Congratulations on your pregnancy! Here are some important things to remember to keep you and your baby as healthy as can be:

1. Don't consume alcohol. Drinking during your pregnancy can lead to birth defects like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

2. Stop smoking during your pregnancy. The toxins in cigarettes can transmit from mother to baby in the womb, leading to birth defects. And they aren’t healthy for mom either!

3. Don't drink more than one small cup of coffee a day. High doses of caffeine have been proven to lead to miscarriages and premature births.

4. Avoid consuming raw meat or raw shellfish. They can lead to bacterial infections, impacting fetal development. You should also avoid fish that contain high levels of mercury, such as shark, swordfish, and tilefish.

5. Don’t indulge in any soft cheeses or unpasteurized milk. Because of the lack of pasteurization, they may contain listeria, a type of bacteria that can lead to miscarriages.

6. Excessive exercise, especially after 20 weeks of gestation, can increase the chance of trauma to the fetus. But that doesn’t mean all exercise is bad! You should still continue to do light exercise, such as swimming, yoga, and moderate walking.

7. If you are underweight, make sure that you are eating enough food to support your baby. Not gaining enough weight during pregnancy can lead to a low birth weight, potentially impacting childhood development.

8. Gaining too much weight during your pregnancy isn’t good either. Extra weight during pregnancy increases the chance of childhood obesity and increases the difficulty of mom losing the weight after the baby is born.

9. Environmental and occupational hazards such as high mental stress, high temperatures, electromagnetic waves, chemicals, and radiation can all impact your baby's development. If you live or work in dangerous areas, avoid as much exposure as possible.

10. Bacteria, diseases, infections, even STI's can be transmitted to the fetus. If you have any pre-existing conditions, share them with your medical provider.

It may feel like the list of things to avoid during your pregnancy is too long to manage, but as long as you avoid the activities and foods that may cause your baby harm, you’ll find that it’s easy to keep both you and your baby healthy!