Forbidden foods?

[Junkenpo]

So... what else is a pregnant woman NOT supposed to eat or drink?

And is it better to quit cold turkey or to try to wean yourself off beloved bad food before you concieve?

DH & I are ttc and I have a cup of coffee in the morning before work & bring half the coffee pot (we split it) with me in a traveling mug. I love my coke & pepsi, so I know that's going to be hard as well.... I'm not much of a drinker, but I will miss the occasional wine-besotted night.....

[lv lover steph]

I am not sure I can remember all of it but... nothing non-pasteurized (which to me only meant queso), deli lunch meats, fish with high mercuy levels, sushi, alcohol, caffeine in moderation. I would just quit cold turkey, but that is me. I was so excited to be preggers, it was easy to quit.... well, that at horrible morning sickness for 17 weeks did the trick!

Totally worth it though. I did crave an Italian sub for most of my pregnancy. I made my DH promise that he would bring one to the hospital for me. Not sure why and not sure that I ever had had one before. I certainly wasn't in the mood for one after I delivered and haven't had one to this day. ODD!!

[viba424]

Also dont forget about anything undercooked, like eggs sunny side up, and undercooked meats...at least thats my rule. My OB also said skip the cold cut chicken. I also skip cole slaw, potato salad, chicken salad, etc, and shellfish like mussels and clams. It not worth the stress to me. Dont eat any meat thats not steaming hot.

[megs0927]

My doctor told me that lunch meat was ok if it was heated until steaming. That would kill the listeria if it were present.

[alliemia]

my doctor said listeria is extremely rare where we live. and he didn't see any problem with a deli sandwich. so i didn't really give up much. i didn't eat raw sushi. that was about it. one of my major cravings both pregnancies was tuna salad, and i couldn't control myself and i ate it A LOT. and it was fine. no mercury poisining. i mean, how common is mercury poisoning?

i'm not flip about it, i had a lot of trouble even getting pregnant, and had bedrest/issues almost throughout both times, i just wasn't that worried about the food concerns. i'd say stay away from anything raw for sure, undercooked meat, fish, etc.

if you go to a farm, no fresh milk or cider or anything.
but use your discretion for the most part.

[hamstahon]

My doctor told me to avoid all tuna. That really bummed me out. As for coffee, I did cut back in the months before we conceived, switching from full strength to half-caf and finally decaf. I like to have my hot chocolate/decaf mix on the regular. And Pepsi only has 38 mL of caffeine in it per 12 oz. can...less than Dr. Pepper! I have this bookmarked on my BlackBerry to check beverages: http://coffeeopolis.com/caffeine-database/ My doctor advised up to 200 mL per day, but I obviously try to drink and eat as little caffeine as possible.

[megs0927]

Originally Posted by hamstahon

My doctor advised up to 200 mL per day, but I obviously try to drink and eat as little caffeine as possible.

My doctor advised the same. I was very careful with caffeine in the beginning and towards the end became more lax. I have heard that if caffeine intake is within the guidelines while pregnant your baby will be less sensitive to it while nursing. This has been the case for me as I have 1-2 cups of coffee every AM and my LO doesn't seem to be bothered by it.

[emxowm]

Along with the ones others have mentioned, my Dr. told me no hot dogs or other foods with nitrates.

[HauteMama]

I agree with everyone else: no alcohol, sashimi (cooked sushi is fine), raw eggs, unpasteurized dairy, or undercooked meats. Limit caffeine, cured meats (nitrate consumption should be limited), tuna and other mercury-containing fish (there are lists of fish that are safe to eat and ones that aren't).

With certain pregnancy complications you need to watch sodium intake and/or sugar intake, although that's probably a good idea for anyone (it is healthier to avoid excessive salt and sugar consumption). Personally, I eliminated all artificial sweeteners, although I don't most dr.s mention that.

And, of course, check with your dr. before taking any prescription or OTC drugs, too.

[ilovepinkhearts]

alcohol on occasion wont hurt, or so i have heard. like a glass of wine every once in awhile. i was told i could consume 2 cokes a day [i didn't though, not a big fan]. a cup of coffee is ok, but then no soda with caffeine. i was told 2 cans of tuna per week.

talk to your ob/gyn now and see what they say. different doctors say different things. GL ttc! i wish you and your dh all the best!!

[angfento]

Whoa QUESO?

DO you mean queso Fresco? Or like chips and queso? Cause I eat chips and queso almost once a week!

I've never heard of that? I know we aren't supposed to eat soft cheese, but most queso is made from Cheddar or Monteray Jack.

Originally Posted by lv lover steph

I am not sure I can remember all of it but... nothing non-pasteurized (which to me only meant queso), deli lunch meats, fish with high mercuy levels, sushi, alcohol, caffeine in moderation. I would just quit cold turkey, but that is me. I was so excited to be preggers, it was easy to quit.... well, that at horrible morning sickness for 17 weeks did the trick! Totally worth it though. I did crave an Italian sub for most of my pregnancy. I made my DH promise that he would bring one to the hospital for me. Not sure why and not sure that I ever had had one before. I certainly wasn't in the mood for one after I delivered and haven't had one to this day. ODD!!

[angfento]

also avoid herbal teas.. This has been really confusing as to which ones are bad, and I am a huge tea drinker, so this was tough, but the only one I will have is peppermint that has nothing else in it.. I know rose is one of the no-no's.

[HauteMama]

^ Good point. I consider herbs along the lines of OTC drugs. Most should be avoided unless okayed by a dr. Many act as uterine stimulants that can cause contractions and be dangerous during pregnancy.

And while some dr.s will say that an occasional drink is okay, most do not. It is known that smaller amounts of alcohol at exactly the wrong time during pregnancy can cause issues. While there is a very low risk of that occurring with an occasional drink, most people simply don't want to take the chance. Almost all major medical associations around the world agree that abstinence is the best choice during pregnancy.

[nifferchic71]

I read that Green Tea is a no-no as it strips you of your folic acid

[angfento]

Green tea also has caffeine, so another reason to avoid.