Gardening during pregnancy! 10 tips to stay safe and avoid toxoplasmosis

It helps you to focus on your pregnancy more and keeps the stress at bay.

Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : November 13, 2017 2:15 PM IST

Most of us keep romanticising pregnancy and we tend to forget that it is also a time when a woman faces too much stress, anxiety and has a lot of apprehensions. No matter what, every mother faces this fear of the unknown and often keeps it to herself. This is why a hobby during pregnancy is important as it can infuse a lot of positivity in a mother. While you can choose to paint, knit or even take up jewellery making, one thing that I can suggest is to grow a plant or even start an organic kitchen garden. Here are 10 diet tips to control stress during pregnancy.

When I was pregnant somebody very wise told me that this is a very spiritual way of recording your pregnancy. The analogy she drew was: While a seed is planted in your womb that you nourish and nurture, plant a seed in your backyard or a pot and care for it. Seeing the plant grow gives a sense of satisfaction and infuses positivity. This assures a mother that all the nourishment she is sending to her baby is making her baby healthy. Here are nine ways to ease pregnancy stress during those nine months.

Now I am not a spiritual person, but a hypochondriac and hypersensitive. Only my mind knows the many negative thoughts it had during every scanning session and how I wondered whether the sonologists were telling me the truth about my baby. This made me very stressed and fatigued.

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I took the advice reluctantly and tried to grow a tomato plant on our terrace. You can be more creative here, but I chose tomatoes, simply because I like tomatoes. I planted them a little after my first trimester and to see them grow was a really satisfying experience. The most exhilarating part was to see the shoot come out after around six weeks. I went for an ultrasound somewhere during that time and my mind was at peace is the least I can say. This hobby did have an impact on me.

It takes around 50 to 60 days for tomatoes to grow. Some of the best quality might even take 100 days. But I did see the results of my hard work before I went into labour. However, I don t suggest that you take up gardening during pregnancy. But if you are into gardening, continuing it with some precaution is a good idea. Don t try to lift the pots and pans in your garden as that could lead to rupture of your water bag if you are in your third trimester or close to labour. It may cause a premature delivery. Here are seven things that could lead to preterm labour.

I have known women who took up terrace-gardening during pregnancy but with caution. I was happy with my only plant. So, if you are reading this and planning to do the same to take the stress and anxiety out, keep these things in mind:

Be careful of infections that you can get from the soil. The soil you use might have the parasites and other chemical pesticides that are potent. Toxoplasma is a parasite usually found in animal faeces which could be there in the soil that you might use for gardening. If you get a toxoplasmosis infection during pregnancy it could lead to a lot of problems like miscarriage, stillbirth or organ damage to the baby. So, do it organically as the organic soil is free of any contamination and pesticides.
Always wear gloves while doing your gardening work. Opt for rubber gloves which are designed for heavy-duty outdoor work.
Always wash your hands and feet thoroughly after your gardening is over. Wash till your elbows and knees to prevent infection. Don t touch your eyes, face, nose or mouth before washing your hands.
Don t go overboard with the idea of gardening. It might be too tiring to take care of too many plants. Limit it to two or three.
Preferably start with a kitchen garden or terrace garden. If you are doing it outdoors, in the summer heat it could make you too tired and fatigued.
Try and place your plants at a height so that you don t have to bend, kneel or sit on the ground.
Ask help for the heavy duty stuff like moving the pots and pans around.
Always read about the chemicals you are using and get in touch with a professional to learn about gardening or do your own research with dedicated gardening groups online.
Water your plants first before you start your gardening work so that you don t inhale any soil particles that can be harmful to you and your baby.
Once you see the fruits or vegetables grow and ripe don t be tempted to pluck and eat them raw. Always wash them thoroughly to avoid infections.

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