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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

I accidentally ate some Brie today and now I'm in a right flap about it ...

43 replies

SaltySeaBird · 15/09/2015 18:06

I'm 11+4 and today I accidentally ate some Brie.

I've been obsessing all afternoon. I was having lunch with a colleague and brought what I thought was a pear, bacon and cheese salad roll from Pret. Munching away I thought wow this is good and looked inside - only to discover the cheese was Brie. I'd eaten half of it and left the rest.

I've been worried all afternoon Googling listeria effects on pregnancy. It's only made things worse.

Should I go to my GP? Can they test me? Should I just calm down?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Eminybob · 15/09/2015 18:08

It's fine. Honestly don't worry. Pregnant women eat Brie in France all the time. Plus it was probably pasturised as a lot of the time Brie is.

NickNacks · 15/09/2015 18:09

Yes,

C) calm down! Honestly.

Redcrayons · 15/09/2015 18:12

Dr Google is a total shit. Only tells you the worst thing possible. Ignore.

You'll be fine.

scarednoob · 15/09/2015 18:12

I spent HOURS panicking about feta at your stage! You can definitely relax!

When was the last time you read about anyone getting listeria from cheese? It's always dirty hot dog stands or something. Brie from Pret is not like that.

No harm done except to your mood/afternoon!

ginmakesitallok · 15/09/2015 18:12

Why would it be a problem????

babymouse · 15/09/2015 18:14

I think you should calm down. In 2013 there were 157 cases, 13 of them in pregnant women. You'll probably be fine. The thing with listeria is that although the risk is low the consequences are high - hence the advice to avoid Brie.

Original poster

SaltySeaBird · 15/09/2015 18:15

Thank you. I did think French women ate it and then searched and read that they are much stricter and avoid it.

I was worrying a lot this week anyway (two previous miscarriages haven't helped the pregnancy anxiety) and I don't know how I will wait a whole week until my 12 week scan now.

OP posts:

Mintyy · 15/09/2015 18:18

Pret A Manger will be using pasteurised brie.

I wish HQ would do a sticky or an info page about the current guidelines! We have endless threads with people getting themselves into a panic for no reason.

Floggingmolly · 15/09/2015 18:21

It's not just pasteurised v unpasteurised; it's the fact that it's mould ripened.
You'd be very unlucky to get caught by the relatively small amount in a sandwich, op, but avoid from now on.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 15/09/2015 18:22

I agree with Mintyy. Prawns and sushi also fine!

You're more likely to get listeria from bagged salad then a bit of Brie apparently.

Quite fancy a bit of Brie now and a crisp glass of Chablis. I'm not pregnant

QforCucumber · 15/09/2015 18:23

Salty I'm 14+3 and just ate a medium rare steak - completely forgot I wasn't supposed to to be honest. Looked online and most countries have so many different rules and regulations it would be too much too keep on top of. What if you went on holiday? Would you stick to nhs rules or the country you're in? I believe a lot of it is just being over cautious.

Jenijena · 15/09/2015 18:31

I'm also 11 + 4 and now craving brie...

I'm sure you'll be fine; hope the anxiety subsides and you can get away from Dr Google...

Every1KnowsJeffHesUsuallyACunt · 15/09/2015 18:35

I've eaten contraband smelly cheeses and, well, virtually everything we're not allowed all the way through this pregnancy. I'm fine. The baby is fine. I'm 37+4. Please don't flap. And step away from Dr Google.

AbbeyRoadCrossing · 15/09/2015 18:41

As PP have said listeria is very rare with a handful of cases each year in pregnant women. You can actually catch it from anything - I think the last big outbreak was on lettuce. Anyway if Pret have a listeria outbreak it'll be on the news, don't panic

AbbeyRoadCrossing · 15/09/2015 18:43

Here you go - in 2010 there were 174 cases out of the UK population of about 64 million people www.food.gov.uk/science/microbiology/listeria

lavenderhoney · 15/09/2015 19:23

You could email pret and ask if the Brie is pasturised, to put your mind at rest. But it's a tiny amount and many women didn't know/ don't know they are pregnant and eat all sorts of banned foods.

Drink lots of water and don't stress, and ask your mw to reassure you.

TakesTwoToTango · 15/09/2015 19:39

Brie is 'allowed' for pg women inUSA if that makes you feel better?

Cherryblossomsinspring · 15/09/2015 19:40

Honestly relax. It will be fine. Some of us pregnant women even choose to eat cured meats, sushi and cheeses.

Runningupthathill82 · 15/09/2015 19:59

Don't worry. Seriously. Listeriosis is so rare - as a pp pointed out, you're also more likely to get it from bagged salad than a bit of cheese.

I ate gorgonzola the other day and it was delicious. Now thinking about lovely Brie.

Me624 · 15/09/2015 20:20

I ate some goats cheese (the mould ripened kind you're not supposed to have) the other day. I thought it was going to be cooked from the menu and when it came out it wasn't, but I decided to eat it anyway. Before I got pregnant I ate soft cheese at least once a week and when was the last time I got listeria? Hm, never.

Original poster

SaltySeaBird · 15/09/2015 20:31

Okay I've emailed Pret to ask if it is pasturised, I'm sure it will give somebody in customer service a good laugh tomorrow!

OP posts:

Mintyy · 15/09/2015 20:43

Oh fgs what a lot of fuss!

Of course a massive UK chain is not going to use unpastuerised brie.

Nousername2015 · 15/09/2015 20:46

Even in France the latest listeria outbreak was from carrots, and I think in the US it was watermelon. After reading that I've become obsessive about washing fruit and veg.
I ate some brie and goats cheese at 6 weeks OP and beat myself up about it just like yourself. I know it's hard to do but I really would try not to worry about it. Ive emailed loads of places so far (supermarkets and eating places) to ask about cheese, usually feta and mozzarella, all have come back saying they use pasteurised versions so I would be very surprised if the Pret version was unpasteurised. There is the skin issue, however we all unknowingly take much bigger risks in our lives on a daily basis than the risk of listeriosis. I hope we've all helped to reassure you.

NicholasName · 15/09/2015 20:48

yes... calm down. really

Mintyy · 15/09/2015 20:54

lavenderhoney is just winding you up. There are no "banned" foods, there are just foods you are advised to avoid because if you get food poisoning as a pregnant woman it might have more serious consequences for your foetus/unborn baby than for a fully developed adult. And that list gets longer and longer in our risk-averse culture, it was VERY much shorter when I was pregnant 14-12 years ago. That is all. Why she is suggesting you drink plenty of water I haven't the slightest idea! .

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