What weird/obvious food stuffs have you avoided during pg?

[CareerGirl01]

Wondering because I'm at a loose end! And because one of my mummy friends from my 4YO's Pre and post natal classes told me she avoided wheat and dairy - was news to me I never noticed. She admitted paying a naturopath while pg with her DS (my DD's friend) to have the healthiest pg possible. She conceived via IVF - 4th attempt I think - so didn't want to take any chances. She made me - eating mozzarella and olive salad (admittedly not my usual fair this pg because of morning sickness) feel quite the slobby/unhealthy MTB! And I'm not..,
Anyway what have you been avoiding- tell me?!

I've only been avoiding the things you're advised not to eat (brie, pâté, etc). Aside from that I've been stuffing my face with whatever I fancy! keeping up fruit and veg intake and having pregnancy mutli vit, but having chocolate, crisps, etc, as I want. This is hard enough without torturing yourself!

Why should you avoid dairy?

What?! I've never heard of that.. I eat wholemeal bread frequently as its a great source of both protein, complex carbs and fibre. Also, I have lots of dairy. You need a huge amount of calcium and protein when pregnant- both of which are naturally plentiful in dairy products. I have no idea why you would cut those two groups out, unless there was an allergy or something?

Tbh, the only things I've really avoided have been alcohol, other peoples' smoke (I don't smoke myself anyway) and any drugs that I haven't done a quick Google on first. I've avoided runny eggs and rare meat where I can but I haven't sent meals back or anything and I'm a bit of an impatient cook at home. I found some out-of-date parmesan at the back of the cupboard and really fancied it on some pasta but I threw it away, but I probably would have anyway.

Now, towards the beginning of my pregnancy I couldn't go near loads of things without spewing, including chocolate... But that wasn't intentional!

Hmm alcohol, pate, brie, liver.....think that's about it really. Oh and stuff like shark but I can't see I'd ever bother having that even if it was on offer.

Coffee and Nandos sauce have been avoided because the smell made me so ill in early weeks... Other stuff had similar effect but these were the worst. Have gradually been able to return to fairly normal food, but still off coffee - just don't fancy it, and I genuinely don't think I'll ever be able to go back to Nandos ever again thanks to my OH eating the sauce at home.

Have avoided raw goats cheese (sigh), runny eggs and rare meat as well as usual stuff. But as for dairy - have ramped that up in a big way, weeks 8-14ish I couldn't get enough of milk and cheese.

Nothing drastic here either. I already ate a gluten free diet which I've continued (although I craved wheat in the first trimester and it was agony at times!). Actually I've craved dairy - milk and cheese in particular - but cannot stomach yoghurts. Even at 32 weeks, the thought makes me queasy! I'd have thought unless there's a medical reason for avoiding it, dairy is important for the calcium?

I avoided raw chicken, developed a serious aversion to it - couldn't even think of being in the house at the same time as raw chicken!! Because of this, haven't really eaten any during pg as I'm the main cook of the household.

Other than that, simply steered clear of any alcohol, pâté, some seafood, cut down caffeine to one cup of tea a day, and switched from rare to well done steak!!

Have also indulged every single craving I've ever had, from chocolate to gherkins!! My body knows better than any book what I'm in need of!

I had a nutritional therapist when I did IVF to give myself the best chance of success. The first thing she said was to give up gluten as infertility is one of the top 10 effects of gluten intolerance. It could affect your fertility even if you don't have the other, more widely known symptoms like bloating etc. I don't see why you would give it up if you conceived naturally but firmly believe it is vital to give up if you have fertility problems. I was successful first round and stayed off the gluten until I finished breastfeeding.

I still ate loads of dairy though.

I have kept away from alcohol and caffeine. For the first 20 weeks anything with refined sugar (cookies, chocolate etc.) repelled me. I've been eating pretty much what I want. I am however much more drawn to healthier foods than before I was pregnant. I don't usually lime brie but it was calling to me in the supermarket at the weekend. I didn't get it. Funnily enough it was the same with my first pregnancy.
I've also been careful to check which fish are ok. Got to avoid some due to heavy metals.

First pregnancy - went off foods with strong flavours - caffeine, asparagus, strong cheeses etc. Lots of fruit, ate balanced diet otherwise.

Second pregnancy - ate haribo alot. Lived on cheese and pickle sandwiches. Went off caffeine. Lots of meat.

This pregnancy - have gone mostly vegetarian (2/3 meals a day veggie, often 3/3). Lots of fruit. Lots of fish. Lots of crisps rather than haribo. Again its what I've been wanting to eat.

Some ayurvedic practitioners believe you should avoid poultry, dairy, citrus fruits and sugar in pregnancy and live on a macrobiotic diet with lots of pulses and fish.

Have avoided the banned cheeses (Brie, camembert, blue cheese), cut down caffine to 2/3 cups of tea per day, never ate pate anyway, pretty much cut out alcohol (just had a few sporadic glasses of wine, no more than one per day) and that's about it!

Only the recommended stuff. I've been making an effort to eat a lot of fruit and veg and nuts and seeds but not a lot else.

I was on gluten free diet for years, I now eat bread (wholemeal/seeded/spelt) and if I didn't you wouldn't see me if I stood sideways. That's why I found what my friend did quite hard. I did hear that gluten is only 'tolerated' by people in optimum health. There was some Lancet paper which said it was best avoided during a chest infection or cold as it could be mucous forming but for most of us it's a good source of vitamins. I used to follow ayuervedic 'rules' too but with a family - I think being faddy with food is the luxury of the single lady with too much time to worry about her diet/lifestyle. I just eat what I can nowadays.

Oh not the whole gluten free thing..... I was assured by some (whacko) health practitioner that I was both gluten and dairy intolerant and needed to cut them out of my diet immediately. So I did. After getting really run down I went to the doctor who did bloods and discovered that not only was I not intolerant to anything, but my restricted diet had left me suffering from malnutrition.

FGS don't cut anything out of your diet unless a qualified doctor has done blood tests etc and referred you to a qualified nhs nutritional adviser who will help you replace the restricted foods with alternatives which replace the lost nutrients.

I damaged my bones, my immunity, my digestion, everything, and all that was wrong with me to start with was a bit of IBS caused by working a 70 hour week and eating very late at night. I'm so pissed off about it. Do you realise all it takes is a correspondence course to call yourself a nutritional expert and start making dangerous proclamations about intolerances? I could set myself up as one tomorrow, and there is no way I have the expertise....