Making an effort to kick bad habits before becoming pregnant (or upon discovering you are pregnant!) is truly a selfless act of love for the life you are about to carry within your body.
While habits may be hard to ditch, be it the seemingly ‘harmless’ nightcaps of Cabernet or the harmful pack-a-day ciggies, deciding to put your baby first shows that you do indeed take your pregnancy seriously and care deeply for your offspring! Read on for even more inspiration…
Bid Alcohol Adieu!
While it’s no secret that heavy drinking is harmful to the human species in general, you may not be aware that for many women of child-bearing age, even light consumption of alcoholic drinks is quite capable of harming a fetus or fetus-to-be. Even though there are debates on whether or not an occasional beer or glass of wine may be safe for pregnancy, there are experts who urge women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant to err on the side of caution and abstain from it for the time being.
Take note that women who are trying to conceive will only know of their pregnancy after their baby has been developing inside them for weeks. This also happens to be the most crucial stage of early fetal development where anything can happen and the possibility of alcohol has negative effects on the baby’s development are especially high. Alcohol can harm a developing fetal brain and nervous system, sometimes even leading to fetal alcohol syndrome, the hallmarks of which are microcephaly (abnormally small head), mental retardation, and congenital heart defects. Apart from that fact, studies have also revealed that women who drank between one and five alcoholic beverages when trying to conceive for the first time were 39 percent less likely to succeed within six months than women who consumed no alcohol.
Drinking during any stage of pregnancy also increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth and may even contribute to stillbirth.
Yearning a cocktail evening out with friends? Try trading your usual Daiquiri or Margarita for a mocktail instead. Stick an umbrella onto a tall glass of smoothie if you must!
If you’re a heavy drinker and think you need help to stop drinking, contact any of the following establishments for help and encouragement:
- Pengasih Malaysia (pengasih.org/about-us)
- Malaysia Psychology Center (www.malaysiapsychology.com/addiction_therapy.html)
- Alcoholic Anonymous Malaysia (aamalaysia.org)
Cut off Caffeine
Although research on caffeine consumption is mixed, some studies have shown that caffeine may contribute to fertility problems and an increased risk of miscarriage.
Caffeine is a stimulant and a diuretic. It is capable of increasing your blood pressure and heart rate, both of which are not recommended during pregnancy. It also increases the frequency of urination. This causes a reduction in your body fluid levels and can lead to dehydration.
Caffeine crosses the placenta to your baby. Although you may be able to handle the amounts of caffeine you consume, your developing baby cannot. Any amount of caffeine can cause changes in your baby’s sleep pattern or normal movement pattern in the later stages of pregnancy. Remember, caffeine is a stimulant and can deprive both your baby and you of rest. Take note that caffeine is found in more than just coffee. It is also present in tea, soda, chocolate, and even some over-the-counter medications to relieve headaches. Be aware of what you consume.
Try switching to decaf or sip on non-caffeine beverages such as rooibos tea instead of your usual cup of coffee or teh tarik. If you really must have your cup of joe, try a nice tall glass of latte instead and while doing so, remember the following: Put some coffee in your milk and not milk in your coffee.
Put out those ciggies!
If you are a smoker who is planning to get pregnant or have just found out you’re pregnant, do us all a favor and make a special effort to quit smoking! A pregnant woman who can’t quit smoking is every doctor’s nightmare. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including truly nasty things like cyanide, lead, and at least 60 cancer-causing compounds. When you smoke during pregnancy, that toxic brew gets into your bloodstream, your baby’s the only source of oxygen and nutrients.
Two compounds are especially harmful: nicotine and carbon monoxide. These two toxins account for almost every smoking-related complication in pregnancy. Nicotine and carbon monoxide work together to reduce your baby’s supply of oxygen. Nicotine chokes off oxygen by narrowing blood vessels throughout your body, including the ones in the umbilical cord. It’s a little like forcing your baby to breathe through a narrow straw. To make matters worse, the red blood cells that carry oxygen start to pick up molecules of carbon monoxide instead. Suddenly, that narrow straw doesn’t even hold as much oxygen as it should. Needless to say, smoking is more than capable of causing premature delivery and neonatal complications.
Give up cigarettes before you start trying to conceive! There is no easy way to quit smoking, especially if you are a hard-core smoker, so ask your healthcare provider about local smoking cessation programs and quitting aids.
Stop justifying junk food (…Especially when you’re pregnant)
Pregnancy cravings are no excuse to be binging on burgers, pizzas, and fries! Eating a balanced diet with plenty of nutrients is essential for healthy fetal growth. A study by researchers in London found that rats fed a diet of junk food were likely to have overweight babies; another study at the University of Adelaide found that a high-fat and high-sugar diet may affect the food preferences of fetuses, further indicating that babies whose mothers ate a lot of high-fat and high-sugar foods will likely have a fondness for junk foods like chips and doughnuts later in life.
In general, anyone who is interested in adjusting to healthy eating habits will automatically limit the intake of sugar, junk food, or processed foods, as well as fast food. Experiment with recipes and try to enjoy home-cooked meals more. If you must indulge in packaged snacks, seek out organic snacks and brands that avoid artificial flavors and MSG.
Sugar is sweet, my love, but…
Think seriously about minimizing your sugar intake during pregnancy if you want the best for your baby. Eating lots of sugar not only contributes to giving your child a sweet tooth, but studies have also concluded that the babies of mothers with high glucose levels during pregnancy had an increased risk of becoming diabetic in later life.
Try satisfying your yearning for sweet stuff with vitamin-rich fruits instead. Filling up on fruits may help you overcome the craving or at least prevent you from eating too many processed foods like ice-cream, cakes, and cookies.
