What are you giving up? - Page 3

[Mandynee22]

Originally Posted by rhiOrion

So is anybody NOT giving up changing the cat litter?

I have had my cat for 6 years, and he only goes outside on our high-fenced patio. I figure he probably doesn't have toxoplasmosis, and if he did, then I probably already got it.

Plus, I worked at animal hospitals for 5 years, and could have easily gotten it then.

Plus, for 10 years of my life I lived with an indoor/outdoor cat who loved to crawl all over humans, but hated squirrels and birds, and would frequently bring us headless bodies (we always thought she had a collection of heads somewhere).

It just seems like I've already had it, and if somehow I haven't, that I'm not likely to get it from my cat. Plus I wash my hands.

I'm not. There's no choice. I'd love to though, because I hate doing it. We have three cats and only one goes outside. I've had that cat for years and she's brought me some corpses too LOL. When I was pregnant with DS, my Dr said to wear gloves and a face mask (and they're like 50 cents at junk stores). I haven't done that yet but I'll pick some up. You can get a blood test to chek your immunity too- in case you didn't know.

[CamoShades]

I'm just giving up caffeine and lunch meat. Oh, and alcohol. Damn, I really was diggin' the Bud Light Lime this summer.

I'd like to reiterate that it's not necessary to give up all soft cheeses; unpasteurized cheese is the problem, and it's really hard to find unpasteurized cheese in the U.S. So go ahead and eat your feta or Bleu cheese.

[Ell-Bell]

Originally Posted by Unicorn75

Feta cheese

Originally Posted by rhiOrion

I'm giving up soft cheese and lunch meat for now, but I'm not sure it'll last. I just love goat cheese and brie soooooooooooo much.

Originally Posted by susla

Isn't any kind of cheese fine as long as it's pasteurized? I seem to remember that from last time but not sure.

Just to reiterate- you CAN eat soft cheese if it's pasteurized. American grocery stores do not carry unpasteurized cheese, so you are totally safe with buying stuff from the grocery store. I think even at farmers markets the cheeses are pasteurized, although I'd ask. Unless you are going straight to someones farm or making it yourself, youare probably fine.

When we went to the hospital midwife early last pregnancy she mentioned not eating soft cheeses. I clarified with her, "Don't you mean unpasteurized soft cheeses" to which she said, "I don't know why, my list just says no soft cheeses." I did some research and found articles, printed them off and gave them to her. After switching to our HB midwife after we moved, she verified that it's only unpasteurized cheese to worry about.

I'm quitting caffiene and alcohol for the first trimester. I don't have a problem with having a small beer or glass of wine here and there during pregnancy. I also think one cuppa a day is fine... i jsut haven't felt like drinking coffee since being pregnant so I'm going with it. :-)

I had forgot about lunchmeat. Ugh. I love a good turkey avocado sandwich. I remember last pregnancy making a lot of french dip sandwiches, that was good.

I will also allow myself one can of tuna a week, although I'll probably wait until second trimester for that. I love mac and cheese with tuna. yum.

[aylaanne]

Originally Posted by Mandynee22

I'm not. There's no choice. I'd love to though, because I hate doing it. We have three cats and only one goes outside. I've had that cat for years and she's brought me some corpses too LOL. When I was pregnant with DS, my Dr said to wear gloves and a face mask (and they're like 50 cents at junk stores). I haven't done that yet but I'll pick some up. You can get a blood test to chek your immunity too- in case you didn't know.

I'm not worried about Toxoplasmosis from my cat litter, but I got DH to start emptying the litter box when I was pregnant with DS and he never got out of the habit. We both wear latex gloves when we do it, though. I don't wear a face mask. I do wash my hands right after.

[mystical]

I'm thinking nothing this time. I have an occasional Coke when we go out, but that's it. I gave up drinking alcohol last year, so that's not a big deal. With my first pregnancy, I gave up lunch meat, caffeine, and a few other things. This time around, I feel more "fly by the seat of my pants".

[Peace+Hope]

i'm giving up the standards i've read on the list.

i agree, it's not soft cheese but unpasturized. i specifically had a conversation with a midwife at my annual exam about this. it's actually the same toxoplasmosis that can be in cat poop, that ends up in some unpasturized cheese! she said that's why numbers of toxoplasmosis are higher in hispanic women, b/c of the raw fresh cheeses they eat. update, in post #50, aaylane explains this as incorrect - thanks aaylane!

i even got tested for the immunity (i have cats). i don't have it, but i'll just wash my hands after scooping the box - no gloves or mask. if you read up on the cat poop thing, it doesn't become a problem until 24 hrs after it's been, um, deposited anyway. scoop early and scoop often

do you guys think organic, fresh-water, farm-raised trout is ok? i know the shellfish ban is for raw, b/c of hepatitis, but all seafood b/c of mercury, right? any other reasons to avoid fishes?

mostly i'm being more and more and more mindful about adding good, not taking away bad. i can only fit so much in, right?

p&h
4 wks, 3 days

[crazyeight]

100% give up is smokes, wine for a while, and I suppose cannabis will be going out the door since SO doesn't want me to do it after it's gone. I rarely eat lunchmeat but I didn't have a problem the last 2 times, I'm still changing the cat litter (cause it's that or give up the cats!) but I take a shower right after and dont hang my head over the bin, I usually drink only 1 soda a day so I can keep doing that and hardly drink coffee. I would really rather give up poopy diapers, dishes and weight gain!

[finn'smama]

Originally Posted by Peace+Hope

i'm giving up the standards i've read on the list.

i agree, it's not soft cheese but unpasturized. i specifically had a conversation with a midwife at my annual exam about this. it's actually the same toxoplasmosis that can be in cat poop, that ends up in some unpasturized cheese! she said that's why numbers of toxoplasmosis are higher in hispanic women, b/c of the raw fresh cheeses they eat.

i even got tested for the immunity (i have cats). i don't have it, but i'll just wash my hands after scooping the box - no gloves or mask. if you read up on the cat poop thing, it doesn't become a problem until 24 hrs after it's been, um, deposited anyway. scoop early and scoop often

do you guys think organic, fresh-water, farm-raised trout is ok? i know the shellfish ban is for raw, b/c of hepatitis, but all seafood b/c of mercury, right? any other reasons to avoid fishes?

mostly i'm being more and more and more mindful about adding good, not taking away bad. i can only fit so much in, right?

p&h
4 wks, 3 days

I don't know officially about trout, but I just ate some the other day! And I will continue to eat fish occasionally. I think you're right about adding the good. I know with my first I was more cautious about giving things up but not so much any more. I think as long as I have a relatively healthy diet and lifestyle, then things will be fine. And as far as the cat litter, I'm only giving it up because I can, lol! When I was pregnant with my first I was doing landscaping and digging in the dirt all the time, I'm quite sure I came across plenty of cat poop, but I still made dp change the litter

[Sailor]

I don't really have much to give up. I don't drink alcohol anyway. I don't smoke. I don't drink caffeine (except for some green tea, but I'm not planning on giving that up). I never eat lunch meat anyway.

So ... yea, I guess my answer is that I have nothing to give up in the first place.

I do eat sushi and shellfish - but it's not something I have on a daily basis anyway. It's really more of a once or twice a year treat for me. Just because the sushi I like is SO expensive. I can really only treat myself on my birthday. And I'm scared to eat too much shellfish for my own health, just due to the contaminants. So, it's also a rare treat for me.

[aylaanne]

Originally Posted by Peace+Hope

i agree, it's not soft cheese but unpasturized. i specifically had a conversation with a midwife at my annual exam about this. it's actually the same toxoplasmosis that can be in cat poop, that ends up in some unpasturized cheese! she said that's why numbers of toxoplasmosis are higher in hispanic women, b/c of the raw fresh cheeses they eat.

Actually, the problem with unpasturized cheese is listeriosis, which is caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protozoa parasite, Toxoplasma gondii.

[rhiOrion]

So, because I've had to give up alcohol, I've been making mocktails instead.

Right now I'm drinking cran-grape 100% juice with some raspberry seltzer water in a martini glass with a slice of lemon.

It's nice

[Peace+Hope]

thanks, finn'smama. i think it's gonna be fine to eat the trout. my husband had heard about the cat poop, and i ALMOST said, yes, i'm not supposed to be doing that, but then i decided it's too early for me to be using prego for getting out of stuff - it would snowball! lol

aylaane, but i thought midwives were perfect!? jeeze, thanks for the correction - i hate being the spreader of bad information. good thing she's at a practice i'm not using for prenatal and labor

rhiorion, hahaha, my husband keeps offering to make me mocktails. i'm like, don't patronize me! that sounds yummy though

btw, not all bacon has nitrates - if it doesn't it usually says so on the label.