is it only me that doesn't pay attention to the "you shouldn't eat this, you shouldn't eat that.."

[thepowerofvoodoo]

i'm in the early stages of pregancy with dc2. during my first pregnancy i didn't pay any attention to what i should / shouldn't eat (I luckily don't have to think about smoking / drinking as I don't smoke and hardly ever drink in any case - although i certainly would still have the occassional drink if it's offered) but my favourite foods are rawish meats, blue and smelly cheeses, runny eggs, seafood etc - ie all the stuff they say to avoid. i just can't believe that there is any substantial risks to these foods - or certainly none more so than getting in my car and driving to work every morning.
in my first pregnancy, a lot of people thought i was being very reckless - but really, I can't believe that I'm the only one that pays no attention to this. do you all pay attention this stuff?

The thing that I find most frustrating about food guidelines is the lack of evidence basis for most of them.

As one example, the foods we are advised to avoid for the risk of listeria are not the foods which statistically carry the highest risk of listeria infection (as has been flagged, I believe bagged salad is up there, though accurate figures are hard to obtain). And food hygiene is a far bigger issue than the ingredient itself.

So people follow rules like 'no soft eggs', when in fact a lion marked, home cooked soft egg is very low risk. And happily chow down on something from a dodgy buffet or takeaway that has slowly been breeding in warm temperatures for hours.

The guidelines suggest you wash pre-packed pre-washed salad to ensure it really is washed.

But you're right, the disparity of advice is confusing. Find one set of advice you feel you can trust and stick to it rather than worrying about all the noise out there is perhaps the way to go?

Thetramp - Where does the NHS say to wash pre-washed salad? I just had a quick look and it only had stuff about ensuring salad really is washed and clean of dirt. Which isn't really the issue with bagged lettuce as I understand it - it's not about dirt, it's something about the damp packaged environment and the weak chlorine (or whatever the hell it is) it is washed in. Totally agreed about disparity of advice though.

I fairly much follow the guidelines, was very strict with first pregnancy, and this one I've mellowed a bit but still more or less follow the guidelines. I just don't want to take the risk.

However.... I have been seriously partial to a strawberry milkshake from McDs or BK throughout the pregnancy, initially I didn't consider that it could be on the 'don't eat' list- but then a friend reminded me you shouldn't have Mr Whippys and isn;t it the same thing really? Anyone any ideas (am planning on asking DH to bring one back from work for me later!!!)

Werent the last two outbreaks of listeria caused by pre-packed lettuce and pre-packed sandwiches respectively?? Dont see them appearing on any of these banned lists....

Sorry ribena got there first!!

I'll find the link for you once back at a proper PC.

I know what you mean OP. It doesn't help when NHS suddenly changes its mind about something as it did with cured meat, which is apparently ok now. Pity all those women who avoided Parma Ham previously!

I do really avoid pâté as its the problems associated with too much vitamin A that are the risk (rather than food poisoning) plus I avoid eating raw eggs from our own hens as they don't get vaccinated like commercial breeders.

Worth bearing in mind that.... Your immune system is weaker during pregnancy so that your body doesn't 'reject' the baby which is 50% alien genes IYSWIM. Apparently thats why I got shingles. Also things can not affect us but can affect unborn baby.

My Dr said don't worry too much but do wash bags of salad as that's most likely source of listeria these days.