're pregnant.
Alcohol
The Department of Health advises that pregnant women, and women who are trying to conceive, should avoid drinking alcohol and should not get drunk. Heavy drinking, during pregnancy, is associated with low birth weight, and other, more serious birth defects.
However, if you do decide to drink alcohol while you are pregnant, you should limit the amount that you drink. The Department of Health and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists advise that pregnant women should not drink more than 1-2 units of alcohol once or twice a week. Binge drinking (drinking several units of alcohol in one session) should be avoided.
Caffeine
You should limit the amount of caffeine you have each day. Caffeine affects the way your body absorbs iron, which is very important for your baby's development.
High levels of caffeine can result in a baby having a low birth weight, or even miscarriage.
Caffeine occurs naturally in a range of foods, such as coffee, tea and chocolate, and it's also added to some soft drinks and 'energy' drinks. It's important not to have more than 200mg of caffeine a day. 200mg is roughly equivalent to either:
- two mugs of instant coffee,
- one mug of filter coffee,
- two mugs of tea,
- five cans of regular cola, or
- four (50g) bars of plain chocolate (milk chocolate has less caffeine in it than in dark chocolate).
Listerosis
- Listeriosis is a rare type of bacterial infection caused by the germ Listeria monocytogenes, which is found in the soil, decayed matter and in most animals. Listeriosis can be picked up from infected food, particularly pâté, certain cheeses and unwashed fruit and vegetables, including pre-packed salad.
- Many healthy adults pick up the listeria germ and don't have any symptoms, but it may noticeably affect older people, very young children and people with lowered immune systems (see Symptoms).
- Listeriosis is potentially harmful to unborn babies, so pregnant women need to be very careful to avoid the infection (see Prevention).
- It is more likely to cause harm in the second and third trimesters (week 14 to birth), than the first trimester (weeks 0 to 13).
- Although still fairly rare, cases of listeria have been increasing over the last few years, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
Toxoplasmosis
- Toxoplasmosis is a common disease that occurs worldwide in most birds and warm-blooded mammals, including humans. It's caused by infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), one of the world's most common parasites, which is contained in undercooked meat, raw meat, cat faeces and any soil or cat litter contaminated with infected cat faeces. It can't be passed on through person-to-person contact.
- Around a quarter to half of the world's population is thought to be infected. Around 1% of people in the UK catch toxoplasmosis each year. In most cases, the person affected doesn't have any symptoms. This is because a healthy immune system is usually able to defend the body from the parasite.
- There may be slight flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature or body aches, but these generally pass without treatment after a few weeks.
- However, toxoplasmosis can cause serious health problems, and can be fatal, for babies born to infected mothers and for people with immune deficiencies (weakened immune systems caused by illnesses including AIDS and cancer).
- Babies may develop jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and have seizures or brain defects. People with immune deficiencies may develop damage to the eyes, brain and other organs.
Food poisoning
- Food poisoning is a common and mild illness, although it can be occasionally deadly.
- Food poisoning happens when someone eats food or drink that is contaminated with bacteria or its toxins. Very occasionally, toxins from chemicals or pesticides can also cause food poisoning.
- It is hard to tell if food and drink are contaminated because the look, taste and smell may not be affected. Food poisoning can affect one person or a group of people, depending on whether they have all eaten the same contaminated food.
- Most food poisoning is caused by the toxins produced by bacteria, or by the amount of bacteria itself. Some bacteria can grow (multiply) from one to millions if the conditions, such as moisture, food, warmth and time, are right. The more bacteria present, the higher the chance of infection and illness. The most common types of bacteria to cause infection are Campylobacter, E. coli and salmonella.
- According to the Food Standards Agency, an estimated 5.5 million people in the UK are affected from food poisoning each year. Only a small number of these visit their GP or get medical advice.
- Most cases of food poisoning are not reported because people have mild symptoms and recover quickly. As a result, less than 100,000 cases a year are tested for the exact cause of food poisoning.
Antenatal health and care
Antenatal care covers the entire duration of your pregnancy. During your pregnancy, it is very important that you take good care of your health and that of your baby. At this time, you may have a lot of questions that you want to ask – for example, what foods you should be eating, what illnesses may pose a risk to you or your child, or what your rights are during pregnancy.
Antenatal appointments
There are many health professionals who can help provide you with antenatal care. One of the main ways you will get support during your pregnancy is through your antenatal appointments and check-ups. During these appointments, your midwife or GP will be able to carefully monitor the development of your baby, and will also be able to check your own health. You will be offered a series of tests that can help to detect any illnesses or conditions that may cause complications for you or your baby. These tests will help to ensure that any necessary treatment can be provided promptly and efficiently.
Antenatal notes
- A record of your antenatal care and appointments will be made, and these are known as your antenatal notes. It will usually be your own responsibility to look after these notes, and you should bring them with you to each of your appointments. You should also carry them with you throughout your pregnancy, so if you fall ill while you are away from home, you will have all your up-to-date medical information with you.
- Pregnancy can sometimes be a scary and daunting prospect, and it may feel like there is a lot of information that you need to take on board. Your antenatal appointments will provide you with an opportunity to talk through any of your worries, concerns or queries, and will also allow you to get all of the necessary tips, guidance and advice that you will need through every stage of your pregnancy.
- Things You Should and Should Not Do During Pregnancy
- There are quite a few things you can do during your pregnancy to help improve your and your baby's health. You can also avoid risks that can complicate or terminate a pregnancy.
- For example, you probably know that getting enough Folic Acid is important. But did you know it is just as important to avoid cats? You probably knew that X-Rays are harmful to the fetus, but did you know about electric blankets?
- Some of the items listed here (such as avoiding microwaves and electric blankets, fish, etc.) are controversial. Some studies have shown they are dangerous, others not. It is up to you to do the research and decide if the risks outweigh the benefits.
- This page contains an extensive catalog of the different activities you should encourage or avoid during your pregnancy. Many of the recommendations link to articles on the web. Once you know about these activities, you can also easily search for more information in search engines. For example, once you know that electric blankets are harmful, you can go searching for more information by using "electric blanket" with "pregnancy" as the search terms.
- One of the best reasons for you to plan your pregnancy (rather than having it happen by accident) is so that you can have control of all of these different factors starting from conception.
Things You SHOULD Do
* You Should Get Regular Medical Exams
One of the easiest and best ways to avoid problems and complications during pregnancy is to get regular medical exams from your doctor or midwife.
* You Should Get the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for Folic Acid
By getting the proper amount of Folic Acid you significantly reduce your baby's risk for spinal bifida. The current recommendation is 0.4 mg of folic acid daily. See the CDC's recommendations for more information. See also this page and this page.
* You Should Check Your Immunity to German Measles (Rubella)
German Measles (Rubella), if caught during pregnancy, can lead to miscarriages and fetal deformities. The best way to avoid this possibility is to be vaccinated for Rubella prior to getting pregnant. See this CDC article for more information, as well as this article.
* You Should Take Prenatal Vitamins
Both you and your baby need plenty of vitamins during pregnancy, and by taking special prenatal vitamins you guarantee that you are getting everything you need. Getting the proper vitamins can also help you avoid diabetes.
* You Should Eat Plenty of Protein
The RDA of protein for pregnant women is 75 grams but 100 grams is often recommended. Adequate protein is essential for the development of the baby (especially the brain) and may help protect against preeclampsia during pregnancy. See this page for information on protein.
* You Should Eat Well and Get Plenty of Exercise.
Your diet needs to include plenty of vitamins, minerals, fiber and so on, just as it normally should. You also need to exercise and watch your weight as your normally would. See this article, this article, this article, this article, this article, this article and this article for more information.
* You Should Be Sure to Get Enough Fat in Your Diet
Fat and cholesterol, which you normally try to avoid, are important for absorbing the fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E, and K) and for stretchable skin. Fat is also necessary for the developing baby brain. That does not mean you want to be over-consuming it, but you need to make sure you are getting enough. There are so many fat-free foods on the market today (fat free milk, butter, ice cream, meat, bread, cookies etc.), it is very easy to consume a fat-free diet without realizing it. 2 tablespoons of fat a day is recommended for pregnant women. Also, certain types of fat are important as described in this article.
* You Should Do Kegal Exercises
Weak kegal muscles can contribute to pain during birth, premature flexion of the baby's head and a prolonged second stage. Childbirth can also weaken these muscles and cause discomfort afterwards. The following show how to do the kegal exercises. See this article and this page.
* You Should Use House Plants
A modern house is full of hundreds of hidden chemicals that are emitted by paints and stains, carpet, particle board, household cleaners and so on. One of the best ways to filter and remove these chemicals is with house plants. Spider plants, for example, are known to be good at removing formaldehyde (which is quite common in paints).
* You Should Focus on Your Child and Avoid Negative Thoughts and Actions
This article discusses pernatal bonding and the benefits of avoiding stress and negative thoughts. See also this article.
* You Should Take Care When Traveling
Traveling when pregnant requires some special considerations, especially when traveling to foreign countries. See this article, See this article and this article.
* You Should Talk to Your Doctor about Existing Conditions and Your Family History
If you have any pre-existing conditions, chronic problems or a family history of reproductive problems, you should let your doctor know about them so that he/she can take appropriate action. Pre-existing conditions include things such as diabetes, herpes (and other STDs), heart problems, epilepsy and high blood pressure.
One of the easiest and best ways to avoid problems and complications during pregnancy is to get regular medical exams from your doctor or midwife.
* You Should Get the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for Folic Acid
By getting the proper amount of Folic Acid you significantly reduce your baby's risk for spinal bifida. The current recommendation is 0.4 mg of folic acid daily. See the CDC's recommendations for more information. See also this page and this page.
* You Should Check Your Immunity to German Measles (Rubella)
German Measles (Rubella), if caught during pregnancy, can lead to miscarriages and fetal deformities. The best way to avoid this possibility is to be vaccinated for Rubella prior to getting pregnant. See this CDC article for more information, as well as this article.
* You Should Take Prenatal Vitamins
Both you and your baby need plenty of vitamins during pregnancy, and by taking special prenatal vitamins you guarantee that you are getting everything you need. Getting the proper vitamins can also help you avoid diabetes.
* You Should Eat Plenty of Protein
The RDA of protein for pregnant women is 75 grams but 100 grams is often recommended. Adequate protein is essential for the development of the baby (especially the brain) and may help protect against preeclampsia during pregnancy. See this page for information on protein.
* You Should Eat Well and Get Plenty of Exercise.
Your diet needs to include plenty of vitamins, minerals, fiber and so on, just as it normally should. You also need to exercise and watch your weight as your normally would. See this article, this article, this article, this article, this article, this article and this article for more information.
* You Should Be Sure to Get Enough Fat in Your Diet
Fat and cholesterol, which you normally try to avoid, are important for absorbing the fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E, and K) and for stretchable skin. Fat is also necessary for the developing baby brain. That does not mean you want to be over-consuming it, but you need to make sure you are getting enough. There are so many fat-free foods on the market today (fat free milk, butter, ice cream, meat, bread, cookies etc.), it is very easy to consume a fat-free diet without realizing it. 2 tablespoons of fat a day is recommended for pregnant women. Also, certain types of fat are important as described in this article.
* You Should Do Kegal Exercises
Weak kegal muscles can contribute to pain during birth, premature flexion of the baby's head and a prolonged second stage. Childbirth can also weaken these muscles and cause discomfort afterwards. The following show how to do the kegal exercises. See this article and this page.
* You Should Use House Plants
A modern house is full of hundreds of hidden chemicals that are emitted by paints and stains, carpet, particle board, household cleaners and so on. One of the best ways to filter and remove these chemicals is with house plants. Spider plants, for example, are known to be good at removing formaldehyde (which is quite common in paints).
* You Should Focus on Your Child and Avoid Negative Thoughts and Actions
This article discusses pernatal bonding and the benefits of avoiding stress and negative thoughts. See also this article.
* You Should Take Care When Traveling
Traveling when pregnant requires some special considerations, especially when traveling to foreign countries. See this article, See this article and this article.
* You Should Talk to Your Doctor about Existing Conditions and Your Family History
If you have any pre-existing conditions, chronic problems or a family history of reproductive problems, you should let your doctor know about them so that he/she can take appropriate action. Pre-existing conditions include things such as diabetes, herpes (and other STDs), heart problems, epilepsy and high blood pressure.
Things You SHOULD NOT Do
* You Should Not Smoke or be Around People Who Do Smoking is such a well-known hazard to the mother that it only follows that it is also harmful to the baby. Yet hundreds of thousands of pregnant women still smoke. Second hand smoke from smokers who live or work with a pregnant women can also affect the foetus. Exposure to smoke can result in spontaneous abortion, pre-term births, low-weight full-term babies, and fetal and infant deaths. See this article, this article, this article, along with thousands of others on the web, for more information.
* You Should Not Drink Alcohol Alcohol has a variety of negative effects on your developing baby depending on the dose and frequency. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the worst-case scenario, leading to severe retardation and other abnormalities. A quote from this article describes the dangers: "FAS is linked to birth defects and is the leading known cause of preventable mental retardation. It is characterized by a number of congenital birth defects which include prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency, facial malformations, central nervous system dysfunction, and varying degrees of major organ system malfunctions. " Also see this article.
* You Should Not Take Illegal Drugs A quote from this article states: "In utero drug exposure is associated with an increased rate among newborns of low birth weight, central nervous system damage that may delay or impair neurobehavioral development, mild to severe withdrawal effects, and physical malformations such as cleft palate, heart murmurs, eye defects, and abnormalities of facial features and other organ systems." See also this article.
* You Should Not Take Prescription Drugs or Over the Counter (OTC) drugs, Including Aspirin, Unless Told to Do So by Your Doctor Drugs that are safe to take when not pregnant can cause devastating effects to a foetus when you are pregnant. If you are even thinking of becoming pregnant, you should discuss the use of any drugs you currently take with your doctor beforehand. See this page for general information on OTC drugs in pregnancy including a list of safe OTC drugs to take. They recommend not taking any OTC drugs during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy when the heart, lung, and brain is being formed. See this article about effects of Accutane, see this article about the diet drug fen-phen, see this article about taking drugs during breastfeeding.
* You Should Avoid Hot Dogs Hot dogs have been implicated in several studies. (Note: It has also been found that children under the age of five who eat more than 1 hot dog a week may have an increased risk of cancer). See this article and this note.
* You Should Avoid Caffeine Caffeine taken during pregnancy is thought to increase the probability of a child contracting diabetes. See also this article about coffee and tea.
* You Should Avoid Contact with Reptiles Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any contact with lizards, iguanas, turtles, or snakes as the salmonella virus is transfered through their feces and can affect your pregnancy. Also, children under the age of 5 are also at risk for contracting salmonella if they are in contact with reptiles.
* You Should Avoid Tick Bites Tick bites open you to the risk of lyme disease, which can be deadly to your developing baby. A great book to check on this topic is, "Everything You Need to Know About Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Disorders", written by Karen Vanderhoof-Forschner, a woman who developed Lyme disease while pregnant.
* You Should Avoid Fish This warning comes from the November 27 issue of Time Magazine (page 31). Fish concentrate methylmercury, which is known to affect the developing child's brain.
* You Should Not Eat Junk Food The basic problem with junk food is that it fills you up but does not provide vitamins or protein. As your stomach size decreases during pregnancy, junk food takes up room and prevents you from eating the foods you really need for your and your baby's health.
* You Should Avoid Vitamin A Supplements
By consuming as little as 4 times the RDA of vitamin A, you greatly increase the risk of having a baby with birth defects or other problems. Exposure during the first trimester is the worst. Natural sources of vitamin A are OK - it is foods that are artifically supplemented that cause the problem, and most foods are. You need to start reading packages to make sure you are not getting too much Vitamin A. Other fat-soluable vitamins such as D,E, and K can also accumulate in the body organs and tissues and high-dosage supplementation should be discussed with your doctor. See this article, this article, this article, this article, and this article.
* You Should Avoid X-Rays According to the book What to Expect When You're Expecting, the risks posed by X-Ray exposure are fairly small, with the greatest risk occuring early in the pregnancy. Informing your doctor or dentist of the fact that you are pregnant is probably the best way to control your risk. If an X-Ray can be postponed until after the pregnancy, then that would eliminate the risk.
* You Should Avoid VDTs In this article is the following quote: "Kaiser's researchers tracked 1,583 pregnancies ... [and] were surprised to find a statistically significant 73% increase in miscarriages in working women using CRT-style VDTs (cathode ray tube style video display terminals), compared to other working women." Older VDTs are especially suspect. However, later studies have been less conclusive or contradictory. See also this article and this article.
* You Should Avoid Microwaves An excerpt from this page, states, "Particularly vulnerable to excessive microwave radiation is the developing fetus." For more information also see this article.
* You Should not Use an Electric Blanket Electric Blankets give off low-level electromagnetic fields which may be harmful to a developing baby. See this article, this article and this article
* You Should Not Use a Water Bed The heaters used in water beds give off the same electric fields as those found in electric blankets (see previous) and should therefore be avoided for the same reasons.
* You Should Avoid Drinking Tap Water if Possible Recent studies have shown that drinking tap water during the early months of pregnancy can increase your risk of miscarriage. If this concerns you or you have a history of miscarriage, you may want to discuss drinking bottled water with your doctor. This article discusses research that showed California tapwater was linked to miscarriages. Also see this article. This article discusses why tap water may cause problems for all people (does not directly discuss miscarriage).
* You Should Avoid Stress Stress at work is defined as, "high psychological demands from work activities, and low decision-making powers on the job". See this article and this article for more information. This article is also interesting.
* You Should Not Expose Yourself to Pesticides Pesticides (including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and so on) can have a variety of effects on your unborn baby depending on the type of chemical, the length and intensity of exposure and the age of the fetus. In general it is best to avoid exposure to all pesticides. The problem is that pesticide use is extremely widespread in the U.S. You can be exposed to pesticides in your home (ant and roach bait traps, no-pest strips, houshold pest control products and services, flea collars on dogs and cats...), in your yard (lawn care services, do-it-yourself herbicides and insecticides on the lawn or garden), in your neighborhood (especially in rural areas, but also from suburban neighbors spraying their yards), from various food sources... The most you can do is attempt to avoid these dangers as best you can. See this site, this page and this page.
* You Should Avoid Fumes from Paint, Paint Thinner, Household Cleaning Products and so on This article and this article discuss the large numbers of toxic products and by-products found in the home and yard. As with pesticides (see previous) the best you can hope for is educating yourself and trying to limit your exposure.
* You Should Avoid Raising Your Body Temperature There is a potential danger to the developing fetus if your body temperature rises above 102 degrees. You can raise your body temperature to this level by getting a fever, by exercising too strenuously, working outside on hot summer days, and so on.
* You Should Not Use a Sauna, Hot Tub or Take Long Hot Baths Hot tubs and hot baths have a tendency to raise your body temperature and therefore are to be avoided. See the previous item for details.
* You Should Avoid Cleaning Cat Litter Boxes. You Should Avoid Uncooked Meat. Both cat litter and undercooked meat present the risk of toxoplasmosis, which causes birth defects. See this article and this article for details.
* You Should Avoid Herpes Herpes when transfered to the baby during delivery, can lead to severe complications. The easiest way to avoid this possibility is to avoid contracting herpes. If you do have herpes, you should be sure to tell your doctor. See this article for more information.
* You Should Not Drink Alcohol Alcohol has a variety of negative effects on your developing baby depending on the dose and frequency. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the worst-case scenario, leading to severe retardation and other abnormalities. A quote from this article describes the dangers: "FAS is linked to birth defects and is the leading known cause of preventable mental retardation. It is characterized by a number of congenital birth defects which include prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency, facial malformations, central nervous system dysfunction, and varying degrees of major organ system malfunctions. " Also see this article.
* You Should Not Take Illegal Drugs A quote from this article states: "In utero drug exposure is associated with an increased rate among newborns of low birth weight, central nervous system damage that may delay or impair neurobehavioral development, mild to severe withdrawal effects, and physical malformations such as cleft palate, heart murmurs, eye defects, and abnormalities of facial features and other organ systems." See also this article.
* You Should Not Take Prescription Drugs or Over the Counter (OTC) drugs, Including Aspirin, Unless Told to Do So by Your Doctor Drugs that are safe to take when not pregnant can cause devastating effects to a foetus when you are pregnant. If you are even thinking of becoming pregnant, you should discuss the use of any drugs you currently take with your doctor beforehand. See this page for general information on OTC drugs in pregnancy including a list of safe OTC drugs to take. They recommend not taking any OTC drugs during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy when the heart, lung, and brain is being formed. See this article about effects of Accutane, see this article about the diet drug fen-phen, see this article about taking drugs during breastfeeding.
* You Should Avoid Hot Dogs Hot dogs have been implicated in several studies. (Note: It has also been found that children under the age of five who eat more than 1 hot dog a week may have an increased risk of cancer). See this article and this note.
* You Should Avoid Caffeine Caffeine taken during pregnancy is thought to increase the probability of a child contracting diabetes. See also this article about coffee and tea.
* You Should Avoid Contact with Reptiles Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any contact with lizards, iguanas, turtles, or snakes as the salmonella virus is transfered through their feces and can affect your pregnancy. Also, children under the age of 5 are also at risk for contracting salmonella if they are in contact with reptiles.
* You Should Avoid Tick Bites Tick bites open you to the risk of lyme disease, which can be deadly to your developing baby. A great book to check on this topic is, "Everything You Need to Know About Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Disorders", written by Karen Vanderhoof-Forschner, a woman who developed Lyme disease while pregnant.
* You Should Avoid Fish This warning comes from the November 27 issue of Time Magazine (page 31). Fish concentrate methylmercury, which is known to affect the developing child's brain.
* You Should Not Eat Junk Food The basic problem with junk food is that it fills you up but does not provide vitamins or protein. As your stomach size decreases during pregnancy, junk food takes up room and prevents you from eating the foods you really need for your and your baby's health.
* You Should Avoid Vitamin A Supplements
By consuming as little as 4 times the RDA of vitamin A, you greatly increase the risk of having a baby with birth defects or other problems. Exposure during the first trimester is the worst. Natural sources of vitamin A are OK - it is foods that are artifically supplemented that cause the problem, and most foods are. You need to start reading packages to make sure you are not getting too much Vitamin A. Other fat-soluable vitamins such as D,E, and K can also accumulate in the body organs and tissues and high-dosage supplementation should be discussed with your doctor. See this article, this article, this article, this article, and this article.
* You Should Avoid X-Rays According to the book What to Expect When You're Expecting, the risks posed by X-Ray exposure are fairly small, with the greatest risk occuring early in the pregnancy. Informing your doctor or dentist of the fact that you are pregnant is probably the best way to control your risk. If an X-Ray can be postponed until after the pregnancy, then that would eliminate the risk.
* You Should Avoid VDTs In this article is the following quote: "Kaiser's researchers tracked 1,583 pregnancies ... [and] were surprised to find a statistically significant 73% increase in miscarriages in working women using CRT-style VDTs (cathode ray tube style video display terminals), compared to other working women." Older VDTs are especially suspect. However, later studies have been less conclusive or contradictory. See also this article and this article.
* You Should Avoid Microwaves An excerpt from this page, states, "Particularly vulnerable to excessive microwave radiation is the developing fetus." For more information also see this article.
* You Should not Use an Electric Blanket Electric Blankets give off low-level electromagnetic fields which may be harmful to a developing baby. See this article, this article and this article
* You Should Not Use a Water Bed The heaters used in water beds give off the same electric fields as those found in electric blankets (see previous) and should therefore be avoided for the same reasons.
* You Should Avoid Drinking Tap Water if Possible Recent studies have shown that drinking tap water during the early months of pregnancy can increase your risk of miscarriage. If this concerns you or you have a history of miscarriage, you may want to discuss drinking bottled water with your doctor. This article discusses research that showed California tapwater was linked to miscarriages. Also see this article. This article discusses why tap water may cause problems for all people (does not directly discuss miscarriage).
* You Should Avoid Stress Stress at work is defined as, "high psychological demands from work activities, and low decision-making powers on the job". See this article and this article for more information. This article is also interesting.
* You Should Not Expose Yourself to Pesticides Pesticides (including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and so on) can have a variety of effects on your unborn baby depending on the type of chemical, the length and intensity of exposure and the age of the fetus. In general it is best to avoid exposure to all pesticides. The problem is that pesticide use is extremely widespread in the U.S. You can be exposed to pesticides in your home (ant and roach bait traps, no-pest strips, houshold pest control products and services, flea collars on dogs and cats...), in your yard (lawn care services, do-it-yourself herbicides and insecticides on the lawn or garden), in your neighborhood (especially in rural areas, but also from suburban neighbors spraying their yards), from various food sources... The most you can do is attempt to avoid these dangers as best you can. See this site, this page and this page.
* You Should Avoid Fumes from Paint, Paint Thinner, Household Cleaning Products and so on This article and this article discuss the large numbers of toxic products and by-products found in the home and yard. As with pesticides (see previous) the best you can hope for is educating yourself and trying to limit your exposure.
* You Should Avoid Raising Your Body Temperature There is a potential danger to the developing fetus if your body temperature rises above 102 degrees. You can raise your body temperature to this level by getting a fever, by exercising too strenuously, working outside on hot summer days, and so on.
* You Should Not Use a Sauna, Hot Tub or Take Long Hot Baths Hot tubs and hot baths have a tendency to raise your body temperature and therefore are to be avoided. See the previous item for details.
* You Should Avoid Cleaning Cat Litter Boxes. You Should Avoid Uncooked Meat. Both cat litter and undercooked meat present the risk of toxoplasmosis, which causes birth defects. See this article and this article for details.
* You Should Avoid Herpes Herpes when transfered to the baby during delivery, can lead to severe complications. The easiest way to avoid this possibility is to avoid contracting herpes. If you do have herpes, you should be sure to tell your doctor. See this article for more information.
