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When you are pregnant, you will need to be a little more careful about what you do. You don’t want to accidentally end up hurting yourself. So, what are some of the things to bear in mind while gardening when pregnant.
The main concern is that you will contract Toxoplasmosis. This can have potentially serious effects on your health and the health of your child. However, if you take a few basic precautions, like wearing gloves, you’ll be able to greatly reduce your risk of infection.
Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean that you need to stop enjoying yourself in the garden. You just need to modify your approach a little. Keep reading to learn some of the tips you can use.
Biggest Risks
In most cases, you will be able to safely garden when you are pregnant. But there are still a few risks that you should be aware of. The biggest is a parasitic infection called Toxoplasmosis
. This will be caused by the bacteria that are present in the soil.
Anyone who is working in the garden can be susceptible. However, there will be a higher risk for pregnant women. Your immune system will already be compromised. Unfortunately, the infection can also affect your child. This can lead to serious side effects, like blindness.
However, if you were already infected before you got pregnant, you will already have natural immunity. Because of this, you don’t need to worry about being infected again. This protection will also extend to your baby.
Tips to Keep Yourself Safe
The good news is that the risks of contracting Toxoplasmosis tend to be fairly low. But there are a few ways to reduce the risks even further. Some of the best preventative measures include:
- Wear gloves. This will stop contact with contaminated soil. You just need to remember not to touch your face or mouth.
- Wash your hands. Once you have finished, you’ll need to wash your hands with soap. This will remove any contaminants.
- Wash fruits and vegetables before eating. Sometimes, this infection can be passed through fruit and vegetables. To make sure that this doesn’t happen, you should wash them off before eating.
- Get tested. With a healthy immune system, Toxoplasmosis has very mild side effects. Because of this, you might have been infected and not known it. You can get a blood test to get a definitive answer. If you have already had a disease, you don’t need to worry about a new infection.
- Keep cats out of the garden. Sometimes, cat feces can be harboring harmful parasites.
- Know the symptoms. It can be a good idea to keep a lookout for some of the symptoms of this disease. Since you have a weakened immune system you will feel the effects more acutely than you would have before you were pregnant. You can look for things like; headaches, fever, fatigue, and body aches. If you think that something might be wrong, you can visit the doctor. They will be able to tell if it is Toxoplasmosis with a simple blood test.
Other Tips to Garden When Pregnant
There are a few other simple things that you can do to stay safe when gardening if you are pregnant. First, you will need to be careful about carrying heavy objects, like bags of mulch. Your spine will already be under pressure because of the weight of the baby. You don’t want to risk straining a muscle.
You might also want to think about getting a foldable seat. This is ideal if you have a raised garden bed. It ensures that you won’t need to bend over to tend to the plants.
Can You Do Weeding When Pregnant?
You should be able to remove weeds by hand without any problems. You just need to get a bench so you can sit down comfortably. However, you might run into some issues if you are planning on using chemical sprays.
Many of these sprays will contain potentially dangerous products. You should try to stick to the least toxic option. But it’s best if you avoid spraying it yourself. Get a friend to do it while you stay inside.
There are a few non-toxic ways to keep weeds and pests out of your garden. Some of these options include:
- Using mulch. Weeds will find it harder to get through this thick layer of organic matter.
- Try to keep plants relatively close together. This will ensure that there is plenty of shade, so the weeds will find it tougher to get the sunlight they need to grow.
- Use drip hoses. This ensures that your plants are getting watered, but the weeds are missing out. This is especially beneficial during a drought.
Benefits of Gardening When Pregnant
So far, we’ve looked at the risks of gardening and pregnancy. But, as long as you take a few simple precautions, it should be perfectly safe. In reality, there are plenty of reasons why doctors might recommend taking up gardening when pregnant.
Exercise
If you are pregnant, you will still need to find a way of keeping fit. Gardening can be a great way of doing this. It is low-impact, so it won’t put too much pressure on your back or joints. There are plenty of ways that gardening can be moderate exercise. For example, you will be raking leaves, digging holes for new plants, or pulling out weeds. Because of this, gardening will be able to burn around 300 calories every half-hour.
Mental Health Benefits
Pregnancy can be a very stressful time. There are lots of things for you to worry about. But this stress isn’t good for you or your baby. Because of this, you need to find a reliable way of releasing some of this tension.
Gardening has proven to be a popular option for many people. It is a place for you to be calm, giving you some time to relax. According to studies, you don’t need to spend every day in the garden to see this effect. You will be able to get calming benefits by gardening for just two hours each week. This is why gardening and pregnancy can often go hand in hand.
Fresh Food
Many people turn to gardening to give them a steady supply of fresh fruit and vegetables. Not only is this a great way of saving money, but you’ll also know where all your food is coming from. This ensures that you won’t need to give your family something that has been made with harmful chemicals.
Protection From Disease
When you are pregnant you want to find a way of protecting yourself from disease. Gardening can be an easy way of doing this. There are many ways that it can help you stay healthy.
You’ll be getting outside, so you’ll be able to get fresh air. You’ll also be getting plenty of exercise. It will also promote sleep, with studies showing that people who garden are more likely to get seven hours of sleep a night.
Spending some time in the sun will be a good way of getting Vitamin D. This plays a critical role in your body. It helps you build stronger bones. It also strengthens your immune system, so you will be less likely to get sick.
Final Thoughts
As long as you take a few simple precautions, gardening will carry a low risk for Toxoplasmosis. You should also avoid a few other high-risk activities, like spraying toxic chemicals. If you do this, gardening, while you are pregnant, will be safe for pregnant women. It will often be good for your physical and mental health. Because of this, many women find that spending some time in nature can be a good support when they are pregnant.
