Expectant mothers face unique challenges during the holidays
December 16, 2011 in Health(Medical Xpress) -- Some people look at the holidays as a time to throw caution to the wind. Pregnant women, however, should be mindful of what food, drink and activities they chose to partake of every dayespecially during holiday celebrations.
"Its easy to get swept up in the holidays, but its important to remember to take care of yourself and your baby, says UC Health maternal-fetal medicine specialist Ron Jaekle, MD.
When it comes to holiday tips, the advice Jaekle gives to expectant mothers is founded in both science and common sense.
Travel, whether by plane, train or automobile, tops the list of cautionary practices, he says.
Most women know to ask their obstetrician whether they can fly or not, which is dependent on the individual patient and where they are in their pregnancy, but few people think to ask about long car trips. One of the most common things that people do during the holidays is travel, and moms, Jaekle says, need to stretch their legs about every 45 minutes to minimize the risk of getting a blood clot.
"If you decide at the last minute to drive to your mother-in-laws house five hours away without stopping, thats not a good choice. If you do go, then you need to take the time to get out and stretch, he says.
Expectant mothers shouldnt feel obligated to try everything or attend every holiday function, he says. Getting plenty of rest is essential to the health of both mother and child, so make sure there is a place you can sit down and prop up your feet.
Holiday food and drink can also be an issue, so its best to find out exactly what is in all items on the menu.
"During pregnancy is not a good time to be trying foods that are made with unpasteurized dairy products or raw eggs such as in eggnogs, he says, because raw and undercooked eggs can contain salmonella, a cause of food poisoning. Be careful as well with the foods on holiday trays.
Party trays, as Jaekle explains, very often include soft cheeses such as feta, brie and queso fresco and lunchmeats or cold cuts which can all can contain harmful bacteria and cause infections such as listeriosis.
"Listeria grows best in the refrigerator and these items sit longer in the refrigerator, he says, adding that hard cheeses such as cheddar, Gouda or Swiss are the safe choices.
Although most pregnant women know to stay away from the kitty litter box when pregnant, they might not know that the same parasite in cat feces (the Toxoplasma gondii parasite) can also be present in deer meat.
While Rudolph is not a staple on the average holiday menu, Christmas Cheercocktails, beer and winealways abounds, and the best bet is to avoid to avoid all alcohol PERIOD, Jaekle says. There is little reason to be alarmed by alcohol used in recipes, he says, but his rule of thumb regarding a rum- soaked fruitcake is: "If you can feel the effects the baby can feel it, so dont do it.
Lastly, he advises: "This probably isnt a good time to take up unfamiliar activities such as ice skating or sled riding." Opt for a carriage ride instead.
Provided by
University of Cincinnati
-
10 tips for preventing weight gain over the holidays
Dec 06, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Staying healthy through a cookie-filled season
Dec 22, 2010 |
not rated yet |
0
-
A fetus can sense mom’s psychological state
Nov 10, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Study of new moms to explore differences in infant development
May 05, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Tips on creating a winning holiday letter: professor of communication
Dec 15, 2010 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Of mice and mental models: Neuroscientific implications of risk-optimized behavior in the mouse
May 25, 2012 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Limits to growth: Scientists identify key metastasis-enabling enzyme
May 22, 2012 |
5 / 5 (4) |
0
-
Seeing is as seeing does: Spatially-structured retinal input in early development of cortical maps
Apr 26, 2012 |
5 / 5 (4) |
1
-
Dreamless nights: Brain activity during nonrapid eye movement sleep
Apr 09, 2012 |
4.4 / 5 (12) |
0
-
Take your time: Neurobiology sheds light on the superiority of spaced vs. massed learning
Mar 28, 2012 |
4.5 / 5 (21) |
3
-
Classical and Quantum Mechanics via Lie algebras
Apr 15, 2011
- More from Physics Forums - Independent Research
More news stories
Most occupational injury and illness costs are paid by the government and private payers
UC Davis researchers have found that workers' compensation insurance is not used nearly as much as it should be to cover the nation's multi-billion dollar price tag for workplace illnesses and injuries. Instead, almost 80 ...
Health
May 25, 2012 |
not rated yet |
0
Early physical therapist treatment associated with reduced risk of healthcare utilization and reduced overall healthcare
A new study published in Spine shows that early treatment by a physical therapist for low back pain (LBP), as compared to delayed treatment, was associated with reduced risk of subsequent healthcare utilization and lower ...
Health
May 25, 2012 |
not rated yet |
0
|
Cancer patients share web info with docs for insight, advice
(HealthDay) -- Cancer patients' primary goal in talking with their doctors about information they've found on the Internet is to get more insight and advice on the online information, new research indicates.
Health
May 25, 2012 |
not rated yet |
0
P&G to add latches to make detergent packs safer
(AP) -- Procter & Gamble says it will change the design of packaging for its miniature laundry detergent product to deter children from eating the brightly colored packets that look like candy.
Health
May 25, 2012 |
not rated yet |
0
In Spain, 70 percent of women use contraceptives during their first sexual encounter
Contraceptive use in Spain during the first sexual encounter is similar to other European countries. However, there are some geographical differences between Spanish regions: women in Murcia use contraceptives ...
Health
May 25, 2012 |
not rated yet |
0
Travel to high altitudes tied to Crohn's, colitis flare-ups
(HealthDay) -- People with inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn's disease and colitis, may be at increased risk for flare-ups when they fly or travel to high altitudes for skiing or mountain climbing, ...
Family history of Alzheimer's affects functional connectivity
(HealthDay) -- Cognitively normal individuals with a family history of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) may display lower resting state functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) of the brain, ...
Transvaginal mesh op restores pelvic organ prolapse at price
(HealthDay) -- Transvaginal mesh (TVM) procedures are effective for anatomical restoration of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), but patients report a worsening of sexual function following surgery, according to ...
Of mice and mental models: Neuroscientific implications of risk-optimized behavior in the mouse
(Medical Xpress) -- Regardless of an organism’s biological complexity, every encephalized animal continuously makes under-informed behavioral choices that can have serious consequences. Despite its ubiquity, ...
Weight struggles? Blame new neurons in your hypothalamus
New nerve cells formed in a select part of the brain could hold considerable sway over how much you eat and consequently weigh, new animal research by Johns Hopkins scientists suggests in a study published in the May issue ...
Thioridazine kills cancer stem cells in human while avoiding toxic side-effects of conventional cancer treatments
A team of scientists at McMaster University has discovered a drug, thioridazine, successfully kills cancer stem cells in the human while avoiding the toxic side-effects of conventional cancer treatments.