Some women can stick to their usual diet throughout their pregnancy with little to no change. However, some expectant mothers have a tough time—from having to give up the foods they love to being unable to keep anything down, no matter what they eat.
There are more foods that can affect your health and the health of your growing baby than you might realize. The foods we should eat are more widely known than the ones we should avoid during pregnancy.
Avoid Seafood High in Mercury
Seafood is an excellent source of protein, and the omega-3 fatty acids found in most fish support your baby’s eye and brain development. However, some shellfish and fish contain potentially dangerous levels of mercury, and too much mercury can harm your baby’s developing nervous system.
The older and larger the fish is, the more mercury it is likely to contain. Here are some fish to avoid.
- Tilefish
- King Mackerel
- Marlin
- Orange Roughy
- Bigeye Tuna
- Shark
- Swordfish
Avoid ANY raw, undercooked, or contaminated seafood
Raw, uncooked, and contaminated seafood can cause harmful bacteria and viruses to enter your body and be passed on to your baby.
Avoid Undercooked Meat, Poultry, and Eggs
When a woman is pregnant, she is at increased risk of developing bacterial food poisoning. Symptoms can be much more severe during pregnancy than when you are not pregnant. Food poisoning rarely affects the baby, but there is a slight chance that being sick could make life difficult for you. To prevent foodborne illnesses, follow these steps.
- Make sure all meat and poultry are thoroughly cooked, even if you prefer your steak medium-rare.
- Cook the lunch meat and hot dogs until they’re piping hot.
- Try to avoid refrigerated meat spreads and pâtés.
- When cooking eggs, make sure the yolks and whites are firm.
Avoid Unpasteurized Food
Many low-fat dairy products, such as skim milk and cottage cheese, can be very healthy. However, during pregnancy, avoid any unpasteurized products, as they can cause foodborne illnesses.
Avoid Excessive Caffeine
Too much caffeine is bad for you, whether you’re pregnant or not. You don’t want your heart rate to be too high, and you also don’t want to be passing on too much caffeine to your baby while it’s still in the womb.
Make sure to wash fresh fruits and vegetables whenever you plan to eat them. You never know what might be lurking on the produce, and there’s no need to put you and your baby at risk.
The list of foods you can eat during pregnancy is much longer than the list of those you can’t. However, every pregnancy is different, and some of the foods you usually love might not agree with you while you’re pregnant. If you have any issues with certain foods during your pregnancy, please talk to your doctor to make sure there isn’t anything wrong. Usually, the food simply doesn’t agree with you or the baby.
