News Moms Need

At our house, Lola isn’t just our pet. She’s a member of the family and my little girl’s best friend. The two of them get into all sorts of high jinks! Having Lola in our lives has been nothing short of wonderful. But there are still certain things I need to do to keep us all healthy and safe.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that a recent outbreak in salmonella infections, especially in young children, was linked to dog food. Salmonella infection is caused by bacteria. It can lead to diarrhea, fever, nausea and stomachache for several days. Some people may even need to get hospital treatment.

It’s not that people are eating the dog food. Instead, people are likely getting sick either by touching the spoiled dog food or by playing with a dog that has salmonella infection. The dog food in question was made by Diamond Pet Foods and has been recalled.

If you have a pet and are pregnant or have children at home, there are things you can do to stay healthy and safe. One thing you can do is learn more about what kinds of pets and other animals are OK to have in your home. Some pets may be fine to have at home so long as you take certain steps to care for your pets and yourself. Other animals may not be OK to have at home when pregnant or if you have children.

Also, be sure everyone washes their hands after handling an animal. Animals can carry bacteria or certain illnesses. Additionally, feed your pet in an area away from the kitchen or where you prepare meals. This helps lessen the chance that any bacteria from your pet’s food can be carried to areas where you make or eat food. Wash your hands after feeding your pet, too.

Lastly, keep kids away from your pet’s litter box, food and water bowls. My little girl has always been fascinated with Lola’s dog bowls and I’m not sure why. But several times, I’ve caught her playing with Lola’s food pebbles, to which I immediately grab my little girl and wash her hands. If only I can get her as interested in putting her toys away!

Smucker’s® is recalling its Natural Peanut Butter Chunky because it may have Salmonella, bacteria that cause salmonellosis infection. People with salmonellosis can get sick and may have diarrhea, fever, vomiting and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.

The recall is for Smucker’s® Natural Peanut Butter Chunky with the following details:

• Purchased between November 8 - 17, 2011
• UPC 5150001701 (located on the side of the jar’s label below the bar code)
• Production Codes 1307004 and 1308004
• Best-If-Used-By dates August 3, 2012 and August 4, 2012
• Chunky product only (not creamy)

In most healthy adults, symptoms can last for days. But pregnant women, babies and others with weakened immune systems can sometimes become seriously ill from Salmonella infection.  Occasionally, a pregnant woman can pass a Salmonella infection on to her baby. After birth, her baby can get diarrhea, fever and, less frequently, meningitis after birth. Meningitis is an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain.

Visit the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) website for more information on the peanut butter recall.

There is so much to pay attention to these days regarding food that sometimes you can feel spooked about putting anything in your mouth.  This stuff is “good,” that’s “bad,” even though it was good yesterday…  Try not to go crazy and remember the old adage, “everything in moderation.”

Still, it is important to watch what you eat because not all foods are safe for pregnant women. Some contain high levels of chemicals that can affect your baby’s development. Others put you at risk for getting an infection that can hurt your baby.  Here are some tips:

 
• Avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tile fish. These fish can contain potentially risky levels of mercury. The same for raw fish, especially shellfish (oysters, clams)
• Cook all meat, poultry and seafood thoroughly to kill bacteria. 
• Cook all eggs well and avoid soft-scrambled eggs and all foods made with raw or lightly cooked eggs (does that Caesar salad dressing have raw egg in it?)
• Avoid soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. Examples are Brie, feta, Camembert, Roquefort, blue-veined, queso blanco, queso fresco and Panela. Check the label to see what kind of milk was used to make the cheese. 
• All milk and any foods made from it should be pasteurized. So should juices.
• Raw vegetable sprouts, including alfalfa, clover, radish and mung bean might be sources of salmonella, so don’t eat them.

My husband and I had a recent addition to our home. Her name is Lola – a 4-month-old Boston Terrier that we adopted from an animal rescue center. Lola is such a cutie pie! She’s as playful as any other puppy and loves to cuddle when I pick her up. As the first addition to our family, Lola knows she’s the star of the show. But one day, when my husband and I are getting ready to welcome our first baby into the world, Lola will have to make room!

Pets can bring much fun and joy to the household dynamic. But pregnant women and mommies with young kids need to be careful about the kinds of animals they keep in their home and particularly how to handle them. Some things to keep in mind:

• Dogs with bad habits (biting or pouncing) should be broken of these habits before the baby arrives. 

• If you have a cat, have someone else change its litter box to avoid getting toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. This infection can cause birth defects or loss of pregnancy.

• Hamsters, guinea pigs and pet mice may carry a virus called lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), which can cause severe birth defects during pregnancy. Keep these pets in a separate part of the home and have someone else feed the pet and clean its cage.

• Turtles, reptiles and other exotic pets may carry salmonellosis (salmonella infection). Pregnant women and children under age 5 are at increased risk of this bacterial infection, so it’s best if they stay away from these kinds of animals.

Learn more and get helpful tips about how to handle pets and other animals during pregnancy.

No, this is not an April Fool’s joke.

I know there have been several recent posts on our blog about salmonella.  It’s not that we’re obsessed with salmonella or that we’re trying to create a panic. It’s just that this topic keeps popping up in the news and we want to make sure we give you all the information you need to make healthy choices.

So, here’s the latest. A company in California that sells pistachios has found traces of salmonella in its product. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a voluntary recall of pistachios and products that contain pistachios (including ice cream and trail mix packs). They also recommend that people avoid pistachios until more information is known about the extent of the problem. Here’s a list to the products that have been recalled so far.

I hope I didn’t put too much of a downer on your Wednesday, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.