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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Arrrgghh I've found something else to panic about!!!

47 replies

Meandyou150 · 17/03/2015 22:30

Ok fresh panic from me

I've eaten quite a few pre packed sandwiches and ham during my pregnancy. I'm now 33 weeks

I've also eaten some smoked salmon and I don't always remember to wash my fruit before I eat!!!

Anyway now I'm panicking about listeria!! I've looked up it can have no symptoms in the mother but is usually fatal to babies. I'm terrified

I has no idea pre packed sandwiches were such a risk!! At least if this bloody thing had symptoms I could watch out for them- however usually pregnancy means you don't get any!!

HELP!!!!

OP posts:

Elledouble · 17/03/2015 22:38

Prepacked sandwiches? Really? Whoops, I've been eating them too. I'm 34 weeks.

Are you sure? I haven't had that advice from anywhere.

fattymcfatfat · 17/03/2015 22:39

you will be fine and so will baby! honest. I eat pre packed butties all the time and im on number 3 so cant be that dangerous

fattymcfatfat · 17/03/2015 22:39

and the meats are cured so dont contain the listeria risk iirc

Original poster

Meandyou150 · 17/03/2015 22:41

Thanks guys- I read it's not the meats in he sandwiches that contain the risk factors- more the salads that usually come with it. Apparently pre packed salads are a no no!!

Arrrrghhhhh!!

OP posts:

Elledouble · 17/03/2015 22:43

I'm not sure all that advice is current in the UK (assuming that's where you are)

Here's the advice from the NHS: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/foods-to-avoid-pregnant.aspx#close

Original poster

Meandyou150 · 17/03/2015 22:52

Yeah I am in the uk- thanks for the link. I did skim over that before to be honest- but I don't get why things here are ok, but say in the US and Australia they are considered high risk?!

I'm just so irrationally worried by this- and I've got about 6 weeks to go!

OP posts:

fattymcfatfat · 17/03/2015 23:01

probably because our healthcare systems are different. I just relax and assure myself that we have one of the best systems in the world and of things were really that dangerous then no one ever would have had babies before the nhs was around

Original poster

Meandyou150 · 17/03/2015 23:14

I suppose .... Oh I just don't know...

OP posts:

fattymcfatfat · 17/03/2015 23:16

trust me as I said this is number 3. I know its difficult because we want to do what's best for baby but all this worrying is no good, you would never eat again if you followed the guidance from every country in the world

weeblueberry · 17/03/2015 23:16

The rules are different because the regulations on our food hygiene are different. There's nothing on the nhs site to say prepackaged salad or sandwiches is harmful so please don't worry about it. Consider how many pregnant women eat a packaged sandwich every day with no effects...

seaoflove · 17/03/2015 23:19

But have you caught listeria? No? Then there's nothing to worry about.

This is my second pregnancy, and I've eaten pre-packaged sandwiches, cured meats and all sorts. I know it's wise to be a bit cautious, but there's no need to lose sleep over something you've eaten that's caused you no ill effects

Original poster

Meandyou150 · 17/03/2015 23:40

Thanks everyone - although I doubt very much I'm going to stop worrying about it anytime soon :(

OP posts:

LollieLoves · 18/03/2015 01:11

I mentioned to my obstetrician that I was missing smoked salmon and she said I could eat it. It's not dangerous as the smoking kills any bugs. So one off the list of worries!

applecore0317 · 18/03/2015 06:05

Smoked Salmon is fine, I have it at least three times a week, they say not to have it too much due to mercury

midwife listed food for me and prepacked sandwiches was definitely not one of them. I have been rinsing my fruit, that's about it though

Original poster

Meandyou150 · 18/03/2015 10:46

What if my fruit had listeria and I never washed it!!!??

OP posts:

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 18/03/2015 10:59

This article is quite old now, but still totally valid. Listeria isn't this weird scary thing that you can get but not even know you have. Yes, you can get listeriosis mildly, but we're talking 'feeling awful, puking' mildly. Not 'didn't even know it had happened' mildly.

Jackieharris · 18/03/2015 11:03

Seriously, stop worrying.

You haven't eaten anything that's harmful. What is harmful is you being stressed out.

Momagain1 · 18/03/2015 11:04

Yeah I am in the uk- thanks for the link. I did skim over that before to be honest- but I don't get why things here are ok, but say in the US and Australia they are considered high risk?!

Because they are speaking to different populations about foods processed through different systems and to different standards. The US is quite panicky about a lot of things, food safety-wise, even before considering pregnant women. Stop reading overseas stuff. Restrict your resources for panic-inducing reading and that will restrict your panic triggers.

Original poster

Meandyou150 · 18/03/2015 11:05

Thank you for that link, it was useful. I am confused though as I've read it can be symptom free for mothers in pregnancy? But would I always expect to feel ill should I be the unlucky one?

Pregnancy is just far too scary, I actually don't think I can cope

OP posts:

ShanVanVocht · 18/03/2015 11:07

Listeria is incredibly rare, there are all these warnings about what could possibly cause listeria, but no-one tells you how incredibly unlikely that is.
Also, pretty much ANYTHING can give you listeria, so most of the warnings are rather useless.

If your fruit had listeria someone would ahve got sick from it and it would be in the national papers. Listeria outbreaks are HUGE news, because they are rare but dangerous. You can't possibly have listeria without knowing about it, if you had listeria, we'd ALL know about it!

Seriously, what we need is a national campaign to counteract all of the utter rubbish spread about pregnancy do's and don'ts. What we have is an epidemic of WORRY and STRESS which is doing no-one any good at all.

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 18/03/2015 11:09

www.nhs.uk/conditions/Listeriosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx NHS link. Mild symptoms - like vomiting.

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 18/03/2015 11:09

Are you anxious normally? Do you think maybe you need help with anxiety at a broader level? Your MW can help you know.

Teeste · 18/03/2015 11:12

According to this, fewer than 200 people per year contract listeriosis in the UK. So, with a population of 64,000,000, that's odds of roughly 1:320,000* that you will get it. It also says fewer than 30 of those 200 are pregnant women, so that's roughly a 1 in 2.2 million chance you will get it. To put this in perspective, 60 people are struck by lightning every year in the UK. I don't know anyone who has!

Keep an eye out for flu-like symptoms, which you should be anyway. Otherwise, don't panic!

*Disclaimer: I'm crap at maths, so if anyone would like to correct me, go ahead :)

Original poster

Meandyou150 · 18/03/2015 11:14

When u look at it like that- I do see how unlikely it is. I suppose I just keep thinking well some poor person has to be the unlucky one why not me?

I think I am getting over anxious about this yes, and yes I do suffer with anxiety normally.

I'm actually sitting here almost in tears worrying about it- pathetic I know

OP posts:

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 18/03/2015 11:18

Please speak to your mw. This level of anxiety needs support.

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