Food anxiety - exhausted :(

[sophynm]

I am generally quite an anxious person but the "should I eat this or I shouldn't I eat this" anxiety is tipping me over the edge. I just absentmindedly ate a pre-packed sandwich only to realise it had raw kale and cabbage in it, and now I am freaking out about listeria or toxoplasmosis or whichever other risk it carries.
Am I being completely mad or should I actually be worried and 1) hope everything is fine 2) avoid all pre-packed sandwiches from now on?

This honestly barely crosses my mind. Yes you're fine to eat pre packaged sandwiches. Read the NHS website and follow that. You don't need to worry about anything else. It might be worth talking to your midwife about your anxiety.

I completely understand the anxiety when pregnant and I know that everyone is different, however weirdly pre packed sandwiches/ wraps have been something I have been able to stomach during my first trimester, and a few days ago I had a scan and saw a perfectly fine baby with a heartbeat. Some things I absolutely wont eat, like the things on NHS website etc but I know a few women who had pre packed sandwiches, runny eggs (my aunties craving), some deli meats (cooked ones not things like prosciutto) while pregnant and they had healthy pregnancies. However if it makes you feel better then cut them out, as you don't want the added stress during an already stressful time x

Ah bless you OP. Definitely have a chat to your midwife, in reality (are you UK?) there is very little you should actually avoid.
High Vit A, unpasteurised cheese etc etc.
Raw veg sandwich is fine, you will be ok 😊

You need to speak to your MW about managing your anxiety
of course you want to avoid certain foods but raw veg shouldn’t present any concern

I'm British but based in Sweden, so a lot can get lost in translation when I speak to my midwife. But thank you for the reassurance, I think I just needed someone to tell me it's going to be OK.

Honestly Google is just the worst thing ever for pregnancy anxiety.

Let's not forget that women have been giving birth for a very long time in places across the globe, in all different conditions and environments.

I read up on the NHS guidelines right at the beginning of my pregnancy and haven't looked again - I know to avoid raw fish and certain cheese if not cooked, i avoid deli meats and I wash my food extra carefully. Honestly that's it.

I eat different cuisines, I live overseas (originally uk) so no lion stamped eggs here, I order salad when I go out to eat, I have a coffee every morning..... I'm certainly not studying the ingredients on everything I buy or stressing when I'm out at a restaurant.

If it helps OP. I didn’t know I was pregnant with my third but craving meat (so much meat!!) I ate all the kinds you shouldn’t and had the toxoplasmosis test, it came back negative; I was so surprised 🤣😅

You are absolutely right to be cautious about certain things, but letting it consume your daily life is when you need to speak to your midwife about it.

I have two children, currently pregnant with my third and through each pregnancy I've just made sure meat is throughly cooked, I don't eat things like pate and I wash vegetables/fruit before eating. Other than that I don't give it a second thought. I still drink coffee in moderation (1-2 cups a day) and disgracefully had a mouthful of soft serve ice cream on the weekend 🤣

Honestly, you will be fine. I’d bet my life on it! So much of the advice is just being uber cautious and many people have eaten the ‘wrong’ thing when pregnant and baby been absolutely fine.

I’d recommend the book Expecting Better by Emily Oster. Made me realise how little evidence there is for any of the advice around eating in pregnancy; and other pregnancy related stuff. It wouldn’t even cross my mind to be concerned about a sandwich or salad? I hope you’re getting some support if anxiety is unmanageable

I second this! Really helpful if you’re having pregnancy anxiety as makes you realise that so much of what we’re told carries risk is so low, and often the data does support what we’re told. It’s a great book and Emily Oster is worth a follow on instagram too.