What to Avoid When Pregnant

When people learn that you are pregnant, every one is willing to give you a list of to dos and not to dos. Most of them are unsolicited advices.  There are those that can be trusted and can be followed but not all of them are suitable to you.

I would highly suggest that you do your research first before believing.  It is best that you consult your doctor and bombard her with questions and concerns.  They are the most reliable people whom you can trust when you are pregnant.

I listed below the things that I tried to avoid while I was pregnant:

1. Eating unhealthy food such as: junkfood, processed food, soda, sweets, raw food like sushi or any uncooked seafood, undercooked meat.  Remember, your baby eats what you eat so inorder for him/her to be healthy it is advisable that the mommy should have healthy food intake.

2. Avoid being in a toxic environment such as newly painted room, garbage area, a location where there are toxic substances and chemicals.  The smell, the dirt, and bacteria can cause you and your baby harm.

3. Avoid stress especially during the first and second trimester.  Stress may cause miscarriage.  It can also affect the child's growth and development. 

4. Don't have too much caffeine intake. If you are one like me who can never live without coffee, you may lessen your caffeine intake to only one cup a day.

5. Do away with self-medication. Take only medicines and vitamins prescribed by your doctor.

6. Quit smoking and refrain from inhaling secondhand smoke.  The smoke is not only dangerous to the mother but also to the baby.  It has been proven that cigarette smoking causes cancer.  Therefore, it must be avoided during pregnancy. 

7. Avoid liquor.  The strength of the liquor can harm your baby's brain development.

If these help, let me know in the comments below and do share some of the things that you avoided when you were pregnant.  I'm sure your inputs will be of big help.

Morning Sickness

My experience with morning sickness was different than what I expected.  I never thought that morning sickness could happen at any time of the day.  I thought that its name stands to what it really is.  In my early weeks of pregnancy, I was always vomiting and I often felt tired and nauseous.

It was hard because I vomit whenever I eat.  I was very picky with food.  Whenever I smell a strong scent, I feel nauseated. 

Morning sickness is common in early stages of pregnancy. I was suffering with morning sickness for 8 weeks and its occurrence became less until I was 12 weeks pregnant.  There is no standard treatment for morning sickness.  It depends upon the call of your body and its response to your pregnancy.  However these are some of the things that you can try to lessen the severity of morning sickness:

    * Take enough rest

    * Listen to your craving (but lessen intake of unhealthy food)

    * Avoid scents or smells that make you dizzy

    * Always bring a cracker with you and munch on it whenever you feel hungry

    * Avoid fatty foods

    * Drink plenty of water (especially if you keep on vomiting to keep you hydrated)

    * (This I haven't tried but this was tested by my 2-months pregnant friend) Try taking in (orally) Virgin Coconut Oil.  (She said, her nausea and vomiting were decreased to up to 80%)

    * Avoid taking strong medication

As I've mentioned in my previous post in the Early Signs of Pregnancy, every pregnancy is different so what didn't work for me might work for you and what worked for me may work for you.

My heartfelt advise is for you to enjoy every bit of pregnancy.  Each experience is a blessing.  The baby inside you is far more precious than anything else in the world! 

Early Signs of Pregnancy

I was enrolled on an advanced review when I became pregnant.  The pregnancy came unexpectedly so I confused the pregnancy signs with stress and tension as a result of the review class.  But I can clearly recall what the early signs were.

Missed Period 

   I never missed my period before, but I waited until the second month before I had a pregnancy test.

Frequent Headaches and morning sickness

   Headaches were frequent and sometimes not bearable.  I was always tired and feverish. 

Drowsiness  

   Most women experience being tired and sleepy, they end up sleeping long hours during day time. In my case, I had that feeling during my second trimester.

Lower Backpains

   The pain in my lower back was disturbing.  I would even cry at night because of the pain. It was a good thing that I never took pain reliever or any other medications.

Sore breasts

   I was a size 32 but during that time I noticed that my breasts were becoming bigger by the day and they were sore, it felt as though they were stretching and expanding.

Allergic to some food and drinks that used to be my favorite

   I was a coffee addict but when I got pregnant, there was a sudden shift, I did not want to drink a single sip.  I used to love the smell of coffee but during that time, I felt dizzy whenever I smell the scent of it.  Vegetables were not a favorite but when during my early pregnancy weeks, I was always craving for vegetables.

Dizziness

   I was always dizzy.

Cramps

   There was a sensation that felt like menstrual cramps.  I mistakenly thought It was just a period but it wasn't.

Spotting

   It is often referred to as implantation bleeding.  I had spotting on my first month and thought it was a normal period.  The only difference is that it was only a day that I had it.  I also had spotting on my third month of pregnancy due to stress but I had some medications on that since I was on a high-risk pregnancy state.

Those were the common early signs of pregnancy that I experienced.  I heard of different experiences from other women.  Every pregnancy is different.  It is always advised to know your own body and your own needs.  No one knows you better but you.

The Long Wait

It was a long 11-year wait for me to get pregnant.  Everyone I know was always asking when I will get pregnant, or why I never got pregnant.  Women going through what I went through would probably be annoyed with all those questions but not me.  I have always believed in my heart that one day God will give me children. 

I held on to God's promise to me in Psalms 113:9 "He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD."  And that was hope indeed.

Then came the 11th year of marriage and I was unexpectedly pregnant.  Pregnant at a time when I never should be.  I was pregnant when I was reviewing for a national major exam. Yes. I remember talking to my doctor about it telling her that I was married for 11 years and that was my first time to be pregnant.  She said "11 years? You should be very happy!"  I was happy, joyful deep in my heart but it came at at time when i was too busy doing something I thought was the priority at that time.  I honestly had mixed emotions.  I wasn't ready.

The baby was expected to come out on the first month of 2019 but instead came out on the last day of 2018.  We were overjoyed.  I was the happiest mom ever!  

The long wait was over. My husband was the most joyous man in the whole world! He waited for 11 years to become a dad and this baby came...

It was a long wait but it was worth it!