So you’re Pregnant, congratulations! You’ve bought some new maternity clothes, a pregnancy pillow and have even lured some friends into helping you do all of the heavy work around the house. But these are all external factors that are extremely easy to take into consideration. What about the internal ones, like what you should be eating and drinking? The obvious answer is to start taking prenatal vitamins, and now that you’re eating for two, it’s time to consume more lean protein! So now that you’ve addressed that you need to be nourishing yourself internally and have purchased all those extra things to consume, the next step is to think about purging. What is there to avoid consuming while pregnant?

Alcohol

Alcohol is easily the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind when they’re told to come up with something that pregnant women should avoid. Not only does Alcohol affect the mother but it can affect the child as well. Everything that a mother consumes is transferred to the child, so the baby experiences the same things as she does. When you’re drunk, your baby is drunk. Excess alcohol intake during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol syndrome. The quantity of alcohol that you drink impacts the brain development of your child. The fetus can be born with mental retardation and even deformities. The risk of stillbirths and miscarriages also increases in the case where the mother drinks. So think again the next time you pick up that shot of vodka. Would you deliberately feed a 3 month old child hard liquor?

Caffeine

Yes, most of us need that Caffeine fix in the morning but is it really healthy for your child? Caffeine also gets transported to your child in utero and increases their heart rate. Not only will caffeine affect the baby’s heart rate but it can also increase the chances of a miscarriage. So what can you do if you need that caffeine kick in the morning? Try reducing the quantity that you’re drinking or even opt for a decaf version of your favorite drink instead.

Raw/Undercooked Protein

This category includes poultry products, seafood and other meats. Your chances of being infected by bacterial food poison is significantly increased when pregnant. Not only will you feel sick, but the poisoning will affect your child as well. Although rarely does the child become affected by food poisoning, it is better to minimize the chances than to take a risk. Ensure that all of your meat is properly cooked (especially chicken) and that you aren’t eating anything raw. This means that you’re going to have to lay off of the sushi for the next nine months, and to not touch any carpaccio. Falling under this category is seafood that is high in mercurial content. The development of the baby’s brain and nervous system can be seriously affected by high concentrations of mercury. If you’re keen on eating seafood, the four types of fish with the highest measured levels of mercury to avoid are: king mackerel, shark, swordfish and tilefish.

So now that you know what to avoid, just think of it as a temporary situation. You’ll only be carrying your child for about 9 months and then after that, the old diet can come back. In the meantime, take this chance to try out new dishes that you wouldn’t otherwise eat and experiment a little bit with your palate. You might find something different that you enjoy!

Tell us:

Is there anything else that you should cut from your diet while you’re pregnant?

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