Confused...

canadiangirl57

My doctor never told me any dos or donts for eating. Lately i been craving tons of deli meat, i eat all the time. But a friend of mine told me how bad it is for the baby, how it can cause listeriosis. Im not sure how true this is. Maybe something to bring up while im at the doctor office on Wednesday

flowerpower5838

https://www.thebump.com/a/what-to-give-up-when-pregnant

kynbar5

The deli meats are a different deal depending on who you talk to. They're suppose to be a no no unless they're heated up before consuming. Some women go ahead and eat them anyways. Personally, will all the different listeria scares over the past few years, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Most OB's will tell you to heat the meat to steaming (microwave is fine) and then you can re-refrigerate and eat whenever.

Kurtni

Listeria can also be found on any fruits or vegetables, especially ones that grow on the ground, but we still eat those without cooking. Its not a common recommendation outside the US and your doctor may just consider it dated advice.

mommytobe2122

To make you feel better you can make a blood test they will check if you have the bacteria or not. I have a low tolerance for listeria, cat and soil bacteria ect.. I checked it and saw it is negative. Raw meet, unpasteurized cheese or unwashed vegetables and fruits can cause it too. And at the same time with that blood test you can see if you have tolerance or not for example my tolerance is also negative and it is a bad thing so I am being careful at everytime. If you have positive tonlardan de maybe you will feel better and don't worry about it.

kynbar5

Kurtni said:

Listeria can also be found on any fruits or vegetables, especially ones that grow on the ground, but we still eat those without cooking. Its not a common recommendation outside the US and your doctor may just consider it dated advice.

I don't know anyone that isn't washing their fruits or vegetables before eating them though. Even if you're not worried about listeria you should be about everything that gets sprayed on them. I've been having babies for the last 11 years and the advice about what to eat and not eat or stay away from has been pretty consistent.

mshukh

I don't wash my fruits and vegetables that are homegrown. I will wash the ones from the store, but I do not always wash the apples. I always buy organic, but I know they spray some stuff on most of those anyways and I should probably wash them. 

kynbar5

mshukh said:

I don't wash my fruits and vegetables that are homegrown. I will wash the ones from the store, but I do not always wash the apples. I always buy organic, but I know they spray some stuff on most of those anyways and I should probably wash them. 

Lol I've learned to even wash the organic. It only took one trip to the store seeing a woman sneeze all over her hand and then start touching the fruits and veggies. This is exactly why I REFUSE to eat at buffets. :-&

eileenmcgoo

I have a friend who lost her baby to listeria. She won't forgive herself. It surprises me how many women shrug off the advice to stay away from deli meat (unless heated). In my opinion, better safe than sorry.

2-Step

kynbar5 said:

I don't wash my fruits and vegetables that are homegrown. I will wash the ones from the store, but I do not always wash the apples. I always buy organic, but I know they spray some stuff on most of those anyways and I should probably wash them. 

Lol I've learned to even wash the organic. It only took one trip to the store seeing a woman sneeze all over her hand and then start touching the fruits and veggies. This is exactly why I REFUSE to eat at buffets. :-&

Organic produce is absoultely just as important to wash. Not necessarily because of pesticides, but because the fertilizers used in organic farming are often manure based which means there could be more potential exposure to Ecoli. Plus those warehouses often have all kinds of bacterial contaminants such as rodents etc. 

I have multiple organic farmers in my family and I have also had a friend get food poisioning from something she grew in her own garden, due to the organic fertilizer most likely. Also, slugs and snails and all kinds of bugs hide in produce. I can't imagine not even giving it a good rinse, even the stuff from my own garden gets submerged and then drained and usually washed with produce wash as well. 

kynbar5

eileenmcgoo said:

I have a friend who lost her baby to listeria. She won't forgive herself. It surprises me how many women shrug off the advice to stay away from deli meat (unless heated). In my opinion, better safe than sorry.

I'm sorry for your friends loss. I'm also a "rule follower" in the no no department. I just figure if they tell you no there's probably a good reason. I hate hearing the whole "listeria is so rare" comment. It's actually pretty common these days. But I'm like you, better safe than sorry for sure!

smount2011

I think a big key in the whole food debate is MODERATION. I eat cold deli meat- but not on the daily. I never have caffeine in liquid form (coffee, soda, etc) but you still get small amounts in chocolate anyway. But some still drink coffee, although in limited amounts. I can't remember some of the other crap we can't have, but on occasion is fine as long as you don't go overboard.

canadiangirl57

I was never given a no no list. This being my first pregnancy i had no idea what to do. I didnt find out i was pregnant until i was 13 weeks im currently 16 weeks now. Im been eating deli meat everyweek, i always have i never thought to check if it was bad for the baby or not

kynbar5

@canadiangirl57 The link that @flowerpower5838 shared is a good one.

DanniNChris

Def very bad & not good to eat I would be getting yourself & baby checked & stop eating any kind of deli meats .

oceanchild

DanniNChris said:

Def very bad & not good to eat I would be getting yourself & baby checked & stop eating any kind of deli meats .

I think that's kind of alarmist. You're just supposed to heat it up (microwave) until it's steaming.

roo1oo

I'm a rebel. Deli meat on the regular here. The last few listeria warnings have been for soft cheeses (which I generally don't eat anyway but wouldn't avoid) and cantaloupe. There were salmonella warnings for spinach not too long ago. I got salmonella poisoning from salmon last year. Point being, getting sick from foods that are otherwise considered safe is just a probable. I side eye the deli meat and pasteurized soft cheeses warnings, personally. I feel they're overly cautious. 

I also have a :gasp: drop side crib. And I started putting my son to sleep in his own room at 6 weeks old. 

kynbar5

Maybe it's because I'm in and from the south but am I the only one that remembers the big Blue Bell Ice Cream temporary shut down that just happened because of listeria?! They just started production again but it was a big deal here (mostly because this is the go-to brand lol).

roo1oo

kynbar5 said:

Maybe it's because I'm in and from the south but am I the only one that remembers the big Blue Bell Ice Cream temporary shut down that just happened because of listeria?! They just started production again but it was a big deal here (mostly because this is the go-to brand lol).

Family Feud had the question "Name a brand of ice cream" for the final round and both family members said Blue Bell immediately. And they both said its a southern thing. We have Blue Bell here in Maryland but it's not THE brand. 

And no, we didn't hear about that up this way.

kynbar5

@roo1oo that's funny go Blue Bell! I agree that there can be a lot of extra (not exactly needed) stress put on foods but I also think that you should be cautious and aware.

RosyK

I asked my Ob about it. He said as long as it's from a clean place, where you know things get wiped down regularly, it should be fine.

ceds07

And I started putting my son to sleep in his own room at 6 weeks old. 

We put DD in her own room at 4 weeks :-O It's pretty close to our room but we all slept better when she had her own space. 

FutureMrsCaesar

I too have been eating deli meat.  I agree with the poster that said so many other things cause Listeria OTHER than deli meat that I feel like saying 'avoid deli meat' is kind of arbitrary.  We are not avoiding cantaloupe and ice cream.  Of course if someone wants to be very conservative then that's great for them, but for me personally, although Listeria is a concern, I feel like avoiding deli meat is a bit of a shot in the dark to preventing it.  

Also all my kids went into their cribs 2nd night home from the hospital.  Not sure how that even came up??

clairemwalker

Here in nz the rules are pretty much the same, no deli meat, no salad bar salad (cross contamination i think) no cold meat at all and no soft cheese or soft serve icecream. I think washing fruit and vege is kind of a given here regardless of weather or not you are pregnant. I play by the better safe then sorry rule

DanniNChris

oceanchild said:

DanniNChris said:

Def very bad & not good to eat I would be getting yourself & baby checked & stop eating any kind of deli meats .

I think that's kind of alarmist. You're just supposed to heat it up (microwave) until it's steaming.

Its not being an alarmist you only have to read the articles & also all pregnancy apps tell you to stay away from deli meats , even if they are heated up the listeria can still be present , here in Australia our OBs tell us no deli meats , soft cheeses , soft serve ice cream ,cold seafood , its pretty much a standard its far much easier to not eat it at all than for something to go wrong .

ceds07

I really wish they would change "soft cheeses" to "unpasteurized cheeses". There is no difference between pasteurized goat cheese/Brie/etc. and a block of cheddar and it's almost impossible to find unpasteurized cheese in American grocery stores.

kynbar5

But there was just (Within the last week or so) a recall on pasteurized soft cheeses for listeria.

roo1oo

FutureMrsCaesar said:

I too have been eating deli meat.  I agree with the poster that said so many other things cause Listeria OTHER than deli meat that I feel like saying 'avoid deli meat' is kind of arbitrary.  We are not avoiding cantaloupe and ice cream.  Of course if someone wants to be very conservative then that's great for them, but for me personally, although Listeria is a concern, I feel like avoiding deli meat is a bit of a shot in the dark to preventing it.  

Also all my kids went into their cribs 2nd night home from the hospital.  Not sure how that even came up??

I was just making the point that I didn't follow ALL the doctors rules on pregnancy or child care. Because I'm a rebel (within reason of course). That's all.  

Lindseykay6

I was told no pre-packaged deli meats. If I'm craving them, I'll heat the meat.

flowerpower5838

Well guys 3 people have died from listeria in cucumbers so better stop eating those if you don't know where they come from! Also don't forget that just this year alone frozen green beans were recalled because listeria, as well as multiple makers of ice cream, soft pasteurized cheese, frozen spinach and some much loved Amy's Kitchen products, tons of variations of meats and Sabra hummus.

I'm sure there is more. Unfortunately unless you are growing it and preparing it yourself, there is ALWAYS going to be a risk of some sort of food contamination issues.

I mostly "follow" the rules, but if I want Jimmy Johns, I'd probably skip the sprouts before I pass on deli meat.   

mshukh

@flowerpower5838 Ironically, sprouts are also on a no-no list. I was surprised to find that out. 

jlion27

I agree! My doctor considers it dated advice. If you stop eating everything that poses the risk of listeria, then you won't be eating much. No lettuce, sprouts, cantaloupe, cucumber, cilantro, ice cream, etc., etc. That's nearly impossible. Use common sense, but I wasn't instructed to stay away from it.

lindscnn1

I guess I am in trouble. Not only did I eat a lunchable today, I ate a hot dog. I eat cilantro at least once a week, usually more. We love cilantro, salads, alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, Boars Head deli meats, tuna, crab legs and have eaten everything in previous pregnancies. I just avoid Walmart deli meats, meats and most of their veggies. I trust Publix more for not cross contamination.

llybeck

ceds07 said:

And I started putting my son to sleep in his own room at 6 weeks old. 

We put DD in her own room at 4 weeks :-O It's pretty close to our room but we all slept better when she had her own space. 

DD was in her room the day we took her home. She's right across the hall and I knew that none of us would get sleep if she wasn't in her own room. I still think this is partly why she's such an awesome sleeper and always has been. 

llybeck

mshukh said:

@flowerpower5838 Ironically, sprouts are also on a no-no list. I was surprised to find that out. 

Uncooked sprouts are actually not recommended for ANYONE. Which is sad, I love sprouts but I can't imagine cooking them, gross!

flowerpower5838

I know I stopped eating them after JJ's stopped serving them for a while on the beach club. I have had cook sprouts in stir-fry of like hibachi meals though and they aren't bad.

llybeck

flowerpower5838 said:

I know I stopped eating them after JJ's stopped serving them for a while on the beach club. I have had cook sprouts in stir-fry of like hibachi meals though and they aren't bad.

Oh yeah, duh! I don't know why I didn't think of that, they are delicious in stir fry and chow mein, etc. LOL, I didn't even think about that, not gross at all. 

I was just thinking about how sad it makes me that I shouldn't eat them deliciously cold and raw in a huge pile in a sandwich, wrap, or salad and that it would be gross to cook them for those things

kitteh81

Are sprouts still considered off limits if you wash them? I love spicy raddish sprouts, so good.

oceanchild

DanniNChris said:

Def very bad & not good to eat I would be getting yourself & baby checked & stop eating any kind of deli meats .

I think that's kind of alarmist. You're just supposed to heat it up (microwave) until it's steaming.

Its not being an alarmist you only have to read the articles & also all pregnancy apps tell you to stay away from deli meats , even if they are heated up the listeria can still be present , here in Australia our OBs tell us no deli meats , soft cheeses , soft serve ice cream ,cold seafood , its pretty much a standard its far much easier to not eat it at all than for something to go wrong .

@DanniNChris i was not so much referring to the "avoid deli meats" topic as being alarmist as much as the "very bad .. get yourself and baby checked and stop" as iff you take a bite of a damn ham sandwich and then need to run the the OB for some sort of lab test that can tell you you've been exposed. the way the comment was phrased was *IMO* rather alarmist. 
man @mshukh i freaking love the hell out of some sprouts on everything - i just eat them by the handful! i hate that really, truly nothing is "safe" - i totally understand cutting back on riskier stuff if that is your thing, but my gosh i got choked on some bread at my friend's house the other evening; her husband had to heimlich me (and then was freaking out that he hurt the baby - had to remind him that my uterus isn't in my lungs haha). a father in my church tripped on his shoelace and banged his knee, got a blood clot, and died. i ma just going to eat food and use common sense .. no licking raw chicken breasts and such

mshukh

@oceanchild: Mmm...sprouts. I have smoked salmon on the regular. Honestly, if it's between smoked salmon or no protein, I'll go with salmon. I agree it's all about being sensible. 

Jen&MAC

charley15 said:

I think a big key in the whole food debate is MODERATION. I eat cold deli meat- but not on the daily. I never have caffeine in liquid form (coffee, soda, etc) but you still get small amounts in chocolate anyway. But some still drink coffee, although in limited amounts. I can't remember some of the other crap we can't have, but on occasion is fine as long as you don't go overboard.

Absolutely all in moderation. Go to places that have safe food handling practices and only have it when you really crave it. I could not stop my Jimmy Johns addiction, but now it's once a month instead of twice a week. I wouldn't necessarily have a ham sandwich from bobs food cart on the corner, though. Sketchy.