Rule breakers

btm013

This is a judgement free zone! Who has broken some pregnancy no no's so far?

With my first I was hyper-vigilant about EVERYTHING! Is that cheese pasteurized? Can't eat lunch meat! No sushi for me, thanks. Please, no sprouts on my salad. Say no to canned tuna. Need to find natural remedies for this awful headache. Gotta watch My language, baby can hear me!

This time around I'm like meh a little lunch meat will be fiiiine! Sure I'll have the spicy tuna roll! F this headache. Pop open the Tylenol asap! Can't wait to see how my parenting style changes as well. 

irenejean

Same here, I think we're going out for sushi tomorrow, I drank coffee the first time around - definitely not going to stop now. Also going to eat deli meat, my OB was never opposed to it during my first pregnancy, but I avoided it anyway 

tgortney

I ate medium rare steaks for our special anniversary meal. If I'm going to spend $$ on a steak, it's going to be cooked right damnit!

kmalls

I guess the only "rule" I don't break is consuming alcohol. After first tri I truly don't think there's anything wrong with a glass of wine or a beer here and there, but my husband is suuuuuuper against it. It's the one thing he has a big problem with so I respect his feelings on it and stay away. 

angiek1

I'll eat lunch meat, MR steak, and have a bit of caffeine. I'll take a sip or two of a friend's drink if they are trying a new wine that I haven't had before. But, I play it fairly straight other than that.

ngolimento

I really research and study most things in life, and pregnancy is no different.  So I actually have the same "no no" list as my first pregnancy, because I feel it is pretty well veted.

On most no no lists that I ignore:

A) sushi rules.  In the USA all sushi is treated.  The only thing you have to worry about is mercury levels.  So, tada, avoid swordfish and tuna.  That leaves a lot of options though!

B ) Soft cheese.  This is an intensely stupid restriction.  I live in a first world country with laws against unpasteurized products.  So unless I go WAY out of my damn way to find some, it's not happening.

C) Wine. I avoid it completely during first and second tri, but have it extremely sparingly in third.  I'm talking one glass a week. 

bettyvonsomethingstein

The only reason I don't do much sushi pregnant is because I really only like spicy tuna, so what's the point

I take hot baths.  I live for baths.

holly321

I don't really follow any of the rules either, besides alcohol.  I agree a glass of wine here and there is probably fine, but I know for next personally, a glass is a tease, (and my definition of a "glass" is more like half a bottle), so I would be sad with a little glass of wine.

Our beef is purchased locally from a butcher, I trust their meat quality, so I cook it to my preference.   A lot of the bacteria concerns can be easily consumed in other ways that you are more likely to get something like listeria from produce than lunch meat, so why not just go for it 

lauranicole91

I really suck at taking my vitamin...
I drink caffeine, but keep it under the recommended limit. 
I eat cold deli meat. 
I eat canned tuna, when I do the can gets split between me and both my kids, so it not a lot. 
This will be my third pregnancy over he holidays. I always have a mimosa on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then plain champagne on New Year's Eve. 

sapphires-and-diamonds

I am the same as most of you. The only thing I avoid is alcohol. I do limit my coffee to about  2 cups, but mostly because any more than that makes me queasy. I have filet mignon I am grilling up tonight and you better believe they'll be MR. I am sure I will have a drink or 2 over the holidays, and wine sporadically during 3rd tri. 

momfromthemountains

I think I follow all the rules except deli meat. I'm a really boring person and I hate alcoholic beverages, coffee, and anything that comes from the water. So even when I'm not pregnant I don't partake in any of these things.

fancybelmont

I haven't done great on caffiene.  Keeping it around 2 cups a day, which is actually pretty good for me.  I've had lunch meat and hotdogs.  I've had a steak cooked med. rare.  I had no idea sprouts were bad....

I feel like being neurotic about everything isn't healthy either.  I stay away from raw sushi.  I don't eat raw oysters.  I stopped drinking.  I don't smoke.  That's about the best I can do.

lindsye

@fancybelmont once I read that babies actually have a better tolerance for/are less affected by caffiene as newborns if you drink it while they're in utero, that was all the excuse I needed to keep it up now (because lord KNOWS I'll be drinking the hell out of coffee when I have a newborn and three other kids).

I drink coffee (below recommended limits) but that's about it because I've found that I'm too neurotic to enjoy breaking the other rules. For example, last pregnancy I read a ton about raw sushi during pregnancy and felt convinced that it was quite safe. Went to sushi dinner with DH, woke up with a slight stomach ache and spent the next day worrying that I had somehow come down with something and harmed the baby. This happened twice.

BarefootContessa

I follow "everything in moderation". There isn't much I swear off completely. I try my best to make sure I maintain a healthy diet throughout the pregnancy but I definitely eat soft cheese, deli meat, and drink wine upon occasion (only after first tri).

@holly321 I totally understand what you mean about one glass being a "tease". I'm a big wine person so it's really hard to just have a taste. However, I find that in the third tri, nothing is better than a Sunday night bath and a slight glass of cab to make me sleep like a baby!

mechekitty

Oh goodness, I'm fairly bad at keeping to "rules."

I used to drink coffee, but have been averse to it recently 

I absolutely eat sushi, and eat it about once a month. I figure if the expecting mothers in other countries can eat it regularly, I should be fine to have it once a month. Albacore tuna is the one to stay away from. I still eat packaged light tuna. 

I also get my hair colored and get my nails painted. I have no problem with drinking a glass of wine past first tri, I just never have. 

stalkinghorse

I'm going to Japan in three weeks and there's no way I'm not eating sushi there. My OB explicitly told me he was fine with sushi, as long as its not gas station sushi  

I gave up caffeine and wine, I'll probably find myself to a glass here and there in my third trimester. I definitely need to color my hair but I'll wait until the second trimester I think? I had no idea I should not be eating my meat MR. I'm french originally, there's no way I'm eating well-done meat, they'll take away my passport! 

psuxray07

I guess the only rule I break is caffeine sometimes.  I'm technically not supposed to have it even when I'm not pregnant bc I have high blood pressure.

 What do they say the limit is for coffee?  I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but we have a 12-13 hour overnight drive in October and I am gonna need something, lol.

I guess I break the lunchmeat one by going to Subway, but I get it toasted, lol.

jenotontx

@stalkinghorse I got my hair colored last week. It doesn't seem like there is any research saying one way or another if it is bad to color your hair in the first tri. My understanding is that only a very small amount of chemicals gets into your blood stream. I work with doctors who got their hair colored when pregnant so I figure it's not a big deal.

@psuxray07 I believe the limit is 1 cup (8oz) in a 24hr period for coffee. Tea typically has less caffeine though so you can drink more of that.   

MrsF1017

Caffeine, deli meat, medium cooked steak...you name it, I break it! I think as long as it's not in excess amounts it's ok. My Dr didn't seem to have a problem with it through my last pregnancy. And my son is perfectly healthy. 

ngolimento

@psuxray07 I believe the daily caffeine allowance is like 2 cups of coffee a day.  I personally cut it out completely because my last kiddo was colicky and I now live in abject terror of anything causing my newborn to be unable to calm down and sleep.  I'd rather go through withdrawal myself than deal with an infant doing withdrawal.

kmalls

@psuxray07 @JJMNO1616 the recommended caffeine limit is 200mg daily, which, depending on the coffee you're drinking, can be quite a bit more than 8 ounces! 

For New Englanders: 1 medium iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts is less than 200mg. Obviously that was the first thing I looked up  

pghren

@kmalls Dunkin people seem to be pretty loyal

orangecup

lindsye said:

@fancybelmont once I read that babies actually have a better tolerance for/are less affected by caffiene as newborns if you drink it while they're in utero, that was all the excuse I needed to keep it up now (because lord KNOWS I'll be drinking the hell out of coffee when I have a newborn and three other kids).

Well, duh. Caffeine is a drug so repeated exposure will build up a tolerance. 

kmalls

orangecup said:

lindsye said:

@fancybelmont once I read that babies actually have a better tolerance for/are less affected by caffiene as newborns if you drink it while they're in utero, that was all the excuse I needed to keep it up now (because lord KNOWS I'll be drinking the hell out of coffee when I have a newborn and three other kids).

Well, duh. Caffeine is a drug so repeated exposure will build up a tolerance. 

I'm confused...why would a caffeine-tolerant newborn be a good thing? I have a cup a day but it never crossed my mind to be like "wooo, this kid will come out with all the tolerance!" 

ETA: @orangecup I'm not calling you out, even though the awkward quote arrangement makes it look that way. 

lindsye

kmalls said:

orangecup said:

lindsye said:

@fancybelmont once I read that babies actually have a better tolerance for/are less affected by caffiene as newborns if you drink it while they're in utero, that was all the excuse I needed to keep it up now (because lord KNOWS I'll be drinking the hell out of coffee when I have a newborn and three other kids).

Well, duh. Caffeine is a drug so repeated exposure will build up a tolerance. 

I'm confused...why would a caffeine-tolerant newborn be a good thing? I have a cup a day but it never crossed my mind to be like "wooo, this kid will come out with all the tolerance!" 

ETA: @orangecup I'm not calling you out, even though the awkward quote arrangement makes it look that way. 

Reminder ladies: I'm not talking about a cocaine habit here. I'm talking about a very, very widely used "drug" that has been well studied and found to be safe (in moderation, obviously) in pregnancy and lactation.

I know plenty of women who quit coffee cold turkey when they get pregnant and then start drinking it again to survive the exhaustion of a newborn. Or a newborn plus several other children. I was just pointing out that if you think you might drink it post partum, you may also want to drink small amounts while pregnant. If that's a "DUH" to you, apologies.

kmalls

@lindsye I fully understand what caffeine is, I just couldn't comprehend why a newborn being tolerant to caffeine would be a good reason to drink it while you're pregnant. 

irenejean

@kmalls I think what she's saying applies to mommas who plan to breastfeed. If you're drinking coffee while pregnant, drinking it once the baby is born, and while your breastfeeding, is maybe better because the newborn has been exposed to it already? I'm not sure if that's how it works, but I think that's what she's getting at.

kmalls

irenejean said:

@kmalls I think what she's saying applies to mommas who plan to breastfeed. If you're drinking coffee while pregnant, drinking it once the baby is born, and while your breastfeeding, is maybe better because the newborn has been exposed to it already? I'm not sure if that's how it works, but I think that's what she's getting at.

Ohhhh, that makes sense, thanks! I wasn't even trying to be snarky, I just literally couldn't think of why a caffeine-tolerant baby would be a good thing. I don't breastfeed so that went right over my head. 

lindsye

@kmalls because it's safe. And if you need it to survive afterwards (which I do. Honestly.) then your baby will begin to build up a tolerance to the drug post partum when you breastfeed, but may be negatively affected by it initially.

I'm not saying it's a reason to keep drinking it if you think it will harm your baby, obviously; if you feel comfortable that it won't pre- or post-partum, though, it's a consideration.

Honestly this whole thing just confuses me. There is a board full of women here saying they will continue to drink coffee pregnant and it's somehow wrong to point out the very obvious - that your baby will be exposed to and affected by what you eat and drink - and thinking through the full range of consequences to it beforehand is wrong or malignant. 

kmalls

@lindsye you're completely misunderstanding why I'm questioning you. I agree that caffeine is safe during pregnancy. What I'm now realizing, thanks to @irenejean's comment, is that you were implying it's a good thing to drink during pregnancy if you plan to drink it post-partum and breastfeed. That's the link I was missing. I don't breastfeed and that link was not immediately obvious to me. 

lindsye

I'm sorry, @kmalls. I could/should have made that connection directly. I have been breastfeeding for the vast majority of the last 5 years, so that definitely affects my perspective.

orangecup

@lindsye I never said I didn't think people should be drinking caffeine while pregnant. I drink caffeine. I was just pointing out that caffeine is a drug and any repeated exposure to a drug builds tolerance so that shouldn't be surprising. But I think the idea that drinking caffeine will somehow benefit a nursing baby/mother is sketchy, at best. 

lindsye

@orangecup I never said it was going to benefit anybody. The issue I was attempting to discuss was if you intend to drink coffee and nurse whether it might be a good idea to start drinking small amounts during pregnancy. But not because it's good for anybody - I mean, coffee's obviously not akin to eating broccoli or taking a multivitamin or something.

But anyway, I've said different versions of the same thing about 60 times now, so I'm out.

psuxray07

@JJMNO1616 @ngolimento @kmalls   Thanks ladies!  That's less than I thought because of how many pregnant women I see/hear talk about not giving up their coffee and seems like they don't cut back.  

I usually would have a Starbucks doubleshot drink thing in  a can only when I needed to avoid a nap. (Which I've given up) I'm sure that'd be a lot worse, lol.  So one or 2 cups of sweet coffee it is for our trip.  That actually sounds kinda good right now, dang it. 

hedgepig

@psuxray07 Especially if you're drinking caffeine as a one time thing, I don't think you have to worry too much. When Emily Oster discusses caffeine in "Expecting Better," her take home from the data is that 2 cups is fine, 3-4 cups is also probably fine, and even at more than 4 cups a day the evidence is still mixed - some see a link with increased risk of MC, others don't.
@lindsye I thought the connection between pregnant and postpartum caffeine use made a lot of sense and wasn't something I had thought of before. Thanks for sharing!

codingchildhood

Caffeine is the only thing I "break the rules" on. I've cut down on my intake, but I definitely drink more than what's recommended. 

luna8433

I had shrimp tempura sushi. I figured it was fine since it was cooked. I have also eaten deli meat. I don't drink coffee or alcohol when I am not pregnant so it not even something I want. But I will have an occasional caffeinated soda, but that's not to different from non pregnant habits.

heandmemakethree

this is my first so i guess i am a little more paranoid because i don't have a good point of reference to rely upon. i have been eating a little bit of deli meat until my practitioner told me not to (and since then have avoided it) but a toasted sandwich they said was fine and i really do enjoy a good sammy!

jenotontx

What are the thoughts on drinking soda (particularly coke)? I try not to drink it as much as possible (even before getting KU) but I have been really craving the sugar and caffeine at times. I feel like I'm drinking poison though.   

1fish2fishredfish

My heart rate definitely exceeds 140BPM during my workouts.  
I drink at least 16oz of caffeine a day.

viggie17

@JJMNO1616 I think that if it's a treat it should be fine... just not like 4 a day!

Is anybody avoiding any spices or herbs? I was stuffing my face today with chicken soup, when I decided to Google if cilantro is safe for pregnancy, because I'm a weirdo like that. I came across some stuff that said cilantro, parsley, anise seed, among many other herbs are unsafe to consume because they can cause uterine contractions. I'm assuming the amount that I had was a non-issue since it was a handful of the fresh stuff, but I may just check and see if there's any dried seeds that I should steer clear off because it may be more concentrated? Probably a non-issue and moderation is fine though.