Hot pepper and pregnancy

[RachaelM]

Can eating lots of a pepper/ green chilli affect my unborn baby?

[mom2many]

No. There are many cultures where hot and spicy foods are a normal part of life and most mothers in those cultures give eating them a second thought. It may effect you though, heartburn in pregnancy can be pretty intense. Some women also find that the spicy food they previously enjoyed cause morning sickness during pregnancy. As long as it's not bothering you to eat these foods, then it should not bother baby either.

[ljmarsden]

The only link I know between spicy food and unborn babies is that when you are full term some women eat spicy food to try and induce labour naturally. However, your body has to be ready anyway so this would not happen earlier in pregnancy. In fact, I was eating a curry when I started getting contractions!

I agree with mom2many that pepper and spice are safe to eat in pregnancy.

[aussiemidwife]

I agree with both mom2many and ljmarsden - eating pepper or green chilli will not affect your baby. The only thing it may do is increase heartburn.

[DoubleSunshine]

I ate so many spicy foods when I was pregnant. I couldn't get enough of it. I'd eat lots of salsa and hot pepper on almost everything. My husband was always saying that our boys were going come out red from all the hot stuff I ate

I was pretty careful about what I ate while pregnant but oddly enough I never considered whether or not spicy foods could be harmful. Glad to know it isn't and I am happy to say that I have two very healthy boys to prove it -- who btw don't like spicy foods yet

[raish]

hi there every one!!!
Wow is that so???whew that's a relief i love to eat spicy food and i really can't get enough its really good to hear that. Thanks a lot.

[ljmarsden]

You can continue enjoying the spice raish! Congratulations on your pregnancy. LJ