Gardening while pregnant can be a challenge on many fronts, especially health-wise. Potentially harmful pathogens can harbor in the soil or on the surface of unwashed produce, the summer heat is more dangerous and bending down to harvest crops feels almost comical by the third trimester. (I'll never forget hobbling along pulling carrots and trying to reach bush beans past my giant preggie belly in my last pregnancy). Still, the big belly and potential threats don't need to stand between you and gardening. The health benefits of fresh, garden-grown produce certainly outweight the potential pitfalls. Here are a few helpful tips for "gardeners in waiting."

Keep it Clean

Garden gloves, soap and hand sanitizer are especially important for pregnant women because of soil borne pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium responsible for listeriosis. Listeriosis can make both the fetus and mother sick and even induce miscarriage, so it's important to protect against it. It is a common bacterium found in the soil and veggies it comes in contact with.

Salmonella and Toxoplasma are two other dangerous pathogens common to gardens. Animal-based fertilizers, like manure or fish emulsion, can contain salmonella, and if cats live nearby and visit your garden, Toxoplasma is something to be mindful of. Toxoplasma exposure can result in Toxoplasmosis, a disease that can cause serious birth defects, and Salmonella poisoning can result in stillbirth.

Protective measures against these potentially harmful bugs are simple. Be sure to wear good garden gloves to keep soil from becoming embedded in your skin or under your fingernails. My favorite summer gardening gloves are made by Foxgloves and Womanswork. Hand sanitizer and good soap are essential follow ups. If you feel like splurging a little, Gardener's Scrub Cleanser by Crabtree & Evelyn is wonderful stuff. After using lots of hand sanitizer and soap, I always want a little hand cream and Sally Hansen Hand Repair is my favorite.

The Paisley Gauntlet Gloves by Womanswork are cool but tough garden gloves ideal for pregnant gardeners that tend to overheat.

Finally, wash your freshly harvested veggies well--especially those that will be eaten raw. Root vegetables should be peeled because they tend to have lots of minescule nooks and crannies where bacteria can hang.

Stay Cool, Hydrated and Protected

A big, light colored, broad brimmed sun hat protects the face and can keep a gardener much cooler. Miracool cooling bandanas are also a real godsend when temperatures get hot. Just pop these gel-filled bandana tubes in the freezer and then wear them around the neck to keep cool. They're great for any gardener, but for pregnant gardeners they're a must.

Keep a bottle of fresh, cool water available at all times. Iced if at all possible. The worst thing a pregnant woman can do is get overheated and dehydrated. Take breaks often and drink regularly.

As the belly grows, it can become more challenging to easily reach across one's body to spread sunscreen. Invest in spray sunscreen for these times. It's fast and easy to apply and makes the applyee feel a little less whale-like.

Pregnant women should peel garden fresh root vegetables before eating them raw.

Create a Refuge

My main garden plot is in a community garden a mile from my home, so I created a place where I can put my feet up in the garden. I brought in a table with an umbrella and two chairs. Not only did this give me a place to rest away from the sun, it also gave me a place for the garden tool bag and other necessities.

Reap in the Rewards

Fresh, delicious produce and serene landscapes are the chief garden rewards. Fresh picked vegetables taste better than grocery store produce, something the sensitive taste buds of a pregnant woman can discern, and they are more vitamin rich. So, don't be afraid to tend the earth this summer all you newly pregnant gardeners, just be smart about it.