What's normal (food)?

[custardandrhubarb]

Hi, I'm just wondering what a "normal" approach to food/eating in pregnancy is - particularly from a hygeine point of view. I'm 19 weeks and struggling a bit - I think I'm OTT in washing salad (doing each leaf separately) and veg and generally worrying about there being soil or something left behind (toxoplasmosis), as also about any meat being cooked properly. It's exhausting and I don't want to be stressed like this for the next five months. I know the risk is small but I can't seem to switch off from the worry - hoping your more rational pragmatic approaches might help me see sense.

Thanks for reading.

My initial reaction? Chill out - you'll be fine!
As long as you're not eating loads of raw fish or intend to go swimming in cat litter...

huh? toxo-what?

You wash lettuce?

I've changed nothing, but I think as I'm hygienic enough usually to not get food poisoning then there's probably no need for me to change anything during pregnancy.

Are you normal very stressed about certain things? I only ask as it sounds to me that it's more than just the normal bit of pregnancy paranoia lots of women get.

I never wash fruit and eat strawberries, raspberries and blueberries straight from the punnet, never crossed my mind to wash them first!!!

Thanks for the responses so far. You've all pretty much confirmed what I was thinking - I'm taking the hygiene thing too far!

Itsmylast - I'm quite a worrier usually and often about irrational things/worst case scenarios, never with food though, I never used to wash fruit/veg etc (never got ill either). I've been going to pregnancy yoga to help me chill out but I guess this goes a bit deeper and I need to find a way to shake it off!

Maybe speak to your mw about it just to see if they have any ideas of what could help you relax more. Maybe hypnobirthing is for you too!

Thanks Maples, glad to know I'm not in a minority of 1!

Thanks Itsmylast, that's a good idea and will look into the hypnobirthing too. I don't mind making extra effort to keep this baby safe, I just don't want to carry on with these high stress levels!

Wash fruits and vegetables in a sink full of water, no need to wash each leaf separately, all the dirt will sink to the bottom. If you are really worried about cooking meat properly, buy a meat thermometer and cook until correct temperature. You are probably being a bit too stressed and worried about it, but if you can't chill out and stop worrying you might as well be more effective :).

i was sick for the entire 7 months i was pregant. DD was fine although a little small (but hey she was 10 weeks early)

even though i was so sick, and probably didnt injest enough vitamins and minerals to sustain a gnat, it didnt matter.

so dont worry

thanks for all the nice responses, definitely some helpful points for me there.

Maples, I have thought all of those things in the past so will repeat them to myself and see if that helps too - just worry about the strain on my DH with my ott-ness but I guess if I can remove the worry and just keep up the hygiene then maybe that's a decent halfway house!

Pleased to hear you had a healthy DS, we're having a boy too

Pleased to hear that just one more question - what did you do when eating at friends' houses where it's not in your control?