my guilty/not guilty mum-to-be thread

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Hello there!

I'm 24 weeks and think I'm sort of getting the hang of what should be cut out completely (wine; love you; thanks for the good times; bye), what can be dabbled with (oh this appears to be goats cheese in my salad... just this once?? pretty please???) and what activities may set off the bad momma alarm somewhere in the cosmos but frankly, I don't care anymore.

So in the spirit of that, here are a couple of things that I've read I shouldn't do, and goddammit, I'm going to do them.

Go to concerts

Last night I went to see Elbow. It was REALLY LOUD. I spent much of the night sitting with a jumper folded across my stomach and my arms pressed protectively across that. Son-to-be reacted to this tremendous rumpus by leaping about the most I have ever felt him, proper arms and legs pumping on all sides. Part of me was thinking 'eeep, sorry little friend!' but part of me was thinking, 'oh my god, I love this song, and I'm a grown woman and I'm awake and out of the house with other adults at 10pm, yayayayayay!'

Drink caffeine

So I got home at midnight. And now I'm at work. My eyes are the colour of Malteasers packets and my brain has the texture of tepid rice pudding. Today, I will probably drink three cups of tea. My heartbeat will be artificially raised by the caffeine and my blood flow restricted. I shall counter both of these concerns by raising my heartbeat and bloodflow naturally, by going for a walk at lunchtime, BECAUSE I WILL NOT BE ASLEEP WITH MY FACE IN MY SOUP.

Take that cosmos! Would you like to share your guilty/not guilty activities with me?

Rare steak with blue cheese sauce. Not going to be guilted out of that.

Oh thank god... because.

deep breaths

I WANT A RUNNY BASTARD FRIED EGG SANDWICH!

I eat runny eggs. As long as they're lion stamped they should be fine.

I also eat rare steaks.

Yeah runny eggs are fine, eat the bunny runny sandwich!!

Yes, lion stamped runny eggs are fine.

OP, take goat cheese off your guilt list. It is safe to ear as long as it has no white mould rind and is made of pasteurised milk.

I ate pink meat, runny eggs and drank a glass of wine at the weekend. Plus coffee and coke/irn bru.

I still eat runny egg and a glass or 2 of red wine. I really want pate though!

I troughed an entire baked brie on Saturday night #sorrynotsorry
Although I think that was OK as it was molten hot right the way through. Didn't stop the waiter/owner from slightly patronisingly informing me that 'his wife didn't think it was a good idea for a pregnant lady to eat brie'...thanks for your input, but I'll listen to the NHS advice on this one, big fella.

THEN went to see my bro's band play a very loud gig. I stood up all night and even danced a bit! Double whammy.

I see the going to gigs thing as an education, frankly. Especially Elbow!

I would also drink red wine if I could, but my body appears to have developed the most violent intolerance to any sort of alcohol. I dared to sup half a pint of weak ale last weekend; the morning after I felt like I'd been on a three-day bender.

I'm going to a four day festival in March, when I'll be about 5 months. I intend to spend hours by the speaker stack shaking it to bass heavy music, cold sober. I celebrated the end of the first trimester by spending 4 hours sipping a half pint of real ale. I've eaten more runny eggs than I can count. And I had my goddamn haggis for Burns night.
I'd already had to give up caffeine because it gives me bladder inflammation, I'm not eating pate, or soft mould ripened cheeses (unless cooked), I'm taking a vitamin and not eating liver but holy hell, there have got to be limits!

Ha ha, I booked tickets for a music festival on August Bank Hol weekend before I found out I was pregnant. I'm due to give birth on the 9th August.

googles noise-cancelling headphones for babies

I intend to spend hours by the speaker stack shaking it to bass heavy music

That may not harm a foetus, but it WILL damage your own hearing.

Runny eggs, have a massive mild diet coke addiction and have had plenty of medium rare steaks. Also had a glass of prosecco on my birthday and Christmas and had a glass of wine at a wedding.

I also went to Tunisia in the summer at 10 weeks pregnant and did the spa in the hotel and baked in the 46 degree heat.
Baby seems fine
Massive wriggler with gigantic legs and a small body at 37+4.

I miss runny eggs so much. Can I really eat them? What does the Lion stamp mean?

One cup of proper filter coffee in the morning and one glass of red wine a week, usually on a Saturday night with a film. These two things are helping to keep me sane! I've always eaten runny eggs in pregnancy too and never had any problems I'm 29 weeks.

I'm 6 weeks and am due to go skiing in 3 weeks time. Been booked for ages... Will take it easy and won't go throwing myself down black runs. Is this ok?!

Tricky, please do check with your MW/Consultant. Sports with high risk of falling should in general be avoided and alpine skiing is one of them to my knowledge. Maybe you can still go but opt for cross country instead?

Thanks Sue. I don't have a MW or a consultant yet though! Haven't even seen my GP yet as I can't get an appointment with her until last week of Feb. I am seeing GP the week before we go skiing so will discuss with my GP then. I really don't fancy cross country (as DH and friends would all be normal skiing).

Tricky, I believe the problem with alpine skiing isn't just the risk of accidental fall but also smth with your balance that gets messed up during pregnancy and the centre of gravity shifting etc. If you google alpine skiing during pregnancy you will find plenty of advice. Good luck and do speak to a doc before going.

your centre of gravity doesn't shift at nine weeks pregnant, don't be daft! You need a proper bump for that.

You can safely ignore a lot of what passes for advice in pregnancy, Evaluate risks for yourself, you don't need to blindly follow bogus guidelines.

your centre of gravity doesn't shift at nine weeks pregnant, don't be daft! You need a proper bump for that.

You can safely ignore a lot of what passes for advice in pregnancy, Evaluate risks for yourself, you don't need to blindly follow bogus guidelines.

I've been eating raw cake mix. No way I'm ever giving up licking the bowl.

I had the very occasional drink last time, one every few weeks or so. I plan to do the same this time, but beginning to feel a bit queasy, so not just now!

Eating shed loads of smoked salmon.

Eating shed loads of runny eggs (the ones laid by lions, so it's OK ).

Having quite hot baths.

Going in the jacuzzi at the swimming pool.

Taking a valium (the GP said it was OK, the consultant said it was OK, the MW said it wasn't. After an hour of trying to decipher all the research on the internet I just gave up and took the fucking thing).

Occasionally having-gasp!- TWO coffees a day.

Religiously drinking a pint of either cider or beer a week (in the form of 2 halves, mostly. It was my treat to have whilst watching Wolf Hall, but I've had to give that up since a quarter of a pint rends me unable to decipher which Thomas is which).

On a highway to Bad Mummy hell .

I've been eating runny eggs, having a couple of drinks a week (you can waltz if you think I'm sitting with yet another bloody juice when there's decent beer on offer), still enjoying a latte most mornings, going to a gig the end of March when I'll be a hefty 7.5 months gone...

But you know what, I'm being sensible about it. I mean, I probably am eating more fast food than is healthy, and since I read that baby's tastes can be influenced during pregnancy, I am a little worried that I'll give birth to a Big Mac-craving monster. I am trying though. Common sense and moderation prevail

Tricky - my doc and mw were happy with me doing some gentle skiing at 9 weeks [second child] and 20 weeks [first baby so didn't grow a bump until 21 weeks]. The baby has to have grown up and moved upwards out of your pelvis to be properly at risk. Otherwise you would have to have a direct trauma to your stomach which is tricky on skis as you usually fall sideways onto a hip.

Issues - at 20 weeks my waist was "thicker" which made getting ski trousers to fit meant I had to go up about 4 dress sizes on the salopettes. I couldn't find dungaree style salopettes - mens would have been perfect. Standing up was fine but when you sit down into a chairlift your knees are higher than your bottom and any bump that exists at all will strain your waistband.

I never skied in the afternoons as the runs were icier then and more risk of drunken idiots on the slopes.
Get out nice and early for the first lifts when the pistes are empty. Take regular breaks [you'll need to pee all the time anyway]. Have an early or late lunch and then call it a day and go home to the chalet cake.

My friends did threaten me with a "baby on board" sticker for my back but I think the only downside really for the week was that I made them nervous. I kept hanging back so I had a nice clear run down and they always wanted someone behind me in case I fell and needed help. It's worth chatting to your ski group.

Er - I'd stick to blues and nice n easy reds to be honest. Don't push your luck unless you have been skiing since you were a tot and could pass for a local.