Wine, Cheese and Sushi: A Controversial Trio

Here's the deal, folks. If you're an alcoholic or a drug addict (or a lawyer), then this post is not for you. This post is all about...MODERATION. I know, I know. It's such a vague concept, right? In today's world, moderation is a word that has been lost in translation. When you say the words "used in moderation," do people look at you like you fell off the bandwagon? Well, maybe you have. Congratulations!

These days, if you're pregnant, you're lucky if you can drink much more than a glass of water without getting reprimanded by snoopy onlookers. If you go out to eat, BEWARE, lest you order a coca-cola, nay...a glass of wine! How dare you? 


It's true, no one is given a guarantee that their baby will be healthy (yes, I just used that cliche), but worrying about things like this during pregnancy is more stressful and harmful to your fetus than actually doing them, in my opinion. The risks of harming the fetus are so low, yet so many soon-to-be moms feel downright terrible for engaging in any one of these activities. Plainly put...it just makes me sad. This is the sole reason for this blog. It's for the mothers out there who feel alone in their confusion over these supposed no-no's during pregnancy. You're not alone - we are out here!

Wine/Beer:

Now, as I said before, please don't take this as an invitation to go boozin' with the girls when you're ready to pop...but ladies? Why have we allowed the media, lawyers and insurance companies to convince us that enjoying an occasional glass of wine is putting our babies in danger? When we talk about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, we're talking about women who've taken this moderation idea and 6-packed it into the realm of overindulgence. Here's how I see it - plain and simple - we're willing to dump copious amounts of Bon Bon's, ice cream, burgers, fries and every other fattening thing known to man into our bodies during pregnancy. Heck, we'll even sit on our butts for hours while doing it and feel justified. However, when it comes to enjoying a glass of wine or beer, we might as well be Satan. I'm not buying it! Especially since my kids were born very healthy at 10 lbs. 4 oz and 10 lbs. 11 oz., respectively. Am I blessed? Yes. But let the jury note that although I occasionally drank a glass of wine or beer, I also had a well-balanced diet and was very active throughout my pregnancy. Make of it what you will...

Sushi:

Here is what the EPA has to say about this:

"Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's proper growth and development. So, women and young children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.

1. Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.
2. Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
3. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week." (1) 

For those of you who say, "Since when does the government (EPA) care about our well being?" Well, the American Pregnancy Association and the American Journal of Preventative Medicine both say that "no one should cut fish out of their diet altogether." They say that even when women are going through pregnancy, it's all about "moderation." (2) Now, eating fish raw is another story. These organizations do say that you should avoid raw fish based on the fact that the food may be contaminated. Um, will someone please tell me when my food is perfectly safe when I go out to eat? Yes, I probably have more chance of eating some bacteria if the food is raw; however, I'm willing to take a calculated risk by going to a quality sushi place in order to be as safe as possible.

By the way, I don't blame doctors for telling us to stay away. I mean, would you want to pay up the wazoo for telling someone to use moderation? I don't know about you, but I don't trust the American public to use their common sense, either. (Note: Pregnant Asian women have been eating sushi for 800 million years and it's really not been an issue. Yes, I exaggerated, but still, they've been eating sushi for a long time.)

Soft Cheeses:

Are soft cheese okay for pregnant women to eat? Here is what Amanda Leonard, a registered dietician on Babycenter.com says:

"Yes -- but only if it's made from pasteurized milk. Some soft cheeses -- such as Feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheese, and Mexican-style cheese like 'queso blanco fresco' -- and other dairy products made from unpasteurized milk (also called raw milk) can carry disease-causing organisms, including a potentially deadly bacterium called listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria infection is relatively rare. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that it affects 2,500 people in the United States every year and this number appears to be going down. But pregnant women are about 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get it, and the infection can be devastating or even deadly for their baby."( 3)

Knowing that our current population in the United States is about 310 million, 2,500 people is quite a small amount of people affected by this infection. Also, when you're pregnant, you're 20 times more likely to get...well...anything. I guess this issue boils down to whether or not you feel like it's worth the "risk." Some women will suffer a great deal of stress when going against the "rules" and eating unpasteurized cheese. If you are one of these women, I do not blame you for feeling this way as fear has been pushed down our throats from every angle possible. Just focus on the words stated above: "Listera infection is relatively rare." I'd say so. But again, the beauty is that it's your choice!

Conclusion:

Here's where I'm coming from, folks. I think that as pregnant women, we should do everything in our power to be healthy, safe, smart and calm during this crazy adventure. For me, having a glass of wine, enjoying an occasional sushi dinner (approved by the EPA, even) or indulging in a bleu cheese salad at Northwood's Inn are things I feel I should be able to do without people staring at me like I wish my baby dead. In fact, based on statistics on the government census website, the chances of getting into an accident are much higher than the risk you pose to your unborn child by engaging moderately in these activities. (4) You have about the same chance of dying in a car crash as you do eating bleu cheese if you're pregnant. Aw shucks, no driving for 9 months now...

If you don't like what I'm saying, I assure you, I respect that. My only hope is that you thoroughly seek out information before making decisions on how you'll go through your pregnancy. And if you're one of the women who like to play by the rules, more power to you! I applaud your tenacity.


You think this post was rough? Just wait...

Oh, Just Wait...

Welcome! I've been wanting to start a blog, not only to chronicle my thoughts/experiences/moments of insanity as an ever-changing wife and mother of two boys, but also to share some important info with women (and men) about pregnancy and parenting. I've gained some insight during my pregnancies and these early, child-rearing years that may or may not matter to anyone, but I figure I'll write about it just for the heck of it. I have a wonderful husband named Mike, a 3 year old named Dane, and a 5 month old named Ryan. Oh yeah, and our faithful little dog, Blizzard - and yes, he's a boy, too.

The inspiration for this blog comes from a couple things. The first being my numerous encounters with the alarmist public regarding the ways I handled my pregnancies and raising my children. From drinking coffee or having a glass of wine during pregnancy (gasp!), to questioning vaccinations, I'm used to people not agreeing with me. Now, I'm definitely no expert, so please do not read this as a "how to" on pregnancy and parenting. I'm only offering my little bits of experience to make people laugh, and also to bring comfort to those who are tired of the hyper-vigilant society in which we live. I am fortunate enough to have a smart mother and very close women in my life who are helping me tackle motherhood with a skosh of common sense and a tad bit of hilarity. As someone who usually has to do things by the book, it is very helpful to have people around me saying, "Just take it easy and use your head!"

Another reason for this blog is to shed some light on the "Debbie Downer" problem we seem to have in our world. Let me explain. If you've known me for a while, you know that I've come to hate the words "oh, just wait." They seem to insinuate that whatever issues you're going through now are only going to get worse in the future. Well, this blog is intended to do the opposite. My blog is here to say to you, "Oh, just wait. It only gets better!" Yes I know, parenthood is no joke, but the last thing anyone needs is someone telling them it's going to get harder. "You think 2 year olds are hard. Oh, just wait until he's 3!" Yes, we all know parenting is hard. I do not ever claim to know what it will be like when my children are teenagers, but how about I just enjoy this phase of their lives now and not worry about that yet? This is my plan, so will you join me? Let's stop "just wait-"ing and start "just enjoying" our children and the stages they're in now. Please follow this blog, or feel free to comment on what you read.