I ate something I shouldn't have. Talk me down?

[xcrissx]

I didn't know "undercooked" meat was a no-no with DS and he seems fine so far. Stop googling! Nothing good comes from that.

Also, my DH would be reacting about the same as yours- hate those men.

[MrsEmuTavi]

It's supposed to be a no no but I forgot and ate cold pepperoni and such before. I'm sure you will be fine. The chance or listeria in red meat is supposedly really low.

[winkyface]

The fear of listeria is only in ground meat, it won't get inside the outter layers (but you should be sure to eat burgers medium- well, and sear your steak, no tartar!) the worry with steak is toxoplasmosis, but that's super rare and not likely. The latest case I could find in the US via a (very brief) google search was in 1997.

I cooked steak last night and there ain't no way I am eating my steak anything more than medium rare!! I wouldn't worry about it.

[ugotstarbucked]

I think you're fine. Listeria or ecoli etc would be on the outside of a steak, not inside. The outside gets seared off and kills anything on there. Ground meat can have Bacteria throughout, so if the middle isn't cooked it might not get killed.

I've never gotten sick from medium rare steak in 20 years.

[minionkeeper]

I have always had my steak medium rare and neither of my boys ever had an issue. I can't stand steaks cooked done

[beane]

Steak from a good restaurant = very low likelihood of listeria. I don't eat meat more well done than med rare because yuck.

[estakis]

I'm glad you got some answers. This thread just made me realize how uneducated I am about what I'm not supposed to be eating. Apparently I need to do some googling! I know the basics - no alcohol, limit caffeine, no uncooked sushi. I need to broaden my knowledge base!

[estakis]

pineapplesmoothie - yes I've heard of that, I believe it's called Swiss water process? It has something to do with the chemicals that are used to extract caffeine from coffee… I believe the Swiss water process doesn't use chemicals. I don't know how you go about buying a decaf coffee that's made using the Swiss water process, maybe that's indicated on the label?

[snakefisherbub]

Mh is the one being super strict with what I eat when he's around. I'm cautious but I feel if it's not am everyday thing it should be ok. Sorry you freaked yourself out though.

[riderchik]

snakefisherbub mine too. I keep reminding him that I have grown 4 already and we've survived even without following all the rules all the time. He has put his foot down about caffeine and raw sushi lol.

[euphony]

Jan 20, 2015 0:25:23 GMT -5 estakis said:

pineapplesmoothie - yes I've heard of that, I believe it's called Swiss water process? It has something to do with the chemicals that are used to extract caffeine from coffee… I believe the Swiss water process doesn't use chemicals. I don't know how you go about buying a decaf coffee that's made using the Swiss water process, maybe that's indicated on the label?

Swiss-water decaf is always labelled as such where I live. It is a more costly process, so they want to let you know. It is pretty common nowadays, anyway. I just buy Nabob brand. Regular decaf can still have quite a bit of caffeine in it.

As for steaks, if I was ordering one right this very moment I would still go medium rare. My doctor personally ate brie through her pregnancy and told me that because the fish used for sushi is flash frozen so she leaves it up to my discretion whether to eat it. I was also eating an obscene amount of sprouts right before finding out about this pregnancy, which is a bigger no-no than anything you've done.

I honestly think you are best not to worry. The most dangerous things for listeria, to my understanding, are vegetables. So wash 'em good. 

[mlal78]

I am sorry for your speshul snowflayke moment, and glad the ladies were here to talk you down!

[estrellas]

You'll be fine. Seriously. You're more likely to get hit by a car or bus during your pregnancy than to get listeria. 

Go get yourself a copy of "Expecting Better" by Emily Oster. If you're this stressed this early over something so small, you're going to have a hell of a pregnancy, and probably an unpleasant one as you freak out over every detail.

-someone who relaxed and lived the 'moderation' line, and has a kid who's hitting developmental milestones on time or early

[SubtleGrandeur]

Definitely didn't know about the non-well-done meat thing. Definitely had a medium rare steak over the weekend. Oops! Oh well. I'm not sick... So, yay?

Also, I still drink a cup of coffee in the morning. I might go to mommy-hell, but it's better than the 3 cups I was drinking. Right?? ?

[allycat]

I don't worry too much about any of the "little" recommendations. I avoid the big ones, like alcohol, but I'm not going to freak and start eating my meat well-done or avoiding lunch meat or coffee. Moderation is key with things like caffeine, and for the bacterial issues? Buy from places you trust, eat at respectable restaurants, and go about your day.

If you've been eating at the same restaurant for the last 10 years and haven't gotten sick, you're probably fine. If you're going to cook your meat to leather, what's the point in eating it anyway?

[mandy522]

I'm looking at my Mayo Clinic book right now and it says medium rare and medium steak is fine, just to cook to an internal temp of 145 degrees (which I would consider medium, not medium rare, but close enough).

My book actually has a very short list of foods to avoid - raw seafood, undercooked poultry, eggs and ground meat, unpasteurized dairy, seafood high in mercury, large quantities of liver. Make sure processed meat is heated and wash your fruits and vegetables. That's it. Other than raw seafood, I limit most of those things in my diet anyway (who wants to eat undercooked poultry? ew) so I honestly don't get too worked up about it.

Everything in moderation.

[TrickyJedi]

I'm sure I'll be asking something similar in the next few weeks so I say this with love!

[lotusbee]

I just got done ugly crying in my car for missing my bus (and my train to work). Yoda just made my life complete.

[cabgirl]

You and baby will both be okay! One time eating something with that low of a risk associated with it isn't going to hurt anything. Remember, women have been doing this (and having healthy babies) since way before all of these dietary restrictions came to be. So don't worry. And don't feel bad, or let anyone else make you feel silly for worrying, either. I think we've all had these panicky moments, and will probably all have a few more before this is over.

[emejay]

Jan 20, 2015 8:20:04 GMT -5 lotusbee said:

I just got done ugly crying in my car for missing my bus (and my train to work). Yoda just made my life complete.

Ugh that sucks

[London]

Try not to stress. The risks are so low. We're all going to have "oh sh*t" moments like yours, just take 'em in stride

[winkyface]

Some other helpful links for making decisions on foods:

www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323514404578652091268307904

www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2010/04/what-not-to-eat-when-youre-pregnant.html#comments

It's all about avoiding food contamination, and we have so little of that in the US, but there are always risks. As I like to think of it, women have been having babies in all kinds of conditions, eaten whatever is available to them and still we survived! :-)

[obie1680]

Think about when your mother was pregnant with you by today's standards we all should not be here! Our mother ate cold cuts & whatever else they wanted some smoked as it wasn't considered a bad thing back then, just relax like PP all in moderation I had undercooked steak when I was Pregnant w DS but not all the time & he is fine!

[hovenb]

I have read that in some European countries, they view eating raw salad as worse than drinking wine while pregnant. It is because raw vegetables can have a higher rate of listeria and has more risks than wine, according to them.

My point in sharing that is that people believe different things, and there are very few foods that show actual correlated risk. Raw, whole foods have the highest rates of bacteria, while processed foods have little contaminated risk but provide no benefit nutritionally.

Just weigh the risk vs benefit in all things! I ate questionable meat at Taco Bell on Sunday and was nervous, but I'm doing just fine. Pretty sure their mystery meat is way worse than undercooked nice steak!

[sdfonz619]

Like many recommendations, they are just that recommendations and while some are certainly more valid than others something like this I wouldn't stress on. Stay away from the major things such as alcohol, smoking etc and you and your baby will be fine. I had a more rare than not steak the other night without giving it a second thought along with blue cheese in my salad. As long as the source is trusted that is really what matters most.

[emejay]

How many people do you know have contracted listeria in the last years anyway? I'm all for being more prudent while being pregnant, but if I want to eat a subway sandwich, I'll eat the damn sandwich.

I've heard that cantaloupe as a higher risk of listeria than any other thing... Meh.

[nocatanywhere]

I try to remember that a lot of stuff on the "not recommended" lists are things that are like "there is maybe a slight possibility of you rarely contracting X from eating this, so just don't." It makes me feel better to go read the studies/science behind the recommendations so I understand the actual risk. If the risk is very minimal, I don't stress.

The general rule of thumb I hear is "if X food hasn't ever made you sick before, it's unlikely to do so now." But of course, that's completely your own personal call and you should do whatever keeps your mind at ease.

I ate truffle honey this weekend because CAN'T STOP WON'T STOP.

[el1zabeth]

Speaking of what is worth worrying about and what isn't...be sure to check any apple products you may have made last month:
plus.google.com/photos/112755256688838075525/albums/5885414880477100353?gpinv=AMIXal_u1w_h2aKqsA5fSjVMyNaWDjAM7EWXD1RILexQfXfJc3fCwd58tL1OpJMQZ0xI3vvmDK7v07gV8TbyoIwu-jl-Us07BgouuXaktKY1DVouiv4op68&cfem=1&authkey=CI7YtvXt4K2OMA