Chemical Safety During Pregnancy
Finding out you are pregnant can be a very exciting time, however it can also be nerve wracking as you realize you have a lot of new rules to follow when it comes to your everyday life. There are plenty of healthy choices to be made, however having a strong pregnancy goes beyond just eating your fruits and veggies. There are some precautions to take that perhaps you haven’t thought of before you found out about baby. Now is the time to make some healthy choices for both you and your little one, while working to debunk some of those common pregnancy myths. Below are just a few of what you may have heard, and what you should really worry about, especially pertaining to chemicals and other household products .
Coloring Your Hair
There has been a great debate over whether or not it is safe to dye your hair during pregnancy. Most doctors recommend you stay away from doing so, especially during the first trimester. However, there is no evidence that the chemicals can actually cause birth defects, miscarriages, or any other negative pregnancy effects. Despite no concrete facts, you will usually be advised against using these products during your term.
One of the main reasons for no reliable proof or evidence, is because it has not yet been studied long enough to yield results either positive or negative. For this reason, avoidance is recommended, or you should at least minimize your contact with them during the first trimester.
If you absolutely must color your hair, consider getting a highlight or just streaking color instead, so you can minimize the amount of dye coming into contact with your scalp and skin. You can also opt for a much safer (yet also less common) vegetable-based dye like henna. If you go on ahead toward a self-dye, make sure you follow the directions carefully and color your hair in a well ventilated area. Wash off immediately after completed, do not leave on for an extended amount of time.
Painting and Decorating
Especially if it’s your first baby, chances are you need to renovate the guest room or office into a haven for your little one. If painting is on the agenda, it is probably best to have someone else get the job done. However, if you do choose to paint, then make sure you are again in a well-ventilated area and wear protective clothing. Be sure to not ingest any food or beverages while you are in the room, as you don’t want to accidentally digest paint flecks or other chemicals.
Avoid paints that include a solvent known as a glycol ether, as these greatly increase your risk of miscarriage. Other solvents can cause birth defects. Oil-based paints are the most likely to include solvents, so stick to water-based paint whenever possible.
Second Hand Smoke
Even if you feel you’re doing a great thing by not smoking during your pregnancy, (and you are!), secondhand smoke can cause damage to your baby as well. Being in direct contact with a smoker during your pregnancy can cause low birth weight, learning disabilities, and certain forms of childhood cancers. For that reason, make sure your baby’s father, or anyone else within regular contact with your up and coming baby, are smoke-free and conscious about their health as well. You can all work together to improve the health of the baby, and refraining from smoking is one of the best ways to do this.
All Sweetened Up
A lot of women have been concerned about aspartame, a commercially engineered artificial sweetener that is usually found in a large variety of foods - especially those that are “sugar free.” While doctors usually recommend using natural sweeteners whenever possible, there is no evidence to suggest that using NutraSweet, Equal, or any other sweetener leads to miscarriage or other early formed birth defects.
Coloring Your Hair
There has been a great debate over whether or not it is safe to dye your hair during pregnancy. Most doctors recommend you stay away from doing so, especially during the first trimester. However, there is no evidence that the chemicals can actually cause birth defects, miscarriages, or any other negative pregnancy effects. Despite no concrete facts, you will usually be advised against using these products during your term.
One of the main reasons for no reliable proof or evidence, is because it has not yet been studied long enough to yield results either positive or negative. For this reason, avoidance is recommended, or you should at least minimize your contact with them during the first trimester.
If you absolutely must color your hair, consider getting a highlight or just streaking color instead, so you can minimize the amount of dye coming into contact with your scalp and skin. You can also opt for a much safer (yet also less common) vegetable-based dye like henna. If you go on ahead toward a self-dye, make sure you follow the directions carefully and color your hair in a well ventilated area. Wash off immediately after completed, do not leave on for an extended amount of time.
Painting and Decorating
Especially if it’s your first baby, chances are you need to renovate the guest room or office into a haven for your little one. If painting is on the agenda, it is probably best to have someone else get the job done. However, if you do choose to paint, then make sure you are again in a well-ventilated area and wear protective clothing. Be sure to not ingest any food or beverages while you are in the room, as you don’t want to accidentally digest paint flecks or other chemicals.
Avoid paints that include a solvent known as a glycol ether, as these greatly increase your risk of miscarriage. Other solvents can cause birth defects. Oil-based paints are the most likely to include solvents, so stick to water-based paint whenever possible.
Second Hand Smoke
Even if you feel you’re doing a great thing by not smoking during your pregnancy, (and you are!), secondhand smoke can cause damage to your baby as well. Being in direct contact with a smoker during your pregnancy can cause low birth weight, learning disabilities, and certain forms of childhood cancers. For that reason, make sure your baby’s father, or anyone else within regular contact with your up and coming baby, are smoke-free and conscious about their health as well. You can all work together to improve the health of the baby, and refraining from smoking is one of the best ways to do this.
All Sweetened Up
A lot of women have been concerned about aspartame, a commercially engineered artificial sweetener that is usually found in a large variety of foods - especially those that are “sugar free.” While doctors usually recommend using natural sweeteners whenever possible, there is no evidence to suggest that using NutraSweet, Equal, or any other sweetener leads to miscarriage or other early formed birth defects.