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Guide to Being Six Weeks Pregnant

Some Things to Consider
Say so long to soft cheese for now.
Say so long to soft cheese for now.
Maren Caruso/Getty Images

Beer and wine aren't all you'll be parting ways with for the duration of your pregnancy. In fact, there's a laundry list of foods that can harm a developing fetus if you're not careful.

Fortunately, many of these foods are easily avoidable with just a little bit of care. In particular, certain types of fish, like swordfish, king mackerel, shark and tilefish, contain high levels of mercury, which can seriously harm your baby's nervous system. Cross these off your list of seafood options until you've given birth and finished breastfeeding. Instead, satisfy your seafood cravings with up to 12 ounces per week of low-mercury seafood, like shrimp, salmon, cod, catfish, canned light tuna and pollock. It can be difficult to remember which are safe and which aren't, so I printed off a handy cheat sheet for restaurant outings to minimize the guesswork.

Food-borne illnesses are also a very real threat to your pregnancy, so be sure to steer clear of unpasteurized cheeses (brie, blue cheese, feta and camembert, to name a few). Bacterial food poisoning is also very present in undercooked eggs or meat, including poultry, so be sure to ask for everything well done, even if that's not your personal taste.

Deli meats and hot dogs sometimes cause a serious illness known as listeriosis. If you choose to eat any of these types of meats, simply make sure they are heated up to steaming, rather than cold or lukewarm.

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