Do this, not that

Virtually the minute you find out you're pregnant, you're hit with a list of rules - what you can do, what you can eat, what you can drink. Being a coffee drinking, bologna eating, cat owning fish lover, I decided to go down the list and find how which rules are real and which are old wives' tales - here's what I found:

No lunchmeat or cold cuts
True AND false. The concern here is a bacteria called listeria, which can evolve into Listeriosis and can cause miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth and infection - it's one of those cases where the actual risk of contracting a disease is VERY small, but the consequences if you do are enormous. However, it's fine as long as the meat has been stored at an appropriate temperature and reheated before consuming to kill any potentially harmful bacteria (stick it in the microwave for about 10 seconds, just until it's steaming - do NOT fry it, for reasons I'll mention in a moment). The other concern with processed meats is the addition of nitrates to act as a preservative and combat illnesses such as botulism. The problem occurs when the meat is treated with extreme heat such as frying: nitrites can form, and these in turn can create carcinogenic nitrosamines in your stomach. So to recap: go ahead and enjoy those slices of ham, as long as they're reheated to steaming, but not fried.

No soft cheeses
False (mostly). The reason soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert and Gorgonzola are on the banned list is because non-pasteurized dairy can carry that same strain of listeria that I mentioned before. However, the vast majority of soft cheeses carried in normal grocery stores are made with pasteurized milk. You can generally only find the non-pasteurized stuff in specialty delis. If in doubt, just read the ingredients list - it will say which type it is. If you see the word "pasteurized" or "processed," dig in!


No kitty litter
True. That's right ladies - you have a genuine excuse to get out of cleaning the litter tray! Cats carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, and we're most often exposed to this in their feces. It's not harmful to adults but can cause much greater problems for the baby, including congenital defects and even miscarriage. The good news is that if you have cats, there's a good chance you've already had it and didn't even notice- the only symptoms are a mild infection that's flu-like. And thanks to your body's awesome immune system, you can't usually catch it more than once. (If you're concerned, your GP can run a blood test to determine whether you've already had it.) However, just to be on the safe side, you should probably get someone else to clean the litter - if you have to do it yourself, wear rubber gloves and wash both them and your hands with soap afterwards (and since toxoplamosis takes 24 hours to sporulate, there isn't a big risk as long as you clean the box daily). As an additional PSA, you should know that you can also contract toxoplamosis from raw/undercooked meat and unwashed produce.

No caffeine
False (within moderation). Caffeinie is both a stimulant and a diuretic - this means that it increases your blood presse and causes frequent urination, which can lead to dehydration. Like alcohol, it also crosses the placenta to your baby, who is incapable of metabolizing it. Too much caffeine can lower your fertility (so if you're TTC, try cutting back) and possibly cause some birth defects. The good news is that you don't have to cut it out altogether, although it's recommended that you keep your daily dose at a moderate level - the March of Dimes recommends under 200mg total per day. To put this in perspective, a grande House Blend at Starbucks is 259mg, so if you don't want to switch to decaf, make sure you scale down the size of your cups.

No fish/seafood and absolutely no sushi
True AND false. Here's the deal with fish: the potential problem lies in the mercury content of the larger predator fish such as shark, orange roughy and tilefish. Too much mercury can affect brain development and your baby's nervous system; however, fish is also incredibly nutritious and contains important nutrients for both your and your baby's health. So the real rule here is simply to eat seafood that has a low mercury content. Not sure how high it is? Here's a handy dandy chart listing where the most commonly consumed fish falls on the scale.

No coloring your hair
False (mostly). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says that it's probably fine since you don't absorb a lot of the chemicals through your skin. That said, it's probably still a good idea to be cautious and avoid it during the first trimester. Additionally, permanent colors tend to contain a lot of ammonia, and those fumes can be harmful - so to be on the safe side, stick to semi-permanent and foils. You can also use a vegetable-based dye like henna without any problems.




No alcohol
True (debated in the UK). I've read arguments on both sides of the fence: that one to two alcohol units per week will not be harmful, and oppositely, that there is no safe amount and you are better off totally abstaining. The issue at hand is that that since alcohol can cross the placenta, you run the risk of your baby developing a wide range of birth defects. Binge or chronic drinking can also lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which results in mental retardation and birth defects. I'm excluding it altogether - it won't kill me to go for nine months without a drink. As a side note, "non-alcoholic" drinks like O'Douls are not actually devoid of alcohol - they still have around 0.05% alcohol in them. If you want a true substitute, go for "alcohol free."

No chocolate
False (within moderation). The issue with chocolate is completely due to the caffeine concerns that I mentioned earlier. But again, as long as you don't overindulge, you're fine - and at only 6mg of caffeine per 1oz of milk chocolate, you'd have to eat a LOT to exceed the caffiene limit of 200mg per day. Additionally, some new research suggests that chocolate - especially dark chocolate, which is high in theobromine - can actually help ward off preeclampsia, a serious disorder that causes high blood pressure and protein in the urine.



No hot baths
True. This is the suck. The old school thinking was that baths were banned because they weren't hygenic, but these days it's been agreed that's not true. However, a nice hot bath falls under the same rule as "no hot tubs" - the heat has been linked to birth defects. Now you would (accurately) argue that a hot tub is much hotter than the average bath...but the problem is that the safe temperature limit for a bath is 100-102F. Which sounds high but isn't. Really, try it with a thermometer sometime - you'll be surprised at how easy it is to hit that limit! To a hot bath lover like myself, it's practically lukewarm - this really is the pits when you have cramps and are dying for some heat to relieve them. However, if you like your baths warm - not HOT - feel free to indulge!