Ridiculously worried, found metal in takeaway

[Metalinmydinner]

We’ve been regulars at local takeaway for years. Always a 5* hygiene rating and great reviews, well used by our neighbours and friends too.

Anyway, as I was nearing the end of my meal, I discovered two tiny bits of what feels like metal/wire stuck to a bit of chicken.

I feel sick with worry. I might be overreacting to feel so concerned but I’m 14 weeks pregnant with our rainbow baby and utterly terrified anything bad could happen to them because of this.

Like I say, I found it as I was finishing the meal. I have no idea if I have eaten any more of it and terrified that I might have. It does feel tiny, and not too scratchy or sharp when I hold it in my hand.

Picture attached. I don’t know what to do and can’t rationalise. What should I do?

Yes, because you won't know if it's the same type of scourer or even if it is from a scourer.

Honestly, just ask them. They'll be able to shed light and probably be grateful to know there's a problem.

If I had a takeaway with 5 * I'd be glad that a customer let me know a problem was occurring so I could remedy it.

They may even give you metal-free freebies to say thanks.

I completely sympathise with how you're feeling, but as someone who was also very anxious in pregnancy, I think this kind of action will only feed your anxiety, not resolve it. You really just need to sit with the anxiety now and wait for the spike or panic to pass. It will, I promise. Rationality will return.

I think if you had put any in your mouth and chewed you would have felt it wasn’t what it was meant to feel like (eg chicken , rice , veg ) and taken it out . Similar to when you get a hair in your mouth on accident .
But understand your concern when it comes to stuff like this . I would however speak with the takeaway venue to find out , and wouldn’t eat from there again .

I hope you’re right. Rationally, I’m sure you are. The only piece was probably the piece I found. It’s just the what if, element, that’s scaring me

That won't happen. If you have swallowed some it'll go into your tummy and through your bowels and you'll poo it out. Your digestive tract is completely separate to your placenta and it's only things in your blood that will be exchanged between you and your baby.

What if what?

What's going to happen? Any metal is in your stomach. Your baby is in your womb.

It wouldn’t make you feel any better to do this. I have OCD (and am a mother of four)this sounds a little like that. You think you’ll get reassurance but it won’t stop the anxiety, you’ll just get further “what ifs”. You’ll keep staring at the pad and the filaments and won’t believe what you’re seeing.

As PP said, there’s no way chunks of metal can pass through the placenta. Also, look at what women with extreme Pica eat! 😂

Youre going to be okay. But stop seeking reassurance, and just notice and observe that you’re going to feel anxious for a few hours. It will pass.

And maybe tomorrow look into intrusive thoughts OCD. It can rear its head in pregnancy.

I’m sure you would have noticed that in your mouth and not have swallowed any. Even if you did I’m sure it wouldn’t affect your baby. Try not to worry. Xx

You don’t need to go to Asda. You need to think back to your biology lessons in school. Your digestive and reproductive systems are separate. There is no way for the metal, if you have eaten any, to magically jump from one system to the other- just like a coil contraceptive can’t jump into your stomach or a tampon can’t wind up in your lungs.

Maybe the baby will make a tiny spoon or musical instrument like a triangle?

She just needs a bit of reassurance

Eat a bowl of oatmeal to "line" the digestive tract and ensure safe passage so to speak.

Thank you. I didn’t know how the placenta works ie how it gets nutrients to baby so wasn’t sure if there was a risk it would pass through until a previous poster explained

Believe it or not I did biology A-level and got an A. All that goes out the window though when you’re in a flap. I would’ve rung the GP/midwife had it been daytime for reassurance but obviously that’s not there at this late hour. Come this time next week I’ll probably think what a hoo-haa about nothing, but that’s the nature of anxiety

Why would it do any harm to your baby? The digestive tract is separate from the reproductive system.

Like I say, food gets passed through the placenta so didn’t know if this metal could too

Well it's more likely that than a bloody hair grip, where did that idea come from?

Contacted the takeaway and they said they ‘think’ it was from the scourer they use to clean the woks with.

Food doesn't pass through the placenta to the baby. Your placenta is a separate organ in your uterus, connected to your baby. Oxygen and nutrients pass from the placenta to the baby.

You're all good OP. You noticed the little bit of metal and didn't swallow it. Think how sensitive your mouth is - even getting a wee hair in your mouth is noticeable, or a tiny seed.

Baby is just fine 😊

Thank you for being so kind. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to reassure me. I know it might have seemed silly and I will hopefully look back one day and laugh at all this. I was worried there might be some judgmental or unpleasant comments but you have all been, so so kind. X

Don’t worry , honest I have these issues (see one of my previous posts about gone off cream ) and I wasnt pregnant . I am with you about anxiety , it’s horrible it’s makes things that people who don’t suffer seem completely rational . Good luck with the baby. ❤️

Nutrients from food cross the placenta, not large pieces. The nutrients that cross the placenta have already been processed by your liver and are delivered in the bloodstream etc... The digestive tract is very separate and big bits of anything won't get there.

That's not to say it's not a worry that you could swallow some bit of metal, such a thing could still be toxic at molecular level or cause internal injury requiring surgery, all of which is a danger to a pregnancy, but these things are very unlikely.

This cannot be real. There is no way a functional human being can genuinely believe that metal can pass across the placenta.

Unless you stuck the metal up your vagina this will have no impact on your pregnancy

But you need to seek help for your anxiety because this pregnancy will not be easy with this kind of thinking.

Ions like staples?

might of been on the box the chickens came in. Antthing

i wouldn’t worry about it.