If you’ve been putting off saying goodbye to your bad lifestyle habits, then pregnancy might be the great motivator you need.

From now on, you’ll be sharing your body, and your baby will need a lot of nourishment and care from you. So to ensure that you have a healthy pregnancy, you need to identify the habits that won’t be beneficial for you and your little one. Here’s what you need to get rid of once you’re carrying your little one in your womb:

1. Smoking and Alcohol

This is perhaps the most dangerous duo you should stop when you see those two lines on your pregnancy test.

Smoking during pregnancy can be dangerous for your unborn baby. It increases the risks of preterm birth, birth defects of the mouth and lips, and low birth weight. Studies also show that smoking after and during pregnancy can increase the possibility of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Meanwhile, drinking alcohol while pregnant, even just once, can have severe consequences to your little one. Alcohol is the culprit for several issues such as stillbirths, miscarriages, and a range of lifelong behavioral, physical, and intellectual disabilities for your baby.

2. Unhealthy Eating

Everything you drink or eat also goes to your unborn child. So if you’ve been eating unhealthily before conceiving, it’s time that you stop this bad habit and start planning for good nutrition.

An unhealthy diet consisting of too many junk foods, sugars, and fatty foods is a big no-no. It puts your baby at risk of developing irreversible and long-term issues, including raised levels of blood sugar and cholesterol and obesity.

Instead, choose healthy options like leafy greens, nutritious fruits, lean meats, and whole foods. Here are more helpful hints on how to maintain good nutrition during pregnancy.

3. Limit The Caffeine

Coffee is the lifeblood for most busy women. But if you’re a soon-to-be-mom, drinking the same amount of coffee during pregnancy can increase your heartbeat, blood pressure, and frequent use of the restroom.

While it can get you through pregnancy fatigue, caffeine can cross the placenta and impact your growing baby. High caffeine consumption is associated with an increased risk of low birth weight as well as miscarriage.

If you really need coffee, drink less than 200 mg of caffeine daily. This should be the size of a 12 oz cup of coffee.

4. Too Much Exercise

Being active and fit during pregnancy can be extremely beneficial for you and your little one. It helps in maintaining good posture and reducing fatigue and other symptoms that come with pregnancy.

However, if you’re a workout junkie who follows a high-impact workout routine, pregnancy means you need to take it easy. Your body is working double time since it’s now responsible for another human being. Too much exercise during pregnancy means slow recovery times and can take a toll on your immune system.

Also, some workout routines like jumping, running, or any activities where falling is likely should be avoided, especially if you’re a high-risk pregnancy. Make sure to speak to your doctor to choose an exercise plan that’s appropriate for you.

5. Not Getting Enough Sleep

If you’re one who likes to binge-watch or scroll through your phone until midnight, then you need to stop this once you’re pregnant.

Poor sleeping habits during pregnancy have been shown to impact your health. It can lead to gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and hypertension. In addition, lack of sleep can complicate delivery. One study shows that pregnant women who slept for six hours or less went through labor longer and were more likely to undergo cesarean deliveries.

In addition, poor sleep may affect your developing baby. Insufficient total sleep can reduce the amount of growth hormone, leading to growth or developmental problems in your baby.

6. Too Much Stress

Stress is necessary for the proper functioning of the body. However, experiencing too much stress, especially during pregnancy, can cause serious health issues for you and your baby.

Excessive stress during pregnancy can increase your chance of having heart diseases and blood pressure. For your little one, it can increase the risk of premature birth and low birth weight. In addition, a study also found out that pregnant women who had major psychological stress exposure or negative life events were twice as likely to experience early miscarriages.

Conclusion

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful and critical times in a woman’s life. So if you still have any of the unhealthy lifestyle habits above, it’s best that you stop it right now to protect both you and your unborn child.