Saturday, 25. October 2008
The Not So Subtle Attack of the Cheese11:53:51 AMCategory : So young to feel so guilty
Location : Chicago
Ok, internet, I will not lie to you. The pregnancy insanity has set in full force. There are good days and there are bad days, but the pregnancy hormones have made me rather insane about small things.
Example: roughly three weeks ago The Love of my Life and I were visiting my mother in my hometown. As an aside, we saw many awesome bands at a really great world music festival that weekend. But back to the real story... While visiting, we happened to go the the local Farmer's Market. Now, the local farmer's market in my hometown is nothing short of amazing given the size of the town. It's roughly three times the size of the Farmer's market closest to my suburban chicagoland home. Included in this farmer's market, is one cheese man. Yes, that's what they call him. He makes his own goat cheese and it is to die for. Now, there are eighty thousand opinions about eating cheese in pregnancy. But, from what I gathered prior to my trip, it was ok as long as it is pasteurized. So, being the hormonal (and hungry) pregnant woman that I am, my mom and I asked the cheese guy about his cheese.
"Yes, it's heat pasteurized. Would you like to try some?"
"Oh yes, please"- that's me, without a care in the world at that point other than consuming my beloved cheese. And gobble some up I did.
When we got back to my mother's place, we had some more cheese, but this time when she unwrapped the package, I noticed that the cheese had a blue vein running through it and blue mold on the outside as well.
Me-"Um, you think it's ok it I eat more of this. I don't know."
A chorus of "of course it's ok. It's pasteurized, it's fine" came from my family surrounding me.
And so I ate a few bits more, being careful to avoid any of the blue veined parts. And it was SOO good!
Now, you'd think that I could just let this go. But, I can't. I am now partially convinced that I have inadvertantly killed and/or irreparably damaged my baby by eating this goat cheese. The chance is minute, yes. But, listeria in pregnant woman (the bacteria they are worried about and the reason for the food avoidance rules) is often asymptomatic (that I did not know prior to going on my trip-I should've read more about it first). Therefore, according to my baby books, this horrible goat cheese poison could be killing my baby as I type and I WOULD NOT EVEN KNOW IT! I am absolutely sick at the thought of my foray to the dark side leading to the death of my child. Don't even ask me how I will live with myself if that is how this story ends. Seriously.
Yes, my dear internet, I have lost a number of nights of sleep and shed many tears over my foray into the risky. I have been so careful with food throughout my pregnancy and I am angry at myself for caving into the cheese. It is likely that my baby will be just fine, and that you will all be laughing at me hysterically one day over this (feel free), but in the meantime, I'm terrified that I hurt my baby. The curse of living in such an overly cautious culture. You just keep sending those good thoughts and prayers that my one slip up did not cause irreparable damage.
In less hysterical news, I'm finally halfway. 20 weeks as of yesterday. The big ultrasound ins on Tuesday. Wish us luck and we'll let you know what flavor of child we're having, assuming she/he cooperates.
Example: roughly three weeks ago The Love of my Life and I were visiting my mother in my hometown. As an aside, we saw many awesome bands at a really great world music festival that weekend. But back to the real story... While visiting, we happened to go the the local Farmer's Market. Now, the local farmer's market in my hometown is nothing short of amazing given the size of the town. It's roughly three times the size of the Farmer's market closest to my suburban chicagoland home. Included in this farmer's market, is one cheese man. Yes, that's what they call him. He makes his own goat cheese and it is to die for. Now, there are eighty thousand opinions about eating cheese in pregnancy. But, from what I gathered prior to my trip, it was ok as long as it is pasteurized. So, being the hormonal (and hungry) pregnant woman that I am, my mom and I asked the cheese guy about his cheese.
"Yes, it's heat pasteurized. Would you like to try some?"
"Oh yes, please"- that's me, without a care in the world at that point other than consuming my beloved cheese. And gobble some up I did.
When we got back to my mother's place, we had some more cheese, but this time when she unwrapped the package, I noticed that the cheese had a blue vein running through it and blue mold on the outside as well.
Me-"Um, you think it's ok it I eat more of this. I don't know."
A chorus of "of course it's ok. It's pasteurized, it's fine" came from my family surrounding me.
And so I ate a few bits more, being careful to avoid any of the blue veined parts. And it was SOO good!
Now, you'd think that I could just let this go. But, I can't. I am now partially convinced that I have inadvertantly killed and/or irreparably damaged my baby by eating this goat cheese. The chance is minute, yes. But, listeria in pregnant woman (the bacteria they are worried about and the reason for the food avoidance rules) is often asymptomatic (that I did not know prior to going on my trip-I should've read more about it first). Therefore, according to my baby books, this horrible goat cheese poison could be killing my baby as I type and I WOULD NOT EVEN KNOW IT! I am absolutely sick at the thought of my foray to the dark side leading to the death of my child. Don't even ask me how I will live with myself if that is how this story ends. Seriously.
Yes, my dear internet, I have lost a number of nights of sleep and shed many tears over my foray into the risky. I have been so careful with food throughout my pregnancy and I am angry at myself for caving into the cheese. It is likely that my baby will be just fine, and that you will all be laughing at me hysterically one day over this (feel free), but in the meantime, I'm terrified that I hurt my baby. The curse of living in such an overly cautious culture. You just keep sending those good thoughts and prayers that my one slip up did not cause irreparable damage.
In less hysterical news, I'm finally halfway. 20 weeks as of yesterday. The big ultrasound ins on Tuesday. Wish us luck and we'll let you know what flavor of child we're having, assuming she/he cooperates.
Comments :
1. charlie10/26/2008 02:24:52 PM
don't worry pauline you and he/she will be fine. remember i'm a biology teacher, i know these things. that is a great farmers market in btown.
2. Pauline10/26/2008 03:35:58 PM
Thanks, Charlie 
