Diet taboos for pregnant mothers

There are 100% risky foods that should be avoided, foods that are more controversial and can be chosen on demand, and "craving foods" that are perfectly fine as long as your body tolerates eating a small amount. There is no need to check them one by one with a long list and add unnecessary anxiety to yourself.

Last week, I accompanied my cousin-in-law to a prenatal check-up, and I met a pregnant mother who was in her second trimester and was hospitalized for observation due to Listeria infection. After questioning, I found out that she had been craving for half-cooked soft-boiled eggs a few days ago. Fortunately, she was sent to the hospital in time and nothing serious happened. Don’t think that this is a small chance. Undercooked livestock and poultry meat, eggs, sashimi, unpasteurized fresh milk and cheese, as well as room-temperature watermelon and cantaloupe that have been cut for two or three hours may carry Listeria. Ordinary people may get infected after having diarrhea, but infection in pregnant mothers may lead to miscarriage, premature birth, and intrauterine infection of the fetus. All obstetricians regardless of school will ask you to completely avoid this category. There is also no alcoholic beverage, even the so-called "low-alcohol fruit wine" and "non-alcoholic beer". There is currently no evidence to prove that there is a "safe alcohol intake" during pregnancy. Even a little bit may have a potential impact on fetal neurodevelopment. This is non-negotiable.

As for the things that the older generation talks about like "eating crabs will cause miscarriage", "eating hawthorns will cause miscarriage", "eating rabbit meat will cause harelips" and "eating soy sauce will cause black children", they can really go in the left ear and out the right ear. It was autumn when my best friend was pregnant with her eldest son, and she could eat two steamed hairy crabs in one meal. Nothing happened, and the prenatal check-up was given the green light. There is currently no evidence-based medical evidence to prove that normal consumption of crabs and hawthorns can induce uterine contractions and lead to miscarriage. Unless you eat three to five kilograms of crabs at a time and get gastrointestinal cramps, or eat one or two kilograms of hawthorn as a meal a day, then normal people, not to mention pregnant women, will not be able to endure it. Hare lips and dark skin have nothing to do with food. They are the result of the combined effects of genes, pregnancy environment, and nutritional intake. The blame should not be placed on the food.

There are also some that are more controversial, and different doctors may have completely different recommendations. The most typical one is caffeinated drinks. Conservative doctors will advise you to completely quit coffee, milk tea, and energy drinks throughout your pregnancy, fearing that excessive caffeine intake may affect fetal development or even induce premature birth. ； But now more evidence-based obstetricians will tell you that it is completely safe to consume no more than 200mg of caffeine per day, which is about the same amount as one medium cup of regular American style or two cups of unstrengthened milk tea. The deputy chief physician who worked for me during prenatal care had to drink a glass of iced American every morning when I was pregnant with my second child. Otherwise, he would not be able to endure dozens of clinic visits a day, but the child was born healthy and overweight and tall. Of course, if you have pregnancy-induced hypertension, or you are prone to insomnia and fast heartbeat after drinking coffee, you should definitely try to avoid it as much as possible. After all, everyone’s body is different, and there is no standard answer.

There are also many pregnant mothers who are confused about whether they can eat ice cream, whether they can eat spicy food, and whether they can eat snail noodle hot pot. I really think there is no need to be too harsh. Just like Xiao Min in our community, she was so greedy for snail noodles that she cried when she was pregnant. Her mother-in-law said that the baby would get eczema if it was too spicy. As a result, she secretly went out to eat three times and drank two extra cups of warm water after each meal. Nothing happened. The baby's skin was as slippery as a peeled egg. In fact, as long as you are not allergic to these foods before pregnancy, do not have gastrointestinal discomfort, or have diarrhea or constipation after eating them, it is perfectly fine to eat them once in a while to satisfy your cravings. Compared to making you feel bad and anxious every day, the impact of a little chili pepper and a little ice is really negligible.

When I worked as a volunteer in the nutrition department of a maternal and child health hospital, the most common thing I encountered was pregnant mothers asking about dozens of "pregnancy taboos" saved on their mobile phones. The doctor always smiled and said that pregnancy is not about being an ascetic. There are only three core principles: food should be clean, food should be in moderation, and you should feel comfortable after eating. If you are really unsure, ask your prenatal doctor. Don’t blindly believe the rumors on the Internet, and don’t insist on being greedy and wronging yourself. A good mood is the best nourishment for your child.