14 Things you didn’t know were bad for you while pregnant

The American Chemical Society found that triclosan and triclocarban, ingredients commonly found in antibacterial soaps, can harm fetuses. What's super frustrating about this is that nowadays it seems nearly impossile to find soaps that are not antibacterial.

It's not just queso fresco that you should stay away from during pregnancy, it's all unpasteurized dairy products because they can contain bacteria that can make your baby ill.

These foods can carry Listeria monocytogenes, a very dangerous bacteria for pregnant women that can lead to miscarriage or still birth.

You've probably heard that pregnant women should avoid cat litter boxes, right? But why? It's because although rare, cats can carry toxoplasmosis, which can cause birth defects.

Large fish tend to have a higher concentration of mercury in them and mercury is no bueno for a growing baby's nervous system or brain, so cuidado with the ceviche. Pregnant women can have a weekly 12 ounces of seafood that is considered low in mercury.

BPA stands for Bisphenol A and it's all over the place. It's used in the manufacturing of some plastics, it's in the lining of a bunch of canned foods. In 2010, the FDA released a statement saying, "recent studies provide reason for some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants, and children."

I found this one really surprising when I was pregnant. Sprouts are dangerous to pregnant women because they can get bacteria in them that is pretty much impossible to get off even if you wash them. Crazy, right?

Can we all just agree that smoking is poison, already? Obviously, do not smoke while pregnant, but also avoid all tobacco smoke in general while pregnant. Not only does that smoke get in the way of a baby's oxygen supply, it been linked to complications including preterm labor.

I'm assuming you knew this one already, but just in case: alcohol cosumption is not recommended for pregnant women. It can prevent normal fetal development and the results of being exposed to alchohol in the womb last forever.

It is believed that most processes that your hair undergoes, like dying, curling, relaxing and such, are safe because very little of the chemicals are actually absorbed into your body or bloodstream, but since the research on the subject is still quite limited, many doctors recommend waiting until the second or third trimester to have your hair treated. A baby forms all its major organs in the first trimester, so why risk it?

Ahhh, as good as a cafecito is, too much caffeine while pregnant is not good and can lead to a host of problems including an increased rishk of miscarriage. It is recommended that pregnant women limit their caffeine intake to what is found in 12 ounces of coffee. Keep in mind that there is caffeine in things like teas, energy drinks and sodas.

You would think that if you are trying to stay away from caffeine while pregnant, then herbal teas are the way to go, but you need to be careful because there are no reliable studies on whether herbal mixtures are safe while you are pregnant. Sip with caution.

Pregnant women are more susceptible to heat. Overheating in pregnant women can cause neural defects in their babies. Oh and did you know that pregnant skin burns more easily? Another reason to stay away from tanning beds.

This makes sense. Pasteurization is meant to reduce the pathogens in food products. If you buy juice that is unpasteurized it is more prone to have germs. I'm sure you heard of instances where unpasteurized juices were found to have E.coli*.*