Ho ho ho, It's Christmas, Enjoy the Festive Season

Just because you're pregnant, it doesn't mean you have to miss out on all the Christmas fun. Follow our top 10 tips to help you relax and enjoy the festive season - you deserve it!

• Enjoy your food
• Make it a no-stress Noel!
• Put your feet up
• Avoid heartburn
• Don't overdo it
• Watch the alcohol
• Be good to yourself
• Talk to your baby
• Take time out for exercise
• Trimester tips

1. Enjoy your food

• Turkey is safe and and nutritious but check it's thawed properly before you cook it, and that it's cooked through, to avoid the risk of salmonella infection and toxoplasmosis," says dietician Fiona Ford at Centre for Pregnancy Nutrition, Sheffield University. Have plenty of vegetables - they're full of fibre, a great antidote for all that rich food which can make you constipated.
• "Tuck into Christmas pudding - it's only peanuts that you need to avoid if you or your partner has a family history of eczema or asthma," says Fiona Ford.
• Shop-bought Christmas cake is fine, but if it's homemade check whether the icing contains raw eggs.
• Avoid home-made ice cream, mousses and meringues, as these contain raw or under-cooked eggs, which harbour salmonella bacteria. "And don't leave creamy puddings out of the fridge for long," says Fiona Ford.
• When the cheeseboard comes out, take extra care (see our Food Safety feature for more details) as you need to avoid any unpasteurised, mould-ripened or blue-veined cheeses, which can harbour listeria. Give all types of pate a miss as they can contain listeria too.
• "Buy pre-packed and date-stamped cold meats to be on the safe side," says Fiona Ford.

2. No-stress Noel!

It's easy to get carried away in the whirlwind of pre-Christmas preparations and end up stressed out. This isn't good for you or your baby. Researchers at the University of Utrecht found that mothers who were stressed in pregnancy had babies whose motor and mental skills developed more slowly during the first year after birth than those born to more relaxed mums. Enlist as much help as you can with shopping to avoid getting stressed by the crowds, doing as much as you can by mail order. And if you can, keep Christmas simple this year and spend it with a few loved ones who'll do what they can to help - avoid stressful family conflicts.

3. Put your feet up

Standing around at parties and Christmas shopping can cause swollen ankles (oedema) as fluid and the extra blood you produce in pregnancy pools around your feet. Your uterus puts pressure on the veins in your pelvis and slows down the circulation, causing the blood to pool. You may also retain extra water in pregnancy, which adds to the swelling. Sit down and take breaks when you're shopping, and at parties ask for a seat. Wearing support tights will help to boost the blood circulation in your legs to prevent swelling, and also helps if you have varicose veins. Put your feet up each day. Lie back and raise your legs so they're higher than your chest to allow good drainage of blood from your ankles and feet. Drink plenty of fluids and avoid salty foods to help prevent water retention. Swelling is one symptom of pre-eclampsia, so if it continues or is severe see your midwife.
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4. Mind your back!

During pregnancy all your ligaments soften in preparation for labour, and it's easy to injure your back if you're not careful. Have heavy shopping delivered or get your partner to carry it in from the car, and if you do have to lift anything, remember to hold the load close to your chest and bend your knees, not your back as you pick it up. And balancing on a chair to stick that tinsel in the corner isn't a good idea either as your bump alters your sense of gravity.

5. Avoid heartburn

A burning pain in your chest after eating is likely to be heartburn, which is more common in pregnancy because the muscular valve at the entrance to the stomach relaxes, allowing stomach acid to seep up into the food pipe. In addition, your growing baby and uterus press on your stomach which also forces acid back up into the food pipe. Don't eat big meals just before bedtime and avoid rich, fatty foods, spicy dishes, chocolate and citrus fruit.

6. Don't over-do it

Christmas can be an exhausting time even when you're not pregnant, with lots of late nights, endless shopping and cooking. Go easy on yourself this year and keep the late nights to a minimum, allowing yourself the luxury of a lie-in to catch up on sleep. Pregnancy puts a strain on your body because it's having to work much harder to support your growing baby, and feeling more tired than usual is normal and your body's way of telling you it needs more rest. "When I was pregnant last Christmas a used to sneak in a catnap after lunch or in the early evening if I knew I was going to be up late - it was the only way I could get through the evening," says Sarah Brown from Tonbridge, Kent.

6. Alcohol watch

Heavy or binge drinking during pregnancy can harm your baby's development, resulting in low birthweight and behavioural problems, as whatever you drink will be passed on to your baby via your bloodstream and the placenta, so be sensible. While some experts advise no alcohol at all in pregnancy, most agree that a couple of drinks over the course of a week won't do any harm, so you can enjoy a glass of champagne in Christmas day.

8. Be good to yourself

If family and friends ask what they can buy you this year, suggest some pampering treats such as soothing bath oils, body lotions or a voucher for a massage. Having a massage is a great way to relieve backache as well as stress and helps you to relax and focus on yourself and your growing baby. Aromatherapists advise you avoid essential oils before 12 weeks, and after that safe oils include orange, lemon and grapefruit (for energy boost), ylang ylang and sandalwood (to help relaxation). If in doubt, buy a special pregnancy blend. Alternatively, add 2-3 drops of one or two of the above oils to a warm bath, lie back and relax.

9. Talk to your baby

Christmas is an extra special time when you're pregnant and you'll find yourself focusing more on your growing baby. You can enhance that feeling of closeness by talking to your baby and letting him join in the festive spirit by listening to some Christmas carols together. According to pregnancy expert Dr Miriam Stoppard (Conception, Pregnancy & Birth - Dorling Kindersley £15.99), from around 20 weeks your baby's hearing is well developed and he can respond to sounds from outside the womb, especially music. From 24 weeks is a time of rapid brain development, and some experts believe you can stimulate brain development by playing music and talking to your baby in the womb.

10. Take time out for exercise

When the festive season gets too much for you, take time out and do yourself and yourr baby good by taking some exercise. Many studies have shown that moderate exercise throughout pregnancy is beneficial. A study published in Maternal Child Health found that women who exercised throughout pregnancy were less likely to have low birth weight babies, while another study found it may even reduce the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. It'll also give you more stamina to cope with the labour and help you to regain your pre-pregnancy body more quickly afterwards. Walking, swimming and pregnancy yoga are the safest forms of exercise to take.

TRIMESTER TIPS

First trimester If you're feeling nauseous, get someone else to do the cooking and eat bland snacks such as crackers or toast to stop sudden dips in blood sugar, which make you feel sick.

Second trimester Take advantage of the "blooming" stage of pregnancy and show off your bump in some gorgeous maternity party clothes. Treat yourself to something sexy and stretchy that will last until the end of your pregnancy.

Third trimester Big meals will give you indigestion and make you feel uncomfortable, so eat little and often instead.

Notes

 

Advice and tips to help you enjoy a stress free Christmas during pregnancy.

 

Christmas can be a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends, however for a Mum-to-be it can end up being stressful and exhausting and leave you feeling like your missing out on the socializing you usually enjoy. All is not lost - with some careful planning you too can enjoy a very Merry Christmas (although perhaps with a little less sherry than usual!!!)

Here are our tips to help you navigating the festive season....

• Although the festive period is always packed with opportunities for socializing, make sure you take some time out to relax. Have a nice bath, watch a film, do some yoga or cuddle up with your partner - however you do it just remember to take some time out, your baby will feel the benefits.



• Your body is doing twice as much work as usual and late nights can leave you feeling exhausted (especially if you are having trouble sleeping anyway), short cat naps in the afternoon will leave you feeling refreshed and revitalized and will benefit your baby as well as your body.
• If you are traveling this Christmas, remember to take your pregnancy notes with you in case you need to receive any medical attention (or go into labor!)
• Get someone else to do the work for you - if you are having family or friends to stay don't be afraid to ask for help. Whether its with the cooking or tidying up wrapping paper you shouldn't expect to be a domestic goddess just because you're expecting (if anything you should be the one sitting with your feet up!).
• If you are in the initial stages of pregnancy and aren't yet ready to share your exciting news, the key is in preparation. Don't be afraid to skip big nights out if you are feeling nauseous and exhausted (food poisoning is always a good excuse) and to avoid making people 'suspicious', think of a good reason as to why you are avoiding alcohol before you go out and stick to it throughout the Christmas period.
• Professional opinions differ as to whether it is safe to drink alcohol at all during pregnancy. While some recommend that you abstain completely, others believe it is ok to enjoy a glass on a special occasion - more than this can be very dangerous for your baby and frequent drinking can severely impair development. However, if you choose to enjoy a glass of champagne over Christmas the choice is entirely yours and you shouldn't be made to feel guilty about it.
• As usual you should drink lots of fluids (although avoid too many sugary or caffeinated drinks), especially if you are eating salty foods or standing up for long periods of time as this can help prevent water retention.
• If you are suffering with nausea even at the thought of rich Christmas food, you should try drinking lemonade or ginger tea to settle your stomach. It is important that you keep eating even if you do feel sick as your body needs nourishment to share with your baby. Try to eat something every 3 hours to keep your energy levels up, dry crackers or cereal may be palatable if you can't manage anything else. Additionally, citrus smells can help reduce the feeling of nausea.
• All the rich food available during the Christmas period can really make you appreciate your stretch-waist trousers! However, although this is definitely the time of year to indulge, you do need to keep an eye on what you are eating.
• Fill up on lots of healthy vegetables and fruit - these will nourish your baby and help to counteract the effects of too much rich food.
• Turkey is also a very healthy option as it is low in fat and rich in protein, plus the dark meat will top up your iron levels. Ensure that your turkey is cooked thoroughly before tucking in so as to avoid food poisoning.
• Make sure you have some indigestion remedies on hand to relieve the effects of overindulgence.
• During pregnancy you should always avoid unpasteurized, blue or molded cheeses, foods which contain uncooked egg (some icing, meringues and home made ice cream can catch you unawares), cured meats and pate, this also applies at Christmas.

By ensuring all of your food is cooked properly, avoiding smoky atmospheres and taking plenty of time out to rest and recuperate you should be able to survive the festive period and who knows, you may even have an absolutely wonderful time!!!