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Weeding a garden often requires repeated or prolonged bending that can stress the lower back. Under normal circumstances, you might experience a few aches and muscle pains the following day, but the risk of back injuries increases if you are pregnant.
During pregnancy, your ligaments and tendons loosen and lose some stability. In addition, the growing baby changes your center of gravity, making it easier to lose your balance and fall. Both can contribute to issues with weeding your garden.
Whether weeding the garden is safe for you depends on the stage of your pregnancy, your overall health, and the task’s difficulty. Pulling a few small weeds isn’t likely to cause issues, but struggling to remove overgrown or stubborn weeds might.
Gardening, including weeding, improves mood, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, improves overall health, and doesn’t need to be avoided when pregnant. It can be a healthy form of exercise, but there are some precautions you should take to prevent injuries and risks to the baby.
Tips for Making Weeding Easier
Weeding can seem like a never-ending task to the gardener. No sooner do you rid the garden of the pesky weeds than new weeds pop through the soil, and you need to start all over again. If you are pregnant, staying ahead of the weeds may seem even more challenging. Fortunately, there are ways to keep weeds at bay without needing to weed the garden every day.
Use Landscape Fabric
Landscape fabric under your plants helps to eliminate weeds in the garden. Of course, it isn’t foolproof, but it will block most weeds.
Put landscape fabric under your plants in the spring to keep weeds under control.
If laying the fabric is a challenge for you, enlist the help of family or friends.
Use Mulch
Mulch is another effective way to keep weeds under control. You can use bark, pine straw, or other commercial mulch around your flowers and vegetables to create a barrier for weeds. To be effective, mulch should be 3 to 4 inches deep. You will likely need help getting the mulch down as the bags can be heavy, but your weeding tasks should be minimal once it is in place. As an added bonus, mulch also helps retain moisture, reducing your garden’s water needs.
Use a Sprinkler
Who says lawn sprinklers are only for lawns? They can be used in the garden, making it quick and easy to water the garden.
By setting up sprinklers in the garden early in the season, you can eliminate the need to fuss with heavy garden hoses to water your garden.
Use Small Tools
You may find it easier to handle small garden tools when pregnant. Look for short-handled rakes and hoes that are easy to use and put less stress on the back.
Tips for Safe Gardening During Pregnancy
Wear Protective Clothing
Long pants, long sleeves, and gloves are essential attire if you are gardening while pregnant. They protect your skin from sunburn, insect bites, and other contaminants, but most important of all, they protect you from harmful pathogens in the soil.
The Toxoplasma gondii parasite from the feces of infected cats can live in your garden soil. It can lead to toxoplasmosis and can be transferred to your unborn baby. In severe cases, toxoplasmosis can cause congenital toxoplasmosis and lead to birth defects in the baby.
To avoid contact with the toxoplasma gondii parasite, it is vital to keep your skin and hands covered, avoid touching your hands and face when gardening, wash fruits and veggies before eating them and wash your hands thoroughly after gardening.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
Your growing baby affects your center of gravity, making it easier to lose your balance and fall. It is essential to wear comfortable shoes that fit your feet well and provide adequate support to prevent stumbling or to fall in the garden.
In addition, comfortable shoes help prevent ankle and foot swelling that is common in pregnancy.
Avoid Chemicals
While you likely know that avoiding chemicals like insecticides and pesticides (like neem oil) is essential during pregnancy, you might not realize this applies to many natural or organic products. Just because a product is labeled as safe for the environment doesn’t mean it is safe for you to inhale or get on your skin.
If chemical or natural products are necessary for your garden, have someone else apply them and stay inside until finished. Sprays and powders can drift in the wind and may contaminate you even if you think you are a safe distance away. Likewise, do not handle newly treated plants until they have dried. Observe all safety warnings on the container.
Drink Plenty of Water
It is easy to get dehydrated when working in the garden, especially on hot days. Keep a bottle of cool water with you and sip on it as you work. Keeping yourself hydrated is an integral part of gardening, especially if you are pregnant.
Stop When You Are Tired
You may tire quickly without noticing it when you are pregnant. It is essential to recognize the first signs of getting tired and taking a break or stopping for the day. Trying to push forward and complete gardening tasks when getting tired can lead to exhaustion.
Ask for Help When You Need It
There will likely be some tasks that are too difficult to handle on your own, like lifting heavy objects, hauling away garden debris, or even pulling up weeds with massive root systems like crabgrass. It is essential to ask for help when you need it so that you don’t overdo it and suffer injuries.
Avoid Lifting Heavy Objects
Lifting heavy objects can also be a challenge when pregnant, as it can cause serious problems, such as miscarriage in the early months or premature labor in the last trimester. It is essential to avoid lifting heavy objects from the ground level. If you must lift, make sure the object is at least 17 inches from the ground. The waist level is even better. Talk to your medical care professionals to determine how much weight is safe for you to lift.
Avoid Pulling and Tugging Excessively
Pulling and tugging on stubborn weeds can put a lot of strain on your body. If you encounter stubborn weeds like invasive grasses or dandelions that have extensive root systems, resist the urge to tug and pull excessively to remove them. This is a time when asking for help is the best solution.
Garden When It Is Cool
Gardening in the sun on a hot day can lead to heat exhaustion or dehydration and poses a risk when you are pregnant. Choose times to garden when it is cool, such as the early morning or late afternoon, and avoid the heat of midday.
Accommodations for Gardening When You Are Pregnant
Raised Beds
Raised beds can be built, so they rest at waist level eliminating the need to stoop and bend. These raised beds make weeding and tending to plants easier and can make gardening easier for you.
Another advantage of gardening in raised beds is filling them with commercial potting mixes that are typically free of pathogens.
If you are concerned about feral cats using your garden as a litter box and contaminating it with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, raised beds filled with a commercial potting mix will reduce the chances of it becoming an issue.
When Should You Avoid Gardening When Pregnant?
You can garden during a healthy pregnancy as long as it is comfortable for you and doesn’t cause discomfort and pain, but you should always seek and adhere to your doctor’s advice.
No two pregnancies are the same, and what you are able to do during pregnancy depends on the specifics of your pregnancy. Your doctor will advise you if there are tasks you should avoid.
Even with your doctor’s go-ahead, there are some signs that you should avoid gardening or at least take a break from your gardening activities. They include:
Feeling Overtired
Pregnancy can put a lot of stress on your body and leave you feeling tired. This is particularly true when you engage in physical activity. If your gardening activities leave you feeling overtired or exhausted, take it as a sign that your body needs to rest.
Avoid the urge to finish gardening tasks before taking a break. Stop and take a break or leave gardening tasks for another day as soon as you begin to feel overtired.
Experiencing Pain
Gardening shouldn’t be painful. If your gardening activities cause pain, take it as a sign to lighten up and avoid strenuous tasks. Consider asking for help or altering the way you complete gardening tasks.
For example, kneel on a padded knee pad instead of bending to tend to flowers and plants (or to pull weeds) if weeding causes you back pain.
Feeling Overheated
It is easy to get overheated when gardening, especially on a sunny day. But don’t ignore it as it can lead to heat exhaustion and dehydration. Try to garden during the morning or evening when it is cooler and take frequent breaks in the shade.
Being Dehydrated
It is easy to get dehydrated when working in the garden, but you can avoid it by staying hydrated. Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.
Against Doctor’s Recommendations
If your doctor has told you to avoid certain garden tasks, take their word to heart. They know your health conditions and have made recommendations to keep you and the baby healthy. Resist the urge to do more than your doctor says is safe for you, even if you know other pregnant women who can do more.
Related Questions
How much weight can you lift while pregnant?
The amount of weight you can lift safely during your pregnancy depends on your fitness level, the stage of your pregnancy, and any other health issues you may have. While there is no definitive answer to how much weight is too much for you, the general recommendation is no more than 25 to 30 pounds for a healthy pregnancy.
To determine how much weight you can lift safely during your pregnancy, seek your doctor’s advice, as he will know if you have any additional health concerns that may limit how much you can lift safely during pregnancy.
Are natural or organic pesticides safe during pregnancy?
Just because a product is labeled as natural or organic does not mean it is safe to inhale or that it will not penetrate the skin. While natural and organic fertilizers and pesticides are typically safer to handle than chemical versions, they are not intended to be used without precautions.
Avoid inhaling any gardening product, and always wear protective clothing. Avoid touching your face, mouth, or eyes, and wash your hands thoroughly as soon as you are done gardening. Likewise, wash all fruits and veggies before eating them as they may contain traces of fertilizer or pesticides.
With proper planning and protective clothing, gardening can be a relaxing and healthy activity when you are pregnant. Learn to listen to your body, avoid gardening activities that cause you pain or discomfort, and always seek your medical care provider’s advice before beginning a new activity.
Why is gardening bad during pregnancy?
Gardening is a healthy activity and can be done safely when pregnant, but it poses some challenges. One of the most common concerns is contact with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite that can live in garden soil.
But you can reduce the risks of contracting it by wearing protective clothing and gardening gloves and taking care to wash your hands and exposed skin thoroughly after gardening. Otherwise, following the tips above for pregnant gardening will keep you and the baby safe from injuries.
Sources
- https://www.daviddomoney.com/gardening-while-pregnant/
- https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/is-gardening-safe-during-pregnancy/
- https://www.thehealthsite.com/pregnancy/gardening-during-pregnancy-10-tips-to-stay-safe-and-avoid-toxoplasmosis-d1117-532730/
- https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/how-much-weight-should-you-be-lifting-while-youre-pregnant/