Read on for our best advice on what to eat and drink during the holidays if you are pregnant.
When you’re pregnant, Christmas is a little different from the usual holiday celebration. But don’t worry, you can still enjoy a lot of Christmas treats while you’re pregnant.
Swap Cocktails For Mocktails
It’s safe to say that a lot of us celebrate Christmas with alcohol. And since doctors still don’t know how much, if any, alcohol is safe during pregnancy, the best thing to do is not drink at all. This means swapping your cocktails for something like a non alcohol spritz.
Not everyone might find it easy to stay away from alcohol. So get help from your partner, your family, and your friends. Maybe they’d like to join you in cutting back… especially when there are now so many great drinks that don’t have alcohol in them.
Switch to non-alcoholic bubbles and study up on seasonal mocktails. A mulled apple juice will make you feel as warm and cosy as a traditional spiced wine or cider, but it won’t have any alcohol in it. Or, try a soft drink in a champagne or cocktail glass to get the “feel” of a real drink without the effect.
Just think about how great it will feel to be the only one who doesn’t have a hangover the next morning.
Be Wary Of Cold Meats
Meats that have already been cooked and packed, like ham and corned beef, are safe to eat while pregnant.
Cured and fermented meats like salami, prosciutto, chorizo, and pepperoni are not safe to eat if they are not cooked. They might have parasites that cause toxoplasmosis, which can hurt your baby. But there is a way to enjoy them anyway. Before you eat them, you can reduce the chance that they have parasites by putting them in the freezer for four days. This gets rid of most parasites and makes it safer to eat cured or fermented meats.
Don’t eat raw or undercooked meats like rare steaks, and wash and dry your hands, surfaces, and cooking tools well after handling raw meat.
Peanuts Are Fine
The latest advice is that eating peanuts while pregnant is fine. There is no clear evidence that eating peanuts while pregnant increases the chances that your baby will become allergic to peanuts.
Nuts are a good source of protein and make a great healthy snack for you and your baby. Just don’t eat too many of the salty or sweet ones.
Be Careful Of Caffeine In Chocolate
Even though it’s important to eat healthy foods while pregnant, there’s no harm in having a little bit of what you want over the holidays. That probably means one or two chocolates (a day). But watch how much caffeine you eat or drink because you shouldn’t have more than 200mg a day.
Dark chocolate usually has less than 25mg per 50g, while milk chocolate usually has less than 10mg per 50g. So it’s not a lot of money, but it all adds up. Don’t worry if you go over 200mg once in a while, though, because it won’t hurt your baby much.
Try Not To Over Do It
With all the delicious food around, it’s hard not to eat for two at Christmas, even if you’re not pregnant. But when you’re pregnant, you don’t need to eat more until the third trimester, when you only need 200 extra calories a day.
Also, all those rich foods can make heartburn worse when you’re pregnant, so try not to eat too much of them. Eat less or more often instead of heavy meals.
