Congratulations! You are going to be a mom. When you found out, you were probably shocked and didn’t believe it.
Some women actually do a few OTC pregnancy tests because it just can’t be true. Then they decide, let me be sure, I will see my doctor.
Yes, its official, the test were correct, you are pregnant. You held your joy within until your doctor confirmed it is true. Now you are excited, overjoyed and awed.
What do you do, you run home and tell your partner, darling we are going to be parents. I am sure, he too is shocked but it will settle in and he will show you he is excited too. If you are going to be parents for the first time, there are a lot of questions. You especially will have more questions than you can hold in your thoughts. Well get ready, because the minute you decide to tell family and friends you will get more advise than you thought you could ever receive.
Not only that, they will be conflicting. For instance, one person will tell you, you can dye your hair the first three months of your pregnancy, others will say, at the end of your pregnancy and others say never do this during your pregnancy.
Can you exercise during pregnancy? Can I take a bath? Well I hope that these answers can help you out during this time of joy for you and your family.
HAIR COLORING
I know that many have said, coloring your hair during pregnancy is wrong, well that is not true. A lot of research has been done on this subject matter and it has been found that it is safe to color your hair during pregnancy. Coloring your hair will not cause birth defects or a miscarriage. However, if you want to be more cautious, you can do your hair after the first trimester. By this time the major fetal organs have developed and are complete.
BATHS/HOT TUBS/ SAUNAS
Many of us enjoy a nice hot bath or enjoy sitting in a Jacuzzi or sauna. Well, only one of these is allowed and with some restrictions. During pregnancy, the only thing you can enjoy of these three is a nice hot bath, as long as the temperature is not 100 degrees or more. Jacuzzi’s and Saunas are out of the question, they can affect the baby’s development.
JOGGING
If you are a jogger, you can still enjoy this exercise as long as you have a doctor’s okay. If you are at risk of preterm labor, preeclampsia or have unusual bleeding, you are advised not to do any type of exercise. You will want to take it easy, relax more often, and make sure that you have no problems during your pregnancy or labor.
TRAVELING
For many traveling will be safe up until 35 to 36 weeks, depending if it’s international or domestic traveling. When you do decide to travel, it is always good to visit your doctor. Just make sure you are okay to make this trip. Also, you have to check with your airline or cruise line if there are any restrictions or if you need any type of document saying it is okay to travel. Some airline and cruise lines have certain limitations and will consider it a risk for pregnant women to travel after certain period of time.
ALCOHOL
Some will tell you that it is okay to drink one glass a wine that it won’t hurt the baby. Well in reality, it is not known what amount of alcohol is truly safe to drink during pregnancy so it’s best to avoid this completely.
SMOKING
You know very well smoking is not good for anyone’s health but for an unborn baby, it’s even worse. It can increase complications like premature labor, miscarriage, low birth weight, possible defects and placenta abruption. So please don’t smoke during this wonderful time, let the baby grow healthy and strong. Another thing to do is try to avoid as much as possible, second hand smoke. It is just as harmful.
TEA
There is nothing like a nice hot cup of tea to soothe the stomach and warm you up. Well during pregnancy, you must be careful. All herbs aren’t safe during pregnancy. Ask your doctor before drinking any herbal tea to see if there are any side effects. If you feel you do need that cup of tea, stick to flavored black tea or green tea.
CAFFEINE
It is known that caffeine can affect the fetal heart rate and respiration, so you definitely need to limit the intake of caffeine. You can consume no more than 300mg (8 oz of coffee is 150 mg, 12 oz of soda is 35 to 50 mg and an 8 oz of cup of tea is 40 mg) a day. Now you can enjoy these three items much more if you just drink decaffeinated coffee, soda and tea. The more caffeine you cut out, the better.
FISH
Today, many of the fish we eat contain high levels of mercury; this can contribute to developmental delays. Farm raised fish may be contaminated with PCB’s which are cancer causing agents and other toxins. Doctors and researchers say that the most you can consume safely is 12 oz a week. You can eat wild salmon (not farmed raised), sea bass, shrimp, sole, tilapia, flounder, snapper, ocean perch, catfish, cod, pollack and sardines. You can also eat canned salmon, which is safe. As for Tuna, you can eat 6 oz of chunk light; avoid white albacore and fresh tuna.
OTC MEDICATION
During pregnancy you will be limited to what types of OTC medicines you can take. There are some medications for cold and flu that can be taken during pregnancy such as Tylenol sinus, Dimetapp, Robitussin and Chloraseptic throat spray. As for pain relievers, all you can take is Tylenol. Of course, before taking any of these medicines, first consult your doctor. It’s always good to be safe than sorry. It’s your baby and you that you have to look out for during the next 9 months.
HERBAL MEDICINES
During your pregnancy do not take any type of herbal medicine, unless your doctor prescribes them to you. There is not enough information on them to find out if they will affect your baby.
HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS
Most cleaning products are safe to use. As always, read the labels before using them, do not mix chemicals, always wear gloves and make sure it is well ventilated.
PAINTING
We know you want to paint the babies’ nursery room. You want to make sure it is done perfectly but due to the fumes and chemicals in paint, which tend to be stronger than household cleaners, it is best to let someone else do this. Limit your time near the room when it is being painted. Make sure the house is well ventilated. Remember you can monitor what is being done from afar, just don’t inhale those fumes.
CATS
Some of us love cats, what do we do with our pets. Well, you do not have to get rid of the cat but you definitely can’t clean the litter box. The cat feces carry toxoplasmosis which can cause birth defects. You definitely won’t have a problem letting someone else clean out the cat litter. Make sure you clean all surfaces. Now if you have no choice and you are it, you have to clean the cat box, not a problem. Make sure you always wear disposable gloves and a mask.
Wash your hands immediately after cleaning the cat box. Now this is something you should know, you can get toxoplasmosis from eating raw meats and gardening. It’s not always the cat. Just clean all surfaces and always wash your hands.