So can anyone tell me what is safe or not to eat during pregnancy?  Alcohol which some say is a ‘no no’ others say you can drink a few glasses a week but never to excess, Liver and other foods including mould encrusted or matured cheese are also warned against.

Common sense says,  if you eat a variety of foods your baby is more likely to thrive, and so will you.You don’t need to eat special foods or more food than usual just because you are pregnant, as your body will work super-efficiently; you certainly don’t need to eat for two.

Worried about my partners pregnancy and her consumption of wine, I reminded her of this but we could find nothing definitive that tells you that such things are proven dangerous except in excess.  So next morning I got told when wanting a cup of coffee (the only cup i drink during the day) that I should have decaff…which she promptly bought for me.  Its OK to have ham and salami in the fridge or buy lamb for roasting which are all full of saturated fats and can damage my arteries, but caff coffee is out.

I felt resentful that this choice had been made for me, but is this representative of the way women feel when told what they can or can’t do or eat during pregnancy.  OK the old fashioned confinement has stopped but women seem still to be “confined” during pregnancy by the controlling of their bodies through advice as to their actions and eating habits.

Ok now find this article was top of a google list I thought rather than a moan I ought to make it more informative:

However, there are certain foods you shouldn’t eat whilst pregnant to avoid exposing yourself to the risk of food poisoning, as they can be potentially dangerous to the unborn baby.

“Lamaze – Ladybug & Butterfly Footfinders” (Learning Curve)

Listeriosis is a rare, flu-like illness, which can be contracted from certain foods containing the listeria germ. Although rare in this country, listeriosis can cause stillbirth, miscarriage, or severe illness in newborn babies.

Remember to avoid the following:

* soft and blue veined cheese, such as Camembert, Brie and Stilton. (There is no risk of listeria associated with hard cheese such as Cheddar, cottage cheese and processed cheese),
* pâté (any type, including vegetable),
* certain prepared salads such as potato salad and coleslaw, and
* ready-prepared meals or re-heated food, unless they are piping hot all the way through.

Salmonella is a type of bacterial food poisoning found in unpasteurised milk, raw eggs/raw egg products, raw poultry and raw meat. Although it is unlikely to harm your baby, it is advisable to treat salmonella with caution.

“BT Digital Baby Monitor Plus” (BT)

The following steps will reduce your risk of getting salmonella:

* Avoid food containing raw or partially cooked eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise, and some mousses and sauces. Eggs should only be eaten if they are cooked until both the white and the yolk are solid.
* Avoid unpasteurised dairy products.
* Take care with food that contains meat at barbeques, parties and buffets. Bacteria breed quickly on food that is left uncovered in a warm environment.
* Make sure raw meat does not come into contact with other food (i.e. in the fridge). This is particularly important for food that is already cooked or that will be eaten raw.
* Cook all meat and poultry thoroughly, and take particular care with sausages and minced meat.
* Always wash your hands after handling raw meat.

Toxoplasmosis is another type of infection caused by a parasite found in cat faeces. It can also be present in raw or undercooked meat, and in the soil on unwashed fruit and vegetables. Although rare, the infection can occasionally be passed to the unborn baby, which can cause serious problems.

Pregnant women are therefore advised to avoid the following:

* unwashed raw fruit and vegetables,
* raw or undercooked meat, and
* unpasteurised goat’s milk or goat’s cheese.

It is also important to wear gloves when gardening and when changing cat litter trays.

Pregnant women should avoid consuming too much vitamin A. High levels of vitamin A can harm your baby. You should therefore avoid eating liver and associated liver products, such as pâté, which contain a large amount of vitamin A. Check with your doctor before taking any high dose multivitamins or cod liver oil supplement, which also contain vitamin A.

When pregnant, limit the amount of tuna you eat. Tuna contains a high level of mercury, which can have a damaging effect on the baby’s developing nervous system. You shouldn’t eat more than one tuna steak, or two medium-sized tins of tuna a week. This works out at about six rounds of tuna sandwiches or three tuna salads.

Shark, swordfish and marlin should be avoided for the same reason.

You should also limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Heavy drinking during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight, and other more serious defects. The Department of Health recommends drinking no more than two units of alcohol a week when pregnant, and strongly advises that you avoid binge drinking (eg drinking several units of alcohol in one session).

“Homeopathy for Pregnancy, Birth, and Your Baby’s First Year” (Miranda Castro)

Caffeine affects the body’s absorption of iron, which is very important for the baby’s development. Although up to 300mg of caffeine a day is thought to be safe, a study is currently investigating whether there are links between excessive consumption of caffeine, miscarriage and low birth weight.

300mg is roughly equivalent to either:

* 3 mugs of instant coffee,
* 3 cups of brewed coffee,
* six cups of tea,
* eight cans of regular cola, or
* eight standard bars of chocolate.

However to my mind it is not just about what she or I want it is about our repsonsibilities to others, including the unborn baby, so perhaps as both of us are 45 it would be sensible for both of us to have a healthier diet that excluded saturated and high fats as well as caffiene and alcohol.

Come on someone tell me what this is all about

Technorati Tags: alcohol, food, pregnancy

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5. Jonathan Spencer’s Recipe for Peppermint Creams

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