During your pregnancy, you should avoid:

 Raw meat and shellfish: Uncooked seafood (we’re looking at you, sushi),
including oysters, mussels, and clams. Also avoid rare or undercooked beef and
poultry. These can be contaminated with toxoplasmosis or salmonella.
 Deli meat: Deli meats can be contaminated with listeria, bacteria that can cross
the placenta and infect your developing baby. An infection in utero could lead
to blood poisoning and could be life-threatening for your baby.
 Fish with high levels of mercury: That includes fish such as shark, king
mackerel, swordfish, and tilefish. Wondering about tuna? In general, canned,
chunk light tuna has lower levels of mercury, but it’s still smart to eat it sparingly.
 Smoked seafood: Avoid lox, kippered fish, jerky, or nova style salmon. There’s a
risk that this refrigerated, smoked seafood could be contaminated with listeria.
Smoked seafood that’s shelf-safe or canned, however, is probably fine.
 Raw eggs: This includes foods that contain raw eggs, so be wary of homemade
Caesar dressings, Hollandaise sauces, mayonnaise, and certain custards. Raw
eggs can pose a risk of salmonella.
 Soft cheeses: Some imported soft cheeses can have listeria, so steer clear of
soft cheeses like Roquefort, feta, Gorgonzola, Camembert, and Brie. Mexican
cheeses such as queso blanco and queso fresco should also be avoided, unless
they’re made from pasteurized milk.
 Unpasteurized dairy: These products could contain listeria.
It seems extensive, but there are still plenty of great nutrition choices during your
pregnancy. While it’s always important to eat a balanced diet, pregnancy is an
especially critical time. In your daily mail plan, try to incorporate:

 lean proteins
 healthy fats
 lots of fresh vegetables and fruits
 water

1. Don’t paint the nursery

There’s no way to measure toxicity from actual exposure to paint, so this

recommendation is based on the likelihood of toxicity.

Paint toxicity depends on the individual solvents and chemicals in the paint, as well as
exposure. While it’s assumed that household painting has a low exposure level, the
safest course of action is to seriously reduce your exposure to the fumes from these
paints.
2. Don’t overdo it on the caffeine

It’s a stimulant and a diuretic, which means drinking your usual few cups of coffee every
day will increase your blood pressure, heart rate, and the number of trips you make to
the restroom. Plus, caffeine crosses the placenta.While you may function just fine
caffeinated, your growing baby doesn’t. That’s because your baby’s metabolism is still
developing.You don’t have to forgo caffeine entirely: Moderate levels of caffeine,
defined as 150 to 300 milligrams (mg) a day, should be fine.Just remember that caffeine
isn’t just in tea and coffee. You’ll find it in chocolate, sodas, and even certain over-the-
counter medicines.

3. Don’t take certain medications Some medications can be harmful to your growing
baby. Before taking any over-the- counter or prescription medications and supplements,
speak to your doctor.

4. Don’t wear stilettos Stick to heels with a 3-inch heel or less: Think kitten heels,
wedges, and platforms. As your belly grows, your center of gravity will change. So you
may find yourself a little unsteady on your feet. Add to that swollen ankles, and you may
find yourself living in your flip flops.

5. Don’t hang out in the hot tub or sauna If you’re feeling aches and pains during
your pregnancy, relaxing in a hot tub may seem ideal. But an elevated body
temperature during the first trimester can lead to certain birth defects. Skip the hot tub,
which usually maintains a water temperature around 104°F, and try a warm bath
instead.

6. Don’t change the kitty litter If you must change kitty, wear gloves and wash your
hands well afterward. Cat feces can carry toxoplasmosis, a rare parasitic disease. While
you’re more likely to contract it by eating raw meat or through gardening, it’s still a good
idea to have someone else change the cat litter daily.

7. Don’t breathe secondhand smoke is terrible for you and your baby, but
secondhand smoke can be nearly as bad. There are roughly 4,000 chemicals in
secondhand smoke, and some of them have been linked to cancer.

Exposure to secondhand smoke during your pregnancy can lead to:

 miscarriage
 premature delivery
 low birth weight
 learning or behavioral issues as your baby grows
 sudden infant death syndrome
8. Don’t drink Avoid wine, beer, and liquor during your pregnancy. Alcohol passes
quickly from your bloodstream through the placenta and umbilical cord to your baby,
and this can harm your developing baby’s brain and organs.
Other potential risks include:

 premature birth
 fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
 brain damage
 birth defects
 miscarriage
 Stillbirth

9. Don’t sit or stand for too long During pregnancy, staying in same position for too
long, seated or standing, can be problematic. It can cause all types of problems
including swollen ankles and vein problems.
Try taking short breaks frequently to move around if you’ve been seated, or to put your
legs up if you’ve been on your feet.

10. Don’t believe everything you read You can find all sorts of contradictory
information online, in books, and in magazines. Be reasonable, trust your instincts, and
remember that erring on the side of caution is never a bad idea. If in doubt, speak to
your doctor.

11. Don’t smoke

Babies born to women who smoke during pregnancy are more likelyTrusted Source to

have a lower birth weight and are at a greater risk for learning disabilities than children
born to nonsmoking mothers.

Additionally, children born to women who smoke are more likely to try smoking at a
younger age and become regular smokers earlier, due to physiologic nicotine addiction.

12. Don’t drink alcohol

Alcohol may greatly impact your baby’s development. People who drink alcohol while
pregnant could deliver a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
Symptoms of FAS include:

 low birth weight

 learning disabilities
 behavior problems
 lagging patterns in terms of growth and development milestones
Even small amounts of alcohol can be a problem. There appears to be no safe level of
alcohol intake in pregnancy.

If you need help stopping drinking while you’re pregnant, talk with your doctor as soon
as possible. The sooner you get help, the healthier your baby is likely to be.

13. Don’t eat raw meat

Raw and undercooked meat and eggs carry the risk of foodborne illness, such
as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis. Food poisoning is also a possibility.

These conditions can cause serious, life-threatening illnesses that could lead to severe
birth defects and even miscarriage. Make sure all eggs and meat that you eat while
pregnant are well-cooked.

14. Don’t eat deli meat

Deli meats — including hot dogs, sausages, smoked salmon, and other cured meats —
can cause foodborne illness, such as listeriosis and toxoplasmosis.

Meats that are sliced have far more surface area for bacterial growth. Thoroughly
cooking these processed proteins well reduces your risk.

It’s also important to eat pasteurized (not raw) milk and cheese. Always wash produce
to help eliminate harmful bacteria.

15. Don’t eat unpasteurized milk products

Calcium is very important for growing babies, but moms have to be careful how they get
their calcium from dairy.

Raw milk isn’t recommendedTrusted Source for expecting mothers since it’s

unpasteurized. This means it hasn’t been heated to kill bacteria that could make you ill.

Specifically, raw milk may contain the bacteria Listeria. It can lead to illness,
miscarriage, or even life-threatening consequences.
16. Don’t sit in a hot tub or sauna

Though relaxing, the high-heat environment of hot tubs, Jacuzzis, and saunas may be

too dangerous for expecting mothers.

In fact, research suggests that using one of these during your first trimester may double
your risk of miscarriage. Soaking in hot water can raise body temperature and this
causes problems with the baby including increasing the risk of birth defects.

17. Don’t drink a lot of caffeine

Caffeine can travel through the placenta and increase your baby’s heart rate.

Current research suggests that women can safely consume a cup or two of coffee each
day, but forego downing a triple-shot latte while you’re carrying.

18. Don’t clean the cat’s litter box

Pet your furry friend all you like and wash your hands afterward — but don’t clean a
cat’s litter box.

Feline waste is filled with millions of bacteria and parasites. One in

particular, Toxoplasma gondiiTrusted Source, is particularly dangerous to expecting
mothers.

If you contract it, you may never know until you begin having complications with your
pregnancy. A miscarriage or stillbirth is possible. Babies who contract this parasite may
face serious health problems, including seizures and mental disabilities.
 Fruits that should be avoided during pregnancy
 Pineapple. Pregnant women are advised to stay away from this fruit. ...
 Grapes. Grapes are categorised as one of the most nutritious fruits but many people
have raised the question on their effect on pregnant women. ...
 Papaya. Raw papayas are known to lead to miscarriages if consumed by pregnant
women. ...
 Watermelons. ...
 Peach.

Avoid:

1. Do not add salt during cooking or at the table.

2. Avoid salami, sausages, cheese, dairy products, and canned foods.
3. Replace noodles and bread with low protein alternatives.
4. Eat 4–5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
5. Meat, fish, or eggs are allowed once a day in a reasonable quantity.
6. Once or twice a week, noodles with legumes may be eaten in place of meat, fish, or
eggs.