While it would be nice if your household chores completely disappeared when you got that positive result from your pregnancy test, it doesn’t work that way. The house still needs cleaning, home improvements still need to be done, and you certainly want to make sure that your HVAC system, ductwork, and anything else to do with your air conditioning unit and the furnace is working well. This is especially true seeing as being a pregnant woman brings about a lot of changes in your body.
However, when you’re expecting, the rules for what you can and can’t do, even when cleaning your home, change slightly. In this article, you’ll find a few ways for pregnant women to keep their homes in order safely and with ease.
Avoid fumes.
Taking care of your health during pregnancy involves more than just keeping your monthly checkups with your health care provider. If you haven’t already, you need to get rid of the harsh abrasive chemicals you normally use to clean your home and find natural alternatives. While you already know that you need to make an appointment with your health care provider, take your folic acid, prenatal vitamins, and calcium for a healthy pregnancy, taking that extra step by avoiding the fumes of harsh cleaning products can keep you and your unborn child safe during your pregnancy. You’d be surprised how clean you can keep your home with baking soda, lemon, white vinegar, and other natural products once you know how to use them.
Home improvement projects you’ll need help with.
As a pregnant woman, you’re probably even more determined to get those home improvement projects you’ve been considering done and over with before you bring your baby home from the hospital. If you’re the queen of DIY, then some of those projects will have to be put on hold until after the baby is born. You can also get help with these projects by having family, friends, or professional services come out and take care of them for you. Painting, lifting heavy objects, and standing on ladders are a few of the things that come to mind. As a pregnant woman, you need to avoid these DIY tasks for your baby’s safety.
Keep your home comfortable.
Whether it’s the middle of July or during a snowstorm in January, pregnant women have a body temperature that changes, and you’ll be hot one minute and cold the next—but mostly hot. If you’re feeling uneven heating and cold spots in your home, then it’s time to call in an HVAC system repair service to check out your furnace or heating system to see if it needs to be repaired or replaced. It could be your thermostat, your vents, or even blocked ducts that are causing uneven heat and cold spots. Either way, you want your home to be comfortable, not only throughout your pregnancy but once you bring the baby home as well.
Keep away from the cat litter.
There is nothing wrong with an expectant mommy having a cat. However, you do want to ask your significant other or another family member to change the cat litter for you. Cat feces can cause you to catch toxoplasmosis, a condition that can cause miscarriage or your baby being born prematurely. Ask someone in your home to take care of the cat-related duties until the baby is born and you’re able to take back over.
These are just a few ways in which you can keep your home in order when you’re expecting a little one. While home improvement projects and everyday cleaning are still a must for expectant mothers, your health and the health of your unborn child are your top concerns.
Leave a Reply