NHS guidelines on food (deli meats in particular)

Speaking to female family members and they can't believe how restricted the pregnancy diet is now compared to 20-25 years ago. I've mostly kept to the NHS guidelines but I absolutely adore deli meat and craving some salami - my German mother-in-law ate deli meat regularly throughout both her pregnancies! How are people coping with the restrictions and are most people following or breaking occasionally?

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I’ve at deli meat my full pregnancy and did with my first 2 children aswell I have always says if it was aloud years ago why not now 🤷🏼‍♀️

I found it manageable to go without most of the restricted foods, the one time I found it tricky was on holiday when eating tapas. But if you really miss a particular food you have to weigh up the risks and benefits and make your own choice. The chance of getting unwell from salami is very low, it’s just that it can cause problems for the baby in the unlikely event you were to get food poisoning from eating it. Only you can decide what you’re happy with 😊

Honestly I just eat it. Pregnancy is hard enough without eating what you want 😂 I'm on my third pregnancy now and I love deli meats. The NHS recommends cooking food because of the small risk of listeria and pregnant women can get more unwell than someone who's not pregnant. I think the risk is really tiny there was less than 200 cases of Listeria last year and 30 of them was in pregnant women. I would just enjoy it and don't worry! Be more worried about the heartburn after. X

I've had rare steaks, deli meat, occasional coffee etc. baby was born 13th perfectly healthy at 7lbs 14 a week early because I had pelvic girdle

Toxoplasmosis is also really rare, you are more likely to get it gardening or cleaning up cat poo or even eating salad leafs than eating deli meats. Also a lot of people develop immunity before pregnancy if they have had contact with it before. Over a five-year period there were only 190 recorded cases of pregnant women diagnosed with the infection in the UK.

Thanks everyone, really useful 😘

When I want deli meat I usually just go to subway and get it extra toasted. After all, the concern is COLD meat. Once it's been heated to steaming you're all good

I didn’t follow it my first pregnancy and my daughter came out healthy. Idk if it’s because I had a midwife but I don’t remember all these restrictions I know I did not have raw sushi then though but that’s really it.

it’s the listeria risk. but it’s essentially the same risk as eating unwashed lettuce. i ate deli meat

I had deli meat and there was no issue. And I didn’t wait until after 12 weeks. You’ll be absolutely fine x