Start with the basics in pregnancy nutrition. Understanding what foods to avoid during pregnancy can help you make the healthiest choices for you and your baby.

Avoid seafood high in mercury
Seafood can be a great source of protein, and the omega-3 fatty acids in many fish can promote your baby’s brain development. However, some fish and shellfish contain potentially dangerous levels of mercury. Too much mercury could damage your baby’s developing nervous system.

The bigger and older the fish, the more mercury it’s likely to contain. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourage pregnant women to avoid:

•Swordfish
•Shark
•King mackerel
•Tilefish
So what’s safe? Some types of seafood contain little mercury. Although concerns have been raised about the level of mercury in any type of canned tuna, the FDA and EPA say pregnant women can safely eat up to 12 ounces (340 grams) a week. Similarly, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 8 to 12 ounces of seafood a week for pregnant women. That’s about two average meals of:

•Shrimp
•Crab
•Canned light tuna (limit albacore tuna, chunk white tuna and tuna steak to no more than 6 ounces, or 170 grams, a week)
•Salmon
•Pollock
•Catfish
•Cod
•Tilapia
Not all researchers agree with these limits, however, citing a study that noted no negative effects for women who ate more seafood than the FDA-approved guidelines.

Avoid raw, undercooked or contaminated seafood
To avoid harmful bacteria or viruses in seafood:

•Avoid raw fish and shellfish. It’s especially important to avoid oysters and clams.
•Avoid refrigerated smoked seafood, such as lox. It’s OK to eat smoked seafood if it’s an ingredient in a casserole or other cooked dish. Canned and shelf-stable versions also are safe.
•Understand local fish advisories. If you eat fish from local waters, pay attention to local fish advisories — especially if water pollution is a concern. If advice isn’t available, limit the amount of fish from local waters you eat to 6 ounces (170 grams) a week and don’t eat other fish that week.
•Cook seafood properly. Cook most fish to an internal temperature of 145 F (63 C). The fish is done when it separates into flakes and appears opaque throughout. Cook shrimp, lobster and scallops until they’re milky white. Cook clams, mussels and oysters until their shells open. Discard any that don’t open.
Avoid undercooked meat, poultry and eggs
During pregnancy, you’re at increased risk of bacterial food poisoning. Your reaction might be more severe than if you weren’t pregnant. Rarely, food poisoning affects the baby, too.

To prevent foodborne illness:

•Fully cook all meats and poultry before eating. Use a meat thermometer to make sure.
•Cook hot dogs and processed deli meats, such as bologna, until they’re steaming hot — or avoid them completely. They can be sources of a rare but potentially serious foodborne illness known as listeriosis.
•Avoid refrigerated pates and meat spreads. Canned and shelf-stable versions, however, are OK.
•Don’t buy raw poultry that’s been pre-stuffed. Raw juice that mixes with the stuffing can cause bacterial growth. Frozen poultry that’s been pre-stuffed is safe when cooked from its frozen state.
•Cook eggs until the egg yolks and whites are firm. Raw eggs can be contaminated with the harmful bacteria salmonella. Avoid foods made with raw or partially cooked eggs, such as eggnog, raw batter, hollandaise sauce and Caesar salad dressing.
Avoid unpasteurized foods
Many low-fat dairy products — such as skim milk, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese — can be a healthy part of your diet. Anything containing unpasteurized milk, however, is a no-no. These products could lead to foodborne illness.

Unless these soft cheeses are clearly labeled as being pasteurized or made with pasteurized milk, don’t eat:

•Brie
•Feta
•Camembert
•Blue cheese
•Mexican-style cheeses, such as queso blanco, queso fresco and panela
When selecting eggs, consider buying the pasteurized variety. In addition, avoid drinking unpasteurized juice.

Avoid unwashed fruits and vegetables
To eliminate any harmful bacteria, thoroughly wash all raw fruits and vegetables and cut away damaged portions. Avoid raw sprouts of any kind — including alfalfa, clover, radish and mung bean — which also might contain disease-causing bacteria. Be sure to cook sprouts thoroughly.

Avoid large quantities of vitamin A
Too much vitamin A can cause birth defects. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women age 19 and older get 2,565 international units (IU) of vitamin A daily. For perspective, 3 ounces of cooked beef liver contains 27,185 IU and 3 ounces of cooked chicken liver contains 12,325 IU.

Avoid excess caffeine
Caffeine can cross the placenta and affect your baby’s heart rate. While further research is needed, some studies suggest that drinking too much caffeine during pregnancy might be associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. Because of the potential effects on your developing baby, your health care provider might recommend limiting the amount of caffeine in your diet to less than 200 milligrams a day during pregnancy. For perspective, an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains about 95 milligrams of caffeine, an 8-ounce cup of brewed tea contains about 47 milligrams and a 12-ounce caffeinated cola soft drink contains about 29 milligrams.

Avoid herbal tea
There’s little data on the effects of specific herbs on developing babies. As a result, avoid drinking herbal tea unless your health care provider says it’s OK — even the types of herbal tea marketed specifically to pregnant women.

Avoid alcohol
One drink isn’t likely to hurt your baby, but no level of alcohol has been proved safe during pregnancy. The safest bet is to avoid alcohol entirely.

Consider the risks. Mothers who drink alcohol have a higher risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. Too much alcohol during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol syndrome, which can cause facial deformities, heart problems, low birth weight and mental retardation. Even moderate drinking can impact your baby’s brain development.

If you’re concerned about alcohol you drank before you knew you were pregnant or you think you need help to stop drinking, consult your health care provider.

© 1998-2011 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. All rights reserved.

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What to pack for yourself
After your baby is born, you’ll want to keep things simple. Here’s a list of things you’ll want to bring to the hospital:Comfortable clothes, including something loose and flowing to wear homeRobe and nightgownNursing bras

Slippers

Sanitary pads

Toiletries (shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, skin care lotion, hairbrush, deodorant, etc.)

A few pairs of maternity panties

A battery-powered CD player with headphones so you can listen to relaxing music while you’re in labor

A pocket name book if you haven’t chosen a name for your baby

What to pack for your significant other/coachToiletriesChange of clothes if your significant other/coach will be staying overnight at the hospitalA camera and film and/or a video camera

What to pack for your babyCar seat By law, you have to have a child car seat to take your baby home. Make sure it’s installed correctly.DiapersReceiving blanket Bring other blankets if the weather is cold.

An outfit to wear home (including socks and booties)

Onesies These are baby “bodysuits” that are designed for ease of dressing and changing, and add an extra layer of warmth under the baby’s outfit.

A hat You might be able to keep the one the hospital puts on your baby.)

You might also want to bring snacks such as granola bars, crackers, dried fruit, etc. After going into labor, you will probably be hungry. You should also bring change for the vending machines in case the hospital cafeteria is closed.

Do NOT bring a cell phone (each room has a telephone for patients to use), cash, credit cards, jewelry, or other valuables with you to the hospital.

Organic Mommy Must Haves

Shop Green Reusable Bags
Red Envelope offers a set of five reusable mod grocery bags from Envirosax. Two plastic bags worth of groceries can be held in one reusable bag, the set includes a purse-size pouch that fits all 5 bags for easy transport to the store. A great deal for any green mom $35 at redenvelope.com

Organic Baby Diapers
Organic cotton-velour diapers fit newborns up to age 2 with adjustable snaps and don’t need covers. $18 at swaddlebees.com

Organic Baby Carrier
This workhorse of a carrier from Moby can be used in front, as a sling, and on your hip or back. It stays surprisingly tight and is comfy to wear. Now the company has an organic cotton version. $70 at mobywrap.com

Organic Baby Bedding
If you are a environmentally conscious mommy or you just like very soft cotton this 4 piece neutral bedding set is a great choice. Available at walmart.com you can even ship it to your local Palm Coast, Ormond Beach or Daytona beach store. A great deal for $120

Organic Gerber
Organic Gerber bibs and burp cloths made of organic cotton sold in a set of 3 for $8.96 can be found at Palm Coast, Daytona Beach, and Ormond Beach Wal-mart & Target

Clean Green
Like the idea of green cleaners but find they don’t really clean? Clorox’s Green Works, an all-purpose, natural spray, got the gunk off our counters. $3.50 can be found at Palm Coast, Daytona Beach, and Ormond Beach Wal-mart & Target

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The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG ) recommends that you find a quiet and comfortable spot to sit (or lie down on your left side, which is optimal for providing your baby proper blood and oxygen circulation) and perform a kick count at least once a day from your seventh month of pregnancy until you deliver.

Try doing the test 20 minutes after eating and see how long it takes the baby to move (kick, flutter, swish, or roll) 10 times.

Again, you should feel your baby move 10 times in about two hours. “If it takes longer than four hours, it is a good idea to call your doctor,” suggests Dr. Gerard M. DiLeo, MD, BabyZone’s board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist.

By the way, if this is your second (or third or fourth!) pregnancy, chances are you’ll notice Baby moving around much earlier. (Some women profess to feel movement as early as week 12!)

When to Call Your Doctor

The ACOG recommends (more…)

Three groups of women are at greatest risk of preterm labor and birth: 

• Women who are pregnant with twins, triplets or more
• Women with certain uterine or cervical abnormalities
• Women who have had previous preterm birth 

Preterm labor may sometimes be stopped with a combination of medication and rest. More often, birth can be delayed just long enough to transport the woman to a hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and to give her a drug to help speed up her baby’s lung development.

Treatment with a form of the hormone progesterone may help prevent premature birth in some women who have already had a premature baby.

What you can do?: (more…)