Yes it is all deli meats, inclusing the pre packaged ones. The thing is, some people will eat them all throughout their pregnancy and be fine. Some people will eat one thing of smoked fish and get it. You never know who will get it, and who won't. Personally, I have enough health risks having babies that I won't eat deli meats, soft cheeses etc... This way, if anything does happen to my baby, I won't be able to take any blame for doing something wrong.

Thanks Sherri. I would blame myself forever if anything happened so I won't be risking it now I know.

Eek this pregnancy malarkey is tough.

I was going through our work Xmas menu today and there was not one thing on the menu I could eat due to blue cheeses, alcohol or some other banned food. I'm sure the restaurant will be accommodating but I certainly felt very sorry for myself.

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I know what you mean I, for one, don't eat anything I know I shouldn't be eating, and I google health guidelines for anything I question... My SIL, on the other hand, eats raw hot dogs all the time, eats Subway deli sandwishes all the time, drinks about 8 cups of coffee a day (way over the guidelines), etc etc, and she has had 2 babies perfectly fine, and another on the way in about 5 weeks who is also perfectly fine. I bet she also sits in her kitchen eating raw eggs and drinking alcohol just because she can Ok, that last bit was sarcastic.

It doesn't change risk with the meat being pre-packaged, but you can heat up the meats to 170 degrees (steaming) I believe, and that makes it safe. My husband operates a deli so my eating habits will definitely change! Sodium nitrate is also a concern with pre-packaged meats, which is also in hot dogs and bacon. There is a lot of mixed advice on bacon out there.

When i go to Subway i ask them to microwave the meat and then i have it toasted too. That way i know that any bacteria will be gone. I can't give up my Subway!

This is what the Food Standards Agency in the UK say:
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/age...nancy/#A219904

"Some countries advise pregnant women not to eat cold meats or smoked fish because of the risk of listeria. In the UK, we don't advise women to avoid these products because the risk is very low. The risk of listeria is much higher with cheeses such as Camembert, Brie or chevre (a type of goats' cheese), and others that have a similar rind, or pâté, which you shouldn't eat during pregnancy. However, if you are concerned, you might also choose to avoid cold meats and smoked fish while you are pregnant."

I love the bit on sushi, too:
"Is it OK to eat sushi when I'm pregnant?
It's fine to eat sushi, and other dishes made with raw fish, when you're pregnant as long as the fish used to make it has been frozen first. This is because occasionally fish contains small worms called parasites, which could make you ill. Freezing kills the worms and makes raw fish safe to eat.

Sushi sold in shops or restaurants, whether it's ready-made or made in the shop, should be fine to eat. This is because the raw fish the shop uses to make sushi must have been frozen at minus 20°C for at least 24 hours.

If you make your own sushi at home, freeze the fish for at least 24 hours before using it.

Some raw fish used to make sushi, such as smoked salmon, doesn't need to be frozen before it's used. This is because smoking kills any worms in the fish. Other methods, such as salting or pickling, are also used to make raw foods safe to eat."

That's interesting. Makes me feel better about those weeks I spent eating deli meat (it was my biggest craving!)

i have been craving pepper salami, but im too scared to eat it!

This. In the UK we aren't advised to avoid deli meats. The USA guidelines do tend to be far more cautious.

This is what i was told too, that the meat had to be "steaming".. i can still eat at my favorite sandwich shop *Charlies*