Myth: “My acupuncturist gave me some great herbs to keep me ‘regular’ while pregnant.”
Fact: Taking herbal remedies or medications while pregnant is generally not recommended, unless your doctor or dietitian gives you the OK.
Myth: “I’d never take the chance of having caffeine while pregnant.”
Fact: Research shows that modest amounts of caffeine do not negatively affect pregnancy outcomes. The recommendation is to limit caffeine to no more than 300 milligrams per day. If you can’t live without an a.m. skinny latte, don’t fret. Of course, if you don’t need caffeine, there’s no reason to start up a caffeine habit while pregnant.
Myth: “To be safe, I’m going to avoid exercise when pregnant.”
Fact: Exercise is good for most pregnant women. Research shows that exercise can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes by 50% and the risk of dangerous hypertension by 40%. (See illustrations of stretching and strengthening exercises suited for pregnancy.)
Myth: “I’m avoiding all seafood while I’m pregnant, due to toxic mercury levels.”
Fact: That’s too bad, I told my gal pal who offered up this gem. Actually, seafood is one of the best sources of lean protein and contains iron, zinc, and many other nutrients important for pregnant women. The recommendations for pregnant women have flip-flopped in recent years, but most agree that it’s safe to eat 12 ounces per week of popular options such as shrimp, scallops, salmon, pollack, perch, trout, and light tuna; it may actually be healthy for the brain development of your baby. (Albacore tuna and other higher-mercury fish should be limited to 6 ounces or less per week.)
(PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES)
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