Food help needed please!

[firsttimelondonmummy]

Googling what I can and can’t eat is actually now causing me to suffer with quite severe anxiety and depression.
Should I only be listening to the NHS website?
When googling I’m seeing I can’t have crisps, coriander, Indian and that I have to be careful if every getting milk out. I’m a villain for not washing my veggies before cooking them. I can’t have sweeties or takeaway. The list goes on and on… I’m such a foodie and just feeling so down about the whole thing and rotating the same handful of dishes.
My partner works opposite shifts for me and I’m really struggling with energy and cooking too.
Anyone got any advice?

I agree with PP, just follow NHS guidelines. If you Googled and made a list of all foods advised against in different countries there would probably be very little left that you could eat! NHS guidelines are most relevant and up-to-date for your situation if you're in the UK. And try to put away any concern about drinks you had at that very early stage. I think you'll probably be able to do that as you have more appointments and see that everything is okay! And try to tune out the noise and any negativity about risks and other people's experiences. This is your pregnancy and baby and you will take it as it comes and deal with anything that comes up. I think it's easy to almost take on the weight of things that could go wrong and let it become part of your experience when mostly likely everything is fine! This is why I think it's preferable to stick to consuming positive birth stories for example. Not that it's not important and valid for people to tell their difficult experiences but when you're pregnant yourself it's not helpful to you. You're almost waiting for something to go wrong if you immerse yourself in information or stories about complications, when there is no reason why it should. Best of luck, I'm sure you'll be a great parent as you already care so much about your baby!

I'd also add that the first trimester can be more stressful in a way than later on in the pregnancy. Perhaps because it's all so new, it's hard to internalise what's happening. There's more uncertainty about how things are progressing. So I would urge you not to assume that you will feel equally or more anxious throughout the pregnancy. I think it's likely to subside quite a bit.

Thanks @IWillBeWaxingAnOwl and @Nightwithhertrainofstars I really appreciate both of you taking the time and both of you have made me feel calmer already.

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl I’m also sorry to hear you went through loss.

I think I do just need to take a google/ Instagram detox.
I don’t know why but Instagram just keeps showing me stories of miscarriage and birth defects and it’s been really freaking me out.
Also I know this is insanely stupid but I’m really superstitious and my partner keeps telling me he keeps seeing single magpies (I told him to stop telling me) I know it’s so so so stupid but it bothers me.

I’m just going to try and chill out and start to try and enjoy the process and just try and trust myself rather than listen to 10000 voices on google.

@Nightwithhertrainofstars also thanks for your kind words! I hope I’ll make a great mum all being well.

I think your right about the first trimester.
Everyone makes you feel like it has to be kept a secret and you can’t breathe easy until 12 weeks.
I think 12 weeks will help me but the 20 week scan will be when I can start enjoying my pregnancy if we hopefully get there and all is well 🤞🏻💖

When we hopefully get there *

Yes, the sense of secrecy often doesn't help. It will get easier, I promise!

Another recommendation for Emily Oster's 'Expecting better' book. She presents the research on a variety of things that are decisions in pregnancy, including what to eat or not, and then you can decide if the risks are acceptable to you. She also mentions what she decided for her own situation.

Thanks for this!