Things to Avoid

PumpkinTi · June 2015

Okay - so given that my OB won't see me until I'm 9-10wks, I feel like that is late for the "what to avoid while pregnant" question. From what I'm reading, you can find reason to avoid almost anything under the sun. I want to be safe, but at the same time, I don't want to unnecessarily worry about every little thing (I'm anxious enough to begin with) - does anyone have a good resource for what foods/chemicals are absolutely, for-sure (scientifically proven) to be avoided?

bookqueen · June 2015

https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/foods-to-avoid-during-pregnancy/

jennymack79 · June 2015

I loved the book Expecting Better. Gives a good analysis of the typical don'ts and gives you the facts about risks so you can make your own decisions.

Sprinkles07 · June 2015

I forgot, aren't bacon and hot dogs on the list because of nitrates? Does someone have a good list of cosmetic ingredients to avoid? I know someone had talked about an app in a previous post.

strlitemiss · June 2015

Ewg.org is the website @Sprinkles07 .
I only plan on avoiding unprocessed thing, raw foods that I am not 1000% it's safely prepared.

bookqueen · June 2015

Sprinkles07 said:
I forgot, aren't bacon and hot dogs on the list because of nitrates? Does someone have a good list of cosmetic ingredients to avoid? I know someone had talked about an app in a previous post.

Blasphemy!! I will never stop eating bacon!! Lol

AggieKim · June 2015

Oh, but bacon has choline in it and choline is good for baby brains! My local store has nitrite free bacon. WIN! And you just can't keep me away from hotdogs...I love them so much. I just didn't eat many.

I would say a few notes about things to avoid: some things make mom sick, but those things can cause development issues in baby. However, if you look into it, you'd avoid everything under the sun. So, my notes would be, make sure you get food from trusted places only. Soft serve ice cream is sometimes on the list to avoid because of how the machines are cleaned...or not cleaned. So you want a shake from Dairy Queen? You may avoid that. Just buy ice cream and melt it lol.

Medicines care weird. Different docs say avoid different things, but some are the same. Don't take Advil. Anything else I'd put a call into your doc's office until you get to sit down and talk with him or her.

KadzoKimbia · June 2015

Sprinkles07 said:
I forgot, aren't bacon and hot dogs on the list because of nitrates? Does someone have a good list of cosmetic ingredients to avoid? I know someone had talked about an app in a previous post.

Bacon is fine, hotdogs are ok if they are really (steamy) hot, but listeria is a real risk! A friend of mine lost twins at 6 months from listeria from deli meat.

Sprinkles07 · June 2015

@kadzoKimbia that is awful

tigerfish227 · June 2015

If in doubt call your doctor. Most obgyns have a call line that you can call and ask questions like that. For example I get allergy shots every 3 weeks and have to take a benadryl before my shots. I didn't want my mom to know we were TTC (she gives me my shots, she's a nurse) so I called the ob office and asked if it was OK to take because I wasn't sure yet if I could be pregnant (this was before my first pg) they told me benadryl was OK and the shots don't contain chemicals just the allergens(dust mites pollens dander etc...) So I didn't have to worry and I didn't have to spill the beans.

bookqueen · June 2015

But...but...I love my DQ

lol

txbrideinblue · June 2015

tigerfish227, I also get allergy shots. I actually had an appointment with my allergist today! If you choose to keep up your shots, it is recommended that you maintain at the level you are currently receiving. For instance, I am on green which is I think the 3rd or 4th level (can't remember) at my allergist's office. If I had chosen to continue throughout pregnancy, they would keep me on that serum level throughout pregnancy. Due to the fact that going in for shots is kind of a b!tch when you combine it with endo and ob appts that I will have to go to, I chose not to continue and will restart 2 months postpartum. So you DO need to inform them of your pregnancy, but Benadryl, Zyrtec and the like are fine and allergy shots themselves are fine. Just be up front about it.

tigerfish227 · June 2015

@txbrideinblue I talked to them back in January before my mc and they told me I was fine. I'm already on blue and in maintenance mode so they won't up me anyways. 3 shots every 3 weeks. My mom is an RN so she does my shots on the weekend at her house since my work schedule makes it hard to make regular visits to a clinic. I have made it to the point where the only time I take anything for my allergies is when I go to get my shots. Yay!

HBirdie · June 2015

bookqueen said:

But...but...I love my DQ lol

hahaha I ate an obscene amount of s'mores blizzards during my last pregnancy. I have legit never heard of avoiding soft serve ice cream. :-?

g8trkim · June 2015

bookqueen said:

But...but...I love my DQ lol

I had a cherry freeze two days ago. I've never heard of avoiding soft serve ice cream.

PaniaO · June 2015

I'm perplexed! I have always eaten a diet of primarily fish, raw veggies/fruits, nuts, sprouts and such, and deliciously runny over-easy eggs... No land meat, no wheat. Really no starchy stuff at all other than the occasional sweet potato. And I'm only just now hearing that I should avoid nuts and raw veggies... And fish. And the best cheeses! Um. I had not anticipated this issue. Thought of my diet as high-nutrient and good for development--Nope! So--When I run out of my weekly two-serving allowance of low-mercury seafood, I'm kind of at a loss... I guess ours will be a quinoa and boiled-egg baby? Lots of cooked carrots? Bananas and spirulina? Raw leafy greens (my staple at every meal) apparently will not be nourishing my little bean after all. This makes me sad, as well as, well, perplexed! What DO y'all eat? Anyone else not eat red meat and bread or am I alone in this? (Totally open to radical suggestions, by the way; I won't be offended by the prospect of going carnivorous if that's a prevailing opinion. I don't want to deprive the LO in any way. And yes, I will definitely talk with my doc. Just thought I'd see what others are eating. Sorry for the lengthy post.)

txbrideinblue · June 2015

Don't avoid nuts!

Life is Exciting · June 2015

Wow .. I never heard the bacon one. I had bacon the other day.

spaceykatie · June 2015

PaniaO - Obviously, you should do what you feel comfortable with, but it sounds like you're reading a lot of the less mainstream rules. I eat a lot of the stuff you mention avoiding (what's wrong with nuts and leafy greens?) I also eat as much fish as I want as long as it's on the "eat as much as you want" list here: https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/eating-well/week-28/fish-tale.aspx

What else - I still eat cheese, I just make sure it's pasteurized. And raw veggies - sure, there's some small risk, but there's a much bigger risk to eating fewer veggies. I do cook my eggs through now. That one does kind of suck.

I think if you try to follow every rule on the Internet, you'll drive yourself crazy. It sounds like your current diet is really healthy and just fine with a few small tweaks.

MrsJG3 · June 2015

I mean we could drive ourselves completely nutso with all the do's and don't's. For every person that says "I did abc and I was fine" you will get someone that says "my sisters friends mother did abc and her baby died."

A lot of us have experienced a loss at some point and that makes you want to question everything. If you have a specific concern I would address it with your doc and see what they say.

Hopefully the first tri will fly by and we can all worry a little less.

PaniaO · June 2015

Thanks, ladies. Your attitudes are awesome. Much appreciated!

Edited to add this source of my paranoia, FYI: https://www.momjunction.com/articles/foods-definitely-avoid-pregnancy_0022296/

PumpkinTi · June 2015

Thanks ladies - I was looking at lists online and realizing that it seems like someone will tell you not to eat/use/be within 5,000 miles of... just about everything; which makes distilling down the "actual" don't's harder...

jennymack79 · June 2015

Again, the book Expecting Better. It really makes you think about all the "don'ts" out there...

AggieKim · June 2015

For fun, I love the diet differences between say, Americans and the Japanese. Especially when it comes to what to feed your LO. It's been a long time since I compared, but I remember laughing at the baby recommendation differences.

g8trkim · June 2015

PaniaO said:

I'm perplexed! I have always eaten a diet of primarily fish, raw veggies/fruits, nuts, sprouts and such, and deliciously runny over-easy eggs... No land meat, no wheat. Really no starchy stuff at all other than the occasional sweet potato. And I'm only just now hearing that I should avoid nuts and raw veggies... And fish. And the best cheeses! Um. I had not anticipated this issue. Thought of my diet as high-nutrient and good for development--Nope! So--When I run out of my weekly two-serving allowance of low-mercury seafood, I'm kind of at a loss... I guess ours will be a quinoa and boiled-egg baby? Lots of cooked carrots? Bananas and spirulina? Raw leafy greens (my staple at every meal) apparently will not be nourishing my little bean after all. This makes me sad, as well as, well, perplexed! What DO y'all eat? Anyone else not eat red meat and bread or am I alone in this? (Totally open to radical suggestions, by the way; I won't be offended by the prospect of going carnivorous if that's a prevailing opinion. I don't want to deprive the LO in any way. And yes, I will definitely talk with my doc. Just thought I'd see what others are eating. Sorry for the lengthy post.)

Fish is good for brain development. Just avoid the high in mercury fish. Clean your veggies but eat up. I have heard sprouts can be an issue. Not just for preggos either. I love sprouts but will probably try to avoid them. Nuts are fine.

I always eat my eggs over medium. This is the first I'm hearing of this.

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