What Not to Eat During Pregnancy

Carrying a tiny human changes our appetite. As people always say, you’re now not only eating for one but for two or three or for how many babies you’re having.

However, not all of our pregnancy cravings are safe during this period, so we’ll be talking about what food you have to avoid.

Caffeine- the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that pregnant women only intake less than 200 mg of caffeine per day. Excessive caffeine can cause babies to be born with birth defects and limit their growth as fetuses.
Alcohol- This one should be common knowledge, but suffice to say, alcohol intake can possibly lead to miscarriage or giving birth to a stillborn baby. Even if they survive delivery, there is still a chance that they can be born with fetal alcohol syndrome which affects the child’s development.
Raw or undercooked meat and fish- Sushi and tartare sound heavenly, but you must avoid them for 9 months to avoid the risk of salmonella, E.coli, and campylobacter.
Fish with high mercury content- Mercury can be highly toxic for adults. Imagine what it can do to a growing baby. Not all fish are harmful though as some still contain omega-3 and DHA which are good for brain development. What you need to avoid are tilefish, tuna, swordfish, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, and shark.