Female Speaker: Well Rhiannon actually spoke with the Parents Magazine Health Editor Kara Corridan and they were disproving some of the most common pregnancy myths. Check this out.
Rhiannon: These ladies at New York City's Prenatal Yoga Center are doing everything they can to prepare for the arrival of their bundles of joy, but they are tired of the misinformation out there.
Monica Winsor: I mean there is a lot of information and I think some of it at the end of the day has to be just kind of intuitive of how you feel.
Rhiannon: But they do know how important staying healthy is during pregnancy.
Julia Saddon: Critical, really, I think more than any other time in your life to stay healthy when you're pregnant is really important just for how you feel for the baby, it's a really big part of my life generally but even more so when pregnant. You just have to do things a little bit differently.
Rhiannon: So we decided to put these health conscious mommas to the test to help disprove some common pregnancy misconceptions. One of the most common questions is how hard pregnant women should push themselves when exercising?
Julia Saddon: A lot of people at the gym I go to will say, she or she would be doing this and I think are you sure you should be saying that to me? I am careful. You know yourself when you are going too hard, and too far, so you do need to take care.
Rhiannon: While yoga is great for the mind and the body, Parents Magazine's Kara Corridan says, moms don't necessarily have to skip the cardio, even though some reports suggest they shouldn't get their heart rate above 140.
Kara Corridan: Now, it might have been the case at one point but the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have recognized that, that doesn't really hold true for all women. If you're in really good shape, then getting your heart rate to 140 isn't going to take much and if you're completely out of shape, then that's a big deal.
Rhiannon: What about foods? Are seafood and cheese safe for mom and baby?
Monica Winsor: Limited fish because of mercury which is something that has been challenging for me because I don't eat meats. So I usually do eat more fish and I have been trying not to because of the mercury issue.
Rhiannon: Parents Magazine says you do need to watch for fish high in mercury and definitely stay away from the sushi, but pasteurized cheese is completely safe. So make sure to check the label.
Kara Corridan: I mean in the past some soft cheeses weren't pasteurized and that's kind of where soft cheese got its bad rep. But, that's really not the case anymore. Certainly anything made in the US is pretty much guaranteed to be pasteurized.
Rhiannon: And for parents hoping to take that dream trip to Hawaii before baby comes, it seems the safest time to go is in your first trimester, when it's easier to get around.
Kara Corridan: That would seem logical but the reality is that miscarriage is at its greatest risk when you're up to 14 weeks pregnant. So the first trimester is actually a more risky time to travel.
Rhiannon: So if you want to walk to sandy Hawaiian beaches or take a weekend getaway to Sin City, the 14 through 34th weeks are generally the safest time to go and whether it's traveling or just taking a prenatal yoga class, always check with your doctor. For better, I am Rhiannon.
Female Speaker: Thanks a lot Rhiannon. Well, Kara also said that every doctor has their own philosophies, some are more conservative than others when it comes to pregnancy. So really, it's all about finding a right fit for you.
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