The Pregnancy Rules

There are all of these rules we are asked to follow for the safety of our babies and selves while pregnant. Some are simple and obvious, while others need a little more explaining. In all honesty I've not been perfect throughout my pregnancy so far - which rules did you stick to?

• No smoking - a fairly obvious one in my opinion. People smoking near me at the moment makes me feel so angry. They choose to breathe in those poisons, I don't. Any my unborn baby certainly doesn't. Although maybe I'm biased as a non-smoker.
• No alcohol - again, an obvious one. My partner and I don't drink at all (nope, not even at Christmas..) and so this was easy for me. I know some ladies might have a glass of wine on a special occasion through their pregnancy, but I feel that there is no amount stated as safe for my baby and so I don't want to subject it to any unnecessary risks.
• Soft and blue cheeses - I'm not a big cheese-lover so I don't eat this type of cheese anyway. But they are to be avoided apparently. Soft cheese is ok if it has been cooked, and blue cheese contains too much moisture which makes it an ideal environment for bacteria, such as listeria, to grow in. Listeria is feared through pregnancy as it can cause Listeriosis which is an infection that can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or severe illness in the baby.
• Pate - again, due to the risk of listeria. I miss pate so so much! Especially when it was Christmas! But I have avoided it.
• Raw, or partially-cooked, eggs - this is due to the risk of salmonella food poisoning. This is unlikely to harm baby, but it can cause a lot of sickness and diarrhea. This includes any dishes containing raw egg such as homemade mayonnaise (shop-bought mayo is fine).
• Raw or under-cooked meats - there is a risk of toxoplasmosis, which is an infection that may damage baby. It often has no symptoms, and is very rare. But in my eyes is not worth the risk.
• Caffeine - While it isn't demanded you remove all caffeine from your diet in pregnancy, 200mg is the maximum amount recommended. This is where I've not been 100% good. The first thing I did was cut out coffee (and am yet to have any!), and I only have a cup of tea about 2 or 3 times a week at most. It's the diet coke that gets me. It is on tap at work! I don't drink gallons of it, but equally I don't quite calculate the amount I am drinking each day and so sometimes I might be over that 200mg limit, whereas other days I'll have none. Caffeine can cause a low birth weight in babies which can lead ot heart problems later in life, and excessive amounts could also cause miscarriage. 
• Other foods to avoid or be cautious of: cold cured meats, liver, vitamin supplements, certain types of fish, and all raw shellfish, sushi, foods with soil on them (so vegetables that haven't been thoroughly cleaned) and home-made ice cream (due to raw egg).
• Foods thought by some people to be dangerous but which are actually ok: peanuts, soft ice creams, smoked fish, milk and yoghurts (so long as they are fully pasteurised).

For more information visit the NHS website.