All expectant mothers have different attitudes to what can and cannot be done during pregnancy. Some believe that waiting for a child in their life does not really change anything, and continue to do ordinary things until childbirth. Others turn into princesses on a pea and are afraid to take an extra step. Still others adhere to the golden mean — well, or try to adhere.
Which of these approaches is correct is up to you (and, of course, your doctor who is leading the pregnancy). But still there is a list of things that pregnant women are advised to refrain from. As they say, it’s better to be safe
After the first trimester, any tasks involving lifting or moving any heavy objects should be avoided. This can increase the risk of back sprain and injury. The rigid tissues of the joints and pelvic floor are already quite loosened due to hormonal changes, so that the usual rearrangement of the sofa or table can lead to sad consequences.
If you need to move something, try to keep the object closer to your stomach so as not to overexert your lower back. And you need to pick up a thing from the floor by kneeling first — in no case bend over for it.
Stand at the stove
And the key word here is «stand». Pregnant women should avoid any tasks that require a long stay on their feet. If you stand for a long time, it can lead to swelling and back pain. If you need to cook lunch or dinner, try not to take a lot of time and take breaks to sit down or walk around the apartment.
If you really have to do any work standing up, try to spread your legs wide for better stability. Next to the stove, you can put a low bench and alternately put one or the other foot on it. And if we are talking about ironing clothes, it is better to do it while sitting on a fitball or a comfortable stool.
Wash floors
Any business that requires bending over often and spending some time in a «bent» position is now contraindicated. Weight gain during pregnancy can cause a slight shift in the center of gravity of the body, and bending at this time can be dangerous for the sciatic nerve and back.
Hang curtains and change light bulbs
As well as other things, for the sake of which you need to get up on a stool or a stepladder. Pregnancy can affect your coordination and sense of balance. And if you suddenly fall, it can harm the baby and lead to premature birth or placental abruption.
In addition, you can not reach with one hand — it is better to use two. Otherwise, the spine bends too much, and the muscles along it may suffer.
Do general cleaning
Studies show that prenatal exposure to piperonyl butoxide, a chemical found in some cleaning products, can harm fetal brain development. To avoid such complications, avoid using aggressive cleaning products, look for a more natural and safe composition.
By the way
Cleaning rooms, disinfecting the bath and toilet, we use detergents, cleaning, polishing agents. So far, doctors have not found any connection between them and the shortcomings or deviations in the development of babies, but it’s still worth taking care of, therefore:
if the substance smells strongly, wear a mask when cleaning, or even better, delegate this part of the cleaning to your relatives;
do not use aerosols, buy bottles with liquid that can be poured out, not sprayed;
do not mix products containing ammonia and chlorine — the vapors of this mixture are toxic;
give up dry cleaning products at home for a while, give coats and jackets to specialized institutions.
If you are going to do a vigorous cleaning, open the windows first. Muscles under load require a lot of oxygen, if there is not enough of it, the body reacts to it with shortness of breath. This is an unsafe condition, because the mother’s body cuts the amount of oxygen that the child gets. For the same reason, you need to do everything slowly, at a calm pace, so that the muscles have time to «get enough» oxygen.
