Off-limits foods

[Aria]

Geez, with all the foods OFF limits (from tuna to tiramisu to Caesar dressing), what are some foods that CAN be eaten?! I am thisclose to saying "Screw it!" and just eating what I want. All my doctors said was no tuna or raw fish, but them I look online and apple cider, mozzarella cheese, bacon, and almost every other food I eat regularly is on the list. No liver, no hot dogs, no herbs.

So what foods are left? Or are pregnant women supposed to live on organic bread and filtered,distilled water alone?

 

[marley2580]

Most of it's a load of crap if you ask me. Just be sensible - no liver (for the vit A), no tuna (mercury), no unpasturised cheese or soft/raw eggs. Other than that you should be fine. I've never heard of not being allowed to eat bacon or hotdogs. I ignore a lot of the advice as it's just over the top - I still eat Mr Whippy ice cream for example.

 

[1st_baby]

I ate what ever I wanted even sushi and my boy came out fine

 

[polo_princess]

Tuna is fine as long as you limit it to one portion per week as that is classed as a safe mercury level.

Liver is definatley a no no though along with soft cheeses.

You can eat most other things as long as you make sure they are cooked properly.

 

[Aria]

I know a lot of these lists are just sooooo over-the-top. It's just kind of funny because, if you follow them all religiously, then there's almost nothing left to eat!

I'll still limit the raw sushi (doctor said cooked is fine) and tuna, but I fully intend on eating an entire tiramisu soon, and to finish of a bowl of cookie dough.

 

[amylw1]

tuna -- i was told no more than 3 small cans a week, which is a good job as we do eat alot of it. i was told no raw fish of any sort, but tinned tuna has been cooked. never heard of the no hot dogs - i'm eating them!

 

[MummyToAmberx]

i ate crap loads tuna in last preg, it aint stopping me tis time

 

[TigerLady]

Just eat things in moderation, stay away from the WORST of it, and cook everything well that you can.

Worst -- non pasterized dairy (cheeses, milk, etc). Raw eggs can be iffy... including runny eggs like over easy. The risk here is bacterial infection.

Bacterial infection is also a risk in sushi (because it is raw), but it has the double whammy of being high in mercury which can cause brain development troubles. So I would limit that a bit.

However, some fish is okay in moderation (like Tuna) because it is lower in mercury. The longer lived and more predatory the fish, the more mercury it will have (i.e. shark is one of the worst).

Also, some fish are totally okay -- especially some types of farmed fish. Wild caught Alaskan salmon is also supposed to be fine and can be found canned like Tuna is.

I actually eat quite a bit of fish because I crave it alllllll the time. And the Omega-3s have been shown to promote healthy brain develop in fetuses and may even contribute to higher IQs.

 

[mrso]

the thing with hot dogs or cold lunch meats is the chance of getting Listeria. A very nasty bacteria that can harm baby. My nutritionist told me that I can eat these types of things but to warm them in the microwave them until they are steaming. This will kill all the bacteria.

 

[Aria]

Mmmmmm, salmon....

If lunch meats and hot dogs are supposed to be cooked before packaging, how can they still be a risk?

 

[mrso]

Mmmmmm, salmon....

If lunch meats and hot dogs are supposed to be cooked before packaging, how can they still be a risk?

I dont know TBH. But my nutritionist told me this when I saw her 2 weeks ago. I never even heard of such a thing during my first pregnancy and my son is just fine.

My guess is that after the package is opened then it can become recontaminated and to eliminate any bacteria you just heat it up until steaming. Just thought I would add this to your thread becasue Listeria is very serious!!

 

[CoachingBeef]

Does anyone know why you have to avoid nuts? I had a curry a few weeks back and thought nothing of eating the cashews nuts in it. I also had a couple of praline chocolates. Didn't really think anything of it at the time!! x

 

[TigerLady]

I think the nuts thing is only if you, your OH, or anyone in the family has a tendency toward food allergies, especially nuts. I guess the reasoning is the baby might be allergic or more likely to develop an allergy if exposed? But I am not sure about that, so someone correct me if I am wrong!

I also think that deli meats and hot dogs are more of a problem IN delis, resturants, and from deli counters. There, they are open for long(er) periods of time, possibly without refrigeration and definitely without being reheated. I am sure if you buy the lunch meats that you BUY in the package it is much less of a risk.

Personally, I don't worry about the deli meat thing. There are just some things I had to decide (for my own sanity) were too low of a risk to worth freaking myself out over. If I want to order a Turkey sandwich from the local deli where I know it is kept reasonably clean, then I order it!!

 

[tasha41]

TBH I'm allergic to almonds and I still ate tons of peanut butter. I had pecans and walnuts here and there too! I snuck goat cheese and brie - cooked though. Also ate feta cheese in Greek salad, and I ate mayo, soft serve ice cream, the whole bit.

Didn't eat lunchmeats or hotdogs but in Canada we had listeria in some of the products made by a major company here (not that I really like either anyway TBH).. only cooked turkey breast from Subway! And I don't eat fish so no problems there for me

Really.. if it made me sick when I wasn't pregnant I stayed away from it during pregnancy, if I was okay eating it prepregnancy, I ate it while pregnant.. and I didn't run into any problems

 

[marley2580]

They're actually saying now that they think the rise in peanut allergies is due to people avoiding them in pregnancy and not giving them to their kids.

 

[mom-on-8/2009]

caesar dressing? tiramisu? honestly? wow! my doctor said something about no nuts but i thought it was due to salt or something and ate them just not really salted

 

[Aria]

They're actually saying now that they think the rise in peanut allergies is due to people avoiding them in pregnancy and not giving them to their kids.

I believe this. In the UK, they've figured out how to help some kids eat peanuts by slowly getting their bodies used to peanuts. With an allergy, the body identifies something as foreign or dangerous, and your lungs and throat close to prevent the substance from getting in. So if there's something in peanuts your body isn't used to, no wonder some people don't react well.

I plan to eat peanuts for this reason, so that my baby/babies are used to peanuts before birth.

 

[babystar]

this is good about the nuts!! cos i am craving them like a mo-fo!! (dry roasted peanuts) and OH says NO cos they are not allowed!! I will show him this thread! thank yoooou

 

[lorrilou]

I ate tons of peanut butter during my last pregnancy and i had the odd prawn sandwich!!

I am so craving brie tho, i love it and miss it!!

 

[Blondie]

Oooh I could murder for a fried egg butty now with a runny yoke - I've heard conflicting stories on this though - that lion stamped eggs are ok to have runny? I might just cave in and have one anyway Hard yolks are just not the same and providing the egg white is cooked I should be ok. I will definitely avoid raw eggs though (I will have to avoid making cakes as I just can't resist cake mix )