Irrespective of the other jobs that women may or may not have, household chores are a mandatory part of their lives. But if you are a pregnant woman and are not able to stop yourself from doing these works, then think twice before you start doing something. Because, it can be harmful for your health. Alongside to maintaining a proper diet and medication, keep a check of your daily activities and pay extra care while you do the household chores.  Just like you are asked to avoid certain food items during pregnancy, there are certain household works you should avoid when you are pregnant. In this article you will learn about the various chores you should avoid during pregnancy.

Is it Safe to do Household Work during Pregnancy?

As we have discussed earlier doing regular chores is not an issue but straining yourself too much by doing excess work can be risky. Some works that involve you in bending, lifting weights, etc, should be avoided, since these kinds of chores aren’t safe for expecting mums. You’ll just need to stop a few of them and be careful about how to go about other daily chores at all times.

Read More:21 Life Hacks For Working Pregnant Women

These are some household chores you should avoid during pregnancy:

11 Household Chores to Avoid During Pregnancy

Lifting Heavy Loads

You already tend to experience severe back pain and leg cramps, lifting weights during this stage can be harmful for your baby and even more painful for you. Since lifting weights involves a lot of energy and strain on your back and hands, it is recommended you avoid lifting heavy loads during pregnancy. Always take someone’s help to do these kinds of works. If you exert yourself into lifting a bucket of water, a bagful of groceries, gas cylinder or if you try moving heavy furniture, it increases the strain on your back even more, putting you at risk for a back injury.

Lifting very heavy weights may sometimes trigger premature labor, bleeding or a rupture of the amniotic sac in some cases. Therefore, avoiding these kinds of works is considered important.

Read More:25 Things to Avoid During Pregnancy

Cutting Vegetables

Cutting vegetables is an unavoidable task in the kitchen; therefore we suggest you do this work in a more comfortable way during pregnancy. Commonly you will need to stand while you cut vegetables and this might cause a lot of strain on your back and legs.

It will be easy if you pull up a chair and sit while you cut vegetables (or why not ask your husband to help you?*wink*, Best time to get help and quality time with your loved one). This will decrease any strain caused on your back and legs and you can also finish your work comfortably.

Cleaning

Cleaning the house is another big task which women have that takes most of the energy. Sweeping and mopping the house, putting things in place, lot of work isn’t it? And that’s why doing these chores are something you should avoid during pregnancy. You might not completely avoid them but you can use comfortable options like using a broom and mop with long handles, so that you will not have to bend.

Also be careful while you do these chores, since they can cause a lot of strain on your back. Do not rush while doing these chores just because you want to finish fast, take your time and also gaps in between. If you feel tired then take a break. It would be better if you avoid them as much as possible or take someone’s help.

Read More:Is Acai Safe while Pregnant: Benefits and Risk

Using Chemical Cleaning Products

Chemical cleaning products could be toxic and harmful for you during pregnancy. Do not use poisonous fumes like roach killers or ant killers. Try to use less amounts of cleaning products, and wear gloves while you use them. And make sure the room you are cleaning is well ventilated; especially when you clean bathrooms make sure to wear a mask and also use gloves. Try using safe and natural cleaners such as white vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda for your home.

Climbing and Balancing

Any task that involves you climbing stairs, stools, ladders, should be avoided. These are very risky tasks which can result in any kind of accidents. Since these tasks involve balancing they should be avoided completely. You cannot be ignorant of the fact that these tasks can result in accidents even if it is a minor imbalance or mistake. So avoid these tasks of climbing and balancing if you want to reach to the upper shelves or lofts, always take someone’s help.  And if you have to climb stairs then take breaks in between, it is recommended that you avoid climbing stairs and use lift instead.

Handling Cat Litter

For people who have pets, especially cats should get someone else’s help to clean the cat litter. This is because cat poop contains a parasite called Toxoplasma Gondi that causes an infection called toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis isn’t serious for you but it can pose a danger to your developing baby if you catch it shortly before or during pregnancy. Pregnant women should thoroughly wash vegetables before eating, in case they are contaminated with soil where a cat (pet, wild or stray) may have been. It is better you get your cat’s poo cleaned by someone else. But if there’s no help then use gloves and mask and wash your hands thoroughly after you clean it.

Painting your Room

If you want to repaint a room in your house for your new baby then its best you wait till the baby is born. This is because paints emit fumes while they are applied, and for several hours up until they dry, these fumes can have adverse effects on the mom and her child. If you can get to any painting early on in your pregnancy and the room has plenty of windows for ventilation, go ahead and grab a brush. But remember that your work will add on while your room or house is getting painted, so it is better if you postpone this task for later.

Bending

Most of your work may include bending and standing. But bending too much can affect your back and possibly lead to sciatica which is a painful swelling of the sciatic nerve that runs down the back to the leg. With your growing belly, your center of gravity changes, making you more susceptible to falls. You can consider buying some extra support with maternity compression.

Washing Dishes

Another task which most of us might not like but are urged to do is washing dishes. If you have a maid at home well and good, if not you should plan to get one soon. Because washing dishes requires you to stand for longer period which can be tiring and straining. Get a maid to do it or take someone’s help. Make sure that you do not stand for more than 10-15 minutes.

Moving Furniture or Heavy Objects

Cleaning your home also means cleaning every part of it. And this involves moving the furniture and other things. Doing these kinds of difficult tasks can be risky and also tiring. Avoid these kinds of tasks or get it done with someone’s help. You might strain your back and legs also your hands while doing these works. Any ignorant move and you might fall into trouble. Avoiding these tasks is considered safe.

Cooking

Standing for long hours cooking a meal is not recommended for you. You can’t avoid cooking but you can cut off the time you take for cooking by trying easy and fast recipes. There are many fast to cook healthy recipes available on the net, try some of them and cook your meal in no time. Enjoy your cooking time without straining yourself, and enjoy new recipes.

These are some of the household chores pregnant women should avoid. You can do them during the first and second trimester, but as your belly starts to grow, doing these tasks may be tiring and also risky. Be careful while doing any other work and avoid bending, working fast, or lifting weights as much as possible.

References

https://www.webmd.com/baby/pregnant-with-housework-to-do#1

https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/household-work-during-pregnancy-what-to-do