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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Christmas cake while pregnant?

51 replies

LisaSimpsonsbff · 22/12/2017 14:16

I am 10 weeks pregnant and both DH and I are incredibly nervous because I had three miscarriages before this pregnancy. Last night I ate a big slice of Tesco Christmas cake and went to have another slice today with my lunch; DH pointed out that it says on the packet it has Cognac in it, and asked me not to eat it. I'm going to do as he asks - he's been incredibly kind about trying to help with my anxiety about this pregnancy and I don't want to stoke his - but was just wondering: this is actually fine, isn't it? It must have a tiny bit in; unlike alcoholic liqueur chocolates it isn't sold as a product that contains alcohol, and children eat fruit cake, right? Do other pregnant women eat Christmas cake?

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purplecorkheart · 22/12/2017 14:19

The alcohol is burnt off during the cooking process.

splendide · 22/12/2017 14:21

I’d be fine with eating that. Especially shop bought. The ones I make have loads of alcohol added after cooking so I guess if you were being super strict you wouldn’t. But I did and also let my 3 year old have it.

CurryWorst · 22/12/2017 14:22

Yes, its fine.

If you choose not to eat or do things, that is up to you. But please don't let your husband tell you what you are allowed to do or not do. That's not acceptable.

Original poster

LisaSimpsonsbff · 22/12/2017 14:27

The alcohol is burnt off during the cooking process.

That's not really true of Christmas cake, though, is it, because they're usually fed? Though that might not be true of shop-bought stuff.

OP posts:

Original poster

LisaSimpsonsbff · 22/12/2017 14:28

I thought people might say 'he can't tell you what to do!', which is why I tried to be very clear in the OP that he isn't controlling, he's just terrified. I think it would be unkind to make him more anxious over something as trivial as Christmas cake.

OP posts:

Herja · 22/12/2017 14:29

I'd not have the one I make. It's 7 inches across and has about one and a half pints of brandy in after cooking... a tesco one would be fine though.

ItsChristmoose · 22/12/2017 14:32

Look, you can eat everything. You can even have a few small glasses of alcohol spread out over the pregnancy. There are some guidelines you can choose to follow or not.

Just read a bit to understand why certain things have a teeny tiny risk with them. And then you will know how you feel about the level of risk rather than spending the whole pregnancy terrified of nothing.

Babies are generally hardy and grow well in many many varied circumstances and exposures.

CurryWorst · 22/12/2017 14:33

If he's policing your food, he is controlling. It might be for good reasons, but its still not ok.
Your relationship though, your business.

Ninjamilo · 22/12/2017 14:34

You'll be fine.

My husband is the opposite - bought me a glass of wine in the pub last week, much to the disgust of some 🤣

Doctor told me that at this stage, post 20'weeks, it is very unlikely that I could manage to do any harm - unless I decided to go binge drinking!

Eeeeek2 · 22/12/2017 14:39

The safe level of alcohol is not known and therefore the guidelines are not to consume alcohol, rather than a small amount won’t cause harm. Plus the guidelines are based on people often push the limits so safest this to say is none. In all honesty the amount you’ve consumed from a shop bought cake is extremely unlikely to do anything to your baby.

But for both your sakes I’d give it a miss from now on because if something went wrong, which would not be because of cake anyway, you’d beat yourself up with what ifs. Said by someone that’s had 2 miscarriages.

Eeeeek2 · 22/12/2017 14:41

Op dh did not tell her not to eat it he ASKED HER. It’s her body but also his child and this request comes from a place of wanting the best for his child.

Daisy91 · 22/12/2017 14:43

I definitely would eat this (if I liked it) .

I had a friend ‘police’ what I was eating the other day... I just follow the NHS guidelines. It made me feel guilty though and felt a bit like she was trying to shame me.

Just out of interest.. do you all eat shellfish? Obviously fully cooked etc.

Zampa · 22/12/2017 14:58

OP I recommend you both read
Expecting Better by Emily Oster. It will help inform your decisions throughout the pregnancy and may help with your anxieties.

Spam88 · 22/12/2017 14:59

I wouldn't worry about shop bought cake, they're not age-restricted I don't think?

CurryWorst · 22/12/2017 15:01

It’s her body but also his child and this request comes from a place of wanting the best for his child

There is no BUT after "its her body".

PinkHeart5914 · 22/12/2017 15:02

I shouldn’t imagine a shop bought cake has that much alcohol tbh, because alcohol would be one of the more expensive ingredients so they would use less. I would have a slice of a shop bought one ( if I liked it) but I wouldn’t eat a home made one if I knew somebody had really fed it like my mother does.

I understand that you are both scared due to previous losses me and dh were the same once and I hope all works out for you 💐

Bellamuerte · 22/12/2017 15:14

If you're going to worry about alcohol in Christmas cake, you should also be worried about risotto because it's probably made with wine, or steak and ale pie, or red wine gravy, or rum truffles, or mouthwash which contains alcohol... The amounts of alcohol will be minute so I wouldn't worry about it.

LookingForwardToChristmas · 22/12/2017 15:24

I’m sorry for your losses.

Miscarriages are nearly always caused by chromosome abnormalities and not something you have done, so eating some Christmas cake really will not cause any harm. I’m pregnant and have also had losses, but my rule is that if you do not need to provide ID to buy the product, then I will enjoy it in moderation (this rule excludes things like shellfish, and other foods on the avoidance list).

I hope everything with this pregnancy goes smoothly.

Paperchains1986 · 22/12/2017 15:48

Dasiy91 - I eat cooked shellfish, as per the NHS guidelines. I also eat smoked salmon if its been frozen first, which the brand I buy says on the packet. This means it's safe to eat in pregnancy.

Yes, eat the cake, it'll be fine. If you'll blame that for something going wrong though, best to avoid.

Original poster

LisaSimpsonsbff · 22/12/2017 15:52

Thanks all - I still won't be eating the cake but I'm glad that no one thinks it was a stupid thing to do! I do think it's a bit different to sauces because I think it does have some more uncooked alcohol in - I didn't think about it at the time because it's just the taste of Christmas cake, but it does taste a bit of brandy.

To the person who recommended Expecting Better - thank you but ironically I had to stop reading it because it set my anxiety off too much! She goes on and on about how nausea is the best sign of a healthy pregnancy and I've hardly had any so it made me cry and then went in the bin!

OP posts:

MongerTruffle · 22/12/2017 15:54

The alcohol is burnt off during the cooking process.

It has been known for a long time that a large proportion of the alcohol remains unless the food is cooked at a very high temperature for several hours.

MaverickSnoopy · 22/12/2017 16:09

In your shoes I wouldn't eat it for the same reasons, ie for my DH to feel comfortable, in the same way he supported me.

Just a thought though, when the Christmas drink driving campaigns go around, don't they say not to forget to include all the Christmas cake, pudding and liqueurs you have?

Microwaved111 · 22/12/2017 16:17

I ate plenty of Christmas cake last year while pregnant with dd...shes 6 months old now and here i am sat eating it again

LookingForwardToChristmas · 22/12/2017 16:54

She goes on and on about how nausea is the best sign of a healthy pregnancy and I've hardly had any

I’ve never had any nausea or morning sickness. DC3 is due early next year. Lots and lots of women don’t suffer and have healthy pregnancies. Equally, lots of women suffer and miscarry. Your body doesn’t know early enough whether the baby will miscarry to determine whether you will have morning sickness or not.

Jazzysunshine · 23/12/2017 14:00

So sorry to hear about your anxiety. I didn't have a single day of nausea and I'm 37+6. I've accidentally eaten chocolate mousse and I ate lamb that walked onto my plate at a French wedding at 6 weeks, I'd try not to beat yourself up too much. We're all human. And people have been having healthy babies for centuries before all these rules came in. Hope it all goes ok for you, try and enjoy Christmas!

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