Being pregnant may bring some additional set of responsibilities for you but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy and have fun on special occasions. If you haven’t announced your pregnancy to the rest of the world, then holi may be a good time to reveal such good news.
If you are in the later stages of your pregnancy then people will surely go easy on you without you having to say anything. But you still need to take precautions when it comes to exerting yourself physically.
So before making any plans for your holi celebrations, have a word with your doctor. She may suggest your some precautions depending on the stage of your pregnancy.
Can holi colour affect me or my growing baby?
Yes certainly some colours may be harmful for you and now that you are pregnant it’s become even more important to choose the right colours to play holi.
Colours made at home from fruits or flowers are safe to play with. Natural colours made from vegetables or herbal dyes are safe for you and your baby. You need to take precautions when it comes to deciding which colours are safe to play holi. Currently there is no centralized body which regulates the production of holi colours. For instance natural heena is considered safe whereas black heena contains paraphenylendiamine (PPD) which may cause allergic reactions. Colours that contain either of these forms of heena will be labelled as “natural”. Also, a colour made with natural dyes will be labelled as ‘natural’ but the powder base of the colour may be harmful.
Another thing you need to understand is that colours made with industrial dyes and oxidized metals are dangerous for you and your growing baby.
What to do in case of reaction from colours?
Colours may enter in your body through three ways. Ingestion, inhalation and absorption through your skin.
It is a well known that your immunity levels drop when you are pregnant thereby making you more prone to illness and infections. Your skin also becomes more sensitive than before, so you might find yourself having reactions to holi colours.
If you have injected liquid or powder colours or if someone has thrown colours of unknown origin on you, try the following remedies:
- Wash you mouth or the affected area.
- Do not eat anything in trying to flush out the colours.
- Check for any redness, irritation, dryness etc.
It’s also advisable to consult the doctor in the following cases:
- The colours used contains lead or mercury which is harmful for you and your growing baby
- Your vision blurred because of the colours
- You feels dizziness or fainting
- You start vomiting or diarrhoea
Tips on how to enjoy the holi feast:
- Rather than eating too much in one go, try to break your meals to avoid indigestion, heartburn and acidity.
- Avoid fatty and sweet foods in case you have gestational diabetes
- Stay away from alcoholic drinks
- Keep a count on caffeine drinks such as coffee, cold drinks, tea etc.
- Keep yourself hydrated
Other things to keep in mind on holi:
- Most people celebrate the festival of holi in the right spirit but may use festival for a rowdy and rash behaviour. Stay alert and keep yourself away from gatherings you are not comfortable with.
- During holika dahan keep your self at a safe distance, if it gets too smoky, move to a ventilated place.
- Apply a thin layer of oil or moisturizer on your face and other exposed parts of the body.
- Wear full sleeves clothes to reduce exposure of your body to harmful colours.
- Don’t let the colours stay too long on your body, wash them before they dries.
Keep things in balance and, you never know, this may well be the best Holi ever!