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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Anyone had mice while pregnant?

65 replies

Mummytono2 · 22/04/2014 19:52

Hi there

I'm a newcomer to the board and looking for some advice as I'm having a really anxious time.

I recently had a mouse entered the house. Seems like it was just one and in one cupboard. I have obviously cleaned everything and every surface but I'm scared I've missed something I didn't know its been on. However I have read about something mice spread which can cause birth defects.

I guess I'm looking for reassurance from someone. Has anyone else had mice and gone on to have a healthy pregnancy?

I should also say I suffer with OCD and anxiety so this has caused me a considerable amount of stress and upset over recent weeks.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

CoolCat2014 · 22/04/2014 20:00

No, but if you set traps for them try chocolate, they love it! If you think you have an issue maybe call a vermin specialist?

ballseditup · 22/04/2014 20:20

Definitely call a vermin person! If you've seen one you've got dozens

Be ruthless. Use lots and lots of strong poison and block up the holes

A vermin person will be able to advise you

diddlediddledumpling · 22/04/2014 20:24

I don't think it's necessarily true that you've got dozens!! I'm sure that suggestion wont do much for your anxiety. I would put down traps but also poison (get someone else to do this for you, prob best if you don't come into contact with it.) if you put the poison where you found this one, if none of if gets eaten it's a good sign he was a loner.
We had mice in the roof space when I was pregnant, no issue at all. Traps sorted them.

Original poster

Mummytono2 · 22/04/2014 20:30

I'm pretty sure we only had one as we've had none in a week now and we've been monitoring.

I'm more concerns about lcmv has anyone heard of this?

Really looking for good news stories of healthy pregnancies!

Thank you for sharing. Did the mice ever get into ur living space

OP posts:

Ratbagcatbag · 22/04/2014 20:34

Ok, we've had mice on and off in our loft for a few years. We get a few dead ones in the traps, all fine then some more.

Our cat brings in loads of them, drops them on the stairs and tortures them, I take pity on them and spent nearly every night whilst pregnant rescuing mice in boxes and releasing them. I didn't scrub carpets or laminate afterwards. I just glared at the cat, pee'd and went back to bed.
My dd is now 13 months old, only serious issue is she doesn't sodding sleep which has nothing to do with the mice (which we still get from the cat).

Ratbagcatbag · 22/04/2014 20:35

I've also lost a few when they were quicker than me, god knows what happened to them, again no scrubbing and cleaning. :)

mindalina · 22/04/2014 20:36

i had a mouse as a pet when i was pregnant with my first baby, does that count? i don't know much about mice, my one was sweet though and never made me ill if it helps at all.

diddlediddledumpling · 22/04/2014 20:37

Not when I was pregnant, but this winter past they were in the ground floor. Traps caught a couple but the poison finished them off.
Mice are pretty common, as is pregnancy, and yet I've never heard of lcmv. By definition, the chance of something rare happening is very slim. I know it's easier said than done, but try not to worry. It sounds like you've cleaned up properly and your general hygiene around the house is probably enough to make sure you're safe.

Original poster

Mummytono2 · 22/04/2014 21:03

Thank u all. You've got me in tears because I'm so touched at your response.

My husband is at the end of his tether with me :(

Lcmv does seem extremely rare but as I read about sever birth defects even the teeniest tiniest chance has scared me!!

Ratbagcatbag are u in the uk? Your response in particular has calmed me down. The way I currently feel in my head I 100% have this infection

OP posts:

ithoughtofitfirst · 22/04/2014 21:14

I had mice in my last pregnancy because we left food out on the counter and then went away for the weekend. Oops. We also lived in a rural location.

There was mouse shit everywhere so I just put outrat poison for them and bleached my house from top to bottom. I would have normally thought of a more humane solution but there was no way in hell I was having disease ridden vermin in my house while I was pregnant.

Had a healthy baby boy so try not to worry. Be ruthless and get rid of the little fuckers

Original poster

Mummytono2 · 22/04/2014 21:17

Thank u ithoughtofitfirst. I'm pretty sure we drfinitley have got rid of them. As for humane, not me at this point in time!! I'm more concerned its piddled on something I've missed or left traces on my sofa etc and I will inhale the particles. Partly me being irrational probably but paranoid all the same

OP posts:

ithoughtofitfirst · 22/04/2014 21:51

I was exactly the same. SO paranoid about missing spots ... I even ate microwave meals for about a month and didnt prepare sandwiches or anything like that on the worktop or hob until I was sure I'd cleaned thoroughly enough. Used Dettol and flash and all sorts! But my pregnancy was totally unaffected and my son is a strapping young toddler. I think unless you get down and lick the floor tiles you should be fine!

Madratlady · 22/04/2014 22:21

I had pet mice while pregnant with ds, both me and ds were and still are fine. I fed them, handled them and cleaned them out while pregnant.

Original poster

Mummytono2 · 23/04/2014 07:35

Thank you all. It's so hard to keep myself calm right now.

I think pet mice are generally ok from what I've read it's more wild mice who carry the virus.

Ive asked a couple of doctors for the blood test but she hasn't even heard of lcmv!

OP posts:

Greenstone · 23/04/2014 08:37

I had a lone invaders last pregnancy! They're such fuckers. DH went on the offensive with traps and got it, and we just deep cleaned. Also, MIl's cat shat everywhere when I was house sitting on my own and I had to clean it. Shudder. My daughter could not be more perfect she's currently sitting on the loo working hard on a poo

CountdownBegins · 23/04/2014 09:01

OP, I could have written your first post. I'm 24 weeks and 2 weeks ago woke up to hear a mouse in our bedroom!!!!. I have always had a massive phobia of mice so pretty much went into melt down. I refused to stay there until the issue was sorted as I started hyperventilating every time I went back in the room... We called our local council who sent the pest control out (£79 for an initial visit and three follow ups) they massively put my mind at rest as they could check how it got in and how many there are (approx.) they assumed only one and put poison down- my boyfriend them found one little dead field mouse in my wardrobe amongst my clothes didn't go near his!!! We haven't found anything since but I've been on edge every night now we are back home (after a massive deep clean) I'm hardly sleeping due to the phobia of another one appearing.

On a positive note I spoke to the pest control guys, the midwife and the doctor about the health risks and they all said that unless you are literally living with hundreds of mice and not following basic hygiene the risk is very very very minimal to you and non existent to the baby. They seemed unconcerned about one mouse and someone even told me it's lucky... Yuck.

Sorry for the mammoth post- I hope you start to be able to relax (unlike me)

GoooRooo · 23/04/2014 09:24

We had rats! Next doors' bastard, noisy, smelly chickens means we constantly have a rat problem in the garden and one of our cats loves to hunt. Mostly she brings dead ones home but she has been known to bring live ones including when I was 8 months pregnant and had to chase a huge one out of the house with a broom. i disinfected all the floors and chucked the broom. DS was not affected by it - perfectly healthy.

Original poster

Mummytono2 · 23/04/2014 12:59

Thanks everyone.

I cleaned down my leather sofa but I'm a bit scared one could have crawled inside. There's no bite/chew marks etc. is this mad?! I'm a bit irrational right now

OP posts:

LightTripper · 23/04/2014 13:08

We've had mice (found one almost dead in a cupboard last week). I'm at 40 weeks but no baby yet, so can't give you a birth story, but certainly no obvious problems with the pregnancy so far!

Not very nice, but I think inevitable - they are little buggers. We are in London and I think we've seen one in every place we've lived. Maybe we're unusually slovenly, but we do try to be careful about not leaving food out - I see them as just part of life.

In terms of precautions, my OH cleaned things in the cupboard the mouse had been in (bizarrely, not a food cupboard - seems to have got trapped in there, but not sure how it managed it) - but not in the rest of the kitchen, and who knows where it had been? Where would you stop? Other than that I'm just trying to be good about washing hands etc. In the end it is very hard to avoid all contact with living things: you can only take sensible precautions. E.g. I am a very keen gardener, but my OH is a bit paranoid because obviously gardens are bound to be full of every kind of little critter shit (mice, frogs, birds, etc. before you even get to cats!) - but loads of people find mice in their house or do some gardening in their pregnancy with no problems.

I think the fact that your GP etc. haven't heard of it is a very good sign! I would just try to do good hand hygiene and assume the best.

LT xx

Original poster

Mummytono2 · 23/04/2014 13:18

Thanks lighttripper. Did you have them earlier in your pregnancy?

I'm not sure you can ever know where they've been!

What did people who've had them do with their kettles etc just wash them out?

OP posts:

Original poster

Mummytono2 · 23/04/2014 13:26

Thanks lighttripper. Did you have them earlier in your pregnancy?

I'm not sure you can ever know where they've been!

What did people who've had them do with their kettles etc just wash them out?

OP posts:

EmmanuelWoganberry · 23/04/2014 13:32

Oh god, we were overrun with mice in my early pregnancy, we live in a terrace and next door were utterly filthy horders. We had pest control round and someone to seal everything and the horders moved thank god!! I was fine, the baby was fine and the midwife didn’t mention any risks (I had home visits and ranted about the mice all the time)

One died inside the toaster! Obviously chucked it out. Everything else was just thoroughly cleaned although I did throw a lot of non essential stuff away from the kitchen, old unused pans etc.

BingoWingsBeGone · 23/04/2014 13:38

We live in a barn with no foundations so mice wander in and out at will until we got the cat and now she brings extra in

During both pregnancies we had mice here - chocolate and snappy traps usually win out. I never scrubbed and disinfected, just normal cleaning and all well with dd's (7&5) here.

Please try not to get too anxious - the risk will be v v small and I'll wager less risk than crossing the road.

Original poster

Mummytono2 · 23/04/2014 17:14

Are u in the uk bingowingsbegone? Ur name made me smile by the way :)

Seems maybe the mice thing is more common than I originally thought!

I've been a whole lot calmer today although I do have the odd moment of neurotic panic that sets in!!

Countdownbegins if it makes you feel any better, I feel exactly the same. In fact I think I have some sort of mouse obsession right now

OP posts:

BingoWingsBeGone · 23/04/2014 17:16

OP, yes I am in the UK in the countryside. Bingo wings alas still with me here too

Glad to hear you are calmer today

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