Foods to avoid

[Baxt3r25]

I am 11 weeks pregnant and following all the advice on foods to aviod however I am getting worried. I have been following advice on nhs choices which is different to a nhs leaflet my midwife has given me. Nhs choices advises it's ok to eat silton but this is different to my midwifes advice. I have only just found out I should be avoiding ready prepared salads, which seems a difficult tasks if you consider they might be used in restaurants etc. And should be re-washing prepared salads at home which didn't even cross my mind.

I'm just really worried I could have put my unborn baby a risk, how is everyone else dealing with this?

[roxannacar]

Try to relax a little I'm sure it will be fine! I used a lot the app "what to expect" which I found helpful for all sorts of questions I had and had weekly videos about babies developments. As for foods to avoid, as long as you're avoiding uncooked meats (Parma ham, pates, rare meat) soft cheeses (Brie, Camembert, blue cheese) limit fish such as tuna swordfish due to heavy metals in the water, and wash all fresh fruit and salad. Don't worry if you slipped a little, I slipped and had Serrano ham in Spain and all was fine!

[Hidden]

Hi there, firstly I'd say relax and don't worry!! Lots of women unknowingly eat or drink things which are better avoided but as long as you're not repeating it to excess I'm sure it's not a problem!

During the early stages when I didn't know I was pregnant I know that I ate runny eggs and drank alcohol but as soon as I knew I've been careful and feel happy that ive done what I could.

Blue cheese is something better avoided however with regards to prepared salads if you look carefully you can find bags that are already washed - I for one def wouldn't wash it again!!! As for restaurants I would happily eat any salad served to me in a reputable place (possibly not a kebab shop 😆)!!

Relax a little try not to worry but speak to your midwife if needed I'm sure she'll put your mind at rest xx

[Phoenix85]

I wouldn't worry.

Foods like runny eggs, unpasturised cheese, salad etc is a risk due to a *miniscule* risk of food poisoning.

Even if you did get sick off something you ate, that in itsself would not transfer to the baby or harm them, the only risk to the baby is that if you are dehydrated and unable to eat then your baby could miss out on nutrients. However you'd have to be horribly sick for several days for that to happen, and most cases of food poisoning are very short lived. But if you did start throwing up, you could go to the hospital and they can put you on a drip etc to prevent dehydration. (But this is worst-case scenario)

There are certain things I would always avoid - alcohol, liver etc, as with those things they can affect the baby (alcohol gets into your blood and can affect the baby through the placenta, liver contains too much vitamin A etc). But when it comes to food poisoning I am not overly concerned as the likelihood of it is ridiculously tiny.

I enjoyed a runny-yolked egg from my hens a few weeks ago at 13 weeks pregnant and wouldn't hesitate to do so again lol.

[roxannacar in reply to Phoenix85]

Actually some foods eg cheeses withs rind (Brie ) can harbour certain bacteria called listeriosis and it can be passed to babies. It's rare. But you might want to check your info when advising people online

[SAMBS]

Hi Baxt, here in France they (the French) eat bit of salad every and cheese every day as part of or a 3/4 course daily meal, and blue cheeses, they have a couple of nice ones I've found that are similiar to Stilton (but not as nice) especially Auvergne and the pregnant and/or elderly women eat it a well! Don't know if that helps or not? I'll check with the young lady in the cafe when in there later, she had her baby 8 months ago!

[roxannacar in reply to SAMBS]

Maybe checking with a midwife rather than a lady at a cafe might be a better idea as midwife are somewhat more qualified!!

[SAMBS in reply to roxannacar]

Don't disagree roxan , At 68 I wouldn't know where to find one here, but the cafe lady and her baby (all here in France) would know what health advice re food/soft cheese applies here. They are a healthier nation here than in the UK or US though! Blue cheese and salad are Blue cheese and salad! Blue cheese is made the same way, even left to mature in Caves here, as in Roquefort.

Sorry - I ended up on this Community by accident, thought my email inbox one had taken me to the Thyroid Community originally.

[roxannacar in reply to SAMBS]

good thing a pregnant woman in the uk does have access to a midwife or doctor for advise rather than the cafe lady. Don't understand ur point of blue cheese is blue cheese and why it makes a difference how it is made to being safe or not. Ps Roquefort is not considered safe in pregnancy as per the NHS website.

[SAMBS in reply to roxannacar]

Sorry Rox - you still don't understand! I live in a small French village, we have a cafe, the niece of the owner works there also - said niece having having an 8 month old baby. That's why I said I'd ask her!

We have an excellent system here for pregnant mums - they DO NOT rely on cafe owners for advice! I just said I'd ask the niece who works there!

I was also pointing out re blue cheese, that in France they do eat it. Pregnant or not - I will. Infirm that definitely when I can.

The NHS and UK Government says there Are a lot of things people should NOt eat or not! I am English, had both my children who now also have children, in the UK, over 40 years ago, and things change everywhere! I moved to France after I retired. That is why I am well aware of both systems!

Why do you think the 'Mediterranean diet' is pushed so much in the UK - because that is how we eat here in France naturally!

[roxannacar in reply to SAMBS]

I understand perfectly. I am Mediterranean myself and not British. All I'm saying I would get my advice from someone more knowledge than the cafe lady. just because she had a baby doesn't make her an expert on the matter. I would not ask someone to operate on me just because they had that operation done. This has nothing to do with Mediterranean diet but safety in pregnancy. I dont suggest eating doughnuts day and night but it is well known certain things (like soft cheeses or unpasteurised dairy products) should be avoided, French American Chinese or whatever nationality! But if you feel the cafe lady is the best health authority feel free to get her advice. But if passing on such advice I would be careful cause you might be doing more harm than good. If I caught a bacteria such as listeria off cheese I ate because some random person told me it was age and my child had problems I would hate them forever more. Then again I suppose I would trust randoms person advice.

[SAMBS in reply to roxannacar]

So why are you on a UK health Forum, commenting on a British way of expressing things, when you don't obviously don't understand, given, ad you say you are Mediterranean not English.

Therefore I See no point in continuing this with you! Your replies explain all - End of!!!

[roxannacar in reply to SAMBS]

I live in the uk work here and am a citizen and had a child in the uk. Are you the only one who moves country? If anything you're the one that doesn't live here and are giving advice which you don't know if it's correct or not. Seems like despite you live on the continent you have a lot of prejudice against the fact I'm not born in the uk. If I don't understand you're point it's because you have not expressed it very well. Also not being British doesn't mean I don't know medical questions as people of different nationalities are still the same species. End of!

[SAMBS]

An apology to Roxancarr - and info for Ba xt3r25

1st - ,Baxt - no don't eat Blue Cheese in pregnancy!

2nd- Roxanne I apologise very sincerely and publicly for getting so stroppy with you on this discussion. You were right and I was wrong about eating cheese!

I did talk to the young French lady who had her 1st baby here last year, and yes works in the cafe here in France. I asked her what the advice in France is about eating blue and/or soft cheese when Pregnant - she said the advice is DONT !

3rd - TO ALL - it took me a long time to find this discussion again, that is why I'm late making the apologies.

I wish for Safe and healthŷ Pregnancies and babies for you all.