5 things you don’t need to give up in pregnancy
You have to give up some things in pregnancy…but not these…
There’s a mountain of well-intentioned advice about what we should and shouldn’t do during pregnancy. While we should heed advice about giving up alcohol, cigarettes and rock climbing, there are other habits that do not have to go - although some need to be modified or restricted.
1. Caffeine:
There’s no reason why you can’t have your usual caffeine fix in the morning, although it might be advisable to restrict it to just one cup of coffee a day.
2. Sex:
Forget about fears that it’ll harm the baby - it won’t. Morning sickness, sore breasts and hormones may instigate a lack of interest in the first trimester but if you start to feel amorous in the second stage, the advice is to go for it - the endorphins will be good for all of you!
3. Travel:
If you’re fit and healthy, there’s no reason not to travel - you may want to make the most of going abroad as it’ll be harder once the little one comes along. If you are flying, ensure you avoid sitting in one position for too long and check with your doctor about cut-off points for safe travel - you don’t want to give birth mid-flight!
4. Exercise:
You may not feel like going to the gym but if that’s what you’ve been fit and active pre-pregnancy, then there’s no reason why you should give up exercise now. Your body will tell you what your limits are. Yoga and swimming are also good if you don’t feel up to a gym workout.
5. Colouring your hair:
There’s nothing more miserable than an expectant mother who can’t touch up her roots. The general rule of thumb is to wait until after the first trimester before visiting a salon - after that, go for it.