Foods to avoid

There are a lot of traditional Thanksgiving day foods you might want to be wary of for various reasons but mostly because of under cooking. Make sure the turkey is cooked fully and if the stuffing was made inside the turkey its probably best to avoid it. Cheese trays or any products that come from the chiller cabinet at the store (smoked meats, deli meats etc), these have been known to carry listeria. And finally make sure if your family is serving cider or egg nog that it is pasteurized before you imbibe.

Foods that are good for you and baby

Though there may be some foods to avoid during Thanksgiving there are also a lot of healthy foods that are really good for you and baby. Any pumpkin or squash dish will be great for you and baby, so go ahead and enjoy that pumpkin pie. Green beans are also a good source for vitamins C, A and K. Also, if a bowl of mixed nuts has been set out this will give your baby healthy, nutritious fatty acids that aid in brain development.

Don’t overwork or overstress

If you underestimated how pregnant you would be come Thanksgiving and already invited the family over why not make this Thanksgiving a pot luck. Most likely your family will be glad to pitch in. You can also try cooking your dishes in advance to avoid standing on your feet all day. Remember to take time to get off your feet and relax periodically throughout the day.

Also, with the additional hormones you have rampaging through your body remember that you are with family, you love them and they love you. No doubt someone is going to say something that might hit you the wrong way. Breathe through it and don’t stress about it. Stress is not good for you or the baby. Most likely they meant well and love you, but we all know how stressful family can be. Try bringing a stress ball and squeezing it whenever someone inevitably gets out of line.

Dress comfortably

You are most likely going to be gone all day to be with family. You may already be pretty uncomfortable just being pregnant so you may want to think twice about things you are wearing. Heals may be better off staying in the closet this year. Perhaps a pair of ballet flats? Also sweaters, most likely the home you are going to be at will be over heated because of all the cooking going on. Try wearing layers, so that if you are to hot or too cold you can adjust accordingly.

Be prepared for heartburn

50% of pregnant women get heartburn frequently during their pregnancy. On Thanksgiving I’m sure that number increases, you can help your body avoid heartburn by eating smaller portions and eat slowly. Also try and avoid overly fatty foods. A tall act on Thanksgiving since so many traditional dishes are extremely rich, so look into bringing some pregnancy heart burn tea to sip after your meal.