How strict are you being with "banned" foods?

[DecaffTastesWeird]

Just interested to know the above really. Also, are you avoiding foods based on what your MW / HCP recommends, the NHS website or elsewhere? Thanks.

I've drank coffee all the way through. Hasn't done any harm as far as I can tell and I've had 6 scans with this pregnancy ( due to previous pregnancy issues ) only thing is she gets a bit giddy after I've had a cup but she does the same when I have. Hot chocolate so it could just be the hot that makes her wriggle lol

I only avoid blue cheese. Limit alcohol (irritatingly easy as can't stomach more than a half glass currently). Currently only having one cup of tea a day as cannot face caffeine at other times but am desperate to bring back the one cup of coffee a day I usually have and as soon as this baby tyrant inside me let's me, I will be getting back to it. It's taking forever though.

Everything else as normal. However I am always careful where I buy things and I would be more cautious if I was not in the uk. Eg eggs don't worry me because of lion stamp but I might be more cautious elsewhere.

I almost never eat pate anyway but would have a taste if I was at a party or something. Ditto, I don't eat much tuna usually so have no problem eating it now if I feel like it.

Small amount of alcohol most weeks
No obviously v runny/unpasteurised cheese
Down to one from two coffees a day
Only lion eggs (which is a shame as we normally pick them up the roadside here)
Medium rare steak
Have been eating cured meats but they are not a massive part of my diet anyway
Sushi occasionally but only from Yo (my only opportunity is at Paddington station as there is no sushi where I live!)
I have never had food poisoning from any banned foods in the past so I can't see why I might suddenly get it now....

No foods are banned during pregnancy. There's simply guidance on what may and may not pose a (usually tiny) risk to either you or the baby.

I didn't follow much of the guidance when I was pg. Such a rebel

Chunderella (great name!) thanks for the ice cream info. I might take a view on it though as missing out on my dad's homemade rum and raisin would be too hard a cross to bear.

Suddenly got a massive craving for the egg cress mayo roll from our local bakery. I bet that's about the most illegal thing I could come up with.

Tempted to have some sushi from Itsu but the fish isn't frozen so strictly speaking it's not allowed. I used to dream vividly about sushi when preg with DD I would wake up expecting to have a box of my favourite omega 3 salmon supreme in my hands. So disappointing. Not a good way to start the day.

People say it's only 9 months but that's quite a long time not to have any favourites!

I don't do runny eggs anyway and the thought of a runny egg makes me gag so no issues there! Haven't had a steak, simply because I don't want it cremated. I am really hankering after some salami and air dried ham but i'm worried. I have had 3 miscarriages before this pregnancy so perhaps I am overcautious.

I would probably eat pink meat and salami at some point but I wont touch things that can actually be dangerous, like liver / pate etc. I don't see the point in risking it when I will be able to eat this stuff again in 5 months. The other stuff is mainly to avoid getting a stomach issue isn't it?

I have had the odd sip of wine and had a glass of champagne at a wedding over the weekend.

I only took cheese seriously as it can cause stillbirth. I was a bit cocky initially as I'd never had anything dodgy happen when not pregnant but a MW said we can fight off mild bacterial things on cheese when not pregnant, but our low immune system puts us more at risk when we are. However, you can still get your fix from cooking it so not that tragic.

And toxoplasmosis, so raw meat, Mr Whippy etc., I think that can be bad for babies throughout, so I'd probably be careful with that.

Alcohol... well I did mainly just not drink but towards the end and at Christmas etc. I had the odd glass. It doesn't take much alcohol to cause FAS, so unless it's really traumatising you, I would lay off it if you can.

I sound sooooo boring. I'm not really but I kind of think, is it really worth the risk?

Not had runny eggs - missing my weekend poached egg - I know I can have lion mark but ruled it out for some reason!

Craving pate - which is odd as I love it but barely ate it prior to pregnancy due to the high fat and constant diet issue!!

Soft cheese - again due to diet not been a huge change but have had hot camembert or pasturised versions. Don't like blue so not missed it.

Alcohol - I cut out on the whole am 39+5 and have had about 4 glasses of wine, and a couple of weak G&T's or Pimms.

Steak - switched to medium well but generally avoided as that is sacrilege! Tend to nick the better cooked edge of DH's for a taster!

Its amazing how much I want a Mr Whippy - no idea prior to pregnancy the last time I had one!!

Have eaten cured meats throughout, and smoked salmon, and some sushi.

Coffee I went off during a nausea phase early on - only used to have one cup a day and switched to herbal and never really went back no decision not to just preferred peppermint or lemon and ginger instead, now its about 2 a week - weekend treat!

If bubba comes on time - this Wednesday - Saturday's food is planned already - Poached eggs for breakfast, Big slab of Brussels Pate with a french stick for lunch, followed by medium rare Steak and Chips for dinner - if I could get the ice cream van to turn up as well I would be estatic! Oh and a bottle of red - timed to avoid a breast feeding conflict throughout the day/midwife visits!!

I'm pretty much just eating as normal apart from no alcohol. I'm drinking my normal amount of caffeine. I don't actively seek out blue cheeses or pate but would have a little taste if someone else was eating same.

Thanks all!

On the blue cheese front is everyone aware that stilton is approved by the NHS. It made my day when someone told me that.
I'm definitely not as picky as with DD so runny eggs yes (lion branded), medium steak, cured meats. I was much more aware on holiday where we were all inclusive.

Apart from alcohol and smoking,either of which i do anyway,i dont ban anything.I have runny eggs,pate,soft cheese the lot.

Apart from avoiding pate, alcohol and smoking I ate pretty much what I wanted to be honest.

What's the deal with mayo? Ok if Hellmann's style i.e. pasteurised eggs?

31 +3 and eating everything apart from liver/pate and mr whippy. Also having two small alcoholic drinks on different days most weeks. Third pregnancy.

smogsville, Funny, the itsu I asked said they did freeze their fish. Apart from salmon, but that is farmed, and now according to the NHS the risk of parasitic worms is virtually zero for farmed fish because of the rearing methods used. Then you are left with the usual risks of poor food hygiene, which is why I would always eat from a popular chain (hence a reputation to uphold) with 5/5 food standard stars on the door and a high turnover (so food not around for long between being made and being eaten). Plus the fact that I used to eat raw sushi once a week and it never made me sick. Prawns I have mostly avoided unless I'm cooking them myself, just because every time I have ever had food poisoning I've had prawns the night before (still a v rare occurrence considering how often I eat prawns, but just seemed sensible!).

Not had any alcohol, or tea and coffee. Made sure my eggs are cooked a little more than normal, but other than that, havent really changed too much!

With DD1 5 years ago I didn't have a drop of caffeine and followed the 'rules' to a tee.....37 weeks with this baby and the only things I have avoided are pate and alcohol....apart from champagne at a wedding.....it would be rude not too :-)

Ive not avoided much- liver/pate and booze (although ive had the odd few, its def less than one unit a week and loads less than my normal consumption!), and I've cut down of caffeine, because, it was making me bunged up in the bum department (haha- TMI alert!)

oh and although I had poo-pooed the runny eggs thing, arguing that there hadn't been an salmonella outbreak because of eggs in ages and ages, lo and behold, there was one last month, so I've stayed off the runny eggs for a bit just to be on the safe side- seems like that's on the decline again now though, so I will blatantly be having a fried egg sandwich at the weekend!!

Moggle that's interesting isn't it although the salmon is my fave. Common sense tells me it would be fine, as you say high quality, from busy shops with quick turnover etc and it's never made me sick before. I am feeling a bit nervous and remorseful after holiday ham and cheese misbehaviour though (we were staying near Roquefort...) so might just try to restrain myself from now on violins

I am 37+4 and have been eating runny eggs, medium meat, cream cheese and smoked salmon the whole way through.
I have also had around 1 glass of wine a week and a nice cup of tea every morning, swapped with coffee on the weekends.
All good so far. Am missing stinky runny cheese, pate and cured nears though so I might have some kind of filthy deli board after my c section!!