Now it has been confirmed that you are expecting a baby there are certain challenges you really must concentrate on! One of the most essential considerations is that of eating and more simply eating properly and healthily during your pregnancy. It is essential that you eat a well balanced meal at all times so as to supply your growing baby with the vitamins, nutrients and minerals needed to make sure of proper growth. There are some foods that need to be left alone since they could potentially cause risk to not only you but your developing baby as well. In the main it can be claimed that most woman know the basics of what they should and should not eat throughout pregnancy. I am sure you are already mindful of what to eat and more significantly what not to eat. That having been stated it is well worth running through a few swift “do and do nots” just to be on the safe side.
The strikingly apparent “do nots”. Although not precisely classed as a food you must stop smoking if you are a cigarette smoker. We would also advocate that you steer clear of smoky atmospheres whenever you can. Legislation in most nations around the world over the last decade has driven smokers out of restaurants, cinemas, public establishments and public transportation, to name a few instances. This has assisted the cause of the pregnant woman tremendously. Caffeine, cut out altogether or at the very least cut down on your consumption of caffeine. Also it would be sensible to cut down your consumption of alcohol.
Around the world there are many studies being undertaken to look into the side effects of certain foods on the pregnant mother and her unborn baby. Without entering into too much mind numbing detail it would be accurate to say that there are a variety of foods that scientific research is suggesting would be advantageous for the pregnant mother to avoid. Perhaps the most observable piece of advice to emerge from these scientific studies is that pregnant women should avoid consuming uncooked meat. It is highly probable that you currently do not eat raw meat, so that would be fine.
However there is a little more to it than that. The research studies are informing us that choices such as rare steaks and rare burgers should be left alone. Pregnant women should make sure that all of the meat they eat is cooked throughout thoroughly. It may well not be a bad idea to request your steak to be well done. The problem with uncooked or rare meats is that they may include dangerous bacteria. You and your unborn baby are vulnerable to such bacteria throughout pregnancy and as such the risk from these bacteria is multiplied. For this reason it may be worthwhile avoiding cold deli meats for the period of your pregnancy. The main offender here is listeria which can in certain cases be somewhat threatening to your baby.
Listeria rears its ugly head once again when it comes to considering many of the soft cheeses such as brie, feta, camembert and gorgonzola. These cheeses are normally made with unpasteurized milk which is known to sometimes include listeria. The basic story here is to ensure that any soft cheese you consume is produced from pasteurized milk; you will have to read the labels thoroughly. Raw eggs or anything containing raw eggs should be avoided during pregnancy. There is a possible exposure to salmonella which must be avoided during pregnancy. This suggests no hollandaise sauce or blue cheese dressing.
Fish has always been a controversial topic for pregnant women! The balance is somewhere between getting vital important nutrients that are required by the baby and avoiding possibly damaging components such as mercury, which is recognized to be present in some fish. So any fish which may have a high levels of mercury such as shark, swordfish, mackerel, tuna and fish used in sushi should be avoided all through the pregnancy period. A number of studies have connected mercury to developmental problems in new born babies so it is well worth avoiding these foods for now. Raw shellfish also should be avoided during pregnancy.
There will never be a more crucial time than now to be aware of your healthy food choices to provide the best nourishment possible for you and your baby.