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Paranoia or Smart Precautions?
Understanding Risk Factors during Pregnancy
By Laura Cone
Though most women know they need to avoid nicotine, alcohol and caffeine when they're pregnant, it's impossible to avoid all the risk factors associated with childbirth. So how do you know if you're taking smart precautions or simply being paranoid during your pregnancy?
Raechel Fredrickson of Easley, S.C., does not drink eight cups of coffee a day, though she has a few glasses of sweet tea or carbonated drinks with caffeine during the week. Expecting her third child in November, Fredrickson does not smoke and avoids dining at restaurants with a smoking section because of the risk to her baby.
"I avoid secondhand smoke as much as I can," says Fredrickson, who eats organic vegetables and lean protein. "We are learning which restaurants are nonsmoking and which ones aren't."
"You'd be surprised the wide range of things women can continue to do while they are pregnant," says Darline Turner-Lee of Austin, Texas, an exercise specialist who teaches prenatal care and prenatal aerobics. "There are women who still run miles up until the day they deliver, which always amazes me, but it's fine if it's something they've always done and continued through their pregnancies. But don't start training for a marathon when you find out you are pregnant." Always consult your physician before starting any exercise program.
According to Turner-Lee, pregnant women should not exercise outside during the heat of the day. "A lot of women aren't aware of how quickly their heart rates will go up and how quickly they will overheat," she says.
When it comes to exercises such as yoga, you may need to modify some of the movements. "You have to watch tipping over on your head too much because your whole center of gravity changes," says Turner-Lee.
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