How strict are you with the pregnancy food 'rules'?

Im very careful. I lost a child, and if I HADNT followed all the 'rules' Id never have forgiven myself.
That said after 30 weeks Im more relaxed (I craved soft serve last pregnancy but held out till the end)

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I actually think this is an emotive issue in some ways because some women who have experienced the heartache of stillbirth, recurrent miscarriage or long term infertility find it really hard to reconcile the idea of being finally blessed with a sticky bub and doing anything that could even remotely jeopardise the baby's health.

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Oh absoloutly, that makes sense. I admit I too would be very strict if I had been through big hurdles to get my baby. That being said, I don't love my baby any less! I just am ignorant in experience (thankfully).

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I have eaten subway, med rare steaks, runny eggs, pate, raw bacon... It's not that i run out and start eating pounds of unwashed salad or deli meats that have been sitting in the fridge for a week, but if I also don't freak out and start stressing if i eat a few of the 'banned' items if i know they are fresh, because the risks are really quite low IMHO.

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This. I'm not running out smashing ban foods, I'm just not getting panicked if I eat it. I'm trying to cook my steaks well done, but if they come out medium, no biggy for me.

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I'd never judge anyone who chooses to be "strict" on the food rules. If that's your choice then that's great! And I honestly mean that... if your choice is to abide by the often given rules I think you are doing really well. It's just my choice not to, and that is OK as well.

Desmond Tutu (I really don't like him in general, but this quote is ok) said... I don't mind if people look down on me, so long as they don't ask me to look up to them.

So true! I don't feel like anyone here has looked down on me, but I've given up caring and frankly wouldn't be bothered if anyone did. It's pure freedom :D.

I say we all do what we think is best and respect the decisions of others and all is well in the world.

This post sounds a bit more snarky than it should but I'm sick of editing it. I promise, I honestly do mean that I respect whatever choice you've made for you and your bub.

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I didn't think you sounded snarky Maruschke.

I'm strict. I figure it's 9 months, and it's really not a big deal for me. The self recriminations from the ''what if I'm the 1 in 40,000" would be FAR worse than just not eating the darn thing in the first place. But I don't dive and drag lettuce and salami out of pregnant women's mouths or anything :)

My high risk OB who is at Francis Perry and Royal Women's in Melbourne had 3 listeria patients in a year - I asked him when I was pregnant how often he sees it...so it does happen and they had to spend the remainder of their pregnancy in the hospital and hope that they didn't lose their babies. Low risk maybe because rare, but harsh consequences...to me it had to be low risk/minor consequences to even consider something when I was pregnant...but I'm like N2L - 4 years of trying, multiple miscarriages - no way was I going to do anything to jeopardize my pregnancy or health of my baby...I abstained from everything they recommend abstaining from (of course, made a few unintentional mistakes along the way in terms of food and panicked)...figured after 4 years of dealing with cycling and losses, I could pretty much do anything for 9 months. Oh - and so far, no allergies and a good little eater.