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?

And also smoked fish if you cook that too

Yes I did - admittedly over 15 years ago. And the advice on weaning has changed on and off so much in that time, that I felt I was right to be very cynical about over-compliance with govt GUIDANCE.

My weakness was the odd glass of wine (and possibly soft cheese). One factor in my resistance to guidance about what I should or shouldnt eat was driven by an experience in the States. A work colleague and I were leaving employment at the same time so we decided to go for a celebratory lunch. She was about 8 months pregnant. The young (less than 25 but not by much) male waiter took our food and drink orders and said to my colleague "clearly you wont be needing the wine list". Now she wasnt drinking; I had a lovely glass. But even in the early 90's I was stunned by the assumption that a (male)stranger would tell a woman what she could do during pregnancy. My own pregnancy was decades later and in a different country but that always stuck with me. (a lot).

I worked as a waitress years before my first pregnancy and I recall one of the other waitresses being fairly demanding with any apparantly pregnant woman who came in and refusing to serve them meals cooked with alcohol. She was a controlling nightmare in other ways too. Bit like some people on this thread I suppose.

I was pregnant, back in the day. Before everything got banned. Kids are all alive with no issues 🤣

Any many aren't

People who use this argument get under my skin

'We didn't have seatbelts when I was young, I'm still alive'

'My kids never had their MMR jabs, all fine'

Bleurg

I guess I’m just not self sacrificing enough 🤷‍♀️

if the guidelines were say “no makeup” I genuinely don’t think I could have a pregnancy!

I ate everything including unpasteurised cheese and had a glass of wine every week, didn't feel remotely guilty about it. I read 'Expecting Better' which was very reassuring. I think smoked salmon is fine though?

I wouldn't touch mr whippy anyway - my Nan went down to 5 stone and spent months in hospital after having one, where the machine wasn't properly cleaned. None of our family have eaten one since!
McFlurry is a better option as you know the hygiene around it

Sorry op but you are in for a helluva long pregnancy if you are being so dramatic over a tiny list of what 13 foods to avoid when your not even 12 weeks in yet.

Theres millions of nice tasty healthy foods you can eat.

Herbs and spices arent against guidelines so why would food be bland or tasteless? Meat and veg and fruit and pasta and many seafoods and eggs and desserts and tofu and all matter of foods are not beige or bland. And no one said you have to eat UK only cuisine if thats not to your taste. Buy an asian cookbook or italian or spanish or anything you want.

It’s called a risk assessment.

And it’s more akin to - I cross the road and look every time and haven’t been run over yet, so I’ll continue to cross the road as I normally have.

I think your post was probably in response to mine (as I literally said I’d never had food poisoning) and tbh now I’ve seen the list of ‘banned foods’ I don’t eat them anyway. I practice good food hygiene and buy from supermarkets.

Having said that as I think back, I had a very high risk pregnancy the first time round and like I said could barely eat anything I felt so ill. I stayed away from soft cheeses as I didn’t realise anything from a supermarket is pasteurised anyway!

That said i honestly dont care what pregnant women eat. It just annoys me the melodrama of whining that accompanies such a tiny and easily avoidable list and the pretending to not have anything else in the world you could possibly eat.

The guidelines are that. Guidelines based on research. They arent the law. Eat whatever you want.

Nah, but you're dramatic as hell

Still not answering why you think a tiny list of banned foods means you can't eat anything tasty.

Not really. Not saying I’ll be repeating my salmon decadence this afternoon, but most British food is so stodgy and lacking in nutritional value

Erm…if you can’t cook just say that. It’s absolutely untrue otherwise.

I just remembered that once when I was heavily pregnant, a sales assistant in Boots refused to sell me a tub of Vicks Vaporub. She said it could “send me straight into labour”!
I was so bewildered, I just said Ok and walked out.
They’re not within their rights to point blank refuse to sell a pregnant woman something over the counter that’s not recommended, are they?
Also, has anybody else ever get warned off Vicks?

No, I don't want a medal. I followed the guidelines, avoided risks I could and, frankly, it was very easy to do!

I know there is also a risk of being hit by a car, thankfully I managed to avoid that too.

It wasn't bloody hard, you're all acting like you'd die without a rare steak. It's kind of pathetic, actually, for the sake of 9 months. Strange, but you do you 😂

They're able to refuse sale to anyone for any reason.

Oh I can cook all right. But British food is a bit meat and two veg (well cooked obviously), not too much flavour without things like nice cheeses etc.

My nana took my mum to where the road was being tarmac'd when she had croup as a baby. And hovered her over to breathe it in. We learn & move on! 🤣

Sounds like induction wards need warning more than anybody, why bother with expensive drugs when you can rub some vicks onto a hanky?

@Wouldloveanother

Good thing multiple dishes from other cultures are fine to eat then isn't it

You're just being ridiculous

Nutella is on Come Dine With Me, and the guests are three pregnant women. What do you cook for them? Starter, main, dessert?

It’s really not . Unless you exclusively eat out at Brewers Fayre, then whatever you eat at home is ‘British food’ - if you’re not British then don’t cook what don’t like and if you are, also don’t cook what you don’t like!

Scallops cooked in anchovy butter |

Roasted gnocchi with beetroot, butternut squash, pine nuts, chestnut mushroom, spinach and pasteurised feta |

Hazelnut and chocolate ganache tart, or maybe Tarte au citron

I think I'd be in with a chance of a win! 💸

Make sure you incinerate those scallops!

Like the sound of the pudding

I am sure with my 9 year old NHS guidelines said no to smoked salmon but by the time I had my 6 year old it was fine to eat! Also… went to France whilst pregnant with my first and there were basically no banned foods there…. so I’m sure it’s fine!