Young pregnant women ask the same questions over and over again about foods and stimulants to avoid during pregnancy.

Pregnant women often feel unsettled by the "well-intentioned" advice of their acquaintances such as: "A glass of wine won't do any harm".

If you would rather be sure what you can safely consume as an expectant mother and what you should rather avoid, read the following tips, which I have compiled from my own experience, taking into account the guidelines of experts.

Although the general advice is not to drink alcohol during pregnancy, around a third of all mothers admit to having had some alcohol at some point during their pregnancy. The children of these women usually appear normal and healthy, but the effects of alcohol on the foetus are not always obvious. Sometimes the effect only appears at the age of 6 in the form of behavioural disorders.

The fact is that every drop of alcohol can affect the growing baby. Contrary to popular belief, there is no safe amount of alcohol for pregnant women to drink.
In the interests of the unborn child, it is best to avoid alcohol completely.

Large amounts of caffeine can lead to miscarriages, especially during the first trimester. Too much caffeine can also affect the size of the baby at birth, can contribute to it having too little weight.
However, according to several experts, consuming up to 150 mg of caffeine a day is not harmful.
Below you will find a list of popular drinks and foods with the average amount of caffeine. Bear in mind, however, that if you consume several items, you have to calculate the total amount for the whole day. So if you consume a cup of coffee, a cola and a 40g bar of dark chocolate throughout the day, the total amount of caffeine is around 165mg.

- one cup of normal infusion coffee 80mg
- one cup of cappuccino 50mg
- one cup of espresso 50mg
- one soft drink 45mg
- one cup of green tea 30mg
- one cup of black tea 20mg
- 40g dark chocolate 30mg
- 40g milk chocolate 15mg
- a cup of herbal tea 0mg

Aspartame:

Aspartame is a sugar substitute that can be found in all diet soft drinks, many yoghurts, fruit juices and biscuits labelled "light".
Originally declared safe almost 30 years ago, it is now considered controversial. Although no negative effects on the foetus have been proven, it should be consumed with caution.

Saccharin:
Saccharin is mainly used in tinned foods that are sold as "sugar-free".
Saccharin is broken down much more slowly by babies in the womb than in the body of an adult. This increases the risk of bladder problems and even bladder cancer.
Saccharin should be avoided at all costs.

Sucralose:
Sucralose is a sugar-based substitute in which some molecules are replaced by chlorine during processing. As this is the youngest and therefore least tested sweetener, it is better to be cautious during pregnancy.

It is always advisable to read the labels before buying food.
As pregnancy is not a time for dieting, pregnant women should avoid light products altogether.

Soft cheese only poses a risk to pregnant women if it is made from unpasteurised milk.
Feta, Camembert, blue cheese and Brie should only be eaten during pregnancy if they are specifically labelled as pasteurised.

Some types of fish contain high levels of mercury and should therefore be completely removed from a pregnant woman's diet.
The following fish species should be avoided at all costs:
- Swordfish
- Shark
- King mackerel
- Perch

The following types of fish should only be consumed in moderation during pregnancy (max. 2 portions per week):
- Shrimps
- Crabs
- Charcoal burner
- Salmon
- Cod
- Catfish
- Shell
- Flatfish
- Tuna

Smoking and passive smoking

A pregnant woman who smokes during pregnancy not only risks a miscarriage, but also the risk of an underweight baby. As smoking clogs the blood vessels, it is assumed that the oxygen supply to the foetus is greatly reduced when the mother smokes.
Smoking triples the risk of infant death and often causes respiratory diseases such as asthma.
An absolute no to smoking during pregnancy.
But what about the pregnant woman's partner or other people around her who smoke? How does passive smoking, i.e. inhaling smoke from another person's cigarette, affect the unborn child?
Basically, there are the same risks for the baby as with direct smoking if the mother often inhales other people's smoke.
As the health of your unborn baby should be your top priority, it's important to make it clear to those around you that they need to be considerate. Whether it's your partner or work colleague, you should ask everyone not to smoke in your presence.

Increased X-ray exposure can lead to miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy. Throughout pregnancy, X-ray exposure increases the baby's risk of cancer. Between the eighth and fifteenth week, when the baby is growing fastest, increased X-ray exposure can damage the brain and cause mental disabilities.
Although normal X-rays have a relatively low and harmless level of radiation, pregnant women should avoid X-rays if possible, unless of course their own health is at risk.

Unfortunately, too little is known about the potential risks of the chemicals used in hair colourants. The chemicals are absorbed or inhaled by the mother's body through the scalp. There is a possibility that the chemicals are passed on to the foetus.
To be on the safe side, you should follow a few basic rules:
- Avoid any colouring during the first trimester, as this is when the baby is most sensitive.
- Then ensure good ventilation during hair dyeing to minimise inhalation of the dye.
- You may prefer to use strand or foil colourants, as these have less contact with the scalp.
- Use colours that are plant-based, such as henna.