Safe Foods in Pregnancy - Page 2

[RedOakMomma]

based on my spacey preggo-brain, I'd guess that I have 20x the risk of dying/getting injured/getting sick from just about EVERYTHING these days. It's amazing they let pregnant women drive.

[kl5]

Originally Posted by Ammaarah

Well, I don't think it's insane to avoid certain foods in pregnancy. The CDC says pregnant women have 20x the risk of listeriosis than the non-pregnant. Even if someone hasn't gotten listeria before, that doesn't mean she is somehow listeria-proof for life. Just heating deli meat and letting it cool is easy and not hysterical IMO.

You know, everyone has to do what makes her the most comfortable when pregnant. But the thing that too often goes without mention, except for possibly here, is the real harm that constant stress and panic about what goes into our mouths can cause to both the mother and the gestating fetus. There is a balance that we all need to find for ourselves, but constant second guessing and worrying about food (and other of the myriad pedantic no nos) cannot be better than the miniscule additional risk that may go along with eating a turkey sandwich. But again, just my 2 cents (as a 35 weeks pregnant raw milk drinking, occasional salmon roll eating, couple of glasses of wine or cider a week drinking 36 year old soon to be first time mom).

[Ammaarah]

That is interesting about stress and its effects on pregnancy. I doubt the normal "worry is the work of pregnancy" stress many of us have is the really damaging type, though. I do think it can cross a line, for sure.

[WifeofAnt]

Originally Posted by RedOakMomma

based on my spacey preggo-brain, I'd guess that I have 20x the risk of dying/getting injured/getting sick from just about EVERYTHING these days. It's amazing they let pregnant women drive.

Oh yeah, random nausea, dizziness, 'pregnancy brain', bellies getting in the way of the steering wheel...

I do think that there are more safe foods than unsafe foods though. Heck I ate CRAB LEGS the other day! They didn't have rock bottom mercury levels but its not like I eat them every day... or even every month.

[Tresa]

I eat foods on "the list" with a lot more caution, especially if I'm eating at a restaurant. Like...I won't eat at any salad bar, but I'll make my own salad at home because I control how clean my kitchen is and how clean the vegetables get before I eat them (how clean hands that handle the food are, etc). I haven't felt comfortable enough to eat deli meat yet, but I crave, crave, crave subway. I use caffiene as a drug for headaches and energy boosts, but no more than a cup or two a day. I am okay with drinking wine or beer when I want it but haven't lately because it dehydrates me so badly, and I have a hard enough time getting enough fluids down every day.

Really, your pregnant nose knows, you have super smell for a reason. ...right?

And don't feel embarrassed about asking any question here. I'm kind of surprised/angry to see the tone the first person who responded to this thread used. That was unnecesary.

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by Tresa

Really, your pregnant nose knows, you have super smell for a reason. ...right?

Ugh, and pregnancy taste buds. I went to sip a beer a few weeks back and it tasted AWFUL...like, totally vile. Turns out it was expired.

And, before I even found out I was pregnant, I started gagging when I would drink my morning iced coffee...

[Ammaarah]

I don't have super spidey-nose or taste this time around. Some stuff doesn't appeal to me, but I can't smell someone forgot his deodorant from across a crowded room like I could when pregnant with my first. I wouldn't count on my nose this time around at all.

[CherryBomb]

Originally Posted by Ammaarah

Well, I don't think it's insane to avoid certain foods in pregnancy. The CDC says pregnant women have 20x the risk of listeriosis than the non-pregnant. Even if someone hasn't gotten listeria before, that doesn't mean she is somehow listeria-proof for life. Just heating deli meat and letting it cool is easy and not hysterical IMO.

I don't think anyone is saying you should pretend listeria doesn't exist, just that it's not an overwhelming fear for many of us. Sure, 20x sounds scary, until you learn that there are only 2-3 cases per million people in the US every year. Pregnant women have lowered immune systems, so it's not shocking to me that they have a higher rate of listeria infection. I wouldn't eat sushi or lunch meat from a place I didn't trust, pregnant or not, so I personally am not overly concerned with contracting listeria. I'm well aware of the fact that it's possible, though.

[Melly24]

I have strict code I adhere to when it comes to food in pregnancy, which is this:

If it looks or smells gross, don't eat it.

Actually I apply that when not pregnant too

[lillymonster]

Originally Posted by WifeofAnt

Heck I ate CRAB LEGS the other day! They didn't have rock bottom mercury levels but its not like I eat them every day... or even every month.

I am from Maryland, crabs are a requirement in the summer.....even though they are shipped from Alabama now....but I digress. Anyway, all I could find was that you aren't supposed to eat the "mustard" which I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole anyway - not pregnant. But yeah, steamed crabs, been eating them a few times this summer, along with cream of crab soup, crab dip, crab cakes, stuffed shrimp. I would eat steamed crabs more if they weren't so darn expensive. Now soft shell crabs, make me vomit even not pregnant. Ugh...nasty.

[mangosink0]

Originally Posted by Ammaarah

Well, I don't think it's insane to avoid certain foods in pregnancy. The CDC says pregnant women have 20x the risk of listeriosis than the non-pregnant. Even if someone hasn't gotten listeria before, that doesn't mean she is somehow listeria-proof for life. Just heating deli meat and letting it cool is easy and not hysterical IMO.

I totally agree. I don't eat the soft serve ice cream after seeing it on here, but to me it's no big deal, there are plenty of other kinds of ice cream to go around.

[Jayray]

It's a risk assessment. Listeria can cause serious birth defects. The risk of contracting it is very small, I agree, but the possible results are very bad. So I avoid cold deli meat because I don't like the risk. The same reason I wear a bike helmet. I don't think heating up deli meat in order to eat it is a big deal. It doesn't stress me out in the least.