Nine months without cheese??? NINE MONTHS???
Surely not!
Firstly, congratulations!
Secondly, we are cheese experts, not health experts so we don’t offer medical advice on cheese and pregnancy. BUT here’s our cheese knowledge in respect of the danger of listeria and mums-to-be.
What’s the problem with cheese in pregnancy?
Listeria can contaminate milk and cheese making equipment during the making of cheese. If eaten, you may develop listeriosis. This is a very rare infection which causes flu like symptoms, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea in mum, but can be devastating for the unborn child.
All our suppliers do everything to ensure their cheeses are never contaminated, but listeria, on the rare occasions it’s found, likes soft, semi soft and mould ripened cheeses like soft goat, brie style, washed rind and blue cheeses. This is why we recommend getting your cheese hit from hard cheeses during pregnancy.
Look to favourites like Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire, Quickes Goat’s clothbound cheese, and nutty Keen’s cheddar, delicious Bermondsey Hard Pressed and hard and crumbly Whin Yeats Wensleydale. Welsh Hafod, Italian Parmigiano, Dutch Gouda, French Gruyere, Spanish Manchego are all diverse alternatives to our soft cheeses. Once you’ve tried these alternatives to soft cheeses you maybe converted forever!
Which cheeses should I avoid in pregnancy?
Ones to avoid include Greek Feta, Brie, Camembert, ricotta, Gorgonzola, Roquefort – but check with us when you come into the shop or call if you’re ordering online. We would also recommend steering clear of our Bungay Raw Butter and other raw milk products such as cream.
We love to expand a hard cheeseboard like this with apples, figs, grapes and pears to add a freshness and the all important pickles, chutneys and honey. Try Apple Fig mustard, Bermondsey Street Metro raw honey and English Fruits Damson chutney.
Last but not least are the crackers. During pregnancy different women have different cravings, but a common one is charcoal. Why not see if Miller’s Damsel Charcoal crackers satiate the need for something dark and crunchy, or the Peter’s Yard charcoal squares? We have a huge range of crackers, including The Fine Cheese Company gluten free Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Sea Salt crackers, along with Seggiano flatbreads.
Breastfeeding and eating cheese
If you’re planning to breastfeeding, most health experts judge it to be ok to return to eating your normal range of cheeses, but as always, there is a slight risk with the softer, moister cheeses, and those with blue veins. This risk is to the breast feeding mum, not the baby though, as the pathogen does not appear to pass on through breast milk.
Do let us know what you’re craving via instagram, or if you’re unsure what to order, just email or call and we’ll talk through our recommendations.
