Bursting Pregnancy Myths

Pregnancy is the most thrilling and exciting journey of entire lifetime. It is very different from the rest of the phases of life and is actually an amalgamation of all the beautiful emotions a person can experience in a lifetime. 

Tough this phase is extremely researched upon, there are still many misperceptions and confusions that pregnant woman have regarding their pregnancies. Some of these are mentioned below:

You can’t fly during your initial and last trimester. This is not true at all. You can fly if you need to travel; flight is smoother than bumpy road trips. However, some airlines won’t let you take the flight in your last trimester, but that is with regard to vertigo’s and nausea or with the fears that you’ll go into labor and force the plane to land or spoil the interiors.

You cannot pet your cat: This is another myth. However, you shouldn’t change or clean your cat’s litter box during pregnancy because of the risk of toxoplasmosis from the feces.  

You shouldn’t eat smoked salmon while pregnant. This has not been proved. Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids like DHA, studies show that these are good for pregnant women and the fetuses, and salmon is a fresh water fish, so the probability of mercury poisoning is less. If your pregnancy diet chart contains salmon, enjoy eating it.

Pregnant women should keep away from polished furniture. Not true at all. It is believed that while painting or polishing walls or furniture, certain harmful gasses are emitted which harm the nervous system or cause vertigos or nausea during pregnancy. However, using polished furniture may not cause any damage to health.

Dying your hair is harmful for Baby. Wrong again. It is believed that exposure to pesticides can damage the health of the baby to be born. The actual fact is unless the mother-to-be is inhaling or consuming the pesticides, they cannot reach the baby.

 You shouldn’t take daily baths while pregnant: This cannot be true. Hygiene is of utmost importance. The only idea behind this, myth can be the risk of slipping on wet floor, but you can always be careful, as daily baths are part of the essential hygiene.

 You shouldn’t drink coffee while pregnant: One cup of coffee a day may not harm you or your baby.  Excess of everything is bad, however, you can have caffeine within limits as it is said that it contains flavonoids which is good for health.         

Pregnant women should eat for two: Not exactly true. During pregnancy, one only requires 300 extra calories per day. So ideally you should be eating for about one and a fifth.

And, finally, going outside when you’re pregnant during an eclipse will not give your baby a cleft palate. But you probably already knew that.

Create simple rules for your pregnancy like – walk carefully; avoid accidents or tripping over and falling, follow diet plan for a pregnant women, don’t stress yourself etc. Living simple and verifying facts can help you stay relaxed and healthy.

What Pregnant Women Should Avoid?

As a would-be mother, it should be your goal to keep your baby in a healthy and safe condition. To do that, you need to take sure precautions when eating, moving and working. While exploring the precautions, you will find a list of foods, drinks, medicines and exercises to avoid during pregnancy. 

Pregnant women need to be aware of what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat. You should remember that you are no longer eating for yourself; anything that is gobbled makes it way to the baby as well. Avoid the foods like raw eggs, homemade ice cream that may contain salmonella. Foods like freshwater fish and herbs like ginger, etc cause distress to both mother and baby. So, avoid them completely. 

When it comes to protect the health and well-being of your baby; there are few drinks to avoid as well. Drinks like beer, wine has to be avoided as they can cause fetal alcohol syndrome. Similarly, avoid unpasteurized milk or juice as they raise the risk of making you ill and damage your baby’s neurological organism.

During pregnancy, medication taken by pregnant women can affect the growth of baby. If recommended directions are not followed in case of medication, it can cause serious harm to baby. To avoid the risk, you need to remain away from medicines like herbal pills and regular vitamins. If your condition required medication, consult your doctor.  

Pregnancy demand some sort of exercise but that too within prescribed limitations. You can avoid some exercises from the list of many like; sit-ups and double leg lift exercises, bouncy exercises, lay flat on back exercise,  etc. aside from these, you must avoid some sports also like; water skiing, diving, gymnastics and so on. Remember, follow the exercise which lessens down the risk involved in pregnancy. 

If you are still doubted on the things to avoid during pregnancy, consult your doctor today. Once you speak to your doctor, you can get the most accurate information concerning your health condition. Don’t forget to ask for a healthy diet plan for pregnant women.

Clarify your doubts and have a healthy pregnancy!