Hotdogs

Please relax, sweetie. I am a 62 year old grandmother and let me tell you what pregnancy was in my days. We ate what we wanted, we (stupidly smoked and even had a drink or two) and babies were born with less birth defects than today. The truth is that science does not know for sure what causes some of the problems babies are born with so they advise pregnant women to avoid everything they know or even think might cause problems. A hot dog or two won't cause any real harm. You being a nervous wreck over eating it will! Calm down and enjoy your pregnancy because you already know how busy and tired you will be once that baby gets here. Give yourself a break!

Hot dogs are off limits because of the danger of listeria; if you haven't gotten food poisoning by now you are probably fine. Also, hot dogs are high in nitrites used as a preservative which you probably don't want to have too much of your pregnancy.

A little about me: I am a married first time mother of a week old baby boy.

My first pregnancy I was told "Don't eat this, don't eat that..." I did what everyone told me & I just ended up stressing myself out! I'm not saying that it caused my miscarraige, however, only we know our bodies. I know the stress didn't help me. My second pregnancy, I ate whatever I wanted, including hot dogs, and I have a perfectly healthy soon to be 1 year old son! Everyone has their own opinions, go with your gut is my suggestion. Just try to avoid the cold foods that sit out that CAN pick up bacteria, like cold cuts, cheese, etc...Good luck to you & try not to stress, it's not healthy for you or your baby. Happy Holidays, R.

C. you can eat pretty much whatever you want, do not freak out! :)

you should not eat hot dogs all day long every day, that's true; they're not made of the best stuff, and especially the nitrates, which are a preservative, and not good for you or the baby; some deli meats have these too. but you can certainly try the Applegate Farms organic hot dogs, which are made of chicken or beef or turkey, and have no nitrates at all, and eat them with no worries at all! you can get them in most natural or better food stores and i think Trader Joe's. same w deli foods.

C. nothing is going to happen to you from the few hot dogs you have had; the only thing to pretty much avoid is fish because of the mercury; you can go online and look up which fish have the most mercury and some fish even have almost none and you can have that.

eat up and enjoy and good luck with your new baby.... good luck with the new baby and w your toddler; i had my daughter, now 10 mos, when my son, 2.5, was 20 months; it's great but it's not easy.

J.

C.:

You will be fine, I ate a lot of deli meats during my pregnancy but then again I don't live by any rules. The reason pg women shouldn't eat deli meat is because the meat could have listeria which can make you really sick and affect the pregnancy, some of them also have nitrates a preservative. The reason pregnant women shouldn't eat hot dogs is because they contain nitrates again a preservative which is not good for you or baby, then again you have to have about 30 hot dogs per day everyday and nothing else LOL. I take it this is your first pregnancy so be ready b/c you will get more advice than what you need. Advice that while well intentioned it is very annoying. My suggestion is you get a good pregnancy book if you like to read, I loved "The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy" and "What to expect when you are expecting", get informed and then make your own decisions based on your needs and wants. In my opinion as long as you have a reasonably healthy diet you can indulge once in while in what you like whether is a hot dog or chinesse food. I know I had my share when I was prego, both my baby and I are perfectly fine she will be a year in two weeks. Best of luck to you and the baby on the way.

O.

I was told to stay away from nitrates which are present in hot dogs and some deli meats. There was also the listeria issue with deli meats. I was so freaked out with trying to stay away from cerain foods, drinks,activities that I didn't really get to enjoy my pregnancy (which was great by the way!) I guess everything in moderaton. If its really an issue your doctor would have said something.

The whole thing is the Listeria issue. As long as they are heated well you can eat them. Your body can fight off Listeria, but the baby can not yet. Eat all the hotdogs, and deli meat you want as long as they are heated. It has nothing to do with preservatives. There are preservatives in nearly everything we eat.

Here is the link of foods to avoid:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pregnancy-nutrition/PR00109

Hotdogs and deli meats are on the list for a bacteria called Listeria, but if you cook them thoroughly then you are fine.

Soft cheeses are a danger due to the posibility of them not using pasturized milk.

Of course you have your mecury filled fish, and shellfish too that you should avoid..

Anyhow, the list is very complete, if you can not view the link email me and I will copy/paste the list for you.

Happy eatting!

C.,
Don't fret! I have had 3 healthy pregnancies and healthy babies to go along with them. It was only until 1 month before the 2nd one was born that I found out I wasn't supposed to eat hot dogs and the deli meat I didn't find out until the 3rd one! The main reason they discourage it (besides the nitrates) is because of the cooking of the items. They say that smoked meats are not always thouroughly cooked. Same goes with hot dogs that are bought from a vendor. I would ask your doctor to confirm but I beieve that a hot dog that you know is cooked all the way would be fine on occasion. Also, meats from a deli that a cooked first (like roasted turkey) is also ok! Everything i read says don't worry about things that you did before you knew the right thing. It will just add stress and that is the last thing you need!

First of all Congratulations on your pregnancy. Secondly, I do believe the word is to try and avoid processed meats and hot dogs during pregnancy. Although please try not to worry yourself about eating a few hotdogs...the WORRY would cause you more bad doing than the hotdog:). I believe it is due to the uric acids and different things that are in the processed meats. As long as your not eating hotdogs for breakfast, lunch and dinner...I am quite sure a hotdog here and there during pregnancy should be okay. If you are concerned about it though, mention it at your next prenatal appt. and your midwife or MD can help ease your mind. I am a RN in New York state and have a four year old son. Good luck to you and your family.

Technically, you are not supposed to eat hot dogs or delit meats while pregnant because they are high in nitrites which affect brain development when consumed in massive quantity. However, I ate both during both my pregnancies and both children are fine. Just like with everything else, the key is moderation. A hot dog every once in a while is fine, not at every meal. Good Luck!

O.k. you really shouldn't eat those things, yes it's true. However, if you do eat them try not to eat them to often. They are high in nitrates which isn't great for the baby. And lunch meat can have a bacteria called Listeria in it (the same with unprocessed cheese like blue or brie). This bacteria isn't really harmful to us, because our bodies can fight it off if we're exposed to it, but your baby can't. So it's really your call. I ate lunch meat when I was pregnant and had no problems. It's really your call. But as with everything else while your pregnant...everything in moderation.

of course the nitrates in it aren't GOOD for you, but i think the fear is that you can get lysteria (not sure of spelling). the good news is if you didn't come down with lysteria there isn't an ongoing fear. i was eating cold cuts early in pregnancy and then stopped when i heard about this risk.

You'll be fine. If a dr didn't tell you to stay away from it then don't worry. I ate lunch meat almost every day and i have a healthy baby.

I think you should do things in moderation. No to much of anything. If you are craving it...just have it. Usually you are craving it for a reason. But don't have it everyday!!!

so not a big deal- you don't want to overdo it b/c of the nitrates. i ate hot dogs and deli meat a couple of times a week during my pregnancy & my son is great.