We perform several scientific researches to trace out the things like, what a woman should eat during pregnancy and what she should avoid consuming during this time. While some foods assist your fetus to develop well, there are also foodstuffs that can prove to be detrimental for your baby in the womb.

 Following are certain foods that one needs to avoid at the time of pregnancy:

 Fish: You will be surprised to know about the insertion of fish in your forbidden pregnancy diet chart. Everyone is aware of the fact that fish constitutes one among the healthiest food; but, presently due to the rising water pollution, several fishes possess great degrees of contamination by mercury. The gradual aggregation of mercury can lead to several problems like neural problems and brain damage. Fish that needs to be avoided include

 1. Tilefish
2. Shark
3. King mackerel
4. Swordfish

 Remove these fishes from the pregnancy diet, since they might possess high degrees of mercury.

 Raw meat: Many pregnant women show the tendency to crave for seafood. However, these items concerns eating raw/partially-raw meat that can be fouled by salmonella, toxoplasmosis and other like bacteria. Poultry products and beef might also lead to growth of these bacteria in the mother’s body and can prove harmful for the baby.

 Raw Eggs: We use raw eggs in various preparations and packaging including Hollandaise, Caesar dressing and mayonnaise. Most people prefer having these foodstuffs. You should know that the harmful bacteria called Salmonella lives in raw eggs. Therefore, it is good for pregnant women if they avoid foodstuffs prepared using raw eggs.

 Alcohol: True that many people believe that one off glass of beer or wine is not bad, still no research has been successful in stating the amount of alcohol permissible at the time of pregnancy.  Nobody is aware of the effect that alcohol creates on fetus, so it is better to avoid consuming it.

 ? Soft Cheese: Soft cheeses including Camembert, fresco and blue cheese might be tainted with bacteria causing harm to your baby in the womb. Thus, try to stay away from soft cheese at the time of pregnancy.

 The pregnancy period is an important stage of a woman’s life. Knowing what to do at this stage is very vital because it ensures the health and well being of your child.

 Our aim is to help you understand the category of foods to avoid during this delicate period of pregnancy and also to help you plan healthier meals. Below is a list of foods that should be avoided during pregnancy.

 Caffeine

 Taking caffeine during pregnancy is harmful to the baby whose cells are still developing.  Caffeine can cause certain deformities in the child or lead to a miscarriage altogether.

 Sources of caffeine include herbal tea, coffee, and energy drinks. Coffee, ice-cream and energy drinks can be appealing but must be avoided because of their caffeine content.

 Seafoods

 A survey on Seafood shows that it contains chemicals that are harmful to the nervous system of a baby. The high level of mercury present in seafood should not be consumed by a pregnant woman; this is not only limited to raw seafoods but also processed sea foods. To be on the safe side, it is important that you avoid all types of seafoods.

 Alcohol

 Years of research has shown that a large number of women who take alcohol during pregnancy give birth to deformed babies. Deformities in babies such as heart defect, kidney defect and facial deformities have been linked to high level of alcohol found in their blood stream. To ensure the safety of your unborn child, avoid alcohol.

 Smoking

 Cigarette has been identified to contain about 4,000 chemicals including cyanide and other cancerous compounds which when taken go into your blood stream; remember this is your baby’s singular source of receiving nutrients and oxygen.

 Cigarette smoking is not food actually, but it is important that it is mentioned because of the damage it can cause.  Because of its fatal consequences, avoid smoking totally for the safety of your baby.

 If you are thinking of a post pregnancy diet, before plunging in talk to your doctor to know when is the correct time to adopt this. You should not give preference to your looking good over your health. Remember, you can recover fully within two months after delivering the baby.

 Dietary change is an important decision and you should consciously ask yourself that your dietary plan is not merely to satisfy some shallow motivation, but is meant to make your body strong.

 When you are conscious of this fact, you can identify the correct dietary plans. Unfortunately, you may easily become a victim of misinformation about the correct diet, as there are a number of whimsical dietary plans in circulation. Give prominence to your health instead of opting for a dietary plan merely to lose your weight.

 Your dietary plan should begin with five small meals per day to ensure that metabolic rate of your body maintains a rhythm. Halve the breakfast and main meals and bring two snack sessions in between. When metabolic activity is continuous and hard, it results in burning plenty of calories. If you experience hunger when it is not yet time for snacks, drink chilled water to activate metabolism.

 Once you have divided the meals and are on five meals a day plan, you can identify correct type of food. While shopping for food items, consider the complete week’s food menu, to enable you to identify meals which will not contain trans-fat or empty calories and carbohydrates that are bad. Better still; substitute the bad elements of your previous diet with health food. If you enjoy a chicken fry, replace it with a roasted chicken.

 Protein should be included in the breakfast, because it puts down hunger for extended time. Substitute your bread with bread made of whole grains, along with Chicken or similar food. You will not feel hungry for longer hours.   When you start feeling hungry, try to divert your attention for ten minutes, and you can get rid of the craving, as they occur only for a few minutes.

 Pregnancy is a time when a woman needs increased supply of nutrients and vitamins. A well-balanced diet consisting of green leafy vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and fruits is absolutely essential to satiate the body’s increased demands for nutrition during pregnancy.

 However, most women suffer from nausea and reduced appetite during the first tri-mister of pregnancy, which warrants the intake of prenatal vitamin tablets. Moreover, during pregnancy a woman’s needs for specific nutrients such as folic acid, calcium etc increase, which can be met by consuming pre-natal vitamin tablets.

 The first trimester of pregnancy is critical since the baby’s major organ systems are formed during this time. Folic Acid is the key nutrient that prevents defects of the brain and spine in your baby.

 The baby’s Neural tube – brain and spinal cord develop within the first month of conception, even before many women realize they are pregnant. Since about half of all pregnancies are unplanned, it is recommended that you take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily while you are trying to conceive, continuing the dosage for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

 There are multiple brands of multi-vitamin drugs available, some of which are prescription drugs while others are over-the counter medicines. Before you start taking any pre-natal vitamin tablet it is strongly recommended that you speak to your health care provider about which pre-natal vitamin tablet brand would suit you the best.

 Taking pre-natal vitamin tablets can cause certain side effects in pregnant women such as increased nausea, constipation, etc. If you experience any side effects after you have started taking the vitamin pills, remember to speak to your health care practitioner immediately. Your health care practitioner will then recommend a different brand or a different type of the pre-natal vitamin tablet for you.

 Though pre-natal vitamins are essential for the healthy growth of the fetus during the early stages of pregnancy, it can in no way supplement for the nutrients derived from a healthy and well balanced diet. In fact, a healthy diet leads to the better absorption of the vitamins in the pre-natal tablets.

 It is always important to eat right, but while you are pregnant, it is even more important. Start being a great mom right now, by helping your baby to be healthy. Clean out your kitchen of junk foods and replace those items with healthier choices. Having fresh fruit readily available in place of junk foods is a great way to start.

 Your physician should provide you with prenatal vitamins to help ensure that you and your baby are getting all of the nutrients you need for good health. Here are a few tips that may help you get started in a healthier direction.

 Supplements

 Even if you are making every effort to eat right, you may still not be getting the best nutrients for your baby. The safest resolution to this problem is the prenatal vitamins prescribed by your doctor.

 The vitamins in the doctor’s prescription will likely include folic acid, calcium and iron. Never double up on your vitamins, too much of these nutrients can be detrimental to the health of both you and your baby.

 Forget Dieting

 Weight gain is a perfectly normal part of being pregnant and the amount of weight gain varies greatly from one woman to the next. Dieting can be very harmful to your baby’s development.

 Stay healthier by eating foods that are better for you. Keep taking your vitamins and make better food choices and you will keep weight gain to a minimum.

 Grazing

 During your pregnancy, you may want to discontinue previous eating habits that require eating three meals per day. Instead, try eating a little at a time all day.

 Maybe you could have some cereal in the early morning, followed an hour or two later by a cup of salad and then an hour or two later have a piece of fruit. By grazing in this fashion, you will not get over stuffed at any one time and you are less likely to experience morning sickness.

 It is better for your body because you are able to provide a steady stream of nutrients to your body and those nutrients can be broken down slowly throughout the day.

 The occasional splurge

 There is no reason for denying yourself an occasional treat. Your treat can consist of home made smoothies of fruit and cream or maybe trail mix stirred into some yogurt.

 An occasional piece of chocolate will not hurt you, but it is not advisable to eat it everyday. Keep your treat foods light and occasional and you should be just fine.