134: Bug Bites (Mosquitos, Ticks, and Fleas)

07/01/18 • 32 min

Summer time means warmer weather, which can also mean insects like mosquitos, fleas, and ticks, tend to be more abundant. More insects mean the potential for increased exposure to bug bites. Bug bites are never fun, and they are not something you want to deal with when you are pregnant. Insects like mosquitos, fleas, and ticks are bothersome to say the least, but worse, they can carry diseases. Some of the illnesses that can be spread by these pests include Zika, malaria, Lyme disease, and West Nile virus. No one wants to encounter these diseases and especially when you are pregnant because they can be a serious risk to you and your baby. The big question is, do you need to worry about bug bites during pregnancy? The short answer is no, you shouldn’t worry, but you should be aware of what the risks of bug bites during pregnancy, how to treat bites, and how you can safely limit your exposure and mitigate the risks to you and your baby.

Show notes: http://pregnancypodcast.com/episode134/

Thank you to Zahler for their support of this episode. Zahler makes a high quality prenatal vitaminthat has the active form of folate, that I prefer after all of the research I have read on folic acid, plus it has omega 3s and DHA. This is the prenatal vitamin I take and the one I recommend. Zahler is offering an exclusive discount to listeners of the Pregnancy Podcast. To check out the vitamin and find out how you can save 25% when you buy a one month supply on Amazon go to http://pregnancypodcast.com/vitamin/

Show notes: http://pregnancypodcast.com/episode134/

Previous Episode

Q&A: Yoga and Inversion Poses During Pregnancy

Gentle yoga is commonly recommended as a good exercise during pregnancy and there are many documented benefits of the practice. While many poses are recognized as safe throughout your pregnancy, there are some poses that instructors advise against. From a liability perspective it is always going to be safer for yoga instructors or professionals to advise against something during pregnancy, especially when there are unknowns or a lack of evidence. It is not surprising that many people advise avoiding inversions during pregnancy. An inversion is any pose where your head is lower than your heart. Downward facing dog is probably the easiest, and this goes all the way up to handstands, with a lot of poses in between. This episode looks at the specific risks of inversions during pregnancy so you can decide whether you are comfortable doing inversion yoga poses when you are expecting a baby.

Show notes: http://pregnancypodcast.com/inversion/

Next Episode

Q&A: Lipase and Freezing Breastmilk

Lipase is an enzyme that is naturally produced in breastmilk that can give your milk an off smell and taste. This is only noticeable when you freeze milk, and then thaw it out and it may have a funny smell and taste. Some babies do not mind this at all, while others will be fussy about drinking it and may even refuse it altogether. The good news is that there is a solution to this problem. This episode answers a listener question about lipase in breastmilk and how to get rid of it.

Show notes:http://pregnancypodcast.com/lipase/