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Day To Day Activities You Should Avoid When Pregnant

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All the advice and guidance you receive during early pregnancy may not feel that relevant. However, as you enter your third trimester, everything you have been told and everything you have been taught suddenly becomes so important. You have 12 final weeks of your pregnancy, and this is when it can become stressful.

Things you have never considered before suddenly enter your mind; can you drive as normal during your third trimester? Is it ok to continue normal exercise when your bump grows? Hundreds of questions may be running through your mind, all of them leading to the same one thing – you want your baby to continue to grow healthy up until labor.

To help you and your growing baby stay healthy through pregnancy, here are some day to day activities you should avoid:

Bicycling

Riding your bike may be part of your everyday life, so why should this change as soon as you are pregnant? If you are an experienced bicyclist then it is possible for you to continue cycling up until your second trimester. If you are a newbie to the cycling world, it is advised that you should avoid cycling – this way you can avoid any dangerous accidents.

The reason why you should avoid cycling from your second trimester is that the shifting center of gravity may affect your balance – making cycling dangerous.

Running

If you are a fitness fanatic, you may be wondering what is wrong with going for a regular run. Running is known to keep people healthy, and isn’t this important? Especially for pregnant women.

Although staying healthy is essential; running is not the way to do it. Running can lead to exhaustion which can put you and your baby in great danger.

Hot Tubs

After a hard day at work, you would probably think one of the best ways to go home and relax is by hopping into a hot tub for a nice soak. However, the high temperatures of the hot tub can be highly dangerous for you and your growing baby. When your body temperature increases, you may begin to overheat. You will be putting your developing baby at risk of spinal malformation and other serious health problems.

You should also avoid other hot environments such as saunas and Jacuzzis.

Chemical Cleaners

Strong chemicals and solvents can be a danger to your developing baby. You should avoid being around strong chemicals. If you use strong chemical cleaners in the home, you should open the windows to allow fresh air to circulate the home.

Other strong solvents may be used in dry cleaners and nail salons. If you work in an environment that uses strong solvents and cleaners, you should avoid overexposure. The expression ‘everything in moderation’ applies here.

Driving

During late pregnancy (third trimester) some women are advised to avoid driving. Driving is not necessarily bad for your baby’s health; however, your baby can be put in danger.

If you have experienced swollen ankles and leg cramps during your pregnancy, you may find driving difficult due to being uncomfortable.

If you do decide to drive through your pregnancy, you should avoid long-distance journeys and take regular breaks to ensure you are not blocking any circulation.