Guilty as charged!

[MacMac123]

I just want to make an annoucement about some of the things I have done in pregnancy so far.

• eaten Sushi about once a fortnight
• drank 1 - 2 glasses of wine a week
• worked long hours
• taken 2 long haul flights in the first trimester.
• eaten prawns in restaurants many times
• eaten prawns at home even more times.
• eaten soft cheese

I am saying this because I think people can get too het up about the dos and don'ts and I thought I'd put it out there that I am continuing life as though I wasn't pregnant. Does this make me a bad mother!?!

You're not a bad mother. They change the rules for what pregnant women eat all the time and it can get very confusing. Just remember not to let the little darling eat nothing but chips when it's older and you'll be fine.

Nope!

Sushi - eaten everyday by Japanese mums
Wine - drank everyday by French mums
Work - can't be helped but we all do it!
Flights - did the same myself
Prawns - Staple of med diet and I doubt the Spanish or Italians are likely to give up shellfish and things like parmaham.
Cheese - again the french!

I'm not sure what you want people to say - congratualtions on putting yourself before your unborn baby?

I don't think the amount of alcohol, the long hours or the flight is a problem.

But you should be careful about what you are eating, the guidelines are there to protect your baby, you should care about that.

And I don't see the need to boast about not taking care of yourself or your baby.

I in agreement with MAW, it isn't a boasting matter, what if one of your prawns had caused problems or the Sushi or the soft cheese.

It is not recommended to do these things because it is safest not to, you are lucky you have got away with it someone else might not be as lucky

The things that are left - the sushi, the prawns and the soft cheese - are likely to be fine too. According to the guidelines we are allowed to eat prawns! Also some soft cheeses, and sushi from fish that has been pre-frozen (which most shop-bought sushi is).

MacMac, I have done all those things too. Much better to be relaxed! And there is evidence to suggest that (unless you have strong history of allergies), exposing the baby to a variety of things inclusing prawns, peanuts and the like, is a GOOD thing.

Am not boasting, I am just sick of all my friends looking at me with raised eyebrows when I confess to having eaten sushi, and then recounting how its BAD. I am just saying I've done it and its fine.
I can't even remember the last time I had food poisioning of any sort, so my attitude is that its unlikely to happen now.

I'm not saying don't eat them, but agree with Bessie, you need to be careful and check what your eating.

You shouldn't be so blase about it, you have a responsibility to your baby to be cautious.

And the guidelines ARE there for a reason.

F.F.Sake! MacMac I'm with you! pregnancy is hard enough without being criticised left right and bloody centre, especially by those in the same boat, its like the ''no pain relief'' during labour! Everyone experiances pregnancy differently! As long as you take care of yourself you can't provide a better environment. Also rewind 20-30 years ago and half the things your all bangin on about were never even heard of! And look how well we turned out! Rant Done!

Having lost a baby myself I don't think it is very helpful to post that you are deliberately putting your baby at risk. Believe me it is one of the worst things that can happen and imagine the guilt.

You were lucky it didn't do you any harm, or your baby. You might not be so lucky next time. I also don't see the point of the post.

I think i'm pregnant and will be flying next weds, so it doesn't bother me. My doc said in my first pregnancy eat what you like but in moderation, but to avoid eggs and nuts.

cece i've lost a baby to so understand your heart ache, but i'll treat this pregnancy same as the first healthy one

you can revel in it, but understand that continuing life as though you weren;t pregnant is an emotive statement

too much vitamin A can be harmful to a developing baby

too much alcohol as well, partic. binge drinking

soft cheese/ unpasteursied foodstuffs can give you listeria and lead to miscarriage

tiny risks, but risks that a lot of pregnant women don;t take

does it make you a bad mother? i don;t think so, but i think at sme point there needs to be an acknowledgement that being pregnant does change things, no, you are not just an incubator, but certain things are not a good idea.

but you are a grown woman and if you have made an informed choice to ignore the guidelines that is your business

"I am continuing life as though I wasn't pregnant".

Is this your first pregnancy?

Great for you but bit thoughtless post tbh for those who have not been so lucky.

TheMuppetMuggle I would treat any further pg the same way as my healthy ones too - in fact that was what I did with the baby I lost.

However, although I followed the guidelines and still lost a baby. I remember vividly the guilt I felt that it had somehow been my fault. All I am saying is if you have exposed yourself to these risks (however slight they are) and then were to lose the baby. Imagine how guilty you would feel.

Why is it that someone puts a lighthearted 'Iam only human' post on MN and everyone gets on their high horses?
Seriously MacMac is not a criminal'I'm not sure what you want people to say -

'congratualtions on putting yourself before your unborn baby?'

Do you seriously think that when she ate sushi she thought 'hmm today i am going to stop giving a monkies about my baby and put myself first'

Why is everyone so bloody judgemental. Sorry to rant I just get annoyed with people being sanctimonious.

I suppose it comes down to whether you could cope with the knowledge that you had harmed your baby if something happened (god forbid)

I am being very careful this time after 2 mc last year, but then I always was and I still lost them

When I really feel like something - alcolhol, pate, whatever, I just ask myself if it is REALLY worth risking my unborn babys health.....The answer is always no.

(With regard to french and japanses women - they have eaten that sort food since childhood and are therefore immune to Toxoplasmosis and Listeria when pregnant. No one is immune from food poisoning.)

When the OP eats sushi she is making a choice - to put her desire for sushi above the risk it carries for her unborn baby, so yes buckles she has decided to put herself first.
I would ahve thought that was obvious. And if he OP posts asking a question why is it wrong ro answer it?

Typos all over the place! sorry!

Actually, she IS following the rules. Alcohol within guidelines and studies show no ill effects at this level, sushi from any reputable outlet is absolutely fine, soft cheese is fine (the small risk is from cheese with rinds - ie brie and camembert), cooked prawns totally fine, working isn't harmful fgs! Nor is flying.
Don't see the point really of the post, or the outraged of Tonbridge Wells posts following.
It's not likes she said 'I'm drinking 12 pints of Stella a night, chain smoking and taking heroin', is it?]
sigh that there is so much ignorance about pregnancy.

MsDemeanor - I think if you read the posts correctly you would see that I said no prob re. flying, working, alcohol intake.
The majority of people who are concerned are saying be careful about what you are eating. That is all.
No need to exaggerate by implying moral outrage.
SIGH