What is a pleasure and what is addiction? What harms “only” the mother, what also affects the child? With most of the so-called luxury foods, and what foods to avoid during pregnancy these questions can be answered clearly.
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A balanced diet and a varied choice of foods are very important not only during pregnancy but also during breastfeeding. Breastfeeding mothers pass on nutrients to their babies through their breast milk. To replace these nutrients in the mother’s body, the right choice of food is particularly important. The mother’s diet during the breastfeeding period can also influence the children’s preferences for certain flavors. Depending on what a nursing mother eats or drinks, the taste of breast milk changes.
foods to avoid during pregnancy
Smoking and pregnancy
Smoking is the most common cause of deficiency development in the child. The affected children are born “too small” in contrast to newborns of non-smoking women. Many studies show that:
The placenta, which is responsible for the supply of food and oxygen for the child, shrinks when the blood vessels are constricted by nicotine. The risk of premature birth is rapidly increasing
Smoking impairs the brain development of unborn children.
Passive smoking also has these consequences. Smokers in the vicinity of pregnant women should definitely be warned that they can harm the unborn child.
The connection between tobacco consumption and increased miscarriage rates is plausible: every puff of cigarettes causes the blood vessels that lead to the placenta to constrict and supply the baby with oxygen. Women smokers therefore often give birth to underweight children, who are also particularly susceptible to respiratory diseases, allergies, and infections. The newborn babies often also experience withdrawal symptoms from smoking, which manifest themselves in very frequent crying and months of “bad mood”.
Despite all these arguments, some smokers do not manage to quit smoking during pregnancy. Then she should at least reduce her cigarette consumption, which is still better than continuing to smoke unchanged. But quitting smoking before pregnancy is the best solution!
Alcohol during in pregnancy
Many gynecologists recommend absolute abstinence from alcohol. Because alcohol enters the child’s body almost unhindered through the placenta and has extremely pathogenic consequences: For example, it increases the risk of malformations and miscarriages. You may also want to ready Can sex during first trimester cause miscarriage?
Studies show that even 10 g alcohol per day, i.e. a small beer or 100 ml wine, can lead to severe fruit damage, known as (alcohol embryopathy). As a result, the child may suffer from developmental disorders and reduced intelligence.
Many pregnant women find this impractical; they believe that in our culture alcoholic beverages are part of social life. Other doctors, therefore, recommend the so-called weekly rule as a compromise: the pregnant woman can consume as much alcohol per week as a non-pregnant woman can safely consume daily, i.e. a glass of wine or two glasses of beer. Nevertheless, the less alcohol, the better!
Smoking and alcohol are poison for the child in the truest sense of the word: most of the negative developments in the unborn child are caused by nicotine and alcohol.
Caffeine and tea during pregnancy
When it comes to caffeine, the opinions of scholars still differ. For example, high consumption of caffeinated beverages such as coffee, black tea, or cola is said to favor a deficiency development of the unborn and premature babies. In the past, pregnant women were even generally advised against coffee. However, the currently prevailing opinion in medicine is that coffee, black tea, and cola drinks can certainly be enjoyed in the usual quantities. According to current studies, there is nothing wrong with 3-5 normal-sized cups of coffee a day.
Drugs. During pregnancy, drugs are extremely problematic – for mother and child. Drug addicted pregnant women need professional help to cope with the changed life situation. Drug counseling centers and health authorities can offer this help. Because the children get withdrawal symptoms after delivery, it is essential that the child is born in a center specializing in newborn babies (perinatal center) with an affiliated pediatric clinic.
What should you not eat during pregnancy?
Foods to avoid during pregnancy:
- Raw milk and products made from it (except hard and extra-hard cheese)
- Products from non-pasteurized milk
- Raw cream
- Soft cheese made from raw and pasteurized milk
- Blue cheese (e.g. Gorgonzola)
- Cream cheese in lumpy form, seasoned and unseasoned (e.g. aperitif cheese, goat’s cream cheese, Formaggio)
- Mozzarella from goat, cow and sheep’s milk
- Feta
- homemade mayonnaise
- Butter from non-pasteurized milk or butter also non-pasteurized cheese whey
- Raw, dried, smoked and cured meat and fish products (for example smoked salmon and salami)
- Raw seafood
- Sushi
- Raw minced meat
How about fondue Chinoise or raclette?
When preparing Fondue Chinoise, pay attention to good kitchen hygiene. The raw meat must not come into contact with other raw or ready-to-eat foods, such as side dishes and salads. Always separate the raw meat from the cooked meat, so do not eat from the same plate. When making Fondue Chinoise, have your partner put the meat on, for example, so that you do not have to touch the raw meat. Make sure that your pieces of meat are well cooked. Avoid sauces with mayonnaise (danger of listeria)
You can enjoy a raclette with potatoes, pickles, and silver onions as long as it is not a cheese made from raw milk.
How do I recognize the foods I should avoid?
Food becomes problematic if it has not been heated sufficiently. In this case, bacteria and germs have not been killed off and can multiply unhindered. Other foods are by nature particularly susceptible to colonization by pathogens. Minced meat, for example, has a larger surface area due to the chopping process and provides a breeding ground for bacteria. Smoking does not provide sufficient protection for sausage and meat. Pasteurization is important for milk so that you can consume cheese or milk during pregnancy.
As a pregnant woman, also think you should drink enough and the right thing. Alcohol is a cell poison and has a harmful effect on the development of your unborn child. Therefore you should avoid alcohol during your pregnancy.
The danger exists at all times, regardless of the week of pregnancy. As soon as you know that you are pregnant or want to become pregnant, you must, therefore, so make sure foods to avoid during pregnancy and any risk. Here you can find more nutritional tips for pregnancy.
