Can Pregnant Women Have a Safe Holi?

Pregnancy is an amazing journey. But are you pregnant, and longing to splash around in colors on Holi? Have your friends and relatives been telling you to be a meek spectator this time around, watching safely from a distance as everyone else celebrates? Fear not. We have up our sleeves a few interesting tips to help you participate in the Holi celebrations, safely.

Let us first take a peek into the festival of Holi.

India celebrates one of its biggest festivals, Holi, with fervor across the country.The spring festival of colors, made more radiant by the myriad legends associated with it, is believed to be dating back several centuries.

One of the most popular legends of Holi is the association of the festival with Lord Krishna, who is believed to have been the first person to smear the face of his lady love, Radha, with colors. Various murals, paintings, images, of Krishna playing Holi with Radha, and the Gopinis, are integral to Hindu culture and mythology.

The other legend involves the burning of the demoness Holika. Holi celebrations include the customary burning of twigs the night before the festival, symbolizing Holika Dahan (the burning of Holika), thus marking the triumph of good over evil, which is the basis of many Indian festivals.

With the carnival of colors round the corner, it is time to buck up and take a few precautions. And if you are an expecting mom, and don’t want to miss this day, read on!

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Things to Remember:

• The first thing to remember is that your condition makes you susceptible, and colors you would ordinarily use might lead to reactions, and even harm your baby.
• Chetna Jain, consultant gynecologist at Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon, cautions against color quality, “The quality control may not be good and there is a huge possibility of contamination of colors which are labeled herbal and considered safe. And these can be harmful to the fetus as they can be inadvertently swallowed or get absorbed from the skin."
• So forsake those toxic synthetic colors, and opt for home-made ones. Keep a wary eye out for ‘natural’ and organic’ colors which claim to be made organically, but whose powder bases may still contain harsh industrial chemicals. Apart from causing skin irritation and rashes, these chemicals can pass through your placenta and harm the fetus.
• Have a dry Holi: Try to avoid getting drenched. Just this once, keep away from mixing the colors in water, since slipping and falling in water would hurt both you and your baby.
• Take care of what you eat and drink: Avoid Holi sweets, especially if you are suffering from gestational diabetes.Try not to consume oily foods that might cause heartburn. And keep away from bhang, or any other intoxicants.You don’t want to get tipsy, and run the risk of taking a tumble.
  
  
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  Holi-Proof Your Skin before Holi
  Bringing a customised skincare regime into play before Holi, can go a long way in keeping your skin free of damage and stains, says an expert.
  Pay heed to the doctor’s advice."Be careful about what you eat. It is essential that you avoid heavy or exceptionally oily food that can cause indigestion or heartburn. Avoid drinks and stay hydrated," opines Anjali Kumar, gynecologist in Paras Hospital.
• If you are a lactating mother, remember to wash yourself well after playing. Otherwise your baby could ingest colors while breastfeeding.

Apart from these precautions, here are some more Holi tips to let you have fun safely.

• Avoid ill-behaved crowds so that you do not get pushed, hurt, or fall over
• In case you get wet, be careful to immediately get out of those wet clothes. Keep yourself hydrated. Drink lots of water.
• Coat yourself with moisturizer or oil, prior to stepping out, and don’t forget to apply a layer of oil to your hair, so that the colors come off easily when you wash. Do not let them stay on for too long, in case you ingest them, or they might seep in through the placenta.
• If you already have a baby bump, people might not get over-mischievous with you. But you can never say. Keep someone at hand to hold on to, if you feel unsure of yourself. Your hubby will anyway not leave you alone on this day and make sure he doesn’t!
• Consult your doctor at once if you experience dizziness, temporary blindness, nausea, or if your skin erupts in rashes, and you notice itchiness or burning sensation on affected parts. Do not induce vomiting if you have ingested color, but wash your mouth right away, and go and see your doctor.

As an expecting mother, you can participate in the merriment of Holi which only adds to your joy. Simply remember to be responsible towards yourself and your child, and you will be able to yell ‘Holi hai, bhai Holi hai’, just as usual!

References:

1. Brighter the color, greater the danger of toxicity - (http://www.toxicswatch.org/2012/03/brighter-color-greater-danger-of.html)


Source-Medindia