When you find out you’re pregnant you become overjoyed about it and begin thinking of all the things you need to do and can’t do in preparation for your child. Then you realize that you’re hungry and go to reach for your favorite snack of milk and potato chips.
Then it dawns on you: Are these foods safe to eat while you’re pregnant? Have no fear mama, we’ve got you covered! Below is a full list of foods to avoid while pregnant, as they aren’t safe for you or baby or both!
Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
1. Coffee
It is recommended that you only consume around 200 milligrams of coffee a day if you absolutely can not live without drinking it altogether. Caffeine in high amounts can cause stress and dehydration to both the mother and the fetus.
It can also cause cramping of the abdominal muscles. This is negative because cramping of the abdominal muscles can be detrimental to a mother whose not yet close to the time of going into active labor.
Try to consume things like green or decaf teas they are better alternatives to the consumption of coffee.
2. Frozen Meals and Snack Foods
The reason you shouldn’t consume foods that have been overly processed is that in order to process these foods and make them suitable to sit on shelves the manufacturing company must add a high amount of sodium, otherwise known as salt into the products.
Expecting mothers should do their best to keep their salt intake low because high levels of salt can increase your risk of high blood pressure. Which, in turn, can increase your risk of gestational diabetes which can cause preterm labor and loss of pregnancy.
These foods also contain high amounts of sugar as well. High levels of processed sugars can cause your child to have issues with memory and their intelligence levels later on in their lives.
3. Fried Foods & Others
Things like fried foods, butter, frosting, and biscuits are bad for women that are pregnant because they are high in fat and can raise your cholesterol levels. Bad fats lower the level of the good fats that are heart-protective within your body.
Consuming too much of these bad fats can cause issues such as manic behavior, alter behavior and emotions, psychiatric problems, memory problems, and bipolar disorders on fetuses. You should instead opt for foods that have good fats such as kidney beans and avocados.
4. Hot Dogs, Bacon, & Sausage
In order to consume foods such as these, they have to be prepared properly and must be hot upon consumption to reduce the risk of consuming bacteria within the meat. You should only have them a total of one to two times per week.
Because these meats are processed mothers can contract listeria by eating them. When you contract listeria or can leave you with an infection that is not only deadly to you but also to your child.
5. Alcohol
Drinking while you are pregnant can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, therefore, any type of alcohol consumption should be avoided entirely whilst you are pregnant. Consuming alcohol can cause severe damage to a child’s brain development and spinal cord.
This is because whatever you consume is passed through the umbilical cord to your child. So when you consume alcohol it passes straight through to your child.
6. Soft Cheeses
Cheeses that you consume must be pasteurized to reduce the risk of contracting listeria. If you contract listeria you are putting yourself and your baby at risk for infant death, preterm labor, miscarriage, food poisoning, and stillbirth.
