What not to do during pregnancy 1st trimester

Folic acid significantly reduces your baby’s risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. 

If you are pregnant, start taking 400 micrograms of folic acid as a supplement as soon as possible until the end of the first trimester (week 12 of your pregnancy).

Some people may need a higher dose of folic acid, for example if you have diabetes or epilepsy. This is only available on prescription. Find out more about folic acid.

You are also recommended to take a Vitamin D supplement during pregnancy and during breastfeeding. This helps your baby develop healthy bones, teeth and muscles. 

These 2 supplements are the only ones you need in pregnancy, alongside a healthy, balanced diet. 

Find out more about pregnancy supplements. 

Eat well 

Having a balanced diet and eating well during pregnancy means having a good variety of foods, such as fruit and vegetable, meat, cheese, potatoes, beans and pulses. This will ensure you have the energy and nutrients you and your baby need during pregnancy. 

If you feel you are struggling to follow a healthy diet during pregnancy, ask your midwife or GP for support. They might be able to refer you to a dietitian to help you. 

Read all about how to eat well in pregnancy.

Stay active

Staying active during pregnancy is great for you and your baby. It can help you sleep better, reduce anxiety and help you stay healthy through pregnancy. 

If you were active before you became pregnant, you can continue at the same level. But listen to your body and slow down if you begin to feel uncomfortable. If you didn’t exercise much before you became pregnant, build up slowly and aim for 30 minutes each day. 

Exercise does not have to be strenuous to make a difference. Even gentle walks are good.

Read all about exercise and pregnancy.

Avoid diving or playing contact sports

Most exercise is safe and healthy to continue during pregnancy. But there are some activities you should not do.  

Read about activities that are best to avoid during pregnancy. 

Monitor your baby’s movements

Feeling your baby move is a sign that they are well. You usually start to feel your baby moving when you’re between 18 and 24 weeks. If this is your first baby, you might not feel movements until after 20 weeks.

The movements can feel like a gentle swirling or fluttering. As your pregnancy progresses, you may feel kicks and jerky movements.

Get to know your baby’s pattern of movements and contact your midwife or maternity unit immediately if you think these have slowed down, stopped or changed. You should feel your baby move right up to and during labour.  

Find out more about monitoring your baby’s movements. 

Go to sleep on your side in the third trimester

Our advice is to go sleep on your side in the third trimester because research has shown that this is safer for your baby.  This includes night sleep and daytime naps. If you wake up on your back, try not to worry, just settle back to sleep on your side. 

Find out more about sleeping on your side in the third trimester. 

Take care of your mental health

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health during pregnancy. Being pregnant is an emotional experience and it can be normal to experience mood swings or feel low from time to time. However, it’s important that you ask for help if these feelings become unmanageable or last longer than a couple of weeks. 

You won’t be judged for how you feel. As many as 1 in 5 women develop mental health issues when they are pregnant and up to a year after birth. Your pregnancy care team understand that mental health conditions can affect anyone at any time. 

Find out more about taking care of your mental wellbeing during pregnancy. 

Consider having vaccinations that are offered

You’ll be offered vaccinations during pregnancy.

The whooping cough vaccine

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a respiratory infection that develops into severe coughing fits. This illness can be very severe, especially in very young babies. Pregnant people are recommended to have the vaccine to protect their baby until they are old enough to have their first vaccinations. 

The best time to get vaccinated to protect your baby is from week 16 up to 32 weeks of pregnancy. But you can have the vaccine anytime from 16 weeks right up until labour. However, it may be less effective if you have it after 38 weeks.  

There are no recommendations in the UK for your partner to have this vaccine.

The flu vaccine (between September and February) 

All pregnant people are recommended to have the flu vaccine, whatever stage of pregnancy you are at. This is because having the flu in pregnancy can cause complications, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy. 

Read more about having these vaccinations in pregnancy.

Covid-19 vaccine

Pregnant people are recommended to have their COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible. Find out more about the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Carry your pregnancy notes with you

It’s a good idea to carry your antenatal notes everywhere you go as they contain all your medical and pregnancy history. This is particularly important if you need to go to the maternity unit, especially at short notice. 

Make sure you’re prepared if you travel abroad

If you’re flying abroad make sure your travel insurance covers you for any pregnancy complications and take your maternity notes with you.

Long-distance travel (more than 4 hours) may increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots. Try to:

• wear compression or support stockings (available from the pharmacy or the airport), which will help reduce leg swelling
• drink plenty of water
• move around often. 

If you intend to fly after 28 weeks check the airline’s policy. They may ask for a letter from your doctor or midwife confirming your due date, and that you aren't at risk of complications. Find out more about flying in pregnancy. 

Be aware of red-flag symptoms

There are some symptoms that should always be checked with a midwife or doctor as they could be a sign that the baby is unwell. This include:

You should always contact your midwife if you feel that something is wrong with you or the baby. Even if you don't know exactly what it is. It's important to trust your instincts in pregnancy.

Things to avoid during your pregnancy

Try not to ‘eat for two’

Your baby will take all they need from you as they grow, so there’s no need for extra calories in the first or second trimester. In the third trimester, you might need an extra 200 calories if you are active. This is the equivalent to around half a sandwich. 

Find out more about how much to eat in pregnancy. 

Avoid losing weight during pregnancy 

Cutting out food groups to try to lose weight may stop your baby getting nutrients they need for growth. Instead of restricting your diet, the best thing to do is manage your weight through eating a healthy, balanced diet, with a variety of foods from each of the main food groups. 

Find out more about managing your weight during pregnancy. 

Avoid certain foods during pregnancy  

Some foods carry a small risk of infections during pregnancy, such as toxoplasmosis or listeriosis. These infections are rare but can cause problems for your developing baby. 

Take a look at our list of foods to avoid during pregnancy. 

You may also find it useful to read more about how to avoid infections during pregnancy.

Avoid caffeine

High levels have been linked to pregnancy complications, so it is best to limit your caffeine intake as much as possible. 

The current NHS guidelines recommend that you should have less than 200mg a day. This is about 2 cups of instant coffee. 

Find out your daily caffeine intake with our caffeine calculator.

If you smoke, try to quit 

If you smoke, quitting is one of the best things you can do for you and your baby. 

Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of serious complications in pregnancy, including miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. 

Quitting smoking can be difficult, but it’s never too late to stop. Get support to quit smoking.

Avoid drinking alcohol 

Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby. The more you drink, the greater the risk. There is no known safe level for drinking alcohol during pregnancy, so it’s best to avoid it completely during pregnancy.  

Find out more about drinking alcohol during pregnancy. 

Stay away from recreational drugs 

Cocaine, meta-amphetamines, cannabis, psychoactive substances (so called ‘legal highs’) are all likely to increase risks of health problems.

If you are taking illegal drugs, it is important to talk to your midwife or doctor. They will not judge you and can give you the right care and support during your pregnancy. The more they know, the more they can help you and your baby to get the right treatment.

You can also get confidential (they will not speak to anyone else about your drug-use) extra support from Talk to Frank. 

There are a few products or lifestyle habits pregnant women and their partners should be cautious of during pregnancy. From hair highlights to house paints, learn more about what's safe for your baby.

Acupuncture and massage

While some complementary therapies, such as acupuncture and massage, are generally considered to be safe during pregnancy, there are still times during pregnancy when they should not be used. For example, your abdomen should not be massaged during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

It is generally safe to have acupuncture when you are pregnant. You should look for a qualified acupuncturist who has extensive training and experience with pregnant women. Tell your acupuncturist you are pregnant because certain acupuncture points cannot be used safely during pregnancy.

If you’re considering using a complementary therapy, it’s important to tell your doctor or midwife. If you then decide to use a complementary therapy, you should always consult a qualified practitioner who is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA).

Cats

Toxoplasmosis is a common infection that occurs in most birds and mammals, including humans, and can cause serious problems in pregnancy. The parasite called Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) can be found in cat faeces or soil — or cat litter that is contaminated with infected cat faeces.

The risk of getting toxoplasmosis when you're pregnant is very low. But if do you get toxoplasmosis in the early stages of pregnancy, the risk of miscarriage is increased and it can cause blindness and brain damage in an unborn baby.

Signs of toxoplasmosis include mild flu-like symptoms, such as high temperature, sore throat and aching muscles. However, in most cases, toxoplasmosis doesn't cause any symptoms.

Pregnant women are not routinely screened for toxoplasmosis. It's therefore important that you know how to prevent infection.

Cleaning products

Check the labels of cleaning products to make sure there are no safety warnings for pregnant women. If you use cleaning products, glues, paint or any other household chemicals, follow the safety directions on the label. Make sure the room is well ventilated when you are cleaning — open windows and doors.

Some moth balls and toilet deodorant cakes contain a substance called naphthalene. Exposure to very large amounts of naphthalene can damage blood cells, leading to a condition called haemolytic anaemia. Symptoms that may occur after exposure to large quantities of naphthalene include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Newborn babies are particularly at risk if they are exposed to naphthalene.

Exercise

It’s great to be active and stay fit while you’re pregnant, but check with your midwife or doctor first to make sure there are no health problems that prevent you from exercising. If there are no problems, try to do 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like walking or swimming, on most days of the week.

Regular exercise can:

• help you stay at a healthy weight
• help you relax
• help make you stronger and fitter — good for coping with pregnancy, labour and being a parent
• help decrease discomforts like back pain and varicose veins that affect some pregnant women

Fake tan

The active ingredient in fake tan is dihydroxyacetone (DHA), a non-toxic substance that reacts with cells in the outermost layer of the skin and produces a brown pigment (colour) called melanoidin. The DHA does not go beyond the outer layer of skin and therefore is not absorbed into the body. It is fine to use fake tan creams and lotions while you are pregnant.

It is not a good idea to have a spray tan while you are pregnant because you might inhale some spray, and it is not know whether this is dangerous for the baby. Also, fake tans can sometimes cause an allergic reaction. Pregnancy changes your hormone levels and can make the skin more sensitive than normal. If you do use fake tan, always test the product on a small area of skin first to see if you have a reaction.

Although some fake tans contain sun protection, the SPF (sun protection factor) is usually very low. Increased skin sensitivity when pregnant can mean you’re more likely to burn, so use a high protection cream (minimum SPF 30) and stay out of the sun as much as possible.

No one should use tanning pills or tanning injections. Tanning pills contain high amounts of betacarotene and/or a chemical called canthaxanthin that have been linked with dangerous side effects, including damage to the eyes and the liver. Injections containing Melanotan, which increases melanin in the skin, are not approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for tanning, and it is classified as a prescription-only medicine.

Food

There are some foods you should avoid when you're pregnant because they might make you ill or harm your baby. Learn more about the foods you should avoid, or that you need to take extra care with when you're pregnant here.

Alcohol

There is no safe level of alcohol during pregnancy. Whether you are planning a pregnancy, already pregnant or breastfeeding, not drinking is the safest option as alcohol can harm your unborn baby.

Hair dye

Most research, although limited, shows that it’s safe to colour your hair while pregnant. Some studies have found that very high doses of the chemicals in hair dyes may cause harm. However, these doses are massive compared to the very low amount of chemicals when you dye your hair.

Many women decide to wait to dye their hair until after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, when the risk of chemical substances harming the baby is much lower. If you are colouring your hair yourself, or you work in a hair salon, you can reduce the risk further by making sure that you:

• wear gloves
• leave the dye on for the minimum time
• work in a well-ventilated room

Highlighting your hair, by putting the dye only onto strands of hair, also reduces any risk. The chemicals used are only absorbed by your hair, and not by your scalp or bloodstream.

Semi-permanent pure vegetable dyes, such as henna, are a safe alternative.

Pregnancy can affect your hair’s normal condition. For example, your hair may react differently to colouring or perming and become more or less absorbent, frizzy or unpredictable.

It's always a good idea to do a strand test first, using the hair dye or treatment that you intend to use. Speak to your hairdresser for advice.

Hair treatments during breastfeeding

Information about hair treatments while breastfeeding is limited. However, it’s very unlikely that a significant amount of the chemicals used in hair dyes will be passed on through your breast milk. This is because very little enters your bloodstream. Many women have used hair treatments while breastfeeding, with no known negative results.

Painting

The risk of fumes from modern household paints harming your baby is low, but it’s impossible to know exactly how small the risk is. This is because it’s very difficult to measure the substances and chemicals your body absorbs during activities such as painting.

There has been very little research into the effects of paint fumes on unborn babies. The few studies that have been done show that the risk is extremely low.

Renovating houses can increase your exposure to lead. If your house was built before 1971 (when lead-based paint was still available), get advice before doing anything that disturbs the paint. Disturbing lead-based paint can spread lead dust into the air and around the house. It’s important that pregnant women and children aren’t around during renovations that disturb lead-based paint.

Any small risk to your baby is greatest during your first trimester when your baby’s organs start to develop. Any harmful fumes or chemicals at this stage could affect your baby more severely. As a precaution it’s best to avoid painting and decorating until at least the 14th week of your pregnancy.

Sauna or jacuzzi

There is little research on using saunas, jacuzzis and similar heated leisure facilities during pregnancy. However, it's advisable to avoid them because of the risks of overheating, dehydration and fainting.

You’re likely to feel warmer during pregnancy. This is due to hormonal changes and an increase in blood supply to the skin. These hormonal changes can also often make pregnant women feel faint.

If you overheat, more blood flows close to your skin, to help cool your body by sweating. This means less blood flows to your internal organs such as your brain. If this happens, your brain may not get enough blood and, therefore, oxygen. This can make you feel faint.

When you use a sauna, jacuzzi, hot tub, steam bath or steam room, your body cannot lose heat effectively by sweating. Your body's core temperature therefore rises. It's possible that a significant rise in your core temperature may affect your unborn baby's development, particularly in the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy.

Take care when you get out of a hot bath or stand up quickly, as these can also make you feel faint.

Sunbeds

Sunbeds (solariums) give out ultraviolet (UV) rays, the same type of harmful radiation found in sunlight. Using a sunbed increases your risk of developing skin cancer including malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. It is illegal to operate a commercial solarium in Australia.

There is no clear evidence about the effect of UV rays from sunbeds on an unborn baby. Some studies have suggested there may be a link between increased UV rays and a folic acid deficiency. This is because UV rays can break down folic acid.

Pregnant women often find that their skin is more sensitive than usual. If you use a sunbed when you are pregnant, your skin may therefore be more likely to burn.

X-rays

If possible, you should avoid having an x-ray while you’re pregnant. Your healthcare professional will assess whether your treatment can wait until you’ve had your baby. They will assess whether the benefits of treatment outweigh the low risk of having an x-ray. They may also consider using another imaging method instead, such as an ultrasound scan.

The risk from x-ray radiation is related to the stage of pregnancy at which the exposure occurs and the dosage amount that reaches the baby. There is slight risk of birth defects and physical and mental development problems.

However, repeated exposure to radiation can damage the body's cells, which can increase the risk of cancer developing. This is why the dose of radiation used in an x-ray is always as low as possible. X-rays during pregnancy carry a very small risk of exposing the unborn baby to radiation, which could cause cancer to develop during his or her childhood.

To find out more, visit Inside Radiology - Radiation risk of medical imaging during pregnancy.

Dental x-rays

Make sure your dentist knows that you're pregnant. If you need a dental x-ray, your dentist will usually wait until you've had the baby, even though most dental x-rays don't affect the abdomen or pelvic area.

Other radiology tests

It is vital you tell your doctor or specialist if you are or may be pregnant because some procedures can affect the fetus. Your doctor or specialist will refer you for an appropriate radiology procedure if it is safe to do so. You must also inform the hospital or radiology practice when you make the appointment and the medical staff performing the procedure if you are or may be pregnant.

Breastfeeding and x-rays

In general, you do not need to interrupt breastfeeding to have radiological tests such as an x-ray, MRI, CT, angiogram, ultrasound or mammogram. These examinations do not affect breastfeeding.

But it is important that you tell your doctor or specialist if you are breastfeeding. Some procedures can involve a radioactive substance being injected into your vein that will take a few days to flush out of your body through your urine. While it is in your body, a very small amount of radioactive substance can be passed on to your child through the breast milk. Your doctor or specialist and their staff will give you instructions, such as to express and throw away breast milk for a short time after having the scan, so that your child is not exposed to the radioactive substance unnecessarily.

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 to speak to a maternal child health nurse.