Questions and answers.

Can I drink alcohol if I’m pregnant?

• We have all seen TV footage of women drinking while they are pregnant, but are small amounts safe??  The Department of Health recommends that you avoid drinking alcohol if you are pregnant.
• It makes sense also if you  also avoid drinking alcohol if you’re trying for a baby.

Can I use hair dye when I am pregnant or breastfeeding?

• I tried to find out about this when I was pregnant, as I had heard that pregnant women shouldn’t dye their hair. On researching on the internet, I still did not find out much info. I thought it better to be safe than sorry so just let my hair go un-dyed.
• There seems to be more information today and most research seems to point to it being safe. This is due to the chemicals in permanent and semi-permanent hair dyes being not highly toxic.
• Information seems to suggest that the chemicals themselves can cause harm but not in the doses used to dye your hair.

How do I reduce the risk in colouring my hair while I’m pregnant.

• Wait until after the first trimester (12 weeks), after this the risk of harming the baby is much lower.
• While home colouring – make sure that you wear gloves, leave the dye on for the minimum time, and use in a well-ventilated room.
• Highlight your hair instead of dying all of it. This is safer because the chemicals used are only absorbed by the hair itself, and not by the scalp and into your bloodstream.
• Use semi-permanent pure vegetable dyes, such as henna

Things to remember

Watch out for your hair going a funny colour! Your hair may react differently to colouring or perming  - your hair’s condition may alter during pregnancy and therefore the way it reacts to colour.

I‘m pregnant – can paint fumes affect my unborn baby?

• One of the things many pregnant women do, is decorate the new baby’s nursery, but is it safe?? Ok so climbing up on ladders is not a good idea when you are pregnant, but the risk from modern household paint is very low.
• If you are stripping old paintwork or using solvent-based paints – beware! Old paintwork might contain traces of lead – you need to avoid this when you are pregnant.
• Standing on ladders and stretching can be dangerous though – be very careful.

Is it safe to use a sauna or jacuzzi if I’m pregnant?

• It sounds relaxing and calming to use a sauna or Jacuzzi when pregnant, but becoming dehydrated or overheating is not a good idea when you are pregnant.
• So while a sauna or Jacuzzi itself is not necessarily a bad thing, the risk of overheating or dehydration is, therefore while there is not much research out there it would be wise to avoid them.

Is it safe to use fake tan during pregnancy?

• Fake tanning lotions and sprays are a popular and safer alternative to spending time in the sun to get a tan.
• The active ingredient in fake tan is Dihydroxyacetone (DHA). It is a non-toxic substance that reacts with cells in the outermost layer of the skin and produces a brown pigment (colour) called melanoidin. The outer skin cells are already dead, and are shed as the skin constantly renews itself. This is why fake tan needs to be regularly re-applied to maintain the colour. The DHA doesn’t go beyond the outer layer of skin and therefore isn’t absorbed into the body.

• Although there are no known dangers of using tanning lotions, they can sometimes cause an allergic reaction. For this reason, it’s advisable not to use fake tan during pregnancy, as changes in hormone levels can make the skin more sensitive than normal. If you do use fake tan, always test the product on a small area of skin first to see if you have a reaction.

Other related articles

Tell me about driving and travelling by train when pregnant
Exercising, sports and other activities while pregnant – what should I avoid and why?
Can I fly and go abroad when I’m pregnant?