# HELP! just ate green papaya salad.. what do I do?



## qhfkdjaak

i'm 12 weeks pregnant with my second child, and i just ate a bowl of green papaya salad- 
i didn't know it was so bad for pregnancies!!

i did throw up a little, but i'm sure some has already been absorbed into my body... 

what should i do????
is there anything i could eat or do to un-do what the papaya could do to my baby? 

please help!


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## Becki77

Ive never heard of not being able to eat papaya sorry cant help but didnt want to read and run, im sure everything will be ok x


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## Lellow

Was the papaya completely ripe?


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## hayzeb

Hi hun, call the DR and explain what happened and hopefully they can reassure you. Can't give much advice as I never knew you were not supposed to have it.


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## Lellow

Is it safe for the baby if moms-to-be eat papaya? 

Healthy eating during pregnancy means choosing at least one good source of vitamin C every day. Fruits like papaya are a great way to help get the recommended 70 mg each day. 

CAUTION: Make sure fresh papaya is FULLY ripe, especially when eating early in pregnancy.

Papaya serves as a natural way to soothe the heartburn experienced during pregnancy. The papaya enzyme that helps soothe indigestion is called papain, or vegetable pepsin. Papain is found in the fruit's latex and leaves. A fully ripe papaya is not considered dangerous; however, a papaya that is the least bit unripe contains a latex substance that is believed to trigger uterine contractions and may lead to early labor or miscarriage. Researchers have noted that unripe papaya latex acts like prostaglandin and oxytocin, which the body makes to start labor. Synthetic prostaglandin and oxytocin are commonly used to start or strengthen labor contractions. 

It is best to avoid fresh papaya early in pregnancy unless you are 100% certain of complete ripeness. Later in pregnancy, a ripe papaya can assist with heartburn control. If your doctor has recommended natural methods for induction after 38 weeks of pregnancy, eating a slightly unripened papaya may be just the ticket.

Tanya Jolliffe, BabyFit healthy eating expert


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## lauren10

You're going to be fine. It has to be eaten in large amounts to make you actually have a miscarriage...and let's think about it...would there be clinical abortions if it was as easy as eating some unripened papaya at home?? 

I wouldn't worry :)


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## philly1982

I've never heard of that hun. I'm sure it will be ok as everyone has little things we're not supposed to have xxx


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## hayzeb

Lellow said:


> Was the papaya completely ripe?

I just found this online "UNRIPE papaya definitely contains an enzyme that can promote uterine contractions and therefore premature labour. Ripe papaya is fine"

never heard it before now though. 

TO THE OP - Can I just add that pineapple is also supposed to have this but I add tons and tons when my baby was overdue and it didn't do a thing my baby was still induced so I'm sure you will be fine.


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## hayzeb

lauren10 said:


> You're going to be fine. It has to be eaten in large amounts to make you actually have a miscarriage...and let's think about it...would there be clinical abortions if it was as easy as eating some unripened papaya at home??
> 
> I wouldn't worry :)

That's true. Makes a lot of sense. I don't think you need to worry


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## qhfkdjaak

thank you ladies- no the papaya was completely unripe. like the really green kind. that's why i'm so worried. thank you i'll try not to worry.

i'm resting drinking some yogi tea that's supposed to help uterine strength...


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## holywoodmum

I'd never heard that - in all my searchs for ways to get overdue baby out!! Tried the pineapple to no avail...


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## halas

how far along are you i heard that tribes used it for abortions but it had to be exstremly early and it had to be a certian stage of being unripe maybe talk to ur midwife or dr


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## NeyNey

Call me Aussie but what the heck is a papaya? :rofl:


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## Sweetie

qhfkdjaak said:


> thank you ladies- no the papaya was completely unripe. like the really green kind. that's why i'm so worried. thank you i'll try not to worry.
> 
> i'm resting drinking some yogi tea that's supposed to help uterine strength...

I'd say call the doctor just to be on the safe side. If nothing else it will let them know in case you do end up having to go in in the next few weeks

I found out about this earlier in my pregnancy and posted about it in first tri a while ago...


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## JASMAK

I guess we all know what we will be eating when our babies are overdue! :rofl:


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