Pregnancy Paranoia...

Over this last pregnancy I have stumbled across something that I like to call pregnancy paranoia. The crazy fear that sets in as soon as some mums find out they are carrying. All of a sudden everything seems like a huge risk, from what you eat and drink to how you walk!

It starts off on your first visit to the dr when you get handed a massive list of all the things you should now avoid eating. And they are split into 3 categories, almost like a test on how willing you are to kill your unborn child. Unfortunately the most delicious foods are generally in the “red zone”.

Now I am not one to advocate that anyone ignore the drs orders but I pose the question, how did our mums manage to survive a pregnancy 20 years ago eating as they pleased and still managing to have happy and healthy babies? It seems to me that all this extra pressure does is frighten a new mum even more than they were before. Now they not only have to worry about their parenting skills after the baby is born but also what sort of parent they are before the child is even here. I see mum after mum on baby forum after forum asking questions that a general person would find ridiculous but other fear induced mothers totally understand. People who have slipped up and eaten that little square of creamy delicious soft cheese are now posting the question “could I have killed my unborn baby????”

The worst thing about the pregnancy paranoia is the advice that former paranoid mums like to hand out constantly. No more posting on Facebook or Twitter about that delicious KFC Twister you just devoured because you already know that someone is going to jump right on you about the raw egg that might be in the mayo or the salad that might contain bacteria. And heaven help you if someone sees you inside a hairdressing salon getting your roots touched up in an attempt to feel somewhat beautiful again, how dare you put that chemical on your head and risk the chance of it seeping in all the way down to the baby!

In the end it’s each to their own but as I sit here 39 weeks along eating reheated pizza for breakfast I have to feel sorry for anyone denying themself of this privilege.