Pregnancy No-Nos

[dawnsday]

This is my second pregnancy, but my daughter is 9, so it's been awhile. I'm flabbergasted at the list of things I can't do/eat! Maybe my last doc was a bad doc...heck he left mid labor and never could remember my name...so it's possible...but sheesh!

No lunch meat?
No getting your heart rate over 140
No fish (from one doc, the other says less then 12 oz a day..uh...like 3 cans of tuna is plenty doc!)
NO shellfish (boo)
No rare meat (triple boo)
No skin creams
No hair dye
No nail polish
No exersize, since I did NOT exersize regularly before hand????
No pepperoni
No whole milk????

really weird to me! anyone else get a list like this? I'm in the process of googling things, but then there are places that say synthetic clothing can damage a fetus...

 

[Singermom]

This is my second pregnancy, but my daughter is 9, so it's been awhile. I'm flabbergasted at the list of things I can't do/eat! Maybe my last doc was a bad doc...heck he left mid labor and never could remember my name...so it's possible...but sheesh!

No lunch meat?
No getting your heart rate over 140
No fish (from one doc, the other says less then 12 oz a day..uh...like 3 cans of tuna is plenty doc!)
NO shellfish (boo)
No rare meat (triple boo)
No skin creams
No hair dye
No nail polish
No exersize, since I did NOT exersize regularly before hand????
No pepperoni
No whole milk????

really weird to me! anyone else get a list like this? I'm in the process of googling things, but then there are places that say synthetic clothing can damage a fetus...

This doctor is insane.

I ate meat and seafood during both pregnancies, including lunch meat (I don't like pepperoni). Doctors as a rule hate whole milk. Since you don't exercise regularly, I would recommend exercise in moderation, like taking walks and using stairs. I didn't exercise regularly, so I would walk during lunch breaks and took the stairs instead of the elevator at work. I can't talk about hair dye because I can't stand the stuff, but not only did I wear skin cream and nail polish, but during my 1st pregnancy, I would do my nails every week, painting a little picture on my index finger.

Add to all of these factors that both of my pregnancies were high-risk because of my (I love this phrase) "advanced maternal age": in other words, I'm an old mom.

Anyway, both of my pregancies progressed normally, and both of my children - now 7 and 5 - are happy, intelligent, and SO healthy that the only time the doctor sees them is for their annuals.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind is "moderation"...and listen to your body.

 

[lovesdolphins]

No lunch meat? - I limited it quite a bit - but didn't cut it out COMPLETELY
No getting your heart rate over 140 - your HR goes up when you are pregnant they just don't want you to over-do it; similar to exercise below - just don't over-do it
No fish (from one doc, the other says less then 12 oz a day..uh...like 3 cans of tuna is plenty doc!) - check the sites that list how much mercury you can have a day - I ate a lot of fish; but cut out things like swordfish when pg
NO shellfish (boo) - I at shrimp, etc ALL the time - I don't know what the deal is there
No rare meat (triple boo) - mainly for salmonela (SP) - just make sure the source is safe and it's clean, etc -I don't like rare meat so that wasn't an issue
No skin creams - huh????
No hair dye - I waited until I was out of my 1st trimester
No nail polish - triple huh???
No exersize, since I did NOT exersize regularly before hand???? - uh - just don't go out planning for a marathon when you didn't exercise before - no over-doing it
No pepperoni - Wha?? - prob in the same catagory as lunch meat - I would eat it cooked on pizzas and such though
No whole milk???? - that's just weird - milk is a great source of calcium - and I like whole milk better anyway - and a source of good fats

 

[FaithPrevails]

This is my second pregnancy, but my daughter is 9, so it's been awhile. I'm flabbergasted at the list of things I can't do/eat! Maybe my last doc was a bad doc...heck he left mid labor and never could remember my name...so it's possible...but sheesh!

No lunch meat?
No getting your heart rate over 140
No fish (from one doc, the other says less then 12 oz a day..uh...like 3 cans of tuna is plenty doc!)
NO shellfish (boo)
No rare meat (triple boo)
No skin creams
No hair dye
No nail polish
No exersize, since I did NOT exersize regularly before hand????
No pepperoni
No whole milk????

really weird to me! anyone else get a list like this? I'm in the process of googling things, but then there are places that say synthetic clothing can damage a fetus...

Color me "old school" if you must, but this list kinda makes me laugh.

Processed meats aren't really good for you, anyway, but I don't think I've heard anything about their potential harm for a fetus.

The HR thing - I have always been told that you should not try to exceed whatever your current fitness/exercise level is and to adjust it down accordingly (as needed) to avoid injury and/or potential harm to the baby.

Fish/shellfish has to do with mercury levels. I have been told it's OK in moderation and was given specifics to avoid (9 months without sushi is pure torture! )

Beauty stuff - you have to be careful of certain essential oils that can be found in cremes. I've never heard not to paint your nails. And, the advice about hair dye I was given was not to color my hair in the first trimester and if I did after the first trimester to make sure I was in a well-ventilated area.

Pepperoni and whole milk? No clue about that one. lol

 

[CrystalBrooke]

This is my second pregnancy, but my daughter is 9, so it's been awhile. I'm flabbergasted at the list of things I can't do/eat! Maybe my last doc was a bad doc...heck he left mid labor and never could remember my name...so it's possible...but sheesh!

No lunch meat?
No getting your heart rate over 140
No fish (from one doc, the other says less then 12 oz a day..uh...like 3 cans of tuna is plenty doc!)
NO shellfish (boo)
No rare meat (triple boo)
No skin creams
No hair dye
No nail polish
No exersize, since I did NOT exersize regularly before hand????
No pepperoni
No whole milk????

really weird to me! anyone else get a list like this? I'm in the process of googling things, but then there are places that say synthetic clothing can damage a fetus...

This is all bull you know what. I was told to limit coloring my hair (which I don't even do) and getting my nails done..but not painting them. Just make sure you're not in small, closed in spaces when you pain your nails. Otherwise, there's no reason for you to not eat or do any of those things.

 

[Prisca982]

The restrictions on food are mainly to cut your risks of getting serious food poisoning (like listeria) which can cause abnormalities in your baby or even miscarriage. From my perspective you're better to play it safe than be sorry. You can eat cured meats (like pepperoni) if they have been cooked, so on pizza is fine. Lunch meat (which, being from the UK, I'm guessing is cooked, cold meat?) is fine if it comes in a sealed packet. If it's from a deli counter and has been stored in the open air then there is a higher risk of catching unpleasant bugs.

Some people worry about chemicals entering the body from beauty products and affecting the baby, but I think this is probably a bit extreme.

Exercise - the best advice I heard was that during pregnancy you should still be able to carry on a conversation while you are exercising (I mean who counts their heart rate while walking/jogging?!) That to me is a good benchmark. If you find you'd struggle to chat with a friend while doing something, cut it back a little.

 

[white dove]

This is my second pregnancy, but my daughter is 9, so it's been awhile. I'm flabbergasted at the list of things I can't do/eat! Maybe my last doc was a bad doc...heck he left mid labor and never could remember my name...so it's possible...but sheesh!

No lunch meat?
No getting your heart rate over 140
No fish (from one doc, the other says less then 12 oz a day..uh...like 3 cans of tuna is plenty doc!)
NO shellfish (boo)
No rare meat (triple boo)
No skin creams
No hair dye
No nail polish
No exersize, since I did NOT exersize regularly before hand????
No pepperoni
No whole milk????

really weird to me! anyone else get a list like this? I'm in the process of googling things, but then there are places that say synthetic clothing can damage a fetus...

The lunch meat thing really shocked me, as my boss looked at me like when she saw my lunch from Cousins one day. So, I looked into it and sure enough, there's some chance of bacteria which is harmful for a fetus. Of course, you can always heat up the lunch meat and make a melt. Just puttin' that out there. Soft cheese is a no-no, too. Although I found myself eating some delicious red wine cheese spread at a party one day... oh, one fine day. The heart rate thing is I'm sure for the baby's sake, as well. You're not supposed to get overworked/overheated, which made me wonder about the pregnant lady I saw getting a suntan one day... The no fish rule is not a rule. Doctors suggest limiting your fish intake to a couple times a week, but not eliminating (there are some hearty omega-3s in there to say the least). Certain types of tuna are okay as well as fresh water selections. Basically, you want to stay away from fish that have a higher potential of carrying dangerous levels of mercury (like shark, really, people?) I also stay away from sushi (not that I'm a huge, huge fan) Rare meat, doesn't affect me because again, I'm not a huge fan. But, the harm is that undercooked meat carries the potential for food-borne bacteria. Everyone knows that. Skin creams, I've heard that some are harmful; if, for example, they have some kind of anti-zit hoo-ha in there (sacylic acid, I'm thinking?). I just make sure to use more natural products on my face and I do use the same moisturizers for my body that I've been using. Hair dye, my doctor poo-poo'd. I think I asked... twice. Still says "no." There are more natural/less-potent options but at this point, I wonder if I'd even be comfortable bending over the tub to rinse all that off. :/ I still use nail polish... and np remover. Exercise, um.. you're supposed to exercise even while pregnant, unless your doctor has you on restriction for a good reason. She should know better than anyone here. But yeah, I was encouraged to exercise; at least walking as briskly as I can. Even ellipticals were okay'd by my doc. Swimming is another great one, too. Perfect for pregnant moms, actually. Exercise can aid in labor pains (supposed to help one have an easier birthing experience if you exercise regularly) Pepperoni and whole milk I hadn't heard of. Since being pregnant, I've ordered nothing but pepperoni pizza (if I'm ordering pizza, that is).


Basically, I think it's safe for some things in moderation - not everything though (some things are absolutely off-limits, like smoking and liquor). This is my first time being pregnant, so obviously have not done things "perfectly," though there is this strong desire to. Like, oops, I forgot my prenatals! It happens. But, don't get psycho over these rules. I mean, unless you want to.

 

[dawnsday]

The lunch meat thing really shocked me, as my boss looked at me like when she saw my lunch from Cousins one day. So, I looked into it and sure enough, there's some chance of bacteria which is harmful for a fetus. Of course, you can always heat up the lunch meat and make a melt. Just puttin' that out there. Soft cheese is a no-no, too. Although I found myself eating some delicious red wine cheese spread at a party one day... oh, one fine day. The heart rate thing is I'm sure for the baby's sake, as well. You're not supposed to get overworked/overheated, which made me wonder about the pregnant lady I saw getting a suntan one day... The no fish rule is not a rule. Doctors suggest limiting your fish intake to a couple times a week, but not eliminating (there are some hearty omega-3s in there to say the least). Certain types of tuna are okay as well as fresh water selections. Basically, you want to stay away from fish that have a higher potential of carrying dangerous levels of mercury (like shark, really, people?) I also stay away from sushi (not that I'm a huge, huge fan) Rare meat, doesn't affect me because again, I'm not a huge fan. But, the harm is that undercooked meat carries the potential for food-borne bacteria. Everyone knows that. Skin creams, I've heard that some are harmful; if, for example, they have some kind of anti-zit hoo-ha in there (sacylic acid, I'm thinking?). I just make sure to use more natural products on my face and I do use the same moisturizers for my body that I've been using. Hair dye, my doctor poo-poo'd. I think I asked... twice. Still says "no." There are more natural/less-potent options but at this point, I wonder if I'd even be comfortable bending over the tub to rinse all that off. :/ I still use nail polish... and np remover. Exercise, um.. you're supposed to exercise even while pregnant, unless your doctor has you on restriction for a good reason. She should know better than anyone here. But yeah, I was encouraged to exercise; at least walking as briskly as I can. Even ellipticals were okay'd by my doc. Swimming is another great one, too. Perfect for pregnant moms, actually. Exercise can aid in labor pains (supposed to help one have an easier birthing experience if you exercise regularly) Pepperoni and whole milk I hadn't heard of. Since being pregnant, I've ordered nothing but pepperoni pizza (if I'm ordering pizza, that is).


Basically, I think it's safe for some things in moderation - not everything though (some things are absolutely off-limits, like smoking and liquor). This is my first time being pregnant, so obviously have not done things "perfectly," though there is this strong desire to. Like, oops, I forgot my prenatals! It happens. But, don't get psycho over these rules. I mean, unless you want to.

no brie? poo poo.

well, i guess being pregnant this time I will be more consiencious of what I eat, drink and do...but it seems like moderation is the key. Of course lunch meat was my solution to saving money...so it's time to break out the sandwich iron we got for our wedding and make melts!

and I actually can't keep my prenatals down and was told to take flinstones vitamins instead...because of the folic acid.

it's like the second time around for me is the first time with all this new information...as far as health goes.

the rest of it is almost dead on like my last pregnancy, cranky, sicky, mess. oh the fun!

 

[white dove]

no brie? poo poo.

well, i guess being pregnant this time I will be more consiencious of what I eat, drink and do...but it seems like moderation is the key. Of course lunch meat was my solution to saving money...so it's time to break out the sandwich iron we got for our wedding and make melts!

and I actually can't keep my prenatals down and was told to take flinstones vitamins instead...because of the folic acid.

it's like the second time around for me is the first time with all this new information...as far as health goes.

the rest of it is almost dead on like my last pregnancy, cranky, sicky, mess. oh the fun!

And I would LOVE to take Flinstones, dang.. is that a choice?? I take horse pills; one vitamin and the other DHA. Oh well.. How long were you sick for the first time around?

 

[FaithPrevails]

I took Flinstones (2/day) with the middle kiddo b/c I couldn't stomach prenatals.

 

[Jesus4Me24]

This is my second pregnancy, but my daughter is 9, so it's been awhile. I'm flabbergasted at the list of things I can't do/eat! Maybe my last doc was a bad doc...heck he left mid labor and never could remember my name...so it's possible...but sheesh!

No lunch meat?
No getting your heart rate over 140
No fish (from one doc, the other says less then 12 oz a day..uh...like 3 cans of tuna is plenty doc!)
NO shellfish (boo)
No rare meat (triple boo)
No skin creams
No hair dye
No nail polish
No exersize, since I did NOT exersize regularly before hand????
No pepperoni
No whole milk????

really weird to me! anyone else get a list like this? I'm in the process of googling things, but then there are places that say synthetic clothing can damage a fetus...

Yikes... ok some of those I've totally done thru out my 4th pregnancy. I was shocked this time when they told me I couldn't have lunch meat!??! I was like what??? I still ate it tho in the 2nd tri-mester. I had never heard that you couldn't eat it. My doc told me it was ok to excercise as long as I was doing it prior to getting pregnant. And he told me I was good to go on dying my hair. Its crazy how much has changed since the last time I've given birth. Your right... there are a lot more no-no's!!

 

[Lost Squirrel]

I guess the nail polish would be considered dangerous as an inhalant (esp the subsequential use of np remover). I can really see how that could affect fetal development. My aunt miscarried due to workplace toxins (she was at a printing press, and the toner used was known to cause birth defects, etc). A neighbor also miscarried due to chemicals used at a dry cleaner (this was several years ago, but still).
I have 14lbs to lose before my doc wants to see me for prenatals. I'm already on the obese mark. But I hope to be back here with some better news in a few months!

 

[GuitarMia05]

I LOVE MY O/B. She told me what I could have, never what I couldn't! LOL now my gestational diabetic Doc, well... he's in a different ball park when it comes to the what I CANT have subject (which is just about everything!) Silly Doctors, they can be such buzz kills sometimes.

 

[Just4Jesus]

no brie? poo poo.

well, i guess being pregnant this time I will be more consiencious of what I eat, drink and do...but it seems like moderation is the key. Of course lunch meat was my solution to saving money...so it's time to break out the sandwich iron we got for our wedding and make melts!

and I actually can't keep my prenatals down and was told to take flinstones vitamins instead...because of the folic acid.

it's like the second time around for me is the first time with all this new information...as far as health goes.

the rest of it is almost dead on like my last pregnancy, cranky, sicky, mess. oh the fun!

I ate a little brie and my baby turned out fine!! Yummy! I ate alot of things and drank coffee with all of mine.

 

[ChildByGrace]

This is my second pregnancy, but my daughter is 9, so it's been awhile. I'm flabbergasted at the list of things I can't do/eat! Maybe my last doc was a bad doc...heck he left mid labor and never could remember my name...so it's possible...but sheesh!

No lunch meat?
No getting your heart rate over 140
No fish (from one doc, the other says less then 12 oz a day..uh...like 3 cans of tuna is plenty doc!)
NO shellfish (boo)
No rare meat (triple boo)
No skin creams
No hair dye
No nail polish
No exersize, since I did NOT exersize regularly before hand????
No pepperoni
No whole milk????

really weird to me! anyone else get a list like this? I'm in the process of googling things, but then there are places that say synthetic clothing can damage a fetus...

The only things on that list that I was advised about was rare meat and fish. TBH I think we are ok in moderation with most things. I was advised against eating cheese like brie, however my sil ate it with no problems. Peanuts I can understand as I know people with peanut allergies. Whole milk I don't get at all!

Go with your gut-you've been pregnant before