What "forbidden" behaviors have you indulged in/are you comfortable with? - Page 2

[Blanca78]

I love that there have been so many thoughtful replies! Now I don't feel so guilty. The message I'm getting here is that it boils down to personal comfort levels, and that it is possible to be cautious on your own behalf without judging others.

I just got back from sushi and it was DELICIOUS. Granted, I stuck to cooked rolls (don't know why I hadn't thought of that when I started this thread), with the exception of a couple of leftover pieces of my friend's. It was tuna, and it was raw, but I only had two pieces and it was SO good.

[Queen of my Castle]

I can't think of a 'taboo' I abide by...oh, actually I don't take meds (have broken it 1 or 2 though)

mind you, i don't eat sushi, i don't break any laws, and i'm such a light drinker it would hardly even count

[StarCat]

I don't eat meat and don't like raw sushi but have had veggie rolls- don't think that really counts, though.  I also have eaten brie, gorgonzola, feta...you name it in the soft cheese department.  However, they were all pasteurized so that doesn't count either.  Pretty hard to find un-pasteurized cheese these days anyway so that is kinda outdated anyway. 

My big taboos...alcohol and caffeine.  I am a HUGE coffee/red wine drinker.  I couldn't stomach coffee for the 1st 10 weeks or so but now I have a cup a day of regular.  If I go to starbucks or something I get decaf.  I've also had approximately 1-2 glasses of red wine a week.  never more. sometimes none. i thouroughly enjoy every sip &  can't wait til I can have 2 glasses!! 

I really. really craved wine when I was pregnant with dd#1 and I wouldn't have any until the very end.  Then I felt guilty about it when I had a few sips!  After I had her I could have cared less about it!  With DD#2 I drank a glass here and there throughout the pregnancy and didn't feel guilty about it at all.  I never felt guilty about coffee. 

[bleumoose]

Like the others, I don't follow the "rules". I use them as guidelines of where to be more  cautious and thoughtful about my choices.

Quote:

Originally Posted by midwestmeg 
I feel humans wouldn't have made it to this day and age if we weren't pretty resilient. Of course, so much of what you should pay attention to during pregnancy depends on your genetics, general state of health and personal comfort level, but the only way I've found peace with pregnancy and parenting is to throw caution to the wind and just trust my instincts.

I agree with you completely, however, one thing to take into consideration is that in the past, there haven't been as many dangers in the food system itself. Eating store-bought, commercially-produced meat dairy and eggs now is far more risky for everyone than eating them centuries or even decades ago. Of course, the flip side of that is that we know much more about food safety and how to keep risky foods safe, but I still don't think that helps to negate the risks inherent in our food system.

 

Originally Posted by Nanette56 

But seriously, I think there's a fine line between being cautious and being paranoid. I know moms in each category. I KNOW there are some things I'm paranoid about, but for the most part I think simply being cautious is enough.

Absolutely! We have a cousin who was so fanatical about avoiding alcohol while pregnant that she wouldn't even eat chicken that had a sauce with white wine it in.

[Liora]

Originally Posted by karanyavel 
DDCC from Feb. '11.

I've broken pretty much all of the rules, except for things like "Don't smoke crack while pregnant."

Oh man!  We aren't supposed to smoke crack!? There went my weekend! :P

I think it is funny that things like listeria infection from deli meat are SO exceedingly rare and we should avoid them while these same people tell us vaccines are completely safe despite twice as many reactions. 

I don't drink while pregnant.  As far as cheeses, meats, raw things, eggs ... I think we have a very safe food supply compared to other countries.  One of the mothering emails recently had a Pregnancy Nog, anyone see that?  Anyways it had raw eggs as an ingredient and a blurb about the incidence of salmonella from eggs in the US.  It was pretty small.  I'll see if I can find it.

Anyways, generally I think this indicitive of the "pregnancy as disease" mentality.

[Liora]

This was in the Week 10 Your Pregnancy email from mothering.com:

"This recipe does contain the optional raw egg, so here's some information for the uncertain. According to the American Egg Board, the risk of encountering an egg contaminated with the salmonella bacteria is extremely rare - only one in 20,000 eggs will have even a trace of it, or another bacteria, inside."

I think you'd find similar stats with meats and cheeses.

[nerdymom]

Originally Posted by Blanca78 

I love that there have been so many thoughtful replies! Now I don't feel so guilty. The message I'm getting here is that it boils down to personal comfort levels, and that it is possible to be cautious on your own behalf without judging others.

I just got back from sushi and it was DELICIOUS. Granted, I stuck to cooked rolls (don't know why I hadn't thought of that when I started this thread), with the exception of a couple of leftover pieces of my friend's. It was tuna, and it was raw, but I only had two pieces and it was SO good.

I am so glad you enjoyed your sushi! I will tell you this: you will be told not to eat even veggie or cooked rolls, but the concern there is cross contamination. So, if the idea of raw fish bothers you, go get your cooked or veggie sushi, and let your sushi chef know that you are pregnant. They will be extra careful (not that a reputable place isn't already careful).

Whoever mentioned baths, good point! I love taking baths! My blood pressure goes pretty low if I have the water too warm anyway so I don't think I am elevating my body temp over 103.

[midwestmeg]

You guys are so great! :

Allison, I totally agree with your reply on food safety!! For, me all of our food comes from either our home, local producers or our local Co-op; and it's a cost I happily take on so that I can know my food is being raised cleanly and safely. I'm such a weirdo about chickens (after seeing the real chicken barns around here when we moved out to MN) that I have gone to visit the farmer my Co-op buys from to see how he's keeping his birds. I don't eat meat and my family only eats meat dh hunts, and I look for reputable fish sources (read- expensive! or from my home fisheries in AK). But I try not to comment too much on my food choices as I've sort of been attacked (hey, maybe rightly so!) for being a food snob. I feel pretty strongly about our health being connected to food, though, so I tend to be outspoken.

Becca, I'm a coffee drinker too. Gave it up with #1 for pregnancy and after two weeks of tea, couldn't take it anymore! And the BEST part about post-preg is not feeling guilty about enjoying a glass (or two) of wine! I have never craved it during pregnancy much, though, possibly my one saving grace. But towards the end of pg I feel much more like having a beer just to unwind.

Liora, that's funny- I was going to say 'and i give up all my favorite street drugs...' but I was afraid someone would take it the wrong way! hehe; when people ask why I choose natural births I always say 'I want my drugs to be for fun; and I didn't give them up for 9 months just to dope up at birth!'

nerdymom, forgot about hot baths/showers... guilty! I took saunas (I'm a weekly sauna person) in the beginning, but stopped when I could feel my womb radiating; it just didn't feel right! Now I just settle for a steamy hot shower. mmmmmmm!

[nicole_marie]

I take really warm showers and I ate nitrate free, organic chicken deli meat once.  Beyond that, I can't...not because I don't think other women shouldn't...but because if ANYTHING (even something mild) was wrong with the baby, I would always have a guilty conscience.  After 9 years of infertility and several miscarriages...it's harder to break the rules.  <3

[karanyavel]

DDCC from Feb. '11 again

Oooh, I forgot, I DO eat raw eggs in the form of unbaked cookie dough. Especially oatmeal. Yum.

The riskiest thing I've done is continue (after much, much research) most of the cocktail of meds I'm on for symptomatic control of MS. Most are category C, and I stopped all but the category B ones during the first trimester. I'm considering tapering off the ones that might possibly cause a physical withdrawal syndrome in the baby (we're talking baclofen, not heroin here) towards the end of pregnancy. I did stop my Provigil before getting pregnant because I felt the risks weren't worth it considering the MASSIVE dose I was on. Oh how I miss Provigil... I need to get a new copy of Hale's ASAP to find out whether I can get away with it while breastfeeding.

I even take the **GASP** occasional dose of (prescribed) narcotics while I'm pregnant when my other option is to lie in bed yowling in pain. And I may have had two whole glasses of wine in one night at some point during my second trimester. On the other hand, I've had maybe a total of 7-8 glasses and I'm 26 weeks so not much drinking at all.

I did get a couple of ultrasounds due to the meds I take and I was relieved that everything looks very normal. I was a little paranoid even though I knew the risks were small and the benefits (me being functional as a mother to my 6 y/o and as a human being in general) were large.

Suffice it to say I don't believe pregnancy should be spent in a padded cell.

--K

[jenniferadurham]

Oh sushi. Oh my dear loving sushi. How I love thee! I've had it maybe twice this pg...but thats not bc I'm scared...it's bc vie been craving more hamburger than anything lol!

My DH is taking me on a surprise date night and I think hotel night tonight and Ive decided (after reading this post) that I'm going to have a glass of nice sweet blush. I haven't had any alcohol this pg...but am not against it at all. I figure there are so women in this world that don't treat their bodies good at all(drugs ect) and get DRUNK(have known several women personally...NOT friends) to have done this....and their babies turned out good. So Im pretty sure one glass here and there isn't going to be bad. I had it with my last pg, to relax at the very end. And my son is healthy as a horse! Lol


I drink drp's...I usually only have one, maybe two a day. I don't drink coffee...so this IS my coffee. I drink tons of tea..I AM in TX after all! Lol but it has TONS of water in it.

I take hot showers and baths...your body will tell you when you've had enough.

I pick up my over 30 lb DS...he's my baby...ive even picked up my almost 50 lb DD when she fell asleep on the couch.... My MIL is so funny..well my parents do this too...when they are around, they hardly ever let me hold/pickup my DS for fear of hurting the baby lol

And I couldn't tell you the last time I took a prenatal...no clue. They are gross and I have a horrible gag reflux when not pg. OB gave me a script for a liquid prenatal in a pill form that I can prick open and put in a drink...but have yet to do so. Meh. I didn't take them the entire time with my DS either.

I <3 this thread!!!

[jr'smom]

Nice thread.  It feels good to "fess up."  I eat over medium eggs about once a week, occasional deli meat, and occasionally a 1/2 caf latte.  (Not sure if the caffeine or sugar is worse.)  I haven't had any alcohol this pregnancy but I would have a half a glass of wine on a special occasion if I really want it.  We drink raw milk too. Since DD has mostly weaned I want her drinking that, not pastuerized milk (or as DS calls it "the kind without the vitamins.")  But I can't stand the smell of it after a day or two (heighted sense of smell--makes the milk smell like the cow to me.) 

I also pick up heavy things/kids and take hot baths. 

[nerdymom]

Ok, that is one thing that I am trying to be careful about. DS is the heaviest thing I will lift, and he is just over 30lbs. And even then I wonder sometimes if I ought to be doing it. The only reason it bothers me is because last time I carried all sorts of things and I worked in an office. I went down two floors and grabbed a box of copy paper. Each box weighs about 50lbs. I was about 6 months pg and I pulled a muscle in my abdomen. Later on, when I had my complications and c/s, the doctor told me I had a pulled groin muscle that may have blocked DS's decent. Now keep in mind he was a big kid (10lb 5oz) and had very broad shoulders, so who knows if that had anything to do with it or not. Having lived through that scenario, I really am trying to be careful. But I am not trying to scare any of you, promise! It is equally possible that the muscle was damaged in my car accident earlier that year, and that it was unrelated to my labor problems.

[Taryn237]

Deli meat, cheese that could be unpasteurized (like on our cruise) but most likely isn't, half a glass of wine once a week or so from 16 weeks on, caffeine in coffee or tea in the am, and the worst one in my opinion is diet coke... About one glass a day.

[Blanca78]

Totally. I try to restrain myself but I'm afraid it's a lifelong habit that's hard to break. I think I like the dough better than the finished product!
 

Originally Posted by karanyavel 

Oooh, I forgot, I DO eat raw eggs in the form of unbaked cookie dough. Especially oatmeal. Yum.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I've probably broken most too.  Have had lots of oysters, some beers, sushi, raw egg, and all kinds of good stuff.   Cheese and deli meat, rare meat don't even make me pause.  (though I try not to eat too much deli meat for other reasons).   I don't smoke but do enjoy the occasional puff when I'm out with friends - that I haven't indulged in and don't plan to but that's about it.  Fun thread.  

[Kmama2]

um yeah.. I drink raw milk, eat soft cheese and deli meats very very very often....

Im shocked some many people like sushi.... GROSS ! :o)

[MrsBone]

I drink one latte a day, have a few sips of wine occasionally, eat soft cheeses, raw milk(a trusted source), raw fermented foods, raw and runny eggs( but they are from a local farm that I trust completely) lunchmeat occasionally, wow..I break a lot of rules, huh!? Medium rare steak(another local trusted grass fed source) but I am careful about what and where I buy and eat those foods as you can see. I trust my farms, I don't trust industrialized foods and big farms! As for the alcohol, I feel 100% confident that the tiny amount I ingest is not going to hurt my baby.

[Neuromancer]

I ingest caffeine in a couple of different forms, I eat tuna, I am willing to eat cooked sushi, of course, and raw sushi at a decent place, I would eat runny eggs if I liked eggs (they're grossing me out while pregnant), I have eaten soft cheese and smoked salmon at fancy parties, I eat bacon and hot dogs and deli meat and cookie dough with raw eggs.  I don't like alcohol much even when NOT pregnant, but I toasted with sips of champagne at 2 weddings and drank a glass of wine in Spain.

[midwestmeg]

Now this thread is just making me  hungry!!! :)

nichole marie; i don't blame you for being anxious... infertility is very tough and I think would make even some one as caviler as me super-sensitive!! Hugs and glad your pregnancy is going well.

karan; I did a ton of med research with my MIL (she's a dr) when I was pg with #1... I just wanted to *know* how it all worked and what went into the 'safe' and 'not safe' decisions- WOW! I've also had friends who needed to take drugs during pregnancy; I think it's stressful but certainly necessary for some. Glad the babe is lookin' good!