How to hold down a full-time career, get a graduate degree, participate in a social/charity group, and grow a fetus in your uterus all at the same time. The working woman's guide to pregnancy.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

No brie???

So everyone knows that pregnancy and motherhood require a series of sacrifices. Begrudgingly, I was prepared to say "au revoir" to wine and champagne. The research on fetal alcohol syndrome is convincing and the fact that scientists haven't been able to establish any safe levels of alcohol intake while pregnant was enough to help me go cold turkey when the magical moment arrived.

But nobody prepared me for the laundry list of delicacies I was going to have to skip for nine months. But the most shocking no-no: brie...and camembert...and chevre...and all soft cheeses. The deal was already done by the time I found this out, so there was no going back. But how can you ask a former French major to give up red wine and brie!?

No cookie dough, no alfafa sprouts, no unpasteurized juices (sorry, apple cider from the orchard). The list of must-avoid-meats is even longer, but that's no problem for this long-term vegetarian.

I would just give a brief word of warning to my foodie friends out there who are thinking of conceiving. Check out the recommendations at http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/foodstoavoid.html and plan accordingly.
Bon Appetit!

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