Which advice did you follow regarding what to do/what not to do during your pregnancy?

[RiskIt4Biscuit]

Hi, I'm around 5 weeks pregnant, and am looking at all of the advice for pregnant women - about eating certain things, avoiding eating certain other things, exercising and so on.

Personally, I'm eating as recommended, and I'm exercising a bit (long walks with the dog, pilates).
I'm fine with not wearing perfume, and I'm not using my usual aerosol products like deodorant and hairspray.
I'm cleaning a bit more - without harsh chemicals, and the windows at home are open most of the day.
I've binned some of my skincare products because they contained some of the (potentially?) dodgy parabens.
I am struggling a little bit with not using makeup/skincare products and I really would like to continue to wear a bit of moisturiser, SPF, lipstick and foundation on a daily basis.

I was wondering which habits you changed after getting pregnant;
did you follow the advice regarding what to eat and what not to eat, did you stop using makeup,
not using sprays/aerosols,
not using perfume/scented products
change detergent, soap and other products to unscented versions,
did you make sure to clean more often and open windows twice a day to get fresh air in the home,
avoid parabens/other specific ingredients in food or personal care products
or anything else?

I feel like there is a lot of advice around, and it is quite overwhelming.

Um... im 32 weeks and honestly had no idea I wasn’t supposed to wear perfume!
As far as I knew the evidence on that particular area was a bit flimsy. I’ve avoided the usual foods - liver, pâté, Brie etc. Had runny eggs as they’re ok now.
I’ve worn makeup every day and used an aerosol.
Honestly I’ve also been monitored very vey closely by the fetal medical consultants in our hospital for a variety of reasons and baby is happy, healthy and an excellent size.
Read expecting better and make choices based on what makes you comfortable. The things you’re proposing honestly - It sounds slightly extreme but each to their own

I followed the NHS advice mainly around food.

There's no reason you need to stop wearing perfumes etc though that's ridiculous. Basically just carry on as normal but maybe avoid things like radiation and bungee jumping until after the birth.

Stop googling everything the Internet is full of absolute crap about pregnancy, look at the NHS advice and get a copy of the book Expecting Better by Emily Oster.

Otherwise it's going to be a very long 9 months for you and everyone around you.

Use the nhs website also.

Wow- I don't do anything like that. Still use perfume, aerosols etc.

I've cut down on caffeine and obviously don't drink or smoke (but I didn't beforehand anyway). I am trying to push myself to have a walk every weekend, and DH has made me vow to have a nap at the weekend, as I'm currently drained.

I'll be six weeks on Monday.

I've never heard anything about make up or perfume?!
I stopped drinking, eating soft cheese etc and didn't do any contact sports etc
Other than that I lived totally normally

The only things I’ve stuck to are the food recommendations, no alcohol, and no caffeine. Other than that I’ve done everything else as normal. I think it’s so easy to get carried away with stuff like this when the chances of any of those other things you have mentioned having a impact on your pregnancy are miniscule.

You’ll be in for very long 9 months if you keep all that up!!!

I follow the NHS advice i.e. the not eating brie/undercooked meat/pate/leftovers etc. reducing caffeine and avoiding alcohol.

I haven’t heard all that other stuff about deodorants, hairspray, make up, cleaning etc! I haven’t changed anything in this area and I would certainly wear SPF as sun exposure can affect your skin differently in pregnancy.

I can recommend “Expecting Better” by Emily Oster which is a good book analysing the evidence behind pregnancy advice.

I’ve stuck to the NHS recommendations for food and I don’t drink alcohol when pregnant. I also sleep on my side, not my back, don’t have hot baths and I haven’t started any new exercise or done anything more strenuously than before.

You arent supposed to wear perfumes? wow never heard that before.

I just followed advice over foods ie no raw foods or unwashed veg, no mould ripened cheeses.
Stay away from cat litter.

and actually that is it. Oh limit alcohol. Never smoked so thats not an issue.

Ive had hot baths because that advice is bollocks... youd have to actually be near the point of passing out for the heat to actually effect your baby in the womb..... so i might have avoided saunas but Ive never used a sauna in my life any way!

and I sleep on my back, well I try not to but I always end up on my back. For anyone worrying about that, the advice has been largely discredited. It was only 1 study and all the babies were born healthy... it was just that the noticed something like the heart slowing down slightly when a woman slept on their back so they thought there might be some vague risk. That was only a small study though and as I said all the babies including those of women who slept on their backs, were born healthy.... theres an article about the study on the NHS website for anyone interested. Basically if you do end up sleeping on your back I would not worry too much about it.

The sleeping recommendations are based on pretty dodgy research Dinosaur, and only kick in anyway in the third trimester if you choose to follow them. If you ask most midwives they will tell you to sleep in whatever position is most comfortable for you.

Theres no reason why you can't have a hot bath if you want one. There were some concerns it might cause problems in the first trimester but I think that largely has now been disproved.

www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/03/01/pregnant-women-can-enjoy-hot-baths-saunas-without-risk-says/

The pack you get from your midwife at booking appointments has loads of information in there about pregnancy. If things like hot baths, sleeping positions and perfume were that much of a risk then that information would also be in there, and it isn't.

Emily Oster should be paying commission to mumsnet the amount her book gets recommended. Someone should write an even more up to date UK version

Thank you for your replies :)

It does sound extreme, but all of it are the official recommendations in Denmark.
I'm Danish, living in the UK, so I have looked at the UK and Danish recommendations as well as having talked to friends and family in Denmark regarding this previously.
I found the leaflet in English here if anyone's curious: www.sst.dk/da/sundhed-og-livsstil/graviditet-og-foedsel/~/media/BCB704A368E3404C8CEEAE057CDEDE26.ashx

I'm a bit confused as to why two quite similar countries have fairly different recommendations, and I do agree that it will be 9 very long months if following all of the advice.
I'll probably follow some of the Danish advice, but I also want to still feel like myself, so I'll probably keep wearing some beauty products (I'm not using retinol products during pregnancy).

That Danish leaflet also says not to dye your hair which as far as I'm aware is also considered to be okay in the UK.

It's quite depressing reading that leaflet isn't it. Makes being pregnant sound like an utterly joyless time where women are essentially expected to be a martyr to their unborn children!

Note how despite that it still doesn't cover sleeping positions or hot baths though

@pastabest if you follow recommendations for a country you don't live in you will go mad.

Wow, I'm not doing/not doing half of what you are!

I won't have any alcohol at all and I don't smoke. I'm not having pâté, rare meat, blue/soft/unpasteurised cheese, cured meat or shellfish that I haven't cooked myself at home (so I know it's cooked properly).

I wear perfume, use all my normal cosmetics etc. I do avoid harsh chemicals (I got DH to clean the oven the other day) but still use bleach etc - I need to be able to clean the loo and my kitchen sides! Just keep things well ventilated.

I sleep however it's comfy to sleep. Im normally a flat on my tummy sleeper but I'm 23 weeks now so I'm sort of on the side leaning a bit on my tummy but using a pregnant pillow for support. Sometimes I wake up on my back. I don't worry about it. By the third trimester it's normally uncomfortable to sleep on my back anyway (although by then sleep is pretty uncomfortable however you lay!).

Don't worry too much!

Yep, UK says it's ok to dye your hair and I did in both pregnancies. It all seems a bit OTT to me. I never changed my cosmetics or washing products or stopped using aerosols

BlueBug45, you're probably right, but I suspect a lot of British expats would have a look at the NHS website for advice/recommendations if they lived abroad as well as looking at the national advice.

Don't worry bluebug I barely even follow the official advice in this country let alone from any other country

Well I've had two healthy pregnancies 7 and 5 years ago. Just pregnant again. Not doing anything except no smoking (I don't smoke anyway), no drinking, I guess I won't eat soft cheese or pate. Er I need to buy some folic acid.

Being as every time I've been pregnant they've changed the advice, it's not at all surprising two western countries have different advice.

I know feeding advice has changed too. But I'll be sticking with what I know! I won't be getting the tomy tipee complete feeding set for £99 or whatever.

I might get one of those cots that goes beside the bed though, they are new since my last pregnancy, but they look good!

I’m pregnant, and a scientist.

I don’t wear perfume - ‘fragrance’ can mean absolutely anything and several musk like chemicals are known teratogens. small risk but easy to give up.

No alcohol. I don’t smoke.

The household chemicals we use normally are quite benign anyway (grönsåpa, not sure if you have that.) the few times I’ve needed to do something like revarnishing garden furniture I’ve just left it or got DH to do it.

Windows are open anyway, all year round (even in Sweden...)

Parabens I avoid anyway - I’d put money on them being banned in a few years.

Lipstick and foundation I’d be fine using as I would any makeup I was ok with ingredients

Spf is MORE important during pregnancy! You’re more sensitive to UV so slap it on. There’s no evidence sunscreen is harmful.

Roll on deodorant is what I use, I’m asthmatic so I don’t use aerosols full stop.

I’ve also had severe HG (and been hospitalised) so avoiding drugs hasnt happened. None of the drugs worked so I’ve not carried on taking any.

I restrict paracetamol to only when absolutely needed eg if I have a fever.

Food - well I don’t fancy any of it tbh. I’ve eaten rarish steak and I’d eat runny eggs as long as they are lion marked. Avoid pate and liver, blue cheeses etc. I still eat sushi.

You can use makeup and sunscreen. Dont stress too much about skincare products - retinoids and salicylic acid obviously avoid but general moisturiser and shower gel etc is fine.

Ooo so I can't use my retinol moisturizer? Why's that?

It depends on the type and concentration of the active compounds. Retinoids are powerful teratogens and can affect the basic body plan layout. Vitamin A for example is one.

Thanks! What's a teratogen? This is all new to me! I'd better read nhs website!!!

I avoided more things that I probably needed to. Stuck to the food recommendations and avoided smoking and alcohol (including alcohol based mouthwash). Stopped using anti-ageing face cream and just used basic moisturiser. Didn't have my hair dyed or paint my nails. Avoided household chemicals too. Didn't take a single paracetamol even when my head was pounding (too many news stories about the possible negative effects so I decided it wasn't worth the risk even though it's supposed to be safe). No baths at all because I didn't think it was worth bothering with a lukewarm bath and you can't have a hot one. No swimming because of the chlorine. Avoided cats. Also made an effort to sleep on the left side (which was very painful). I still wore makeup though, otherwise I wouldn't have felt able to go out of the house!

A teratogen is a substance that can cause birth defects. Vitamin A derivatives in early pregnancy can cause damage.

Many cosmetic products containing retinoids have a very small amount in so it’s not something to freak out over - check the concentration and specific compound. The big one to avoid is Isotretinoin (Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis, Sotret) but if you’d been prescribed those then you’d have been given a lot of warning by your doc and required to be on two forms of contraceptive