Ate supper then started worrying about what was in it. Help please!?

Question

Tonight for supper we had Cheese Manicotti. It has Ricotta cheese in it. I remembered after we ate that soft cheeses are a big "no no" when pregnant. I had been craving this for so long - did I eat something I shouldn't have? It's cooked so does that make it safe? Help please!

Answer 1

My doctor said to me one day,

"women tend to stop living their lives when they get pregnant, and there is no need for that."

I agree with him, and I think that there are many more things to be worried about than a little bit of ricotta cheese, or any of the millions of other things women freak out about when they are pregnant. Cold cuts and caffeine included. Obviously everyones doctor is different, but mine says all that stuff in moderation is perfectly safe and fine. Of course not alcohol, drugs or smokes.

I do not think you need to worry about the cheese.

Answer 2

I've never heard this before and this is my second pregnancy. As a matter of fact I've had soft cheeses with both of my pregnancys on salads.

In your case the cheese was fully cooked in the dish you had so all bacteria would be killed. I think the soft cheese would be bad if you sat around and ate a whole pound of it. Moderation is key...

Answer 3

Hopefully this will answer your question! Cottage cheese, ricotta, cream cheese, processed cheeses (such as American) and hard cheeses (such as cheddar and parmesan), as well as cultured dairy products like yogurt and buttermilk, are generally considered to be safe. And most dairy products made in the US are pasteurized anyway. But since there's no guarantee, it's best to check the label and make sure that any dairy product you consume during pregnancy is made with pasteurized milk.

Answer 4

You are right soft cheese pose a risk because they are more likely to harbor, bacteria...However because it was baked (at least if you make it the way I do) the high temps should kill off most of the bacteria!!! Unless you get sick don't worry. Even if you do get sick just tell the doc/midwife, get rest & lots of water! I think you'll be okay...Think of all the stuff past gereations did during pregnancy, (like smoke!) And that most of us turned out okay!

Answer 5

I ate blue cheese throughout my pregnancy and deli meats too. They give you all kinds of food guidelines, but I wanted it SO bad. As long as the ricotta is pasteurized your fine. I do believe it is only unpasteurized soft cheeses that you aren't supposed to have.

Answer 6

Soft cheeses are fine as long as they are pasterized. Do avoid mexican cheeses because they and unpasterized cheese carry Listeria which can be transmitted to your child and cause major complications, even death. It is rare but can happen. Watch out for Bologna too


Your cheese was fine. Most store cheese is pasterized. Only mostly speciality stores carry unpasterized cheese and most of them are some types or brie, feta and many french cheeses

Answer 7

If the manicotti was cooked you should be fine. If you aren't getting sick, it probably didn't contain any listeriosis or other bacteria. The cheeses you should avoid are only the unpasturized kind.

Answer 8

I had a prenatal appointment tonight and after reading your question I'm wondering something myself...I had something with ricotta cheese in it that was a tiny bit spicy and my blood pressure was up a tadd at my appointment. 130/75 which isnt bad...but I wonder if the cheese was what caused it? I did not know that you couldnt have certain types of cheeses. Thanks for the info!

Answer 9

I've heard that about soft cheese cause it harbors bacteria. Well I dont know if Ricotta is a soft cheese or not IT sounds like it. If your that woreird you coudl always try to puke it up if u didnt eat it thta long ago.

Answer 10

I never heard of that,cheese is very good for u during pregnancy...im on my third pregnancy and have eaten all kinds of different cheeses throughout everyone..