Feta???

[star6]

I just realized that Feta cheese is on the "no cheese" list for pregnancy. I really thought this was a safe one... I've had it probably once each month... I'm 6 months now... 27 weeks, how would I know if this has harmed my baby? Should I ask the dr to check it out? It's listeria risk, right?
sorry for slight freak-out here... I can't believe this... I've been so careful avoiding all of the "unsafe" foods!!!

You will be fine.

Really.

I didn't even realise they'd added feta to the list - I ate it throughout my pregnancy last year. Bloody list is so long it would be quicker to tell you what you can eat.

Well, I live in Greece and have never been told not to eat feta (or any other food for that matter) during pregnancy and ate it regularly (3 times a week?) in both my previous pregnancies and will eat it in this one. HTH

this should make you feel better star

I used to work in a cheese shop and we advised against feta as sheep (and goats as well iirc) can carry toxoplasmosis.

I imagine it would only apply to unpasteurised cheese though.

Thanks everyone!! That helps a lot! I can get a peaceful sleep tonight now without Feta Monster nightmares

I've been eating Feta cheese 2-3 times a week for the past 7 months. I just make sure I buy pasturised feta.

I eat Feta quite regularly - it was one of my cravings in the first few months! It wasn't on any of the lists I checked out originally, so must have just gone on - bah!

It was one of my fave things when PG. If you have not been sick what you have had so far will not have harmed LO as it is the food poisoning risk not an allergy type risk (as with peanuts for example).

Try to relax, I am sure the risk is low, just don't have any more if you are concerned.

Harpo - I was just about to link to that article too! TBH, I think you can safely eat and drink pretty much whatever you like when you are pregnant, it is just that people love to give you lots and lots of useless advice, so you can be made to feel guilty if anything goes wrong... If it makes you feel any better, I ate loads of feta when pg - it wasn't on the list then - and (inadvertently) a large amount of unpasteurised brie. When my Mum was pg, they were advised to eat lots of liver and drink Guinness, now practically a stoning offence. So try not to worry!

Tesco Feta Cheese is fine because it is made from pasteurised milk. Some authentic greek fetas are made with unpasteurised milk and that is why they are not recommended.

I have a pregnancy cookbook that has quite a few recipes involving feta - it just says to check you are using feta made from pasteurised milk.

This link from the Food Standards Agency should also reassure you - feta is named as one of the cheeses you do not need to avoid.

www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages/pregnancy/whenyrpregnant/