Pregnancy Health Checklist

Falling pregnant puts big demands on you body and looking after your health, fitness and weight will benefit you and your baby immensely. Below we have put together a list of things that may be harmful to your unborn child and a list of things you can do to benefit his or her health.  The healthier you are physically, mentally and emotionally, the better your pregnancy and the health of your baby will be.

Absolute No No`s

No tobacco it would be a good time to stop smoking any form of tobacco as smoking is often harmful to your baby.
No alcohol it would be wise to not take any alcohol during pregnancy as alcohol can be damaging to your baby.
No drugs, unless recommended by your family doctor for medical reasons. Paracetamol in recommended doses is considered safe in pregnancy.

Recommended No Nos

Reduce coffee and other caffeine containing drinks. Limit your coffee intake to 2-3 cups a day. Teas contain tannins that can reduce your body's ability to absorb iron.
Avoid eating liver as this is high in vitamin A and consuming high amounts of vitamin A has been linked to birth defects.
Avoid soft cheeses and unpasteurised cheeses and milk. Examples include: brie, camembert, blue veined cheeses, unpasteurised milk and cheeses from cows, sheep and goats. Hard pasteurised cheeses do not pose a health threat
Avoid raw and underdone meats and fish. As this would increase your risk of numerous infections that could be harmful
Avoid eating big fish types Due to heavy metals in fish such as mercury it is recommended you avoid eating big fish like mackerel, tuna, shark, and swordfish. Omega 3 oils are beneficial in pregnancy so eating smaller type fish exposes you to reduced risk of taking in excessive heavy metals that could be damaging to the foetus.
Avoid eating unwashed vegetables and fruit. There is a small risk of picking up certain illnesses from unwashed fruit and vegetables
Avoid fast foods as they are generally high in fat and sugars and have less nutrition value
Avoid eating peanuts especially if there is a family history of a peanut allergy, asthma or eczema. This may make your baby sensitive to peanuts

Beneficial Recommendations

If you are overweight, reducing your weight by careful healthy eating would be beneficial
Get enough sleep around 8 hrs per day is the minimum sleep required to enjoy optimum health so try and get used to regular hours and restful sleep
Eat good food, - especially 5-8 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. This will always be good for you!
Regular exercise during pregnancy will be great for you and your baby though you would do well to avoid excessive, exhausting and high impact exercises. Highly recommended activities include walking, swimming, low impact aerobics and classes especially designed for pregnant woman. Regular exercise will benefit you and your baby in so many ways that this should be a must wherever possible.
Benefits include:

An emotional lift from released endorphins
Your body will be stronger and more toned
Your energy levels will increase
There will be less backache, constipation and breathing will be better
It will help to keep your weight at an optimal level.
You will recover more quickly after childbirth.

Ensure a good calcium intake, as especially in the last trimester of your pregnancy more calcium will be needed by your baby to develop healthy bones and teeth.
Sources rich in calcium include high calcium low fat dairy products, wholegrain cereals, legumes, eggs, fruit and vegetables.
Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day as dehydration can be damaging to you and your baby
Eat foods rich in iron, as there will be an increased demand for iron during your pregnancy.
This may include some of the following:

Meat or fish
Dried fruit (specially raisins and apricots).
Occasionally treat yourself to dark chocolate, as this is also rich in iron.

Taking fresh orange juice or vitamin C with iron rich foods will enhance their absorption.

This article is intended to provide general information in summary form only.
The contents do not constitute medical or professional advice and should not be relied on as such.
Specialist medical or professional care and advice should always be sought from your medical or professional adviser for your particular circumstances.