Foods

[Mish9807]

Question, could eating cold cuts once in awhile cause a miscarriage?  I had roast beef yesterday and today I am eating buffalo chicken.  

If these are no good to eat can someone give me ideas of what is good to eat so i don't hurt my baby

[MsKitty84]

I did testing for listeria in college microbiology. We took swabs through our whole cafeteria. Hands down the worst spot for contamination was pre-made deli sandwiches chilling in the fridge. I suspect that's pretty typical.

[MsKitty84]

As noted above -- you can buy deli cheese, just get the ones that come presliced and already sealed up. Don't have them cut you fresh slices off a wheel or block. Listeria can live in the fridge so just storing at normal temperatures isn't enough to keep your food safe.

[Mish9807]

Ok thank you. so i shouldn't buy the cheese from the deli.  I will know for the next time i go grocery shopping.  

It is good to hear from others that go through the same things.  This is my first I don't know all the things i need to do.  Any advice is always a good thing.  

Thank you everyone

[mikaleen]

Things like queso blanco, fresh mozzarella...they are unpasteurized.  Cheddar, American, soft cheeses that are processed and state pasteurized are ok as well, like ricotta or cottage cheese.  It's the cheeses that aren't pasteurized to have bacteria killed that we need to stay away from.  The packages will state of the cheese is made with pasteurized milk.  I think that we are only supposed to eat pre-packaged cheese as well, deli cheese can be cut on the same machines as the cold cuts and become contaminated.  Not 100% sure on that though, someone else may know for sure.

I love to snack on sharp cheddar and crackers.  The protein gave me a pick-me-up in the afternoons when I was feeling sluggish.

[MsKitty84]

It doesn't directly cause miscarriage. The risk with cold cuts is listeriosis, a really nasty form of food poisoning. Same with soft cheeses, premade salads, pretty much anything cold and unsealed that you'd find at a deli counter. Listeria can survive the fridge. Most people who eat deli foods like this normally have been immunized over time but if you get contaminated food and get sick, it can be harmful to your pregnancy. Like mikaleen says, your immune system is weakened right now.

To drastically reduce your risk, buy everything in presealed packages. Don't have meats or cheeses sliced in the store, and skip the premade cold sandwiches and salads. You can pretty much eliminate any potential hazard by having your cold cuts heated up -- a hot roast beef sandwich on a toasted bun with all the cheese you want at the lunch counter, for example, is completely fine.

[Mish9807]

I make my own lunches.   My office does not have a cafeteria.  those are good ideas so i have stuff to buy.

Thank you.

[Mish9807]

Thank you.  I can't change it now.  Just have to be careful next time.  It is just terrible everything they say hurts the baby.  
I'll try that egg, ham and cheese.  what kind of cheese do you eat? i had medium cheddar today.  in the red package.  is that considered soft cheese?  

[mikaleen]

Are you picking up lunch out at a cafeteria?  You can eat mostly everything but the cold cuts.  Chicken patties, chicken fingers, burgers, soups, salads, pizza, lasagna, peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese, eggs (that are cooked through), pancakes, waffles, frozen dinners, one tuna fish sandwich a week...

[mikaleen]

During pregnancy our immune systems are suppressed, so it is easier for us to get sick.  We could always potentially come in contact with the listeria bacteria and when not pregnant our bodies are able to kill it before an infection takes hold.  The same isn't true for pregnancy.

You ate it, it's done, just avoid them in the future unless you heat them up first.  I made ham, egg and cheese sandwiches and cooked the ham in the pan with the eggs.

I don't usually eat any kind of soft cheese, but on Thanksgiving my SIL had a platter and it had the most awesome cheese ever.  I devoured it on crackers and it never crossed my mind that it was a soft cheese.  Next time I will remember, I'm sure.  

Chances are you and I are both  just fine, but it never hurts to be more cautious and vigilant in the future.

[Mish9807]

if anyone has ideas of what is ok to eat please let me know.
Thanks

[Mish9807]

i didn't heat mine up do you think that will do anything? i don't usually eat cold cuts but i didn't know what to eat this week. I guess eating chicken breast or other types of meat for lunch is better than cold cuts.  Reading stuff is not a good idea because the more you read the more i worry.

[Lovinlifex3]

This is a toss up, with my first two this was nevet an issue. But with this preg its a big one. They say your supposed to heat up the meat so its steaming this will kill the lysteria virus if tge meat is contaminated with it. Eating the cold cuts wont cause a miscarriage but the virus will