Can I Do This While Pregnant?

Are you pregnant? Have you ever asked yourself can I do this while pregnant or should I stay away from this? Here are a few tips for your pregnancy. HDFS 301/ SP16

1. Stay Away from Alcohol

while Pregnant you should stay away from alcohol because your child could be affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). This disorder can expose your unborn child with mental, physical and behavioral problems once your child is born. There 3 different types of FASD, fetal alcohol syndrome, partial fetal alcohol syndrome, and alcohol- related neurodevelopmental disorder . (Berk 106-7)

2. Tobacco is a NO NO

Tobacco is made with nicotine. Nicotine can cause the placenta to grow abnormally and slow down blood flow to the fetus. You do not have to be the one smoking to cause harm to your unborn child. If you are around someone who smokes can still be harm to your child. if you were to be around a person that smokes often your unborn child might have a low birth weight, behavioral problems, childhood respiratory illness, and even death of the infant. (Berk 106)

3. Caffeine

You might be use to drinking coffee, pop, or energy drinks. It is fine for you to drink it, but do it in moderation. Drinking caffeine everyday may cause high arousal rates, irregular heart beats, and breathing problems

4. Radiation

Radiation like X-rays for example. Being expose to radiation while pregnant can cause harm to your unborn child. These problems can consist of slow physical growth rate, brain damage, physical deformities, and your pregnancy can end in a miscarriage. Radiation you should try and stay away from. (Berk,108)

5. Environmental Pollution

Try and stay away from areas that give off chemicals, for example construction sites. the chemicals that are release in the area that is polluted can cause you to have low birth rate, delay in cognitive development, and brain wave activities. You do not have to be in the area of the pollution but if you eat seafood often that can be a cause to these problems as well. seafood is a problem because the water can be polluted that the fish live in and if you eat it, it is like you are eating pollution. (Berk, 108)

6. Prescription & Nonprescription Drugs

You would think that prescription drugs are fine to take because the doctor prescribed them to you. But the doctor prescribed them to you while you was not pregnant. Nonprescription drugs like aspirin can cause labor to be longer than normal. If you are expose to these drugs while your still in your first trimester (1-3 months) your unborn child can have brain, heart, eye,ear, skull, and immune system problems. (Berk, 104)

7. Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases are bad when a person who is not pregnant get them. But when a pregnant lady gets them it is not just about her but about the unborn child. It is asked at your first prenatal visit have you ever been effected with any viral diseases such as mumps, chickenpox, or rubella. if you are pregnant and get these diseases your child might have low birth weight, you might deliver early, physical malformation, or the pregnancy might end in a miscarriage. (Berk, 109)

8. Exercise

Exercise is fine to do while you are pregnant. if your body is use to exercising you can continue only in moderation. Don't go run no Marathon lol. When you are finish exercising lay on your left side for 10 minutes. In your last 4 weeks of the pregnancy you should reduce the exercise. If you have had history of complicated pregnancy such as a pregnancy ending in a miscarriage you should discuss with your OB/GYN on exercising. (Berk, 111)

9. Nutrition

Nutrition is important to anyone, but when your pregnant it is need because this is the fastest your child will grow out their entire life. You need to take prenatal vitamins and make sure your eating. If you malnutrition your baby can be malnourished as well. if your child is malnourished they might have behavioral problems and non responsive. (Berk, 111)

10. Stress

Stress is bad when your not pregnant, but when your are pregnant its is worst because it is not just you and your health its your unborn child as well. The first two trimesters is when intense anxiety gives higher risk for miscarriages, low birth weight, irritable the first 3 years of life, colic, respiratory and digestive illness. (Berk,113)

11. Addition sources

Here are other sources to help

1. http://www.bygpub.com/natural/pregnancy.htm

2. http://www.fitpregnancy.com/exercise/prenatal-workouts/5-simple-pregnancy-exercises-every-trimester

3. Berk, L., Meyers, A. (2016) Infant and Children Prenatal through Middle Childhood. (8th ed). Pearson Education. (104-11)

4. http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/en/resourcecentres/pregnancybabies/pregnancy/healthcareinpregnancy/pages/things-to-avoid-during-pregnancy-teratogens.aspx