feeling down about just how much stuff is forbidden

[oranges]

Hi, I know this sounds silly but I am getting really down about the sheer amount of stuff that is off limits in pregnancy. I've given up my adored glass of wine, never smoked, and see the point of avoiding raw meats. But peanuts, icecream etc? I don't even like peanuts but they are in my favourite muesli, and in tracker bars which I love. I don't have any allergies but my husband has asthma and exzema so I know I have to avoid them but its all getting a bit much.

Sorry, just needed to rant.

Thanks jonesthesteam - that calmed me down massively, and explains why people prone to eczema get peanut allergies. My husband is convinced the creams he had put on his hands for eczema when he was young is responsible for their weak skin now.
Moondog - yes, on one hand it does put things into perspective, on the other, don't think anyone can be blamed for wanting to do what's best. One in twenty women die in childbirth here, so all the care taken in the West does have a point. I'm not paranoid by nature, but an earlier miscarriage has made me neurotic.

apparently we can have shop bought mayo but not homemade mayo. i'm not enjoying the off limits stuff too, and we can't have raw shellfish but can have cooked. quite fancy scampi and chips for tea.

oh dear says Enid as she merrily tucks into a huge slab of toast and peanut butter

lol, well Ive been bad in both pregnancies
Ive eaten soft eggs, had the occasional glass of wine, eaten peanut containing products and eaten stilton, I think in moderation its safe enough(thats my personal opinion,my choice and my risk) at the end of the day I think for example-if I have eaten stilton for the past 15 yrs without catching listeria, how flippen likely is it that Im going to catch it by eating the very occasional bit on a cracker or two whilst pg?

I must say though, I agree with some of the others about ice cream vans, if I have anything from them, it comes out of a wrapper(like a lolly), no way would I have a mr whippy-eww like someone said, they keep their scoops in rancid water which has god knows how many germs in it, especially on a hot day,yukkky!

I didnt change any of my eating habits while pregnant, I just didnt see the point! I ate prawns, soft cheese, peanuts. Who eats raw meat anyway?!
I didnt drink any alcohol, but I dont see the harm in the odd glass.
Also I dont get this mayonaise thing either - isnt it just home made stuff to be wary of? In a jar it is pasteurised anyway.
Only thing I wouldnt do was change the cat litter tray - but thats not a bad thing!

ooh, toast and peanut butter....bear with me while i make some

Ah, I would have starved this pg without toast and peanut butter and what good would that have done?

You don't have to avoid peanuts unless there are allergies among first-degree relatives. Even if there are, no-one really knows whether avoiding peanuts in pregnancy does any good - it's more a 'better safe than sorry' approach rather than one based on any evidence.

Shop-bought mayo is usually OK because it uses pasteurised rather than raw egg.

It is all a complete pain in the bum, though, I agree.

Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't the peanut thing only if you or your partner have allergies? I am 14 weeks and eat peanut butter on toast most days (neither of us have allergies). I also enjoy a glass of wine once or twice a week, eat fried eggs and had a prawn vindaloo 2 weeks ago 'cos I totally forgot about the shellfish thing. Oh, and I do soft cheese too (Boursin), except the blue stuff, though my Bounty guide said soft cheese was ok. Seems to me one book will tell you such and such is ok and another one the opposite! I bet in France they are much more relaxed!

When I was pregnant I lived in Denmark and nothing was banned! I was heavily pregnant over the Millenium festivites which I spent in France drinking wine, eating pate, soft cheese and shell fish - and DS is a picture of health with no allergies. I reckon a little in moderation is fine, just don't over do anything!