- Wash your hands before handling any food and after handling food such as raw meat, poultry and fish
- Wash and sanitize any surface that is in contact with raw meat, poultry or fish. You can use a solution of 2 ml (1/2 tsp) of household bleach in 1 litre of water. After sanitizing, change your dishcloth and wash your hands
- Refrigerate or freeze perishable food, prepared food and leftovers within 2 hours
- Check the temperature in your refrigerator using a thermometer to make sure it’s at 4°C (40°F) or below. The temperature of your deep freezer/chest freezer should be -18°C (0°F)
- For more information about food safety and pregnancy, click here
Other concerns
Caffeine: Small amounts of caffeine during pregnancy are fine for most people. If you drink coffee, limit your total caffeine intake to 300 mg per day or less (no more than 500 ml or 2 cups). Caffeine content in coffee is about 150 mg in 1 cup (250 ml). Caffeine is also found in tea (green and black teas contain about 30-50 mg per 250 ml or 1 cup), cola and chocolate. They are safe to drink in the amounts recommended. Avoid all energy drinks during pregnancy due to caffeine content and other substances that may not have been studied for safety during pregnancy.
Higher caffeine intake is associated with negative effects on reproduction, spontaneous miscarriage and low birth weight.
Herbal Teas:
Many herbal teas and herbs can have harmful effects on your baby. However, you can drink up to 3 cups (750 ml) a day of the following herbal teas (steeped for no longer than 3 – 5 minutes):
- Orange peel
- Ginger
- Bitter orange
- Peppermint leaf
- Rose hip
Flax Seed Oil: Avoid flax seed oil when you are pregnant.
Natural health products such as herbal supplements should be avoided during pregnancy. The risk of many of these products for a growing baby is not known. Check with your healthcare provider before taking any natural health products.
Alternative Sweeteners:
You can eat moderate amounts of alternative sweeteners that are considered safe in pregnancy. These include aspartame (NutraSweet®), sucralose (Splenda®), acesulfame K (Sunette®), stevia and saccharin.
Avoid using cyclamate, found in tabletop sweeteners, such as: Sucaryl®, Sweet’n Low®, Sugar Twin® and Weight Watchers®, Alternative sweeteners often replace nutritious foods that are important during pregnancy