Pregnancy - Things To Do & Avoid!

Over the counter (OTC) cold medications such as Achromycin, Phenylephrine, Zyrtec, etc are not safe for the developing fetus. Also, the studies about these medicines are likely to be limited, hence it is wise to avoid such medicines. Dextromethorphan, on the other hand, does not pose a risk in this situation. This suppressant is capable of soothing your heavy congestion and provide the much needed relief. It is always recommened avoid over the counter medication during pregnancy.

Illicit or social drugs include Nicotine, Cocaine, Cannabis, Opioids, etc. Needless to mention the unimaginable effects these drugs can inflict on your as well as on the unborn baby's health. Research has shown that even using such drugs once during your pregnancy can affect your childbirth. This is due to the fact that during pregnancy, such toxic substances are passed from you to your fetus by crossing the placenta and this directly hits the Central Nervous System of your baby resulting in defect childbirth or even death. Steer clear of addictive drugs especially while pregnant.

According to recent studies, women are likely to have a rush of hormones changing emotions from time to time. Therefore, depression has become a common side-effect of pregnancy to rule out which antidepressants came into the play. Even though some antidepressants have been tagged as "safe", the doubt of health problems in fetus still persists. Prozac and Xanax are the most dangerous antidepressants causing serious consequences. Practice Prenatal Yoga or Meditation to uplift your mood.

An upset stomach is one of the constant occurrences during your pregnancy. Constipation can be observed in almost every pregnant woman because, during this period, the natural digestion process becomes slower than normal rate. Digestion is needed to be slow as the body tries to absorb as many nutrients as it can for the baby. For constipation, laxatives like Docusate sodium, Maalox and Metamucil are highly recommended to use. Such stool softeners will hardly take 72 hours to eliminate irregular bowel movements that too without any side effects. Maintain a diet chart rich in fibers (25-35 gms) to prevent constipation.