Do's and don'ts in pregnancy,

Do's and Don'ts.

What you can and cant do, what to eat or avoid, exercises and generally what to except throughout the pregnancy, this post is one that I would not have been able to write a few months ago. me and Ben were very prepared to have a baby however, I did not know much about being pregnant. I have never really been there throughout someones pregnancy. While my best friends had there daughter a year ago, they moved away to Brighton when they were 3 months pregnant, therefore I only saw them occasionally. We see a lot more of each other now, I was not there day to day throughout the pregnancy. This meant that I was not really sure what to except from Ben, how he would feel being pregnant with the add affect of being trans and having dyphoria. Then what he was allowed to eat, or not eat. What he was not allowed to do, so I started researching A LOT! For the first few weeks of the pregnancy I hardly slept, I was up most nights just googling and reading books, to set out plans of how I could support Ben. I wrote up meal plans, I Planned shopping list, list for what we need to start buying and at what stages of the pregnancy. I must admit I drove myself a little crazy. My OCD and need to organised took over in fall force. 

Further more this is why I wanted to write a blog and this post to channel my focus and share our journey with others. In order to help other people who are planning to have a baby, which ever method or gender or sexual origination, I want to support other frantic new parents out there, you are not alone!! 

This is some of do's and dont's I have gathered from all my research. There are many contradictory things in what is safe or not safe during pregnancy but, this is what we have stuck to.

foods.

Do	Dont
Eat lots of fruit and veg but ensure they are washed before.	Do not Eat raw meat or deli meats
Make sure eggs are fully cooked and not runny yolk.	Do not eat raw fish like sushi
Eat a lot of Dairy, pasteurized milk, eggs, yogurts and cheese	Do not eat unpasteurized milk or eggs
Legumes like beans, chickpeas, peanuts	Do not eat soft cheeses
Sweet potatoes because of high vitamin A	Do not have large amounts of caffeine
Broccoli and dark leafy greens	Do not eat pate
Lean meat like beef and chicken for protein and iron.	Do not eat homemade salad dressings like mayonnaise because of raw eggs but store Brought if fine
Berries and watermelon, as has high amount of water to keep fluid levels up. As well as health carbs, fiber, vitamins	Do not eat large amounts oily mercury fish like swordfish, salmon not more then two times a week
Switch to wholegrain bread, pasta and rice.	Do not have energy or sports drinks
Avocadoes	Do not drink
Dried fruit and nuts.	Do not smoke
Drink plenty of water over 8 glasses a day.	Limit fatty, oily food like takeaway, cake, sweets and chocolate but a small amount is okay.

There is probably some other things to avoid or to make sure you get plenty of but these are the main ones that we have followed and that midwives will advise. please seek medically advise if you have any concerns with what to eat or what is not allowed. The important thing is making sure you get a healthy balanced diet with plenty of nutrition to make sure the baby is able to grow healthy and strong. 

other important things to ensure:

• Do not take ibuprofen or some other medications, (seek medical advise on what is safe for you)
• Do not elevate body temperature, so avoid really hot baths, hot tubes and saunas. 
• Do not change the cat litter
• Do not do any unsafe heavy lifting or climbing 
• Stay away from harmful chemicals such as paint 
• Get plenty of sleep and rest 
• Do not reach or stretch up high
• Try sleeping on your left side not on your front or back 
• Stop wearing heels and make sure if you do wear bras they are fitted right
• Do keep having sex when you can it is completely safe unless told by your health providor
• Make sure your hobbies or work is safe still or make necessary changes.
• Take up prenatal yoga, or exercise stretching routines. 
• Take walks but rest when needed 

Make sure that you talk to your partner, family and friends as support is very important during pregnancy, always seek medical advise if you have any concerns.

Ben and myself have followed these guidelines from our own midwives team, GP or family members who have been pregnant. We have also made sure that we have keep a pregnancy journal where Ben had written down how he feels, or what has happened. This helps get out any anxieties and worry as well as document great moments like first scan, first kick and how much they grow. This blog is another way to document and share our journey too. We have been taking belly photos so we can see how big Ben's belly is getting. These little things are important and I would recommend because it helps keep track of the pregnancy, keep positive as how hard it my be everyone tells us it does not last forever so make sure you keep memories. 

Also this is just a basic advise I am in no way a professional so please do not think this is the same for every pregnancy and listen to your health care providers or midwives.