How careful are you being during your pregnancy?

Question

There are lots of no-brainers, bad things to do when it comes to being pregnant- drinking and smoking for example. But I find that there are so many don'ts these days- a lot not even proven to be harmful or urban legends- that can harm the baby. Some examples of things I've been told to avoid or NEVER to do:

deli meat

soft cheese

honey

caffeine

chocolate

sushi

meat that isn't well done

peanuts

drinking soda

eating ANY fish

tennis

diving

swimming in chlorine

dying my hair

going for a pedicure

painting the nursery

having hot baths

running

rollerblading

spending a lot of time outdoors in mosquito season (west nile)

wearing mosquito repellent

taking the occasional Tylenol or Benadryl with good reason

I could go on and on. So what's your opinion? (a lot of the stuff I agree with, by the way, some I think is ridiculous.) Do we stop living because we're pregnant? Are we being too careful? I don't criticize anyone for their choices, I simply want to know what other ladies (and guys) think. Personally I'm getting frustrated.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I agree that it isn't any of their business.  I am being fairly careful during my pregnancy because I figure it is only 9 months, and I want to give my baby the best start possible, but out of your list, I am not avoiding, nor have I been told to avoid the following things (in fact, many of them have been ok'd by my doctor):

swimming in chlorine (my dr. recommended going to my local pool for a swim)

chocolate

caffeine (limit my intake only)

Tylenol (I've been told it is perfectly fine)

dying my hair

drinking soda

getting pedicures

peanuts

spending time outdoors in mosquito season

honey

eating ANY kinds of fish (just not those high in mercury)

I think I'm being reasonable, and see no reason to completely avoid life!

Answer 2

I don't know about all of that, but I think the rollerblading is in case you happen to fall, lord knows your balance is gone when you're pregnant lol. However, I went swimming in chlorine and had a very healthy baby. I thought that was the ONLY way I was going to survive the summer pregnant!

PS. The doctor tells you you can take tylenol in small doses for pain. And you ought to tell your family that. Good luck with your pregnancy!

Answer 3

most of that stuff i've never heard anything about for pregnancies. i know that doctors say limit caffeine to one serving a day. and fish is a no no. some people say dying your hair will make your hair fall out, but i know for a fact that doesn't happen to everyone. running or playing sports, i would think that would be the woman's discretion, or depending on how pregnant the woman is, it would be impossible to do! all doctors say tylenol is ok, as long as you only take the recommended dose and all other pain medications are out because they are blood thinners. other than that, all those other things sound like bologna!

If you're the one that's pregnant, don't stress about these things. Live like you normally would. if people made healthy babies before we knew these things were dangerous, then why can't we do it now?

Answer 4

I agree, my doctor prescribed medications for me during this pregnancy and you should see the looks of disgust I get when I have to take my medications during the day at work.  I swear my best friend shoots daggers at my back...she even called my OB and chewed her out!!!  I have had one problem after another with this pregnancy and have very limited anything I can eat, drink &  do.  Heck I'm not even allowed to work full time anymore!  This is my second pregnancy and I have been miserable enough I don't need more restrictions on what I couldn't have.  Crud....I didn't know honey was out too.....crud.  Now what am I going to have with my tea.....grumble.  

Momma_Bear

Answer 5

a good portion of the things that you listed are safe so long as you do it/eat it in moderation.  the only things there that could harm the baby are

sushi

meat that isn't well done

deli meat

soft cheese.

the reason is because of bacteria.  other than that you can do/have all of the other things on your list.  oh also mosquito repellent.  you can use them but try the ones with little or no deet.

Answer 6

Tylenol is totally alright!

You have to think about some of the stuff such as taking a hot bath.  It raises  your body temperature, which raises the babies temp, and can cause damage to vital organs.  The paint is bad because of the fumes, think of what they do to kids who puff paint to get high, it does the samething to your unborn child, and you.  If you eat sushi you can get food poisioning very easily so they suggest that you dont eat it, food poisioning will kill a baby instantly.  The difference with today and back in the day is all the presevatives and addatives that are added to food and medications.  I would have to admit that caffeine is the hardest thing to stay away from but everything else really isnt that bad.  Most of the stuff above you are told not to eat/do because if a dr didnt warn you and you lost your baby they could be liable for it.  So, the best thing to do is continue with the same exercise routine that you were doing before you got pregnant, as long as you are not high risk.  Adjust your diet to have a little more calories and try to eat healthy.