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!?!

Oh, I didn't have to look far for ludicrous moral outrage on this thread!

MsDemeanor - Agree to disagree

The effects of having Listeriosis, Salmonellosis or Toxoplasmosis can be pretty horrific, including still birth, newborn infections such as meningitus, brain damage or blindness. I realise that this is only in very severe cases that are rare but the risk is still there. Dont the 'rules' change all the time as they get more information or reasearch? There are plenty of things that our mum's though were ok that we now know are not.

Personally I am a rules person so I stick to them. I did forget with dd2 and eat prawns when I was out and spent the next few days/weeks in panic.

But then that is the sort of person I am. My very close friend drank quite heavily through her pregnancy, ate everything she was not supposed to and all was fine.

Guess the thing is that you just dont know and I choose to err on the side of caution.

I ate (pasteurised) brie and sushi and drank red bull and was lucky enough to have a perfect baby. The next baby I lost. This baby I am being crazy strict with eating-wise, just because I am paranoid. But I wouldn't have done those things if I thought there was a really significant risk - as said before, pre-frozen sushi from a good restaurant should not be risky (and all UK sushi is pre-frozen), the French eat unpasteurised soft cheese and drink in moderation throughout pregnancy. The French and Japanese are not immune to toxoplasmosis OR listeria. The risks are small. But as everyone has said, you would feel awful if your baby suffered from the small risk being an actual harm. Chances are, nothing will. But this time, I'm not taking chances.

Actually it's a myth that French women drink alcohol in pregnancy. The policy here is zero alcohol, and no unpasteurised cheese. I did have a few drinks myself though. Sometimes none for a month, sometimes 2 glasses a week.

The problem lies in ignorance. I am always hearing about so-called 'rules' that don't exist. And then people parade their ignorance and use it as a stick to beat other people. Soft cheese in general poses zero risk. Squishy cheese with a rind may pose a small risk - you don't know. In the UK sushi is absolutely fine - no risk.

Starlight - I agree. I think it was the way that the OP worded her original post that got everyone's back up. Re-reading the post it seems a very immature post.

Yes, agree the OP is a bit 'come on, let's 'ave you!' but really, these aren't class A drugs. I think wine and goats cheese were my most craved things in pregnancy, then I discovered that goat's cheese bubbling on toast was risk-free. Yum!

You arent a mother yet though, are you?

Funny, well not really, but a work colleague has had the same attitude as you. "only a few cigarettes a day" "only a few glasses of wine every couple of days".

She's currently having scans because the baby isn't gaining weight/growing as they'd like.

You just dont know, do you?

Yes, but a glass of wine once or twice a week doesn't stop a baby growing. The OP doesn't smoke, or I'm sure she would have mentioned it.

Can't you eat prawns? If they're cooked? I do all the time...

As for alcohol, I drank a bit in my first pregnancy. The doctor said 2 units a week was fine, but my midwife said NONE. Not sure why they disagree but have been having none, even though I do indulge in coke, prawns etc.

I'm certain she would have mentioned it!

Well yes, in big bold capital letters

I drank as well. Went five months without and then gave into a glass of wine on a friday night.

I didn't feel the need to shout about it on a public forum though - funny that!

MerryMarigold Coca Cola not Cocaine?

Essie3 - Not that is something we can all get into a moral outrage about!

Now, where do we start ...

• yeah coca cola! what's the news on prawns then? can you eat cooked ones!

I'm sure she would have

I was just making a point. Which was that it's all well and good being apparently proud of breaking 'rules' (they arent, but, anyway). The guidelines are there because you dont know exactly how these things may effect you or your pregnancy.

I dont think it's something to be proud of. At all.

not = now

I was told off by my mw for drinking too much diet coke (had anaemia)

I had DD when I was 21 and was a bit 'uninformed' about pregnancy.

My craving was raw eggs so I had one everyday- cringe when I think back now!

Would not do it again knowing what I know now and having just had a MC.

However I do agree that some guidelines seem very strict to the point of scare-mongering.

I have an American book on pregnancy for multiples (am expecting twins), written by a dcotor/ dietician and it positively RECOMMENDS:

• Peanuts (rich in good fats and protein)
• LIVER!!! (high in iron)

I still haven't eaten them (!), but it just goes to show...either American people have a very different biological makeup when it comes to allergies/ food poisoning OR some of what we are told is a bit scare-mongery.

I think the OP has a point to bring this stuff up. It was done in an aggravating way, but it got our attention huh?

Iron is good. Too much vitamin A/K is not. Hence liver to be avoided.

I think the weight of evidence on effects of eating peanuts in pregnancy is changing.