Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/869597
Abby's Magazine - Volume 5 Issue 5| Page 15 2. Eating for two. The idea that we have to "eat for two" in pregnancy is a flat-out myth – and one that has encouraged women to both suspend good dietary habits and worry about whether they're getting enough. The truth is that during the first and second trimesters, you don't need any more calories than usual. And by the third trimester you only need 300 more calories a day (double that if you're pregnant with twins). That's the equivalent of just a glass of milk and half a sandwich. So, if you're eating an overall healthy diet, let go of the worry that you're not eating enough for baby. 3. Having sex during pregnancy. Having sex while you're pregnant doesn't usually cause miscarriage or preterm labor. The only precaution? Making sure your sexual partner doesn't have any diseases that could be passed on to the baby. But if you're having symptoms of miscarriage, preterm labor, or have what's called placenta previa, that's a different story – follow the "nothing goes in the vagina" rule until your midwife or doctor clears you. 4. Eating foods that could give your baby allergies. A lot of food- conscious mamas avoid dairy, gluten, nuts, and soy during pregnancy, worrying about how it will affect their baby. But while nutrition is super-important, restricting foods during pregnancy has not been found to prevent allergies. In fact, it may even increase risk. So, unless you have to restrict certain foods for your own health, liberating your diet can actually be beneficial to your baby. Keep it healthy, but don't restrict. 5. Sleeping on your back. You've probably heard that you shouldn't sleep on your back during pregnancy because it can cut off oxygen to your baby – and that might be leading to a lot of uncomfortable nights on your side. But until you're six months pregnant, this isn't something to be concerned about. After six months, the weight of the baby and your uterus can cause pressure on a large vein called the inferior vena cava, restricting blood flow to you and baby. However, if you find that you've rolled over onto your back during the night, don't worry! It's very unlikely that this would cause harm to baby. 6. Stress during pregnancy. You might have heard that a mom being stressed during pregnancy can affect the baby's long-term mental health. The irony is that this very information is what gets pregnant mamas all stressed out! The truth is that you'd have to be under a lot of stress (we're talking war zones or violent homes) for stress to have a serious impact on your baby's health. The normal stresses most of us experience daily – money worries, relationship tensions, and job anxieties – are not going to cause your baby to have three heads or lifelong depression. As a species, we've given birth to healthy offspring under much worse threats. 7. Being a vegan or vegetarian. No, you don't have to eat meat and dairy – you can be vegan or vegetarian and have a perfectly healthy pregnancy. In fact, I was vegetarian for three of my four pregnancies. Just make sure your diet includes plenty of vegetarian protein sources (legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds), calcium (almonds, tahini, and green leafy veggies), and iron (legumes, green veggies, red beans, dried apricots, and raisins). And if you're vegan, make sure to take a B-12 supplement. Work with your midwife or an integrative nutritionist who is pregnancy-savvy to make sure you're meeting your prenatal nutritional needs. 8. Normal pregnancy symptoms. Pregnancy brings with it some quirky symptoms, including nausea, increased urination, round ligament pain, breast tenderness, changes in your sense of smell and taste, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and many more. Knowing what's