Did you eat ‘forbidden foods’ in pregnancy?

[Wouldloveanother]

After 2 weeks of horrendous morning (all day) sickness and accompanying gastro problems, I NEEDED a smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich. Bought one from Tesco, it went down a treat, currently smacking my lips and feeling better than I have for a day or two.

But… the NHS website says to be ‘careful’ with smoked salmon. Surely Tesco sandwiches are pretty safe? Have I committed a pregnancy crime?

Oh and I had a bit of liver in my last pregnancy because I was really craving it, and found out the risk is only if you eat loads of it at a specific point in the first trimester.

And had a smoked salmon bagel for lunch, lol. Didn't even know that one was a thing.

Prawns
pate
blue cheese
brie

bloody ate the lot!

Prawns are fine anyway if cooked
Ideally the cheeses should be cooked too although hard blue cheese is ok uncooked eg stilton

Since when we're pregnant women restricted to eating 'beige rubbish'?

I had a prawn mayonaise sandwich at one point. I'd spent months dry gagging and losing weight despite gaining bump and I just craved it and it was glorious.

I had occassional tiny amounts of wine/ cider in the second trimesters.

I spent two years of my life feeling bloody awful or in pain through pregnancy/ and birth recovery (as in several months of being housebound), so I wasn't much inclined to add extra misery on top for the sake of an occasional treat when I couldn't even take adequate pain relief or medication to feel half-human/ functional.

Prawns are fine to eat during pregnancy...

There is no guidance to avoid cooked prawns

In my 2nd pregnancy I carried on as normal rafter driving myself crazy about listeria 1st pg. I believe the worst and biggest recent outbreaks were linked to butter, salad, melons and bean sprouts, none of which are advised against so I figured it was all a bit silly worrying about a bit of blue cheese. I also enjoyed the odd sauna and glass of wine.

YABU and I don’t think PP was being ‘dramatic’ at all. For the sake of not eating some foods for 9 months I think you are being the dramatic one.

Yeah being pregnant is shitty enough without being able to enjoy the foods you fancy

So is duck

Again, do you honestly not think tasty foods exist outside of the tiny list of 'banned' foods?

You asked PP 'like what' when she said there are still plenty of tasty things you can eat

I find it odd how you lack the imagination to think of anything nice outside of raw meat, a select few fish items and unpasteurised milk and cheese products

@Matildahoney

No one said Duck isn't safe to eat during pregnancy

Unless you've missed the 'Eggs' part of my comment?

Absolutely this.

It’s not dramatic, it’s the truth. You just don’t want to accept it.

@nutellachurro didn't realise the eggs part applied to all 3

Yeah I ate tuna every day as I craved it. For some reason when I am low in iron I crave it and I was anemic both pregnancies especially with my twins.

*vroom321
It's recommended for a reason. Why risk it?

@vroom321

Cos most things in life are risky, stepping out your front door you could be hit by lightening or trip on the pavement and injure yourself or whatever

you still have to have a life when pregnant - you can’t avoid all risk*

Ridiculous argument.
You're not asking someone to directly run into you. If you did that would be your fault to suffer the consequences but your baby has no choice.

I'm not really sure why you're getting on your high horse about this - there are absolutely loads of healthy foods not on the list to avoid in pregnancy (in fact, almost everything) and also a supermarket salmon and cream cheese sandwich is hardly a pinnacle of either nutrition or culinary good taste!

That's what commas do in a sentence

I followed the guidelines in the booklet they gave me at my booking appointment. I also had gestational diabetes and I followed the diet to the letter.
The list of foods on the list to generally avoid didn’t affect me anyway as I wouldn’t eat things like pate or sushi or mouldy cheese if I had a gun to my head.
In Ireland you are told to avoid undercooked eggs because of salmonella and pre prepared salad and soft scoop ice cream because of listeria. I didn’t eat the ice cream but if I had I would have gotten it from a McDonald’s or somewhere they are likely to have better safety standards than some crappy looking van at the seaside. I occasionally ate bagged lettuce but I got the ready to eat stuff and washed it first as I thought that would be safer. The thought of salmonella put me right off so I had no desire to eat runny eggs.
I switched to more natural makeup products but looking back I probably wouldn’t bother again.
I slept with a hot water bottle against my tummy for the first few months before I found out you’re not supposed to!
I think it’s important to understand why things are on the avoid list before you decide to ignore or follow it. Women are capable of making their own risk assessments (for the most part).

Well, what is? Any suggestions?

During my last pregnancy one of my neighbours sons had a part time job at McDonald's and would always WhatsApp me when they'd just cleaned the McFlurry machine so I could rush out and get some soft ice cream that I could be confident in

Didn't risk anywhere else though!

You can eat duck, goose and quail eggs if they are cooked through

Yes, small amounts of alcohol, slightly runny (not raw) eggs and occasionally med-rare meat. I had blue cheese cooked into a sauce to limit the risk. More so in my second pregnancy. I really cut back on caffine though. I don't like the excssive policing of women during pregnancy, especially noticeable on mumsnet. Your body, your choice.

Sorry we're not all perfect, baby brain is a thing! No need to be so condescending.