Can I eat Fish?

Question

When someone tells a pregnant woman not to eat fish because its bad for the baby?? What kind of fish are you referring to??? I've been told fish is good for the baby??? And when does your belly begin to show???

Answer 1

Fish is actually a very good part of your diet, expecially while pregnant because it contains omega-3 fatty acids. Fish is also high in protein and very low in saturated fats, and this, is very good! The fish that you should certainly stay away from is shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tile fish. You should stay away from these types because they are very high in mercury. Having too much mercury going into your system while pregnant can damage the fetus' brain which will cause further developmental problems down the road.

If you are going to eat fish or shellfish, eat a variety, which can greatly reduce the amount of mercury going into your body. People say no to canned tuna fish altogether, but eating light mercury tuna is okay, it has much less mercury.

A suggested serving size of regular fish and shellfish: eat no more than 12 ounces a week. Basically, that is two meals. And with canned tuna and albacore, limit yourself to six ounces a week.

So yes, fish is healthy for the baby, as long as it is not overdone!

Depending on your body, you can become visible pregnant sooner or later. Seriously. If this is your first child, chances are you will certainly not show as early as those who have had other children. Your belly will certainly begin to expand a bit by the third month, it may not be by much, but at this point, your clothes may be a bit snug. So beyond the 14 week, be prepared for the growth to actually begin!

I wish you the best!

Answer 2

You can eat whatever you choose to eat but so many fish are so full of mercury these days it is hard to find two doctors even that are in agreement. Best diet is vegetarian as it will not have any of the unhealthy stuff you will find in a meat diet. Check out some of the vegetarian fish products if you are adamant about eating it and even if not it is really good stuff anyway. You would never know it was not the real thing these days. Otherwise the best thing is ask your doctor and nutritionist as they can give you the best advice on what you want to do. As for the belly showing, ask your doctor that too. Everyone is different and some you would never know is going to have a baby till the day it arrives. Some have big enough bellies to hide it for the full term and some just don't get that big.

Answer 3

Your belly will show when its ready - I have know people to barely show toward the end of their pregnancy and others begin after about a month - so relax and be happy while you don't feel like you swallowed a beach ball.

Fish can contain unsafe amounts of mercury the following may help...

Last year, the FDA did advise "pregnant women and women of childbearing age who may become pregnant on the hazard of consuming certain kinds of fish that may contain high levels of methyl mercury. The FDA is advising these women not to eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. As a matter of prudent public health advice, the FDA is also recommending that nursing mothers and young children not eat these fish as well."

The FDA advisory also stated that "seafood can be an important part of a balanced diet for pregnant women and those of childbearing age who may become pregnant. FDA advises these women to select a variety of other kinds of fish -- including shellfish, canned fish, smaller ocean fish or farm-raised fish -- and that these women can safely eat 12 ounces per week of cooked fish.

Answer 4

I didnt begin to show until i was about 5-6 months along. They tell you not to eat fish because of the mercury in it...but I had Haddock like once a week and me and the baby were just fine.. I think they mean dont eat it all the time and make sure it is cooked well..

Answer 5

typically, they are referring to fish that are high in mercury. in general these are going to be top-predators or long lived fish - shark, swordfish, etc that are eating other fish who also have mercury in them. since they are long lived, then the mercury will build up over time. other fish which are from dirty water sources should also be circumspect. finally, you may want to stay away from bottom feeders - catfish, halibut, etc. heavy metals such as mercury, lead and arsenic tend to settle to the bottom, where these fish eat.

fish is good for you and the baby because the baby needs omega-3 fatty acids for good brain development. fish high in omega-3 tend to be ones that are cold water - tuna and salmon to be specific. there are others, but these two tend to ahve the highest concentration of omega-3s. I believe that the current recommendation is about 2 servings a week

there are numerous papers documenting mercury in these fish, and sadly it turns out that the research, while often cited, is fairly poor. essentially, few fish were actually tested overall. this is why tuna is currently sitting on the fence. therefore if you choose tuna, then you should take one that is short lived.

finally, there are other non-fish substitutes for omega-3 fatty acids such as flax seed oil or supplements. as always with nutrition, however, the natural food source tends to be better off than the supplements. if you choose a supplement, try not to go generic, as supplements not manufactured in the US have less stringent oversight for heavy metal contamination

Answer 6

no don't eat fish it may contain mercury.
non pregnant people have nothing to lose by eating fish.
and if you do eat fish then prepare for a very painful labor.
i'll tell you a story about this.
i ate fish when i was pregnant and the pain during labor was so bad that i pulled my son out with my hands because the pain was so unbearable. he ended up being mentally retarted. i don't know if it was the fish that made him that way or the fact i pulled him out with my hands, but either way just stay away from fish.

Answer 7

Fish is ok, but don't eat if very often. I took omega 3 oil b/c it is supposed to be good for baby's brain. Belly grows around 3 or 4 months.

Answer 8

You can eat fish just dont eat shell fish like shrimp prawns muscle that sort of thing,
Everybody starts to show at different time i would say about 12-14 weeks

Answer 9

All kinds of fish, as mercury concentrartes in fish. You can eat no more than two servings a week and be safe, but i would stay away fully

Answer 10

It's not that the fish is bad, is actually pretty good.
The only bad thing is the risk of it not being fresh or being infected, which effects would be very harmful for the baby.
The other thing that may affect is alergies.
As long as the fish is good eat it!