Tips for Bringing a Healthy Child Into The World

The health of your unborn children depends, in part, upon what you take into your body during your pregnancy. This article will take a look at a number of the things that you should do and some of the things that you should avoid doing in order to have the best chance of giving birth to a healthy baby.

Pesticides, Growth Hormones and Chemicals

Recent studies have indicated that if a woman is exposed to pesticides it can permanently decrease her baby's IQ and memory. If possible it would be best if you were to eat organic fruits and vegetables rather than conventionally grown crops that may have residual pesticides during your pregnancy.

Since the linings of canned foods usual contain bisphenol A (BA), which is a synthetic estrogen, it's best to avoid canned food as well.

In addition, pregnant women should consider drinking milk and eating meat that does not contain any added growth hormones.

Water

Instead of drinking bottled water, which cost more than filtered water (and is not necessarily better), pregnant women should consider filtering their tap water. And, because it's important that pregnant women drink a lot of water, they should consider using a carbon filter pitcher or a reverse osmosis system in order to reduce their exposure to impurities such as lead, perchlorate, and chlorine.

You should have your tap water tested for lead if you live in an older home. And, if your home was built prior to 1978 you should have your paint tested. Lead house paint was banned that year. One of the most common sources of lead exposure is from dust from old paint that has been sanded.

When outside your home it would be best to use a glass, stainless steel, or BPA-free reusable plastic container to drink from.

And after the baby is born make sure to mix his or her formula with fluoride-free water.

Iodized Salt

Iodine tends to act as a buffer against chemicals such as perchlorate. Perchlorate can disrupt a woman's thyroid system and affect her baby's brain development while she is pregnant and during her baby's infancy. Therefore, if you are pregnant you should talk to your doctor about only using iodized salt while you are pregnant and nursing.