Please tell me it’s ok! (Pregnancy / food related!)

[HermioneWaslib]

I’m pregnant and Mil has stuffed the meat with a stuffing containing liver. I know I can’t eat the liver but will it be ok to have the meat or will the juices have too much vitamin A in? It’s a rolled joint with stuffing in the middle so all the meat will have been close to stuffing.

I'd just scrape the stuffing out and eat the meat (I'm pregnant too). And yes, pregnant women should avoid liver but the stuffing will only contain a little, so any juices from it will contain even less. If you're worried, just ask for top cuts.

And remember - government advice is a guideline usually designed for the most stupid of people who have simply no idea about what to eat.

We are told NOT to give babies honey in case they get listeria! Honey ffs! One of the most natural products in the world! Does anybody know anybody who has ever got listeria from honey! And if you go to France I challenge you to find a weaning child’s pudding that hasn’t got honey in it!!
If I told my French SIL not to-feed her kids honey........

Take the government advice with a pinch of salt. Use your common sense. Do you think 100 years ago every woman who ate liver when pregnant had problems with their children???

To be clear this is what the NHS says. I’m not sure how there can be so much contradictory advice when the NHS is very black and white.

Liver can harm your unborn baby
Don't eat liver or products containing liver, such as liver pâté, liver sausage or haggis, as they may contain a lot of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can harm your baby.

No honey for under 1s is because of botulism, not listeria.

It will be fine
The rationale is to not get excessive vitamin A. Just don't eat the liver itself to be safe.
All you have to do is think of the reason for the advice. Then think about whether it applies or not. Don't just follow it blindly.

@fenellas — babies used to die of botulism in the UK a lot before the honey ban came in force. They still die of botulism in countries where there isn’t clear guidance against it. Yes it’s rare but most parents don’t want their kids to be amongst the minority that gets it!

The turkey meat itself doesn't contain liver!

And for under 1s the risk with honey is botulism not listeria.

Honey
Occasionally, honey contains bacteria that can produce toxins in a baby's intestines, leading to infant botulism, which is a very serious illness.
Don't give your child honey until they're over 1 year old. Honey is a sugar, so avoiding it will also help prevent tooth decay.

The reason you have to avoid is the concentration of Vitamin A in pregnancy. Definitely avoid the stuffing, personally I wouldn't be worried about the juices as it's hardly likely to contain a dangerous amount of Vit A but I'm not a medical professional.

Also, a lot of people won't know if they've had listeriosis. In most healthy people people, it manifests often as just a normal kind of stomach bug or even has no symptoms.

Try not to worry Op. Years ago when I had my dc we were told to eat liver. I hate the stuff but remember eating it once a week under the midwives instruction. They were all fine.

I'm another who would just avoid it altogether, even though I probably don't need to. I just always err on the side of caution with stuff like that.

Having said that, I wouldn't find it at all awkward to say "no turkey for me thanks" and explain why.

Unless your family don't yet know you're pregnant, that is!

If you want to be cautious, just don't eat the stuffing, the meat will be fine. I'm also pregnant (3rd trimester) and have only had liver a couple of times in 2nd and 3rd trimester - yes, the Vitamin A content is astronomical, but one meal of liver will ruin your baby. It's eating it regularly so that it accumulates in your system that causes problems. Liver this once will be fine, and presumably there will be less than one recommended portion of it in the stuffing you consume.

I know PPs have said the same as me, I'm just adding my voice to the chorus. Agree with the PP who says All you have to do is think of the reason for the advice. Then think about whether it applies or not. Don't just follow it blindly.

This thread is a good example of why you shouldn't take advice from unqualified strangers on the internet, OP!

ooops, that should read 'but one meal of liver will not ruin your baby'!! ha!

I recommend reading Expecting Better if you don't already have it. It's all about the stats behind pregnancy advice, how the risk/hazard is assessed, and how guidelines are applied in different countries. Really interesting and empowering.

Does your MIL know you;re pregnant, could she not have made a meal without these? My MIL thought it was fine to eat medium rare meat while pregnant, and she gave me a very rare steak for Xmas last year. I didnt touch it despite her nagging it was fine.

I have looked into the reason for the advice - vitamin A toxicity - but can’t find any steer on how much is too much because the advice is not to have any at all! Likewise asking the advice of randos on the internet- I knew it would be conflicting, but I can’t find any better way to find out!

You'll be fine. I had 2 dcs in the UK so avoided liver/paté/soft cheese etc. DD3 was born in France and I checked with my obstetrician and I was allowed to eat all of those things but banned from eating strawberries.

So if pregnant women in France are allowed paté I can't see how a little bit on one day would do any harm.

As a one off I wouldn't worry. My mum ate Liver twice a week throughout all her pregnancies because the doctor told her she needed the iron!

If you read cherries link it says you can eat it but once a week is a bit much. So more like every other week is ok as it is high in vitamin A. As it is only 1 meal and you are not eating the liver just the turkey you will be fine.

It's just common sense really isn't it....

A bit of liver in some stuffing that you're eating only once would never, ever harm your baby. The level of hysteria displayed by some on this thread is mind blowing.

That is what it says for people generally. If you go down to the end, it says that pregnant women should avoid liver products.

Here for the avoidance of doubt is the NHS page specifically about what women should not eat and liver is a no.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/foods-to-avoid-pregnant/#meat

"Liver can harm your unborn baby
Don't eat liver or products containing liver, such as liver pâté, liver sausage or haggis, as they may contain a lot of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can harm your baby."

I think that meat that has been near liver will be fine as a one off.

The level of hysteria displayed by some on this thread is mind blowing.

Well... I suppose it is well meaning people who know the guidelines. It's not hysteria when the NHS is saying "don't do it" rather than "only in small quantities" as they do with some fish.

You know there's vitamin A in lots of the food you eat anyway - e.g. carrots are known for it!! You don't stop eating them do you?
The turkey will have small amounts of vitamin A. The liver will have lots. Its about not having excessive amounts of Vit A. Not a small amount. Else you'd have to stop eating most vegetables...

You know there's vitamin A in lots of the food you eat anyway - e.g. carrots are known for it!! You don't stop eating them do you?

And owing to it's cumulative nature that's exactly why the advice says you should avoid vitA heavy foods, because you hey enough in your day to day, with a healthy diet to take you to recommended levels