5 Habits to Drop When Pregnant #Health #Pregnancy #Expecting #MomLife

The joys of pregnancy are numerous and there will be plenty of exciting moments as you grow your sweet child within your womb. Naturally, your health comes into play with pregnancy and we often must change our habits once we realize that we are sharing space with another human. 

Here are 5 habits you should drop when you become pregnant:

Smoking

Cigarettes are highly addictive and cause so much damage to our bodies. Between destroying our lungs, harming our hearts, and increasing our chances of cancer, it’s a fantastic idea to stop smoking before conceiving. Love yourself and your body enough to want to get healthy before bringing in new life. However, if you are already pregnant and still smoking, now is the time to talk with your doctor about options. Smoking while pregnant can cause low birth weight, birth defects, premature birth, and increase the risk of a stillbirth. With your doctor and family there to support you, quitting can happen. We know you want what’s best for your baby and we are ready to cheer you on!

Alcohol and Drugs

We know you may love your after-dinner glass of wine or even a nightly beer, but when trying to get pregnant or are pregnant, it’s all about positive health changes. Alcohol can contribute to fertility issues, so if you aren’t pregnant yet, now is the time to step back and take a break. Drinking while pregnant can cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder since what you ingest is passed on to your baby. The sooner you quit drinking, the better your chances for having a healthy child at 40 weeks!

Illegal drugs are also passed through to your child, no matter how you are taking them. If you are trying to conceive, your drug use could cause serious fertility issues. To have a baby, your body needs to be in great shape and ready for the task. Unfortunately, drug use works against that. If you are already pregnant and still using, we highly recommend stopping as soon as possible. No matter where you are in the pregnancy game, we highly recommend seeking out exceptional treatment. Something like a well-regarded facility or substance abuse rehab southern california residents have access to, just in your neck of the woods. A trip away for healing will go a long way!

Avoid Tuna

Eating tuna has been a debate for quite some time. The goal is that you want to lower your mercury intake and yet eating fish is a high priority for pregnant women. Canned tuna is simply higher in mercury than other fish. Some obstetricians say you can limit your intake and be safe. Others say it’s hard to know exactly how much mercury is in each can. We say you should just avoid it all together and substitute salmon, shrimp, tilapia, and even clams. It’s your call, your best bet is to talk to your obstetrician.

Kitty Litter and Pregnancy

Did you know that cleaning your cat’s litter box is a no-no? It is! There is a parasite called toxoplasma present in feline waste that can cause birth defects and mental disabilities in our children, either at birth or later. However, this does not mean you need to get rid of Mr. Cuddles. The ideal situation is that your partner or other family members clean the box for you. It should be cleaned daily to avoid the parasite lingering. If you must take care of it, where rubber gloves and a face mask so that you don’t touch it or breathe it in.

Drop the Dog

Certain meats are a breeding ground for listeria. Hot dogs, salami, and cold cuts top that list and should be avoided or cooked. Cooking the meats will kill the bacteria and make them safer for consumption. Or you can avoid them all together. But a good salami sandwich is hard to pass up, so just be sure you cook it up!

Pregnancy is a fantastic journey into the mysteries of the life cycle and a introduction to motherhood. We hope you are able to change some habits so that you have a happy and healthy baby in the future! And, if you are looking for some healthy pregnancy-friendly recipes to cook, you can check out this helpful post!