If you consider that there are more than 3.6 million births each year in the United States, it follows that millions of women are pregnant during each holiday season. We all know that holidays can be a bit stressful at the best of times, but when you’re looking out for your health and the health of your unborn child, you want to find the path of least resistance.
To help you navigate the holiday season with relative ease when you’re pregnant, the team here at Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley, led by Dr. Fernando Otero, pulled together 4 useful tips.
So, whether you’re in your first trimester or third, or whether you’re trying to navigate a high-risk pregnancy or not, these tips are for any woman who’s carrying an unborn child (or children) through the holidays.
Holidays are occasions for feasting, but not everything in the spread is fair game for pregnant women. Of course, alcohol is a big no no, but did you know that you should avoid certain foods like soft cheeses, processed meats, or unwashed fruits or vegetables? (For a good list of foods and beverages to avoid, click here.)
To make sure that you have something that you can eat and drink, you might want to bring your own safe dish and drink to the gathering. Perhaps you can volunteer to make some alcohol-free eggnog or bring along some sparkling cider. Or, you can make a great cheese dip with crackers that you know contain ingredients you can eat.
Pregnancy can be tricky in terms of energy, and many women experience periods of seemingly bottomless energy as well as periods of great fatigue.
We urge you to listen to your body during the holidays, and if you’re feeling run down, take a timeout and rest. Even if you’re at a family member’s house, excuse yourself and get off your feet for an hour if it’s a long party. Or, excuse yourself altogether and head home early.
We know that you're highly capable. But, when you’re pregnant, we urge you to lean on loved ones during the holidays, especially if you’re playing host. Get your partner in on the cleaning, enlist family to bring much of the food, ask friends for help setting up — whatever your needs, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You might be surprised at how much people want to lend a hand and are thrilled that you ask.
Often, holidays are the only time we get to see certain family members and friends, so we tend to create a jam packed schedule. If you’re pregnant, we recommend that for every social gathering that you schedule, you also schedule some downtime. Curling up with a good book or TV show in between events can help relax your mind and body.
If you have any questions or concerns about getting through the holiday season while you’re pregnant, simply contact one of our offices in McAllen or Edinburg, Texas.
