Avoid tobacco, alcohol and indiscriminate use of medicines. Use of tobacco by the mother reduces the baby’s birth weight and length and has been associated with increased loss of the male foetus.
Alcohol damages the mother’s liver and uses up vitamin B 12 in her body. Mothers who drink alcohol regularly can give birth to babies who suffer from foetal alcohol syndrome, that is, babies are born with jitters, irritability, lethargy and weak sucking reflex. Even a single heavy drinking session can impair the growth of a particular organ of the foetus, depending on the stage of development reached at that time. Since social drinking is common, alcohol does not seem dangerous, but remember, it is as potent as any drug or medicine taken.
If you are trying to conceive or if you have discovered that you are pregnant, cut out alcohol for sure.
Excessive amounts of tea, coffee and cola drinks and chocolates should be avoided. They contain caffeine and other related substances like tannic acid, which impair and upset digestion. Caffeine is a diuretic; it causes more urine to be passed. Frequent urination washes away essential salts and the water-soluble vitamins. Further, it blocks absorption of iron and calcium. It can also cause sleep disturbances, anxiety and heartburn.
The amount of caffeine present in a cup of tea or coffee depends on the quality used and amount of time taken to brew it. The bitter it is the more caffeine it contains!
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