Giving Up Stuff - Page 2

[treehugger75]

Originally Posted by lisalu100

Yeah, let's not talk about the night I got drunk and was probably a couple days pregnant... We were TTC, but I really didn't think it would happen on Cycle 2, and quite honestly, forgot .

I'm not a big drinker at all, but with both DD and DS I got totally drunk between conception and finding out. With DD we had been trying for a year and a half and I had kind of given up hoping, it was quite a surprise and I felt so bad! With DS, we weren't trying, but we weren't taking any precautions, either. With this one I had a couple before I found out, too. I really don't think it's THAT big of a deal. I don't drink after I find out (well, I may have a weak drink at New Year's or something, and I did have that celebratory hard cider). I think the problems come along when people have a drink or 2 every day, or binge drink every weekend. But half a glass of wine here and there? I don't think it'll cause a mutant-baby.

Like someone said, everything in moderation!

[penstamon]

Cheeses are my friend and I will not insult their good nature by avoiding the soft ones. I honestly dont know if they are all pasteurized, but they're aged and from the Co-op. I have also eaten my eggs over easy- I love them that way and they're all free- range antibiotic free local eggs so boo. Chocolate has made it into my mouth recently and I did not protest. I think it may again...

[askew]

I am the bad one. I drink more caffeine while pregnant. I have a small cup of coffee every morning. I eat only raw dairy- I can't digest it otherwise and while pregnant I need all the protein sources I can find. Protein is super hard for me, being a vegetarian that hates eggs. In my last pregnancy I drank wine all the time. Not a lot of wine, but probably a glass a week throughout. My MW told me a glass a week with a meal, and I took her up on it. We tried to stick to biodynamic red wine- so no pesticides and lots if antioxidants. My best friend was pregnant in France at the same time I was pregnant and her Dr told her no more than two glasses of wine a day. One with lunch and one with dinner. I think we make too big a deal of the alcohol thing here. Should you get drunk? Of course not! Will a random glass of wine hurt the baby- I think not. Although I guess from some people a glass of wine might be enough to make them tipsy....

[dogmom327]

One more reason to love the French!

I did caffeine with my first pregnancy but have since discovered that it does nasty things to me in general so I gave it up long before this pregnancy. I do raw dairy (including milk and cheese), I don't worry about cooking my meat or eggs thoroughly, etc. BUT I know exactly where my dairy, meat and egg products come from (I buy almost everything directly from local farms with whom I have long-term relationships). On the other hand, I won't buy the organic lettuce or spinach from Costco. It often comes from Mexico and I don't feel like I can be assured of it's safety.

I do really miss alcohol. I decided I'd avoid it the first trimester...but I'm starting to rethink that idea since the holidays stink with no glass of wine with dinner

[CourtBChase]

I have been avoiding alcohol and caffeine, since I got my BFP. I got a negative at 11ish dpo, on our 11th cycle trying and I was spotting so I was *sure* this was not the month, and totally bummed. I had a few glasses of wine, since that is the one thing I normally looked forward to during AF, alcohol without guilt. oops. I think it's probably not a big deal, although I worry (because I worry about everything).

[sarahsmiles]

Only alcohol, and only for the 1st trimester. I'm looking forward to a bit of beer once we know all is well.

I'm eating a lot less sweets but that's just because I'm trying to stay healthier and they honestly don't sound good to me, for a change.

I keep waiting for coffee to repulse me, but it hasn't happened yet. As tired as I am, I'm not complaining!

[bananababies]

I'm abstaining from alcohol during the first trimester. But I do need a little caffeine! I have a cup of black tea most mornings and either another cup of tea or a pop(!) many afternoons. I loved coffee during my last pregnancy and had about a cup or two a day, but this time I have a strong aversion to it.

I normally don't drink much alcohol anyway, but after the first trimester I'm less strict about it. I'll have a beer or glass of wine every once in a while, if it sounds good. I was just telling my family last night that I loved Stroh's beer during my last pregnancy! I had a beer every few weeks, and it had to be Stroh's! It's such an old man beer!

I'm not much of a chocolate-lover so that's not a problem for me.

Lunch meats are, however! I don't even normally eat them, but when I'm pregnant I crave cold pastrami or bologna sandwiches! It's so weird. After my daughter was born all I ate for lunch for a week were bologna sandwiches. And I haven't had one since (2 years later).

[moonygoony]

Ooo, I was just thinking of writing a post like this and there it was! Right now a bunch of my friends are over and are downing a beautiful bottle of Patron. I don't remember giving up alcohol being as hard in my last pregnancies, but now that I think of it, wine especially has become a part of so many routine parts of life. A glass of wine after clinic with the midwives, a drink with the family, there are just so many occasions in life that involve alcohol!

Another thing that is killing me is how many people in my life smoke. Oi! It is doing nasty things to my nausea. Stinky smokers! They are always good about not smoking around me, but with my heightened sense of smell, it just slays me and totally undoes all of my efforts not to vomit. Rar. Sorry, there is current stank to fuel this post (yuck!)

[learnlovebe]

Originally Posted by bananababies

Lunch meats are, however! I don't even normally eat them, but when I'm pregnant I crave cold pastrami or bologna sandwiches! It's so weird. After my daughter was born all I ate for lunch for a week were bologna sandwiches. And I haven't had one since (2 years later).

Ha! That sounds like me after I had my ds. I think I had a turkey sandwich a day for 2 weeks!

Lunchmeat is one "no-no" that my dh actually voices a concern over. He works in food safety and know more about listeria and micro-organisms in food than I do, and he doesn't usually tell me what to do, so when he voices an opinion regarding something I should or shouldn't do, I respect him enough to listen. I can go w/ out my turkey, bacon and ranch sandwiches for 9 months, and he can't complain when that's all I want the first 5 days post partum.

I switched to decaf when we started trying for ds, over 2 years ago. With that preganancy, nursing, and then starting to try for # 2, I just haven't taken it up again. My mom brings her own caffenaited (wow I spelled that wrong!)coffee and french press when she comes to visit. We're coffee fanatics in my family

[MovingMomma]

I cook my lunch meats to steaming when pregnant.

Giving up my yummy Organic Valley raw milk sharp cheddar, and I just stocked up on a bunch, too. :

I made an eggnog cheesecake w/rum in it yesterday, thinking the alcohol would cook out during baking, but DH said it's still there. Maybe he just wants more cheesecake for himself!

[dinahx]

I LOVE Patron! :P

Also, that OG Valluy raw milk cheese is NOT really raw, so IMO, no need to give it up. All the TF types I know consider it pretend raw cheese. It is a personal choice but I wouldn't worry about that cheese one iota.

Also, I know I said judgement free thread, but I do just want to share that I was also thinking that caffine was the smallest deal of anything to avoid, but I recently got my Natural Family Living book out of the shed and it was either in there or in Having a Baby Naturally, that there was a LOT of interesting info about caffine being far more dangerous re a pregnancy than the conventional/mainstream medical wisdom. I did personally slip up last night and have a glass of Pepsi at a friend's house, but I just wanted to share that some of the info in that article/chapter is what convinced me to avoid it completely this time. Before I had been almost like 'no need' based on how many people drink it anyway.

[MovingMomma]

Originally Posted by dinahx

Also, that OG Valluy raw milk cheese is NOT really raw, so IMO, no need to give it up. All the TF types I know consider it pretend raw cheese. It is a personal choice but I wouldn't worry about that cheese one iota.

Organic Valley says it "heat treats" it's milk for the raw milk cheeses to 155 degrees for 15 seconds. This is enough that raw milk advocates consider the benefits to be lost, but probably not enough to kill listeria bacteria.

[2sweetboysmom]

I on rare ocasion still drink a Dr Pepper : I think it is the only HFCS product I still consume. I know it is horrible for me and babe but it is the tastiest assortment of artifical stuff ever.
I was looking forward to my 16 month old weaning enough that I could have a drink, I had already gone out to Trader Joe's and bought myself a Pear Cider YUM! and I even had it chilling in the fridge...Then I got a BFP (unexpected conception) and my 16mo started nursing all the time again. Oh well maybe I'll sneek a few sips in my last tri.

[dinahx]

Not too big on the CDC, but don't you think if you eat raw cheese all the time, you could be resistant/immune/have antibodies to Listeria? What is the specific risk to pregnancy? I am just asking because I ate raw cheese through my whole pregancy last time and planned to again. It is really the only kind I can tolerate.

[penstamon]

Originally Posted by dinahx

Not too big on the CDC, but don't you think if you eat raw cheese all the time, you could be resistant/immune/have antibodies to Listeria? What is the specific risk to pregnancy? I am just asking because I ate raw cheese through my whole pregancy last time and planned to again. It is really the only kind I can tolerate.

We do have antibodies to Listeria if we have been exposed (which many of us probably have), but our immune systems do not function optimally during pregnancy which is why pregnant women often get infected. Listeriosis causes a significant rate of stillbirth and often the fetus is infected- and born infected. There is a 30% mortality rate among infected individuals. You would know if you contracted the disease as it is pretty serious.

That being said, I am not staying away from all the "bad" foods either, so I think as long as you understand there are risks you should continue to do what you think is best. If you trust the source of your dairy and are not buying from factory farms, it is probably safer.

[MovingMomma]

If anyone is interested in doing more risk analysis on the listeria issue, there are some tables comparing different categories of foods and their relative risks here.

[learnlovebe]

Originally Posted by MovingMomma

If anyone is interested in doing more risk analysis on the listeria issue, there are some tables comparing different categories of foods and their relative risks here.

teeheee, my dh (a food safety guy), smiled when I showed him the link. thanks!

[Quindin]

I lived in several countries, and the only place I have ever heard of restrictions on deli meat and soft cheeses during pregnancy was the US. I am not saying that they are wrong, just saying that if it is good enough for millions of women in other developed countries, it is good enough for me. In Scandinavia all they said was to not smoke, avoid drinking, and that I check with them before taking meds. Most babies there are born naturally with midwives and the birth weight average is one of the best in the world. And yes, they love their soft cheeses and open face sandwiches with deli meats, smoked salmon and pickled fish

If I were to adopt the guidelines of every country I have been to, I would have a c-section because in Brazil most doctors will tell you it is the safest...

[dinahx]

Hmmm, that chart seemed totally unuseful to me, and they didn't make any differentiation between Organic food prep/agriculture methods. It is just a bunch of unreadable numbers. Maybe they should spend their time solving the Melamine issue and not making confusing and obscure chartage based on incomplete info.

[bajamergrrl]

I've decided to completely give up alcohol which isn't as hard now that I'm pregnant than it was when I was TTC. Of course when I finally conceived it was during a weekend when I did imbibe quite a bit thinking that I wasn't going to be pregnant this month, then I had a few sips of beer here and there in the weeks before I found out...Oy. Oh well. Anyway, I'm not a coffee drinker but I haven't been avoiding chocolate. I did buy a big bar of Cadbury's Milk Chocolate yesterday but I'm going to eat it over the course of several days in small pieces.

Dinahx, seeing as I'm not too much of a caffeine consumer (except for chocolate) would you mind sharing with me what you found out about caffeine and pregnancy in your Natural Family Living book?