Baby Bites: The Do’s and Don’ts of Eating During Pregnancy

It probably doesn’t feel like business as usual in your stomach, and it isn’t. Besides the morning sickness you may be experiencing (and not always in the morning), there are a handful of things you should be mindful about when it comes to eating during pregnancy. It can be difficult to filter through all the “Dos and Don’ts” and the advice given by helpful onlookers to really determine what is okay and what is not. Your immune system is weaker when you’re pregnant (so your body doesn’t attack your baby), making you more susceptible to foodborne illnesses. Then there are the things that are just plain bad for your baby.

Here, we break down the common offenders, as well as the types of food that shouldn’t get such a bad rap.

Be mindful of…

Deli Meats

The concern with deli meats is that they can harbor listeria (a bacteria). If you can’t avoid the craving for a turkey club, heat the meat (until it’s steaming) to make sure it’s safe for you and the baby. When you hear someone say, “I ate deli meats and my baby turned out just fine”, that is wonderful and simply means that they did not eat meat with harmful bacteria in it. It is not the deli meat itself that is harmful, but the harboring of such bacteria.

Cheese

As long as it’s made with pasteurized milk, it’s okay to eat. Read labels at the market, and double check with your waiter when dining out.

Eggs

Raw eggs can be tainted with salmonella (a bacteria). Be sure your eggs are cooked thoroughly before eating.

Sushi

This is a tricky one, and even doctors having different opinions. The thing about eating anything raw is there is of course a risk of bacteria. Stick to restaurants and markets with high quality fish if you do choose to consume it. You’ll want to avoid types with elevated levels of Mercury, such as tuna, swordfish, mackerel, shark and tilefish, whether it is cooked or raw.

Alcohol

While it’s widely accepted that having some wine is fine, it’s unclear just how much is okay for your baby. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome has been on the rise in the past couple of years, so it’s starting to feel like a slippery slope. The American Academy of Pediatrics says it’s best to avoid alcohol altogether, and we can’t help but agree.

Caffeine

High levels of caffeine can restrict blood flow to the uterus and cause miscarriage. The current guidelines recommend no more than 200 mg. To put this in general terms using Starbucks drinks, that equates to:

Brewed coffee: Short (8 fl oz) comes with 180mg

Americano: Tall (12 fl oz) comes with 150mg

Cappuccino: Grande (16 fl oz) and Venti (20 fl oz) come with 150mg

Latte: Grande (16 fl oz) and Venti (20 fl oz) come with 150mg

Having said this, decaffeinated coffee can be bad for you also. It’s very important to make sure the process by which it is decaffeinated is safe and free of harmful chemicals. The Swiss water and natural processes are best.

Unpasteurized Juice

Rosie takes a deep dive into the reasons you may want to avoid unpasteurized juice here.

As with all of these things, it ends up being a matter of personal choice with some things being clearer to avoid than others. Alcohol is definitely one to avoid, but cutting out raw food all together, while possibly the safest option, may be unnecessary after you assess all of the risks. I suppose it can be, after all, dangerous to walk down the street, but it’s still something we do. Consult your doctor about foods you are unsure of and make an educated decision for yourself weighing the benefits against the risks.

The bottom line as Rosie always likes to say is, “When in doubt, ask yourself whether you would feed it to your baby. If the answer is NO, then don’t eat it while pregnant or breastfeeding (ahem fast food and all that other delicious but really bad for you food)”.

Tags: alcohol during pregnancy, caffeine during pregnancy, nutrition, pregnancy, pregnancy nutrition, sushi during pregnancy, what to eat while you're pregnant