There’s this incredibly long list of things you shouldn’t consume when you’re pregnant. There’s the obvious stuff that you should already know about, like alcohol and cigarettes, some unknown but understandable stuff like Advil, and some… really out there stuff, like deli meat, soft cheese, and sushi. And if you get diabetes or digestive problems, that list gets even longer.

Kudos to anyone who can stick to the list for forty weeks. But after a while, I rationalized that there’s a difference between things that are actually toxic versus things that, if contaminated or taken in too large an amount , may make you sick. So while I wasn’t going around popping Advil like candy (even though I really wished I could, towards the end there), I relaxed some of the restrictions for myself.

…with some trepidation. Like the mom who has a glass of wine a la the French, everyone was all about reminding me ‘should I be eating that?’ Because when you’re pregnant, everyone is an expert on the latest research and your own personal circumstances! Strangers know best!



(fun fact: nothing in a dragon roll, pictured, is on the restricted list. did that stop people? no, no it did not.)