Are wondering on how to clean out your unborn baby’s system?
Are you expecting and feeling overburdened by all the advice you are receiving on how to care for both you and your unborn child? Although it may seem like a difficult process, clearing your unborn child’s system is crucial for their development.
Pregnancy can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. The first thing that comes to a woman’s mind is her baby’s health.
You might have heard a lot of advice on how to take care of yourself and your baby.
Cleaning of unborn baby’s system might seem a huge task, but it is essential for your baby’s health.
Breathing polluted air, or consuming food that is filled with preservatives, and pesticides are all harmful to the life inside you.
Although not everything can be prevented, measures can be taken to ensure the baby’s system is healthy and so is your baby.
You can use this advice to stay healthy while you’re breastfeeding too. As adults, many of us consume the likes of alcohol and cigarettes.
These are already harmful to an adult and this toxicity can have an impact on the unborn child.
Some people suggest going for a natural way of detoxing by drinking lots of water, having fruits, organic diet.
However, others might recommend opting for a medical approach.
The best way to provide a healthy and safe place for your baby is by getting rid of all the bad habits so that your baby is physically and mentally healthy.
Let’s take a closer look at how to clean out your unborn baby’s system.
How to Clean Out Your Unborn Baby’s System
Babies in the womb gulp amniotic fluid which is flavored with the food and drinks consumed by the mother.
Everything a mother has is shared by the baby
A decade back, a healthy lifestyle and proper dose of methyl folate were enough for the baby to be born healthy.
Now things have changed for the worst, children are affected by autoimmune diseases (as young as two years old) and many of these is caused by environmental toxins.
As per research carried out from 2010 to 2011, 80% of the chemicals that are detected in a mother’s blood are passed to the baby’s blood through the placenta entering the fetal environment.
It is worth making efforts so that your body is clean and toxic-free.
If you are on medicine or illegal substances, there is a risk of exposing your baby to them.
If you continue to consume them, then your baby can have withdrawal symptoms like seizures, fever, sleep problems, and trembling.
Detoxing your body before conceiving will be beneficial for both mother and child. 40% of pregnancies are unintended but it’s never too late to clean out your baby’s system as soon as you find out about the news.
The toxins in your body will be passed on to your baby through the amniotic fluid which carries the required nutrition.
1. Stop Smoking and Drinking Alcohol
If you smoke, then one of the best ways of how to clean out your unborn baby’s system is to stop smoking. Every cigarette you smoke contains 4,000 chemicals.
We all are aware of the danger of smoking, imagine the impact it can have on your unborn body whose body is still in the developing stage?
Smoking opens the door to several risks to babies including premature delivery, lower birth weight, and high blood pressure at birth.
As per studies, smoking is the primary risk factor that is linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Smoking also restricts the oxygen supply to your baby-making their hearts harder to beat.
When you drink alcohol, it is passed to your baby through the placenta.
The liver is one of the last developed organs in your baby’s body and hence it becomes difficult to process alcohol.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is very dangerous to your baby and puts them at the risk of premature birth, and lower birth weight.
In the worst scenario, drinking can also develop a condition called fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
What to do?
- Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) can help you quit smoking. There is no other chemical in it except nicotine, making it a better option than smoking. It is available in gum, inhaler, patches, and nasal spray
- Try replacing your alcohol with a non-alcoholic drink and avoid hanging out in places like pubs if they are too much of a temptation
- Stay hydrated and have a healthy balanced diet
- Drinking enough water every day will flush out the toxins from your body
2. Quit Recreational Drugs
Drugs are passed through the placenta into the baby’s system. An unborn child can get addicted to it which may lead to withdrawal symptoms after birth.
Drugs such as marijuana can cause behavioral and cognitive problems in the baby.
The chemical found in marijuana, THC, can affect a baby’s development inside the womb.
It increases the risk of stillbirth, premature birth, and neurodevelopmental problems.
Cocaine can lead to premature delivery, low birth weight, and even miscarriage.
Babies born to a drug addict mother can have withdrawal symptoms like jitteriness, tremors, fever, vomiting, and slow development.
Quitting suddenly is not advisable as it may lead to a serious problem for you and your baby and hence healthcare providers will give you treatment that reduces your drug dependency.
The safest way to stop substance abuse is by medical detox which should be carried out under medical supervision.
Getting clean is never an easy task but it is rewarding in the end. This is the best you can do for your baby to give a healthy life.
What to do?
- Start by admitting that you have a problem and you need help to get treated
- Get help from a healthcare expert for treatment to reduce withdrawal symptoms
- Get clean and get help from a friend or family member who is not on any drugs
- Enter a rehab program designed especially for pregnant women
- Consider counseling to avoid going back to your addiction
- Be with the people who take care of you and support you
- Attend all the appointments with your healthcare expert
- Listen to other people quitting journey by joining a support group
3. Be Aware and Reduce the Risk of Infection
If the mother is infected with a virus during pregnancy, it may lead to birth defects.
Precautions can be taken by staying away from people who are infected, and washing hands frequently.
It is recommended for pregnant women to get the seasonal flu vaccine.
COVID-19 – Pregnant women are at a higher risk of getting infected by the virus than non-pregnant people.
With pregnancy and other health conditions, people have more chances to get severely ill.
Severe illnesses mean that they might need hospitalization, and a ventilator to ease breathing.
If a pregnant woman is infected with the virus then there is a chance of complications in the development of the baby.
Zika Virus – If a pregnant mother is infected with the zika virus, it can be passed to the baby.
This virus can cause birth defects including microcephaly (small head), and other brain abnormalities.
The risk of this is almost zero in the US and Europe due to the specific mosquitoes that have the disease.
Cytomegalovirus – An infected mother usually shows no sign of symptoms.
If a mother is infected with CMV then it will pass through the placenta and affect the child’s development.
People who have weakened immunity are likely to suffer from a serious problem that affects their vital organs.
Seizures, premature birth, yellow skin and eyes, pneumonia, and ill-functioning liver are some of the symptoms that newborns show who are infected with CMV before birth.
What to do?
- Strengthen your immunity so that there is a less chance of getting infected with a virus
- Get vaccinated after consulting your doctor
- Stay away from sick people, wash your hands frequently
- Cook the meat properly, drink pasteurized dairy products
- If you are developing symptoms of any virus, getting medical help is the best way to protect your unborn child
- Follow all the instructions as suggested by your doctor
4. Avoid Lack of Folic Acid
Folic acid, a type of B vitamin is a superhero of pregnancy.
The chances of birth defects are more during 3-4 weeks of pregnancy as your baby’s spinal cord and brain are still in the developing stage, hence, it is essential to keep folate in check during this time.
Folic acid prevents premature birth and cleft lip. Lack of folic acid can cause severe development issues in babies before birth. These include:
Spina bifida – Improper and incomplete development of spinal cord
Anencephaly – When a baby’s brain or skull is not developed properly.
Folic acid is transferred to the fetus and hence there is more requirement for the mother during pregnancy.
Folate deficiency can affect a fetus during the early stage of pregnancy- even before a person know that they are pregnant.
Doctors usually advise conceiving women to take their prenatal vitamins along with folate.
A study shows that women who take folate, a minimum of one year before getting pregnant cut the chances of delivering early by half.
400 mcg of folic acid is recommended for women while trying to conceive and during the first three months of their pregnancy.
What to do?
- Have fortified cereal for breakfast
- Have a diet that is rich in folic acid like green leafy vegetables, lentils, and citrus fruits. This will help in the healthy development of an unborn baby
- Take 400 mcg of folate during the first three months of pregnancy
Summary
Motherhood comes with a lot of responsibility. Cleaning out the baby’s system will help your baby to have a healthy development inside the womb.
It also prevents the baby from getting any health issues after birth. Hydration and a healthy balanced diet will provide your body with all the necessary nutrients.
If you are someone who always neglected your health, remember you have responsibilities for two lives now.
You and your baby are connected through the placenta which is an organ made from the cells of the mother and fetus.
All the nutrients, gas, and waste are exchanged through this. Hence, whatever you are consuming has a direct impact on your unborn baby’s health.
Hopefully now you have a good idea of how to clean out your unborn baby’s system.
Keep in touch with your doctor and follow the instructions carefully.
If you are on any kind of substance abuse, it is highly recommended to take professional help as withdrawal symptoms can cause severe health issues.
Related Posts:
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I detox my body while pregnant?
Starting with your diet first, try to remove as much toxins in your food. Avoid food that has trans-fat, artificial color, pesticides, and preservatives.
Going for organic food will bring a significant positive change in your health.
Staying hydrated will flush out the toxins from your body.
Apart from dietary detox, you can detox your body by quitting alcohol and smoking but this should be done under medical supervision.
How do I know my baby is healthy in my womb?
There are several signs of a healthy baby in a womb. Movements in the baby start from 5 months of pregnancy.
In the eighth month, the baby starts kicking and changes position and by the 9th month, there is less movement due to lack of space in the womb.
Your doctor can also do an ultrasound to monitor the development.
The fetus grows two inches every month and by the 9th month, it weighs about 3 kilograms.
A doctor will also check the heart health of your baby, a healthy range is between 110 to 160 beats per minute.
Weight gain during pregnancy also determines the health condition of the baby.
What are the signs of an unhealthy fetus?
A baby’s heart starts beating by the 5th week however it is easily detectable by the 10th week.
A doctor will check for the baby’s heartbeat and see if it is beating properly.
In some scenarios, lack of signal can be a sign of development issues in the fetus.
Low pregnancy hormones like HCG can also be a sign of concern. No fetal movement, changes in placenta position is also the red flag.
Talk to your doctor immediately if you see any kind of concerning changes in your body.
Iesha is a loving mother of 2 beautiful children. She’s an active parent who enjoys indoor and outdoor adventures with her family. Her mission is to share practical and realistic parenting advice to help the parenting community becoming stronger.
