 Pregnant
at Christmas time
Just because you're pregnant, it doesn't
mean you have to miss out on all the Christmas fun. Follow our top 10
tips to help you relax and enjoy the festive season - you deserve it!
1. Enjoy your food
- Turkey is safe and and nutritious but check it's thawed properly
before you cook it, and that it's cooked through, to avoid the risk
of salmonella infection and toxoplasmosis," says dietician Fiona Ford
at Centre for Pregnancy Nutrition, Sheffield University. Have plenty
of vegetables - they're full of fibre, a great antidote for all that
rich food which can make you constipated.
- "Tuck into Christmas pudding - it's only peanuts that you need
to avoid if you or your partner has a family history of eczema or asthma,"
says Fiona Ford.
- Shop-bought Christmas cake is fine, but if it's homemade check whether
the icing contains raw eggs.
- Avoid home-made ice cream, mousses and meringues, as these contain
raw or under-cooked eggs, which harbour salmonella bacteria. "And don't
leave creamy puddings out of the fridge for long," says Fiona Ford.
- When the cheeseboard comes out, take extra care (see our Food Safety
feature for more details) as you need to avoid any unpasteurised, mould-ripened
or blue-veined cheeses, which can harbour listeria. Give all types of
pate a miss as they can contain listeria too.
- "Buy pre-packed and date-stamped cold meats to be on the safe side,"
says Fiona Ford.
- Worried about what's safe to eat at the Christmas party or that festive
buffet lunch? Read our guide to what's
safe to eat now you are pregnant.
2. No-stress Noel!
It's easy to get carried away in the whirlwind of pre-Christmas preparations
and end up stressed out. This isn't good for you or your baby. Researchers
at the University of Utrecht found that mothers who were stressed in pregnancy
had babies whose motor and mental skills developed more slowly during
the first year after birth than those born to more relaxed mums. Enlist
as much help as you can with shopping to avoid getting stressed by the
crowds, doing as much as you can by mail order. And if you can, keep Christmas
simple this year and spend it with a few loved ones who'll do what they
can to help - avoid stressful family conflicts.
3. Put your feet up
Standing around at parties and Christmas shopping can cause swollen
ankles (oedema) as fluid and the extra blood you produce in pregnancy
pools around your feet. Your uterus puts pressure on the veins in your
pelvis and slows down the circulation, causing the blood to pool. You
may also retain extra water in pregnancy, which adds to the swelling.
Sit down and take breaks when you're shopping, and at parties ask for
a seat. Wearing support tights will help to boost the blood circulation
in your legs to prevent swelling, and also helps if you have varicose
veins. Put your feet up each day. Lie back and raise your legs so they're
higher than your chest to allow good drainage of blood from your ankles
and feet. Drink plenty of fluids and avoid salty foods to help prevent
water retention. Swelling is one symptom of pre-eclampsia, so if it continues
or is severe see your midwife.
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4. Mind your back!
During pregnancy all your ligaments soften in preparation for labour,
and it's easy to injure your back if you're not careful. Have heavy shopping
delivered or get your partner to carry it in from the car, and if you
do have to lift anything, remember to hold the load close to your chest
and bend your knees, not your back as you pick it up. And balancing on
a chair to stick that tinsel in the corner isn't a good idea either as
your bump alters your sense of gravity.
5. Avoid heartburn
A burning pain in your chest after eating is likely to be heartburn,
which is more common in pregnancy because the muscular valve at the entrance
to the stomach relaxes, allowing stomach acid to seep up into the food
pipe. In addition, your growing baby and uterus press on your stomach
which also forces acid back up into the food pipe. Don't eat big meals
just before bedtime and avoid rich, fatty foods, spicy dishes, chocolate
and citrus fruit.
6. Don't over-do it
Christmas can be an exhausting time even when you're not pregnant, with
lots of late nights, endless shopping and cooking. Go easy on yourself
this year and keep the late nights to a minimum, allowing yourself the
luxury of a lie-in to catch up on sleep. Pregnancy puts a strain on your
body because it's having to work much harder to support your growing baby,
and feeling more tired than usual is normal and your body's way of telling
you it needs more rest. "When I was pregnant last Christmas a used to
sneak in a catnap after lunch or in the early evening if I knew I was
going to be up late - it was the only way I could get through the evening,"
says Sarah Brown from Tonbridge, Kent.
6. Alcohol watch
Heavy or binge drinking during pregnancy can harm your baby's development,
resulting in low birthweight and behavioural problems, as whatever you
drink will be passed on to your baby via your bloodstream and the placenta,
so be sensible. While some experts advise no alcohol at all in pregnancy,
most agree that a couple of drinks over the course of a week won't do
any harm, so you can enjoy a glass of champagne in Christmas day.
8. Be good to yourself
If family and friends ask what they can buy you this year, suggest some
pampering treats such as soothing bath oils, body lotions or a voucher
for a massage. Having a massage is a great way to relieve backache as
well as stress and helps you to relax and focus on yourself and your growing
baby. Aromatherapists advise you avoid essential oils before 12 weeks,
and after that safe oils include orange, lemon and grapefruit (for energy
boost), ylang ylang and sandalwood (to help relaxation). If in doubt,
buy a special pregnancy blend. Alternatively, add 2-3 drops of one or
two of the above oils to a warm bath, lie back and relax.
9. Talk to your baby
Christmas is an extra special time when you're pregnant and you'll find
yourself focusing more on your growing baby. You can enhance that feeling
of closeness by talking to your baby and letting him join in the festive
spirit by listening to some Christmas carols together. According to pregnancy
expert Dr Miriam Stoppard (Conception, Pregnancy & Birth - Dorling Kindersley
£15.99), from around 20 weeks your baby's hearing is well developed and
he can respond to sounds from outside the womb, especially music. From
24 weeks is a time of rapid brain development, and some experts believe
you can stimulate brain development by playing music and talking to your
baby in the womb.
10. Take time out for exercise
When the festive season gets too much for you, take time out and do
yourself and yourr baby good by taking some exercise. Many studies have
shown that moderate exercise throughout pregnancy is beneficial. A study
published in Maternal Child Health found that women who exercised throughout
pregnancy were less likely to have low birth weight babies, while another
study found it may even reduce the risk of having a baby with a neural
tube defect. It'll also give you more stamina to cope with the labour
and help you to regain your pre-pregnancy body more quickly afterwards.
Walking, swimming and pregnancy yoga are the safest forms of exercise
to take.
TRIMESTER TIPS
First trimester
If you're feeling nauseous, get someone else to do the cooking
and eat bland snacks such as crackers or toast to stop sudden dips
in blood sugar, which make you feel sick.
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Second trimester
Take advantage of the "blooming" stage of pregnancy and show off
your bump in some gorgeous maternity party clothes. Treat yourself
to something sexy and stretchy that will last until the end of your
pregnancy.
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Third trimester
Big meals will give you indigestion and make you feel uncomfortable,
so eat little and often instead.
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Christmas on babyworld: articles
for new and expectant parents
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