Food poisoning is awful at the best of times, but when you are pregnant, this common criminal can become dangerous for your baby. Here are seven steps that you should live by throughout your pregnancy, in order to avoid food poisoning:

1. Always wash and dry your hands thoroughly with soap before and after handling food, before eating, after using the toilet, changing nappies or handling animals.

2. Rinse fruit and vegetables well before eating and check "best before" dates on food.

3. If you food is meant to be eaten hot, ensure that it is hot, and if it should be cold, eat it cold. Most bacteria are killed at 100°C, which is why whenever you reheat left overs, heat it right through. Never reheat food more than once and eat cooked foods within two days.

4. Avoid eating raw food, like sushi, and ensure all proteins are completely cooked through before eating.

5. Refrigerate leftovers promptly. Don't leave food or drinks lying around in the heat. Store all left overs in covered, insect-proof containers. Don't thaw frozen foods and meat on the counter – defrost them in the fridge or in the microwave.

6. Keep raw and prepared foods separate during preparation and storage. Store prepared foods above raw foods in the fridge and have separate chopping boards for each.

7. When preparing food and swapping from cooked food to raw food or vice versa, wash all the utensils you have used with hot soapy water as this helps to kill the bacteria that was previously living on your ingredients.

These tips and tricks should help you avoid falling ill due to bacteria ridden germs both during your pregnancy and once your bundle of joy arrives.