#13. Alcohol and Cigarettes Aren't the Only "No-Nos"

Everyone knows you aren't supposed to smoke or drink when you're pregnant. Or do illegal drugs. But I was blown away by the huge list of "nos" I didn't find out about until after I got pregnant. Did you know, for example, that pregnant women aren't supposed to...

• ...top salads with feta cheese?
• ...dine on Eggs Benedict? (At least not with a soft-poached egg.)
• ...splurge on paté?
• ...enjoy sandwiches with deli meat?
• ...clean up after a cat?
• ...sleep on their backs?

Maybe I was näive or under-informed, but I didn't know about any of these restrictions!

Of course, being told you can't do something has a profound psychological effect. What do I want on my salad? Feta cheese. And how can I never get comfortable? On my side. I don't even like paté, but I'd give anything to be able to eat some.

At least I've learned a valuable parenting lesson from this list of "don'ts": nothing makes you want to do something more than being told you can't. I hope I can keep that lesson in mind when baby comes around.