Food question

Hi ladies!! This is the first time i am posting on the boards and i just got my BFP yesterday!!! I am soo excited but i have not told DH yet. I plan on telling him tonight once he gets settled in after work!!!

My question is, DHs family does the big 7 fishes meal for dinner on Christmas eve, is it safe for me to eat? we always have Linquini and Clams, mussles (which i hear your not supposed to eat at all) calamari etc etc...

Everything is fully cooked but can i still eat it or should i stay away from it... .

TIA ladies

Re: Food question

You could have some in moderation.


How much seafood is recommended?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) say pregnant women can safely eat up to 12 ounces (340 grams) of seafood a week. Similarly, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 8 to 12 ounces of seafood a week for pregnant women — or about two average meals.

Not all researchers agree with these limits, however, citing a study that noted no negative effects for women who ate more seafood than the FDA-approved guidelines.

What's safe to eat?

Choose seafood that's low in mercury, such as:

Shrimp
Crab
Salmon
Pollock
Catfish
Cod
Tilapia
Canned light tuna is another good choice — but limit albacore tuna, chunk white tuna and tuna steak to no more than 6 ounces, or 170 grams, a week.


Consider these precautions:

Avoid large, predatory fish. To reduce your exposure to mercury, don't eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish.

Avoid raw fish and shellfish. To avoid ingesting harmful bacteria or viruses, avoid raw fish and shellfish — especially oysters and clams — and anything you know was caught in polluted water. Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as lox, also is off-limits.

Understand local fish advisories. If you eat fish from local waters, pay attention to local fish advisories. Larger game fish contaminated with chemical pollutants could potentially harm a developing baby. If advice isn't available, limit fish from local waters to 6 ounces (170 grams) a week and don't eat other fish that week.

Cook seafood properly. Cook fish to an internal temperature of 145 F (63 C). The fish is done when it separates into flakes and appears opaque throughout. Cook shrimp, lobster and scallops until they're milky white. Cook clams, mussels and oysters until their shells open. Discard any that don't open.

Re: Food question

Congrats and welcome to the boards!!! You can eat it all. My doctor says everything in moderation, so if you eat a lot of seafood on Christmas Eve, then just try to stay away from it for a couple of weeks!

Re: Food question

I personally would have a little of everything except the shell fish like clams and mussels- those carry a lot more bacteria than you think. It may be bacteria that doesn't affect you but could harm the baby.

Re: Food question

I would eat what you like. Just don't over do it and leave fish shellfish out of your diet for the coming week. Congrats and Merry Christmas.