I want Brie and pate .......

[LoveBeingAbleToNamechange]

Just got back from waitrose and couldn't help but stand at the Brie and pate and imagine I was eating them. Very rare for it to bother me but today, [stamps foot] I want it

[Twinkiesmum]

They actually debunked the peanut myth in 2006, (just after I had my youngest), but only made it generally known 3 years later for reasons best known to themselves. Some midwives STILL haven't caught up

[Crosshair]

''I can't help but (maybe stupidly) think that if these foods were so dangerous, humans should not consume them full stop.''

I thought it was due to your immune system being suppresed while pregnant.


A couple of weeks ago I ate some part cooked sausage rolls while thinking they were ready to eat cold.

[MabliD]

Poor old DH is a paranoid soul - I try to remember that he's only trying to look out for me (and by extension baby), but I do sense a 'AIBU to tie DH up while I consume own body weight in sushi and pineapple chunks?' thread in the not too distant future

And you're all right about the raw prawns. Gruesome.

[JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar]

Indeed Cross - you're immune system is suppressed.

Also of course whilst listeriosis is generally a mild illness in fit and healthy young(ish) adults, the consequences for unborn and newborn babies are dire.

[JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar]

That should have been your immune system.

[MadYoungCatLady]

That would certainly explain why I seem to get so many colds crosshair .

But surely women who are pregnant are not the only people with suppressed immune systems? Maybe they are told not to eat these foods too. Cant say I've heard of it but doesn't mean its not so I suppose.

I also attacked the salad bar at pizza hut few weeks back. Only now do I realise how dodgy this could be. As is a carvery, I imagine.

[MadYoungCatLady]

Now I no doubt knew that about it affecting baby, but have clearly forgotten due to baby brain. I've read and read and read what stuff can do what and by the time I've gotten to the fridge I've totally forgotten again.

Is it because of listeriosis mr whippy is off the menu? My mw hasn't got a clue but has still said I'm not supposed to have it :(

[Crosshair]

Im sure I read a thread and someone on immune suppressants posted they also avoided certain foods due to increased risks. Im no expert though. :)

[Quenelle]

Twinkiesmum yes, the Government was slow acting on the FSA's advice. I think they were conducting some research or other. And agreed, midwives have been even slower in catching on.

It has been suggested, although I'm absolutely not qualified to comment, that not eating peanuts when pregnant/breastfeeding could have contributed to the rise in peanut allergy in children. Some exposure to peanuts could perhaps prevent allergy developing. If that is the case it is definitely not a good thing for health professionals to continue advising pregnant women against eating them.

[Youremindmeofthebean]

Thank you guys. I am now off to eat a snickers.

[Coldcuppacoffee]

One of the other things that I have given up along with all this food is my taste buds, I don't know where they are but unless something's covered in mustard, I can't taste a thing. So I am not going to risk food that's semi dodgy when I am not getting all the benefits.

I do, however, remember the glorious taste of a decent, rare bit of steak when DS was 10 days old and longingly wait for that moment next January!

[Badgerwife]

mab at your DH taking pineapple out of your dish in case it brings on labour. For one thing, it has to be fresh pineapple (tinned loses its potency apparently), and you'd also have to eat quite a lot of it for the enzymes to actually induce labour. I doubt that the amount you get from a sweet and sour sauce would do the trick, more like three whole fresh ones, and who's gonna it that much?

[MsChanandlerBong]

Scheherezadea - whilst I am thrilled for you that you are so very highly qualified and experienced in such matters, I was merely highlighting the point that lots of people say "oh I ate X forbidden food and my kids are fine" by saying that in the 70's my Mum ate X forbidden food and my brother wasn't and isn't fine. In both cases food may or may not be the reason, but this morning when I read this thread I felt I wanted to put my oar in as yet again people seemed to be stating their individual case as fact. In the same way, most people know of a 99 year old who smokes 40 a day and swears by drinking whiskey all the time (or whatever), however I think most people would agree they aren't sensible choices to make if you intend on living to a grand old age. I'm not about to go in to a laboratory and state it as fact, or try and claim it is conclusive research based on a sample of one. (But thank you so much for thinking that I am stupid enough to be pushing that as a definitive argument).

Also, I am not claiming to be some sort of dietary expert (very pleased for you that you know all the ins and outs). I am just a pregnant lady who has looked at the advice (note: advice, not rules) given by the medical profession and has decided to stick to them. Whatever else other pregnant ladies want to do is up to them, but I am SHOCKED! that so many people seem to think it is fine to ridicule people who have decided to stop drinking alcohol or skip a few particular foods for a few short months just in case.

As I said before, worst case scenario I miss out on my beloved brie sandwiches for 9 months for no good reason. But as the OP stated, for some of us, the potential risks aren't worth taking regardless of how much we miss a bit of cheese. If you disagree with the reported risks, then fine - good for you, I am obviously a more risk adverse person that you. But to be critisised for it, and have "oh pregnant French women eat nothing but brie, pate and red wine" stereotypes bandied around is pretty frustrating and I reacted accordingly.

Now, I'm sure you (and others) will chortle at my 'stupidity', but at least I feel comfortable with my decisions, and know that in my mind (which is obviously much much tinier than yours) I am making the best choices for my baby.

[MsChanandlerBong]

mab - I think it is really sweet that your DH is trying to protect you by picking out the pineapple!! What a lovely nuturing instinct he must have. But I have to say if my DH did the same I might have to stab him in the hand with my fork!

[tiggersreturn]

I asked a consultant prior to getting pg (pre-conception appt due to being high risk) about all the food and was told 2 units of wine per week definitely fine, 1 can of diet coke a day ditto. Most brie I've found recently is pasteurised.

Frankly the restrictions that are placed on my diet just to keep the more important condition under control are so much more than this that anything else I can get has to be appreciated. Try no toast, bread, fast burning carbs, fruit juice, cakes, biscuits, chocolate and then it really gets difficult. I crave wholemeal toast with butter and cheese (cheddar). and chocolate orange

[notcitrus]

I'm going along with the FSA guidelines - so no pate, only pre-frozen supermarket/Pret sushi or the cooked/non fish ones (actually Pret is crap so it's tofu and cooked mackerel for me), and drinking one weak coffee a day (partly because I can't cope with more). Baked camembert/brie is good though. :)

Last time round my GP advised avoiding salad bars as well as pate, and ensuring any reheated food was really hot, as if I got food poisoning I would feel 10x worse than usual and they wouldn't be able to give me any good drugs! And to have a small glass of red wine with dinner. MW agreed.

If people want to give up foods beyond those advised by medical experts, fine by me, but some of those people like scaremongering and making other women worry without cause, which I'm not happy with. And that includes the Government deciding to say 'no alcohol' simply because they thought the idea of a couple units a day max and only a couple days a week was 'too complicated'. If people can figure out how football league tables and lottery tickets work, they can understand that.

[fishandlilacs]

I have eaten everything on the list except pate, I am especially fond of rare steak, runny eggs, peanut butter on toast and prawns

I have eaten brie, but i wouldn't eat a non paturised one.

I am 13 weeks pregnant. Maybe I am little cavalier for some and each to thier own but I think most of the forbidden food in pregnancy is utter bollox.

[MsChanandlerBong]

Notcitrus - I agree that putting the fear of god into anyone when they are pregnant is terrible. But I have come across absolutely no scaremongering... in fact completely the opposite, which I think is why I am so shocked (and I appreciate that this is my own personal experience, I am not speaking for others).

I have simply been given a booklet thingy from the midwife, which gives the latest advice from the NHS, and I have made my own mind up from there. I have decided to err strongly on the side of caution (as I do with a lot of things in life) but on MN I seem to be in the minority, and seem to have loads of people telling me how stupid I am.

Similarly, I have not come across any of the breastapo... in fact I'm beginning to think they are a myth!! But I have come across numerous people on here and in RL who keep telling me that I will not be able to breastfeed as it will be too tough. (Off topic ramble - sorry!)

I'm not shocked by people trying to push their thoughts/ideas on me, but I am shocked that people seem to be continually urging me to do completely the opposite of what I expected!

[MrsCog]

I'm being fairly strict, (although might have a couple of slices of parma ham tonight...haven't decided) but really believe each to their own. The only thing I really can't understand though is alcohol (although again, I respect everyone's choices) mainly because, I won't be giving my newborn alcohol - so why should i give it now? I just can't get my head any further along the argument than that. It probably helps that I'm normally not a big drinker anyway (2-3 glasses of wine a week).

[PrincessScrumpy]

I've had brie - such a rebel, but it was only a small piece, and lots of runny eggs as I discovered all eggs in the come from chickens that are vaccinated against samonela.

[Summerfruit]

It is funny but when I was pregnant, I actually ate the same as when I was not pregnant, bleeding steak, any cheese etc..and I'm French, is it true all these guidelines ?

[Summerfruit]

And both my pregnancies were in England, I never heard of such thing as stuff you couldnt eat, I mean wine and fags it is only common sense !

[NhameCage]

You are not allowed to drink coffee? Right that is it, I am never, ever getting pregnant EVER.

(disclaimer - joined mumsnet once as trying to convince dp we should be getting pregnant soon, he's not that keen).

[lostlady]

Brie was first thing I had when came home with dc. Mmmm!

[MrsCog]

You can have coffee, just in limited quantities.