i don't want this thread to be controversial because don't get me wrong I love being pregnant and will do whatever it takes to make sure my baby boy comes out the healthiest possible.

but.. it seems like every day i am finding out something new about what we are not supposed to be eating.

i already knew about the alcohol and cigarettes before i ever was pregnant. makes 100% sense and i would never do either of those things while pregnant.

then i heard about caffeine. okay, fine, i will cut back but i won't completely stop drinking it.

then i heard about the soft cheeses. okay, cool, makes sense too. won't be touching any of that stuff.

THEN i heard about the sandwich meat. umm.. okay fine, i guess that is understandable, but it seems a little excessive. i understand the risks of listeria so i will make sure i heat up any meat i decide to eat.

THEN i heard about soft serve ice cream... ridiculous! excuse me, i have eaten countless Oreo McFlurries since i fell pregnant!!! what the hell!! okay i understand that there may be listeria in the machines but it is SO rare!

THEN this is when the straw broke the camel's back for me... someone literally told me and showed me an article about how you should CUT BACK on fresh vegetables and fruits, even if you wash them good (risk of listeria). WHAT THE HELL. i wanted to seriously punch them in the head when they said that. fresh fruits and veggies are so good for you, and i just don't understand why washing them well is still harmful!

My mom drank coffee, ate sandwiches, ate soft serve ice cream, drank soda, ate salads and definitely ate a lot of fruit and guess what?! MY BROTHER AND I ARE JUST FINE, COULDN'T BE ANY HEALTHIER.

haha sorry for the rant!

I'm sorry, but the soft serve isn't on the American Pregnancy Association site and my Doctor said that the risk of listeria in soft serve ice cream is very little, unless the machine is very dirty. I crave it and it is going to be hot out, so I won't give it up.

My baby needs fruits and vegetables, therefore I'll be washing them well and enjoying.

thank you. i do NOT plan on giving it up! i love ice cream and since i will be big and pregnant in the summer i plan on enjoying it to keep cool

bah, i still eat sandwich meat, mayonaise, drink caffinated drinks (in moderation) eat McDonalds icecream, and eat fruit and veg, people having been having children a lot longer than these silly rules lol!

Yeah...maybe it makes me a bad mom, but I take a lot of that with a grain of salt. Obviously no drinking and smoking...and I cut back on caffeine but haven't completely eliminated it. I haven't had any lunchmeat...but I'm kinda craving a sub sandwich and if I have one, I'm just going to ask them to cut the meat fresh for me so I know it wasn't sitting there cut already for hours. Uhhh...soft serve...I'll plan on having it once the stands open up...and fresh fruits and veggies...well thats just dumb. I've made sure they're washed before I have them.

i totally agree! this is only my opinion but i think alot of it is silly given that the risks are so low. i dont drink alcohol but thats about it, i still drink coffee and coke and eat whatever i want pretty much, which is a fairly healthy diet. i wonder what people did thousands of years ago before all these rules were invented? to be honest some of the rules i havent even heard of, like the one about ice cream?? and saying you should cut down fresh vegetables, well i dont get that at all. i think its a very rantable subject!!

my thoughts exactly. what did they do in the middle ages when pasteurization wasn't even a twinkle in anyone's eye? nothing. they drank UNpasteurized milk straight from the cow and a few months later had a healthy baby. didn't even know about the mayonnaise issue.

Girl, screw everything you are reading.

Bad: smoking, alcohol, too much caffeine

Don't stop eating fruits and veggies, just wash them! Eat your ice cream! And it's up to you about the lunchmeat. Really, I just wouldn't eat any that they cut in the deli for you. Many doctors say it's fine to get the prepackaged stuff. Meat in the deli can sit out for a while and are wrapped up and unwrapped to slice so many times a day. (I work in a deli so I can attest to that.)

If we listened to EVERY piece of "advice" we'd never leave the house or eat anything while pregnant!

i should put myself in a bubble for the next few months with an IV to feed me pasteurized, listeria-free, liquid food... haha just kidding! i want to eat right so my baby can be healthy, but i think some of the stuff needs to be taken with a grain of salt just like all of you ladies have said

One poster mentioned mayonaise, which I think is only harmful if it is homemade(raw eggs).