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Herbal Teas
Some types of herbal tea are good for you and help relieve certain pregnancy discomforts. This makes herbal tea a good alternative to coffee or regular tea. The herbal teas listed below are delicious and safe to use during pregnancy.
Some herbs and herbal teas are not safe to use during pregnancy because they could harm your developing baby. Herbs and teas to avoid during pregnancy include blue or black cohosh, pennyroyal leaf, yarrow, goldenseal, feverfew, psillium seed, mugwort, comfrey, coltsfoot, juniper, rue, tansy, cotton root bark, large amounts of sage, senna, cascara sagrada, buckthorn, male fern, slippery elm and squaw vine.
Artificial Sweeteners
Studies to date have not shown any harm to pregnancy from aspartame (Nutrasweet). The phenylalanine in aspartame contributes to phenylalanine in your diet, so if this is a problem for you, avoid foods and beverages sweetened with aspartame.
Saccharin is an artificial sweetener found in some foods and beverages; its effect on pregnancy is still being tested. Avoid all artificial sweeteners or use them in moderation during pregnancy.
Late Night Snacks
Late-night nutritious snacks are beneficial for some women, especially if they must eat many small meals a day. However, many women should not snack at night because they don't need the extra calories. For others, food in the stomach late at night can cause heartburn or indigestion.
Your Cholesterol Level
During pregnancy and lactation, the level of cholesterol in your blood rises naturally because of hormone changes. It probably won't make sense to have your cholesterol tested while you're pregnant or nursing.
Eating Out
It's OK to eat out at restaurants; just be careful about what you eat. Avoid raw meats or raw seafood, such as sushi. Avoid foods that may not agree with you right now.
At a restaurant, your best choices may be cooked fish, fresh vegetables and salads, but be careful with calorie-loaded salad dressings if you are concerned about excessive weight gain. Avoid spicy foods or foods that contain a lot of sodium. Chinese food often contains large amounts of monosodium glutamate (MSG, a sodium-containing product). You may retain water after eating these foods.
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