When you are pregnant, you can no longer be free to move as a housewife. The reason is because at this time, your body becomes easier tired. Some household chores, like it or not, you have to let go to take care of yourself condition of you and your little one stay healthy.
It's not easy to live the days as a pregnant woman. There are many things that must be followed, avoided, or even not done at all. That's all of course for the health of the baby who is developing in the womb.
Some of the prohibitions for pregnant women can be in the form of not eating certain foods, avoiding unhealthy living habits, such as smoking and consuming alcoholic beverages, to being careful and more selective in determining what homework to do.
Housework that Needs to be Abandoned
Some of the following housework is not good to do during pregnancy because it can cause health problems:
1. Cleaning the cat litter box
If you have a cat, you should avoid cleaning the cage and litter during pregnancy. Try asking your husband or someone else to take your place for a while.
Cat litter usually contains parasites Toxoplasma gondii. If you are determined to clean cat litter, you can get toxoplasmosis. This condition is not only dangerous for you, but also for the fetus in your womb.
The effects of this infection can be mild to severe. Premature birth and damage to the eyes, skin, and brain are some of the health problems that the fetus can experience if you are infected with this parasite.
Worse yet, exposed to parasites Toxoplasma gondii often do not cause symptoms, so many pregnant women are not aware that they have been infected. If you've ever cleaned cat litter from its cage or feel you have a high risk of infection, you should immediately see a doctor.
2. Lifting or moving heavy objects
During pregnancy, you are not recommended to do work that requires you to lift or move heavy objects. When you are pregnant, hormonal changes that occur in your body make your joints and ligaments weaker. As a result, you are more at risk of injury or muscle soreness if you lift or move heavy objects.
In addition, you also need to be more careful with your back, because carrying the fetus in the womb alone puts a lot of pressure on your back. If you keep forcing yourself to lift or move heavy objects, you have a high potential for back pain.
Lifting or moving heavy objects during pregnancy can also trigger more serious conditions, such as bleeding, premature labor, and premature rupture of the membranes.
Therefore, avoid lifting or moving heavy objects while pregnant. Ask your husband or household members for help if there are heavy objects that need to be moved.
3. Stand up or sit too long
It may sound trivial, but standing or sitting for long periods of time can cause back pain, as well as swelling, pain, and stiffness in the legs.
One of the household chores that can involve you standing for long periods of time is cooking. When you cook, you have to prepare the ingredients, wash them, cut them, and cook them, and this whole process keeps you on your toes.
To avoid standing too long while cooking, you can sit down while cutting food or while waiting for food to cook.
4. Cleaning the house with chemical products
You may feel uncomfortable seeing a dirty bathroom floor and want to clean it immediately with a chemical solution. You may also not be able to stand the presence of insects in your home and would like to get rid of them with an insect repellent.
Unfortunately, there are some chemicals in these products that are not safe for you and your baby's health.
During these times, it's best to use a natural and safe cleaning agent, such as baking soda, vinegar, or boric acid, to get rid of the bugs. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor about how to clean the house safely while pregnant.
5. Doing arisky activity
If you see that the fan attached to the ceiling looks dirty, don't rush to take the stairs and go up to clean it. Resist the urge to clean areas that are out of your reach. This is to avoid accidents, such as falling while standing on a chair or stairs.
During pregnancy, asking your partner for help to handle household chores that put you and your baby at risk is the best solution. However, don't use this as an excuse to be lazy. During pregnancy, you also have to stay active.
In addition to avoiding some of the homework above during pregnancy, you also need to live a healthy lifestyle, including paying attention to nutritional intake. Remember, all the food and drinks you consume and the activities you do will affect the fetus in the womb.
Also, make sure you have regular checkups with your gynecologist. In addition to monitoring the condition of your womb and fetus, the doctor will also tell you what you need to do to maintain health during pregnancy.