What do you give in to when you're pregnant?

[fedoragirl]

I see so much conflicting information on the web, so it's nice to know what pregnant women really do?
ETA: Apologize for the confusion!:shake:

[Snow mom]

I don't think I fall into any of your categories, but many of these things I almost never (mani/pedi) or never (hair color) do. I did drink caffeine after the first trimester but not daily. Everyone does what they are comfortable with--I know people who have done all of the above while pregnant.

[veronica]

I always avoid cold cuts and soft cheeses or anything with exposure to raw eggs (ceasar salad comes to mind).

This time around, I noticed I have not gotten highlights in about a year and am going to try to schedule it, just before babies arrives, so I'll be about 35 weeks.

I will get a pedi at the end too ,since it will be spring but am fine with waiting until the end.

The first two pregnancies, I did not have a drop of caffeine but this time, I do have one 10 ounce Coke a day (34mg. of caffeine) cause I love coke.

oh, NO ASPARTAME.

[smilequeen]

Just the alcohol. And even then, I'm not convinced the occasional glass of wine would be bad. I just don't do it.

Oh, and the sushi, but I don't eat raw sushi no matter what anyway. I didn't mark it b/c I will eat deli meat.

There is perfectly good information on caffeine while pregnant that shows no need to totally avoid it, so I don't. A small cup of coffee makes my day better. I continue to highlight my hair, although I waited until closer to the end of the first trimester. If I had time for mani/pedis I'd totally do them. I'm getting one this week for sure since I'm on maternity leave now :)

[hopeful_mama]

I tried to vote but it wouldn't let me if I didn't check anything :) I don't color my hair, like mani/pedis, or eat sushi anyway, but I avoid the rest. As for caffeine I think I did have up to one glass later on, but I will definitely avoid it through the first trimester at least for future pregnancies...that was really hard, though.

[Claki]

The only thing I am 100% strict on is alcohol. I don't drink. I avoid caffeine, but not because I think something bad will happen if I drink it, i just feel healthier without it. And I don't really want coffee when I'm pregnant. But I had a rare Dr. Pepper last pregnancy and would again if the mood strikes me. As far as sushi, I will try and stick to vegetarian or something that has been fried. But I won't freak out if I accidentally have a piece of salmon. Last pregnancy I waited until the end to have mani/pedi or hair color. This time I'm not holding back on those at all.

I do my very best to avoid all artificial sweeteners. But I do that even when I'm not pregnant. And last pregnancy I avoided soft cheeses and cold cuts. I have a different OB this time, and he said that is not necessary. So I'm just using my best judgement to only have higher quality products and nothing that has been sitting out.

ETA: I voted wrong! ShanaMama pointed out. I voted for what I avoid, not what I give in to. Oops.

[ShanaMama]

It took me some time to understand your poll cuz the question is the opposite of your thread title. I am actually suprised at the number of people that indulge in occasional alcohol. That I am strict about avoiding. I am seriously addicted to caffeine but the smell of coffee nauseates me when pregnant, so I don't drink much except the occasional soda. Now mani & pedi- I get a pedi at least once a month when pregnant. Oh, those aching feet!

ETA: I have my own tools for mani pedi all year if that's the concern. I have a dear friend whose father is a hematologist oncologist & she scared me once too many times about his patients who contracted Hep & the like from mani/pedi. Not sure how they could be certain, & I heard about it at least third hand, but I was going often enough to invest in professional grade tools. Now that I rarely go, they're nice to have at home.

[Beckylove]

I accidentally voted the opposite of what I actually do.

Never:
Alcohol (occasional sips, but not a measurable quantity)

Reduce:
No caffiene in 1st tri, 2nd and on I alternate decaf, half-caf, and regular.
Reduce artificial sweeteners. None in coffee and only occasional diet soda 1/week maybe
Deli meat I heated to steaming in 1st tri and ate less. Now I don't always heat till steaming, but sometimes do and I still eat less than before.

Doesn't apply:
I don't regularly color my hair or get mani/pedis. If I felt so inclined, I would probably do it later in pregnancy, in a well ventilated place.
I never eat sushi.

I think I am pretty sensible and generally think pregnancy shouldn't be a total drag, but you are responsible for growing a life inside you and should make thoughtful choices.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I accidentally voted the opposite of what I actually do.

Never:
Alcohol (occasional sips, but not a measurable quantity)

Reduce:
No caffiene in 1st tri, 2nd and on I alternate decaf, half-caf, and regular.
Reduce artificial sweeteners. None in coffee and only occasional diet soda 1/week maybe
Deli meat I heated to steaming in 1st tri and ate less. Now I don't always heat till steaming, but sometimes do and I still eat less than before.

Doesn't apply:
I don't regularly color my hair or get mani/pedis. If I felt so inclined, I would probably do it later in pregnancy, in a well ventilated place.
I never eat sushi.

I think I am pretty sensible and generally think pregnancy shouldn't be a total drag, but you are responsible for growing a life inside you and should make thoughtful choices.


Almost identical except I never consume artificial sweeteners.

I did have a pedicure in pg but only 1 at the end. I painted my nails at home all the time.

2 things I was ok with that aren't on your poll but that people have said are no's:
1. I swam and took water aerobics all the way through ds2's pg. Some mom told me that was irresponsible and once my cervix started to change it was risky for infection. I never heard that before and my CNMs knew and were ok with it. Plus, I don't have internal exams so no idea if my cervix had changed.

2. I took weight lifting classes all through pg. I had started well before I got pg so I just did appropriate modifications, again with the approval of my CNMs.

Beth

[smiles33]

Oops, I too misunderstood the poll and checked all of the above to mean I don't do anything on your list while pregnant.

[veronica]

Oops, I too misunderstood the poll and checked all of the above to mean I don't do anything on your list while pregnant.


me too... the title of the thread is what do you avoid while pregnant, so I clicked off waht I avoided as well. I didn't realize the question on the poll was the opposite.....

[LexyLou]

Umm, none of the above.

[KrisM]

I picked caffiene and beer. But the caffiene was less than daily, but probably 3-4 times/week. Beer was a few times total after the first trimester.

I do think the poll is confusing and the results are probably messed up, since I voted according the poll title and at least a few voted according to the thread title :). Maybe restart with them matching?

[fedoragirl]

:banghead: I sincerely apologize for the confusion. I posted the thread when my mind was still foggy from sleep. This is my first poll and I now realize, I should avoid making them because I only end up confusing people. I'll see if I can edit it.

[alirebco]

This pregnancy, I haven't done hair dye, artificial sweeteners or alcohol.

I have done caffeine (in small amounts after 1st trimester), mani/pedis, deli meat (but only nitrate free and organic), and sushi (from a very reputable place).

[kijip]

I don't do a number of those things, pregnant or not. But if inclined, I would do many of them in moderation except perhaps the lunch meat thing. But lunch meat grosses me out anyways so that is likely than bias creeping in, not for fear of listeria.

[llama8]

I misread your poll. I voted all of the above, but I really meant none of the above....at least once I know I am pregnant.

[karstmama]

i did them all at one point or another, but didn't check 'occasional wine' because it was once, at my 20th hs reunion. i wouldn't have for most other occasions, but i had a champagne toast.

but yeah, all. no cocaine, though.

[smilequeen]

I misread the poll originally too, so I marked alcohol b/c I DON'T indulge in it. I would have marked everything but the alcohol if I had read correctly ;)

[ellies mom]

I don't get mani/pedis when I'm not pregnant so I didn't mark that. But as far as the rest, I cut out drinking almost entirely but do admit to the rare beer but everything else I don't really worry about. Maybe if I drank a ton of coffee all day, I'd cut back but my normal consumption is fine. And I've never seen enough actual evidence to suggest a need to give up coloring my prematurely grey locks.

[indigo99]

I never do mani/pedi, sushi, or alcohol anyway so no problem avoiding those.

I will drink caffeine when I get a headache b/c it helps, and I already have to avoid my normal headache meds while pregnant. I didn't do hair color with my first pregnancy but probably will with my second. They say now that there isn't enough absorbed to affect the fetus anyway (same with the caffeine, supposed to be OK in moderation).

I will eat hotdogs and lunchmeat but only if cooked VERY well first.

[ahrimie]

i eat sushi this time around, whenever i want. the first time around, i happened to be in korea for a funeral and my other pregnant cousin, who was the chief resident of internal medicine at her hospital, was eating it like it was going out of style! i think it's a cultural thing. she said everyone she knows eats it and has never heard otherwise. i know it's the same in japan too. i just make sure i'm eating sushi at a respectable place that i've already been to. i don't ever eat sushi from grocery stores or pre-made ones just because i don't like it. i'm a tad picky about sushi quality so i feel fine eating what i normally do.

[Schmitty21]

My husband and I were treating ourselves to full body massages when I was 10 weeks. It never occurred to us that this would be a problem! I mentioned it to the masseuse kind of like a little "FYI - maybe avoid the abdomen region" and apparently it was a huge deal!! He had to call his supervisor and find out if it was okay. Finally he agreed to do it, it would just be light massage only - apparently the concern is the toxins that can be released from a massage.
Point is, I did it anyway and have a healthy 5 month old son.

[citymama]

I drank a cup of caffeinated tea every day with both pregnancies. I drank decaf tea the rest of the day. With DD1, I didnt touch alcohol. With DD2, I had an occasional small glass of wine in the third trimester only. Didn't do any of the others - I avoided any and all nail chemicals and never dye my hair, and especially wouldn't when pg.

[AnnieW625]

With both of my pregnancies I had alcohol very early on in the first trimester. With DD1 I had one beer at my high school reunion, and two glasses of wine at my parents house. I had just found out two days before I was pregnant. With DD2 I had a glass of wine or two at my parents house while we were there for four days. With DD1 I remember having a glass of wine really late in the last trimester.

I ate nitrate free lunch meat during my pregnancy. With DD1 I ate zero tuna, with DD2 I made it to about half way through before I caved and had a tuna melt, then I ate tuna sporadically through the rest of my pregnancy.

I got occaisional pedicures, and never got manicures and don't have fake nails so no unecessary exposure to nail chemicals.

I don't do caffeine to begin with so that was never an issue for me, and I have never once dyed my hair.

I ate brie when I was pregnant.

[mjs64]

I've had caffeine every day--1 cup of coffee and a soda or 2 cups of coffee or 1 latte. No alcohol whatsoever, or sushi, though I've had some lunch meat. No tuna.

I quit smoking before I got pregnant (of course), and then we started "trying" and I got pregnant IMMEDIATELY. As soon as I stopped taking BC pills. I was shocked; I thought I'd have a few months at least. (I know, I'm lucky). Anyhow, quitting smoking (almost a year ago now) was such a big deal--it was hard--that I haven't given myself a hard time about the caffeine. I have been taking vitamins and DHA (fish oil) and have been exercising.

I'm looking forward to a glass of wine (just 1! I'm going to nurse, I hope), in the near future, but I feel really proud of the positive changes I've made in my life. I feel really lucky to have gotten pregnant so quickly, especially when so many women who have made healthier choices than me (like, um, never smoking) don't have it so easy.

[littlebird]

My first pregnancy, we'd been trying for so long. I'd already given up alcohol and caffeine, except occassionally. The rest, I either didn't do, or it wasn't hard to give up. Since then, I've started coloring my hair. Going gray early is typical on my mother's side, and I'm no exception! So this pregnancy, I did some reading on it, waited until after the 1st trimester, talked to my hair stylist, and she was very careful not to put anything directly on my scalp. I didn't notice any fumes to speak of. It makes me feel so much better not to see gray hair every time I look in the mirror when I limit or eliminate everything else.

[ThreeofUs]

Yep, I misunderstood the poll, too, and clicked on the "wrong" things to do.

I'd say have this one deleted and try again.

[lowrioh]

I did all those things except dye my hair and that's just because I don't do that. I did eat cold cuts that I bought from a reputable deli counter but I passed on the sandwiches that were handed out at a conference because I didn't know how the meat was handled.

[sewarsh]

Yep, I misunderstood the poll, too, and clicked on the "wrong" things to do..
:yeahthat: