Food Poisoning And Pregnancy

So you are pregnant. The urge to hog on enticing and tempting junk and unhygienic food has finally arrived. But remember, whatever food you eat directly affects the health of your baby. And needless to say, each of you expectant mothers want healthy babies, right? If that is what you seriously wish for, stop finding excuses to pop in some junk all the time. Know that you would be gifting yourself with nothing other than stomach upsets and food poisoning! Though most pregnant women often complain of mild food poisoning, a severe form can turn extremely fatal, leading to stillbirth and even miscarriage. Nonetheless, these complications can be prevented by taking appropriate precautionary measures and prompt actions. Check out the symptoms of food poisoning during pregnancy and how to avoid them.

 

Symptoms Of Food Poisoning In Pregnancy

The symptoms of food poisoning in pregnancy are similar to the symptoms complained by any other person affected with the same problem. A rise in the body temperature, vomiting, headache, stomach pain, and fever are some of the most common symptoms. However, some pregnant women can also complain of nausea, bloody stools, chills, diarrhea, and dehydration. Though a mild food poisoning may not be harmful, in severe cases, it can put a lot of stress on the growing fetus. And if not treated early, it can lead to fetal death of the baby or cause the baby to suffer from breathing problems and meningitis after its birth. If you happen to notice any symptoms of food poisoning, consult your doctor at the earliest for immediate help.

 

Precautions To Avoid Food Poisoning In Pregnancy

• Practice proper cleanliness and hygiene all over your home, especially the kitchen and dining areas and the refrigerator.
• Pets are carriers of infections. Thus, no matter how harsh it might sound, keep them away from the kitchen.
• Ensure that you wash your hands thoroughly before cooking food and before settling down to eat it.
• Rinse and wash vegetables and raw meat thoroughly before using them in the preparation.
• Sterilize the cooking utensils properly by using hot soapy water. Further, wash the dish clothes completely every day at the highest possible temperature.
• Consuming undercooked animal products is another cause of food poisoning. Thus, make sure that the meat and poultry are cooked well. Also, avoid taking raw fish, dry meat, and unpasteurized milk products.
• Any remaining cooked food should be consumed at the earliest. Do not keep preserving it in the refrigerator.
• Never consume salads sold on roadsides that contain seafood, ham, tuna, eggs, and chicken. They do not guarantee complete hygiene and you are not even sure about their quality. Then, why take the risk?
• Avoid using refrigerated cheese spreads and meat spreads.
• Hot dogs, luncheon meats, and deli meats should be avoided to most. However, if you cannot control your craving, reheat them until steaming hot before consuming.

Even a minute ignorance can lead to major complications for you and your baby. Observance of any uneasy signs should be informed to a doctor immediately.

 

Trouble Getting Pregnant

You have just celebrated your first wedding anniversary with a bang. Though you are happy to complete a year with your spouse, but something inside is driving you down. You’ve been making love with your partner several times a month with the intention of getting pregnant, but have failed to conceive. Further, seeing your friends and family showing off their babies and pregnancies, within a year of their marriage, increases jealousy in you with questions arising - “It’s not fair” or “Why not me?”. But have you ever wondered what could be the reason for your struggling with getting pregnant? Cause for the same could be many, right from excessive smoking and drinking, to large intake of caffeine, following a poor diet, lack of exercise, stressed lifestyle, being overweight or obese, and poor intercourse timing. Nonetheless, practicing a few tips and guidelines can help you overcome these problems and increase your chances of getting pregnant. Read through the following lines to achieve a natural conception and get pregnant at the drop of a hat!

 

How To Overcome Problems Getting Pregnant

 

Eat Healthy

Following an unhealthy or poor diet is a major reason behind infertility problems. As such, include foods that fall into the category of “fertility foods”, since these would help increase your chances of conceiving. These include monounsaturated fats (like olive oil), vegetable protein (like soy), high fiber and low-glycemic foods (like whole grains, vegetables, and fruits), and moderate amount of high-fat dairy products (like ice cream, whole milk, and cheese). However, avoid consuming trans fats (like those found in baked goods and fast foods), animal protein (like red meat), refined carbohydrates and sugars.

 

Check Your Weight

Apart from consuming or not consuming fertility foods, maintaining a healthy weight is highly significant to enhance your fertility. All those of you who are overweight, you are likely to face problems of ovulatory dysfunction. Thus, calculate your BMI and if it is above 30, you really would have to fight on to reduce those extra kilos to be able to conceive. Similarly, if you are extremely lean, put on some weight for unless you sustain a regular menstrual cycle, you’ll continue to have conceiving problems.

 

Reduce Stress

Studies have continuously stated that stress and infertility are interlinked. As such, women under high stress have less chances of getting pregnant. Studies have also revealed the fact that those who underwent stress reduction therapies saw dramatic increase in their ability to conceive. To overcome fertility-related stress, indulge in anything that relaxes you, such as listening to music, doing yoga, getting regular massages, writing a journal, reading, gardening, or even chatting with friends on mail or phone.

 

Track Ovulation

The next time you get intimate with your partner in bed, make sure that both of you connect during the right time of conception. While an egg lives for 24 to 36 hours, the sperm can survive in the lower portion of a woman’s reproductive tract for long, about 5 days. Thus, 3 to 4 days prior to ovulation, start making love to your partner and continue up to 24 hours after ovulation.

 

The next time you schedule love making, follow these guidelines and you sure will receive good news of pregnancy in few months.

 

Herbs and Pregnancy

It is vital that women take special care of themselves during pregnancy. During pregnancy, nutrients are required to create the cells needed to provide for the extra pounds of uterine muscle, nerves, bones, organs, muscles, glands and skin of the fetus, several pounds of amniotic fluid, a placenta and an increase in blood volume. In addition, extra kidney and liver cells are needed to process the waste of both the mother and the child. Such a process requires huge amounts of energy and vigor on the part of the mother and hence it is vital that extra nourishment be taken to meet these requirements. A number of herbs are useful for overcoming certain ailments related to pregnancy. At the same time, it is vital that mothers be aware of the side effects of consuming some other herbs. Read on to know more about the effects of certain herbs over the female reproductive system.

Red Raspberry Leaves
Enriched with iron, red raspberry leaves are very beneficial during pregnancy and particularly tone the uterine musculature, help with the labor pains, and increase the production of milk and control nausea. Though the herb does not have any oxytoxic effect and does not help to promote uterine contractions during labor, it does help to strengthen the uterine and pelvic floor musculatures. This proves particularly beneficial once the labor actually starts, as the contracting muscles become more efficient in providing support.

Nettle Leaves
While talking about nutritive herbs that are beneficial for pregnant mothers, it is almost mandatory to mention nettle leaves, which are regarded as the “store-house” of nutrition. The leaves are particularly high in calcium and iron and serve as an excellent source of folic acid. Consumption of folic acid is very useful during pregnancy and can even prevent conditions like hemorrhoids and varicose veins. Post partum, the herb helps to increase the quantity of breast milk. Nettle leaves are often found commercially in the form of nettle tea, which has a deep, enriching and refreshing flavor. It can be taken either alone or in combination with other herbs. Cooked nettle is a delicious side dish that is cooked with sesame seeds and a dash of lemon juice.

False Unicorn Root
False unicorn root, also called the Starwort or the Helonias root, is one of the best-known vitalizers and tonics for the reproductive system. It has been used time to cure ailments related to the system since a long. The herb is often used to control the vomiting sensation associated with pregnancy and also comes handy to prevent any form of threatened miscarriage.

Herbs to Avoid During Pregnancy
The following herbs should be avoided during pregnancy:

• Barberry
• Bloodroot
• Calamus
• Chaste Tree Berry (Vitex)
• Cascara
• Dong Quai
• Sagrada
• Fennel
• Flaxseed
• Goldenseal
• Juniper
• Lavender
• Licorice Root
• Male Fem Mayapple
• Mistletoe
• Passion Flower
• Pennyroyal
• Periwinkle
• Poke Root
• Rhubarb
• Sage
• St. John's Wort
• Tansy
• Thyme
• Wild Cherry
• Wild Yam
• Wormwood
• Yarrow