35 weeks pregnant at christmas - thoughts on pate and cheese please

[Cherry85]

Hi everyone,

I will be 35 weeks pregnant at christmas and was wondering about pate and cheese.

I know we are not meant to eat them due to listeria risk but just wondered if that is more about early pregnancy or all the way through?

We are talking sainsburys pate and cheese so it will all have been processed and not from a farm shop or anything.

Can I get away with it? I'm am craving it soooooo badly as I am not that fussed about christmas dinner and it's the only part of christmas food I really live 🤣🤣🙈

I don't risk pate, but hard cheeses are fine, as are soft cheeses if you cook them! I'm keeping cravings at bay with a weekly baked camembert...

I believe listeria is a risk throughout pregnancy, sadly.

I think with pate (certainly liver pate, maybe not vegetable?) the issue is more to do with the high levels of vitamin A which can be harmful and are hard to quantify.

The listeria is more of an issue with 'mould ripened' cheeses rather than 'soft' cheese. Laughing cow is a soft cheese but absolutely fine.

Bumpology is a really good book which explores the science behind a lot of the recommendations and I've heard people suggest Expecting Better for the same but I haven't read that one.

From what I understand you're not at any higher risk of listeria but IF you do get it it's pretty awful. I've never had it and never known anyone who has so I'm not sure how likely it is anyway?

I only avoid liver, pate and alcohol (wouldn't deny myself a small sip but I never fancy it) during pregnancy but I don't like most cheeses anyway so not sure what I'd do if I did.

I wouldn't.

This is something to take seriously.

A glass of wine will be ok, but stay away from the pate.

Which cheese are you taking about? Pasteurised cheeses are fine.

I thought even pasteurised soft cheeses are OK if you don't eat the mouldy bit on Brie for example.

I think listeria is a problem whatever stage in pregnancy. Very rare, but if you get it and pass it onto baby can cause serious problems. Earlier on in pregnancy it can cause miscarriage, later on it can cause early labour, low birth weight, disability, seizures, brain impairments and some risk of stillbirth. You are actually more likely for it to pass to baby in 3rd trimester (if you get it) . If you haven't been eating pate and problem cheeses so far, personally I wouldn't start over Christmas. It's not less risky now because you are at the end of the pregnancy. I do know some people who have continued to eat pate and risky cheese because they feel the risk is so low. Depends on how much risk you are willing to take!

That's great! Thank you!

Will just leave it until end of jan 🙈

If you were on the continent, you'd be advised to avoid too much paté (vit A) and would be told everything else in moderation is fine. How many people do you know who have been ill from listeria?

I go for ‘everything in moderation’. I’ll have maybe a cracker or 2 with it lumped thinly spread on, same with the cheeses. I’ll probably avoid Stilton because of the blue mold but tbh has anyone ever heard of anyone ever having listeria?? I’m probably more worried about over doing the vitamin A but like others said, in other counties women are advised to cut down on things UK mums are banned from with seemingly no repercussions.

If we avoided everything we were advised against we’d never even clean our teeth because we’re warned off the fluoride too!

I go for ‘everything in moderation’.

This isn’t the right approach for this particular thing. Listeria really isn’t something to be messed around with. It’s rare but the consequences are properly serious. The warnings are for a good reason.

Pate - its just the high vitamin a in liver pater to avoid. So you can have non liver based pates ie mushroom or salmon ones.

Cheeses - you can eat all hard cheeses. All pasteurised soft cheeses fine. And other cheese if fine if cooked ie melted brie and camembert are fine

Pate - its just the high vitamin a in liver pater to avoid. So you can have non liver based pates ie mushroom or salmon ones.

No, this is wrong. It’s the risk of listeria that means ALL pate is off the menu.

Listeria killed a few people a couple of months ago, it's not worth the risk surely!? Only a few more weeks and you can eat it whenever you'd fancy!

Recent worldwide listeria outbreaks have been due to frozen veg, processed meats, sandwiches and melon yet pregnant women are not told to avoid any of these products? The current advice seems slightly out of step with the risks.

Pasteurised Brie is totally fine to eat cold by the way - loads of it on the shelves if that's what you're missing cheese wise

@PurpleDaisies - maybe shop bought. But there's no reason why a label of 'pate' makes it full of listeria.

I shall be making this. It will be made, fresh, and eaten straight away. Why would it cause listeria risk? Its literally the same ingredients I would use to make a salmon bagel.
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/smoked-salmon-dill-lemon-pate

I wouldn't eat homemade liver pate due to the high vitamin A as mentioned above

Also thinking of this veggie pate. Aubergine. Can't see how roasting some veggies, and eating will cause listeria

www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/roasted-aubergine-pate-recipe

caspian the higher risk of listeria comes when it’s refrigerated. Eaten straight away you’re right, it will be fine. I assumed the discussion was about shop bought pate.

That aubergine pate looks delicious. I might nick that for Christmas canapes!

Pasteurised cheeses are fine.

Pasteurised Brie is totally fine to eat cold by the way

[bangs head on desk] no. it. is. not.

Eat whatever you like but this is NOT NHS advice, and the misinformation will not go away. Please stop it.

Pasteurisation isn’t the basis for NHS cheese advice. All hard cheese, whether pasteurised or unpasteurised: fine. All mould-ripened soft cheese like Brie, Camembert or chèvre, whether pasteurised or unpasteurised: not fine.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/foods-to-avoid-pregnant/

If you were on the continent, you'd be advised to avoid too much paté (vit A) and would be told everything else in moderation is fine.

Also no. This thread is like myth bingo. French women are given almost exactly the same advice as those of us in the UK, but are also advised to avoid ready-grated cheese.

www.mangerbouger.fr/pro/IMG/pdf/guide_nutrition_grossesse.pdf p28

I avoid pate, but go by the rule that all cheeses are fine as long as they're cooked. The cooking process will kill the bacteria. I wouldnt eat 'raw' brie/blue cheeses etc.

Try mushroom pate - it’s quite nice. And hard cheese is great too.

You don’t want to be worried over the holidays if you eat something you aren’t certain about.