For most women, pregnancy is one of the best and most fulfilling feelings. Carrying a pregnancy for nine months is interesting, but it comes with lots of responsibilities. The woman needs to take care of her health and that of the child. As a result, a woman needs to be more careful about her health status when she is pregnant. Some drinks, food and drugs are not safe during pregnancy. Here are the health mistakes to avoid when you are pregnant.
Too Much Coffee
Intake of too much coffee has been said to cause low birth weight in newborns, premature births and sometimes miscarriage. Thus, a pregnant woman needs to control her caffeine intake reduce the chances of this happening. Generally, a cup is safe, but a woman should entirely avoid coffee or ensure that it is below 200 mg daily.
Other than coffee it is important to limit the intake of soda, green tea since they also contain caffeine. In place of these drinks with caffeine, take water and fresh juices.
Drinking Alcohol
The baby in your tummy eats what you eat. If you take alcohol, it might pass to the unborn baby. Although the mechanism of an adult’s body enables the one to break down alcohol and release it from the body, that of the unborn baby is not capable of doing the same. Alcohol affects the formation of the cells in the baby. It also makes it hard for oxygen and nutrients to be transported to the relevant body parts. Therefore, a woman should totally avoid alcohol during pregnancy.
Herbal Drinks and Supplements
Herbs are some of the healthiest drinks and foods one can take. For many centuries, herbs have been used in effectively treating illnesses, boosting immunity and more beneficial ways. However, some drugs have been known to cause miscarriages. Therefore, you need to research on the side-effects of any herbs before taking them. If possible, avoid herbal drinks and supplements and consult your doctor if you must use them.
Contaminated Fish
We all know that fish is rich in Omega-3 which is vital in the development of the baby before and after birth. However, there are kinds of fish you need to avoid during pregnancy. The first is the one from local ponds, river or streams found near pollution sources such as factories.
This is because they are likely to contain high levels of chemicals from industrial waste. The second is the kind which is known to have high mercury levels. These are tilefish, shark, tuna as well as swordfish. Mercury causes brain and development problems in a baby. Mercury also affects the peripheral and central nervous systems in adults as well. Thus limit your intake of these kinds of fish for the sake of your health as well.
Conclusion
Pregnancy is beautiful, and if there is something we can avoid to make the nine months even better for the baby and us, then it is a worthy sacrifice.
