Foods to avoid during 1st Trimester of Pregnancy

• Avoid alcohol and smoking during pregnancy. Alcohol has been linked to premature delivery, mental retardation, birth defects and low birth weight babies.
• Limit caffeine to no more than 300 mg. per day. The caffeine content in various drinks depends on the beans or leaves used and how it was prepared
• The use of saccharin is strongly discouraged during pregnancy because it can cross the placenta and may remain in fetal tissues. But, the use of other non-nutritive or artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA is acceptable during pregnancy. These FDA-approved sweeteners include aspartame (Equal or NutraSweet), acesulfame-K (Sunett) and sucralose (Splenda)
• Decrease the total amount of fat you eat to 30% or less of your total daily calories. Limit cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams (mg) or less per day
• Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish (also called white snapper), because they contain high levels of mercury
• Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, and Mexican-style cheese. These cheeses are often unpasteurized and may cause Listeria infection. Hard cheese, processed cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt need not be avoided

Morning Sickness- Eat crackers, cereal or pretzels before getting out of bed; eat small, frequent meals throughout the day; avoid fatty, fried and greasy foods.
Constipation- Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. Also drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.
Diarrhoea - Eat more foods that contain pectin and gums (two types of dietary fiber) to help absorb excess water. Examples of these foods are: applesauce, bananas, white rice, oatmeal, and refined wheat bread.
Heartburn-Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day; try drinking cold milk before eating; and limit caffeinated foods and beverages.