Deli meat Listeria pregnancy

Hi! Pregnancy cravings are a powerful force, for sure. But before you submit to that sub, consider this: Processed, ready-to-eat deli meats of all kinds [and that goes for all the usual, and arguably delicious, suspects including turkey, roast beef, salami, bologna and pepperoni] can be contaminated with Listeria.

Though the chances that the luncheon meat you happen to lunch on will be contaminated with this dangerous bacteria are slim, the potential risk to you and your baby if it were is significant. Thats because pregnant women whose immune systems are normally suppressed are far more susceptible to listeriosis, the serious disease caused by Listeria.

In fact, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists[ACOG], and theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], a pregnant woman is 10 times more likely than an average healthy adult to contract listeriosis. And thats why experts recommend ordering up an abundance of caution when it comes to cold cuts.

Does that mean that your Subway dreams are completely derailed? Not necessarily, but spoiler alert you may not be pleased with the safe-sub substitutes experts offer up. One scores high on most peoples yuck scale and that is to eat your cold cuts piping hot, since heating to steaming kills any lurking bacteria. The other is to upgrade to a deli that roasts and slices its turkey fresh [freshly roasted roast beef is also fine, if it has been cooked well-done]. Or to DIY your sub with freshly roasted. Or to find compromise in a meatball sub, or a chicken parm, or a grilled chicken sandwich.

And I know its not the same, but vegetarian options are always on the table too. Treat yourself to extra pickles, pepperoncini and mustard ... and hey, you might even sublimate that cold cut craving.

Happily, there is a light at the end of that Subway tunnel, even if its about four months ahead of you. Listeria risks no longer apply once you deliver, even if youll be breastfeeding, which means you can safely and happily enjoy your footlong packed with the coldest of cold cuts as soon as your little foot-and-and-a-half-long arrives. You can even place your order right from the birthing bed. That is, if youre still craving it.

Big hugs,

Heidi

Help Me, Heidi!is a weekly advice column in whichWhat to Expectcreator HeidiMurkoffanswers your most pressing pregnancy and parenting questions. Shes tackling the stuff you are desperate to know right now so if you have a question,ask Heidi hereor onFacebookand she might answer in an upcoming column. [Not sure if Heidi's answered one of your questions?Check out the rest of the columns here.]