I have a listeria question. . .

is this a new issue? Has it been happening more recently?

The reason I ask is that no one I know has ever heard of many of the restrictions that are posted on here - I have 9 nieces and nephews so I have "been through" many pregnancies LOL and all of the mothers went to the doctor and followed the rules. When I asked my doctor about coldcuts he said not to eat roast beef that was pink in the middle, and almost seemed surprised by the question.

I understand that every doctor is different and it is a very serious issue - but I was curious if there was a reason it was so common now to not have coldcuts etc. due to listeria fears

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

My guess is that there were one or two stories in the news about a woman who contracted listeria and had a miscarriage. That caused a scare.

None of my OBs have ever told me to stay away from cold cuts. The only foods that were mentioned were unpasteurized cheeses, raw seafood (like oysters) and fish with high levels of mercury.

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

That is just what my OB said, so i listened to him. My SIL never heard of it either. My friend who had a baby last year had the same restrictions. One of the girls posted the other day about how she met somebody that ate a lot of cold cuts and the baby was born with Bacterial Meningitis.

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

My sister that has two children ages 5 and 7 WAS NEVER TOLD NOT TO EAT HOTDOGS OR COLDCUTS...in fact she had a hotdog from the cart everyday while she was pregnant with her daughter (her daughter is 100 percent perfect) when i told my sister about not being able to eat cold cuts or hotdogs she looked at me like i was nuts

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Thanks for answering just curious, not trying to start drama b/c if my doctor told me not to eat them I would definitely listen -- that is why they get paid the big bucks!

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

My friends who were pregnant about 7 years ago had never heard of this.

Doctors have to protect themselves for liability reasons. I have tried to find studies that have said that the cases of listeria have dropped in pregnant women since this whole "you can't eat anything" started and I can't.

This is a hot topic, but quite frankly I would rather have proper nutrition, eat fresh and healthy then worry about Listeria.

I also find it interesting that people have a huge problem with cold cuts and cheese but not other foods they consume that are doing more damage.

But this is just my personal feeling on the topic. You have to do what you are comfortable with.

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

I think the risk of listeria is very rare. My doc even said that if I want to eat cold cuts just get them from a reputable place. I have chosen not to eat them just in case...but I am tempted from time to time!

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

i honestly never heard of the cold cut thing until i went onto LIF.. i mentioned it to my OB and he said to eat it moderation.. in which i do.. i always look back to what our parents did when they were pregnant with us

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

My own kind of modification of this is that I am trying to buy smaller amounts of coldcuts so I just eat them for a day or two.

I am CHEAP and I have a hard time throwing out food so I used to eat coldcuts for a while after what my DH thought was acceptable, but I cut that out

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Posted by katiebug

Posted by Newly1



ITA with this! I know people who are so anal about not eating cold cuts, etc....yet they eat cake, cookies, anc chinese food almost every day! I think chances are...the cold cuts are prob way healthier.

I am definitely a health food junky, and consider myself very well educated on the topic. So I was eating a salad with some Feta on it for lunch one day, and my other pregnant friend started to yell at me about it. The funny thing was she was consuming a HUGE McDonalds meal while she was lecturing me.

Now I have absolutely nothing against people who eat McD's. I say enjoy, but really? Lecturing someone eating a salad while eating a large fry and Big mac?

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Posted by Tilde




LOL I love this.

Well I can top it. My SIL told me that I could not be in the same room as a poinsettia bc the "poison" would hurt the baby.

My SIL who smoked a pack a day through all three pregnancies. . .

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

I don't want to scare anyone but this actually happened to my friend's sister. She was 37 weeks pregnant and decided she is far enough along that a cold cut sandwich won't do any harm. Well, about 1 hour after she had her sandwich she started having terrible cramps. She was on the subway at the time and thought she was going into labor. She was rushed to the hospital. It turned out that she had listeria. They performed an emergency c-section on her. Two hours later her baby die because the infection went to the brain and there was nothing they can do to safe the baby. I know this probably happens to one in a million but when you know this happened to someone you know, I am stick by the rules. No cold cuts for 9 months. I can do it! When I crave it, I have a BLT instead.

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Posted by Tilde

Posted by katiebug

Posted by Newly1



ITA with this! I know people who are so anal about not eating cold cuts, etc....yet they eat cake, cookies, anc chinese food almost every day! I think chances are...the cold cuts are prob way healthier.

I am definitely a health food junky, and consider myself very well educated on the topic. So I was eating a salad with some Feta on it for lunch one day, and my other pregnant friend started to yell at me about it. The funny thing was she was consuming a HUGE McDonalds meal while she was lecturing me.

Now I have absolutely nothing against people who eat McD's. I say enjoy, but really? Lecturing someone eating a salad while eating a large fry and Big mac?

LOL I love this.

Well I can top it. My SIL told me that I could not be in the same room as a poinsettia bc the "poison" would hurt the baby.

My SIL who smoked a pack a day through all three pregnancies. . .

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Posted by lucamon

I don't want to scare anyone but this actually happened to my friend's sister. She was 37 weeks pregnant and decided she is far enough along that a cold cut sandwich won't do any harm. Well, about 1 hour after she had her sandwich she started having terrible cramps. She was on the subway at the time and thought she was going into labor. She was rushed to the hospital. It turned out that she had listeria. They performed an emergency c-section on her. Two hours later her baby die because the infection went to the brain and there was nothing they can do to safe the baby. I know this probably happens to one in a million but when you know this happened to someone you know, I am stick by the rules. No cold cuts for 9 months. I can do it! When I crave it, I have a BLT instead.

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Posted by Tilde


My SIL who smoked a pack a day through all three pregnancies. . .

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Posted by lucamon

I don't want to scare anyone but this actually happened to my friend's sister. She was 37 weeks pregnant and decided she is far enough along that a cold cut sandwich won't do any harm. Well, about 1 hour after she had her sandwich she started having terrible cramps. She was on the subway at the time and thought she was going into labor. She was rushed to the hospital. It turned out that she had listeria. They performed an emergency c-section on her. Two hours later her baby die because the infection went to the brain and there was nothing they can do to safe the baby. I know this probably happens to one in a million but when you know this happened to someone you know, I am stick by the rules. No cold cuts for 9 months. I can do it! When I crave it, I have a BLT instead.

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Posted by lucamon

I don't want to scare anyone but this actually happened to my friend's sister. She was 37 weeks pregnant and decided she is far enough along that a cold cut sandwich won't do any harm. Well, about 1 hour after she had her sandwich she started having terrible cramps. She was on the subway at the time and thought she was going into labor. She was rushed to the hospital. It turned out that she had listeria. They performed an emergency c-section on her. Two hours later her baby die because the infection went to the brain and there was nothing they can do to safe the baby. I know this probably happens to one in a million but when you know this happened to someone you know, I am stick by the rules. No cold cuts for 9 months. I can do it! When I crave it, I have a BLT instead.

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Posted by lucamon

I don't want to scare anyone but this actually happened to my friend's sister. She was 37 weeks pregnant and decided she is far enough along that a cold cut sandwich won't do any harm. Well, about 1 hour after she had her sandwich she started having terrible cramps. She was on the subway at the time and thought she was going into labor. She was rushed to the hospital. It turned out that she had listeria. They performed an emergency c-section on her. Two hours later her baby die because the infection went to the brain and there was nothing they can do to safe the baby. I know this probably happens to one in a million but when you know this happened to someone you know, I am stick by the rules. No cold cuts for 9 months. I can do it! When I crave it, I have a BLT instead.

Message edited 12/16/2009 1:35:13 PM.

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Posted by lucamon

Posted by Tilde


My SIL who smoked a pack a day through all three pregnancies. . .

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

Message edited 12/16/2009 1:34:50 PM.

Re: I have a listeria question. . .

I've def. had one or two roast beef sandwiches pregnant. I stopped after I heard about lisertia.

I must agree though that eating fresh and healthy is what's key. I certainly don't follow it well but I try to do my best.

Also different Dr.'s have diferent schools of thought. For example my manager is pregnant also andher dr. told her no fish, seadfood,NOTHING. Whereas I was only told nothing high in mecury or raw. They also want to limit their liability, OB's have one of the highest if not the highest malpractice insurance rates going.