Love seafood? You’re probably scouring the internet to answer the question: Can you eat lobster while pregnant?

Well, look no further…You can eat lobster while pregnant. Phew!

Pregnancy will temporarily impact the things you’re able to do, but you won’t have to give up seaside lobster rolls or a romantic lobster dinner for two. There’s a lot of misinformation circulating about what pregnant women can and cannot do while carrying a baby. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about safely consuming lobster during your pregnancy.

 

Benefits Of Eating Lobster While Pregnant

So, can pregnant women eat lobster? Some doctors actually recommend eating lobster during pregnancy. Lobster contains a whole host of beneficial nutrients that you need on a prenatal diet. For example, lobster is a great source of protein, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, iron, and Omega-3 fats.

You’ve probably heard that seafood’s high mercury levels make it unsafe to eat during pregnancy. Luckily, you don’t need to consider mercury levels while preparing lobster. Lobster is a low-mercury seafood that is totally safe for you and your little one on the way.

Other low-mercury seafood options include:

  • Salmon
  • Cod
  • Trout
  • Pollock
  • Tilapia
  • Shrimp
  • Oysters
  • Clams
  • Anchovies
  • Sardines
  • Light canned tuna (limit to 6 ounces per week)
  • Shad

Lobster is a delicious, nutritious, and low-mercury seafood option that is safe to eat during your pregnancy. Still, you’ll need to keep a few safety concerns in mind when preparing and eating lobster. Read on for a lobster safety checklist!

 

Our Checklist for Safe Lobster Consumption

Though it is safe to eat lobster while you’re pregnant, there are a few things you should take into consideration regarding lobster consumption. The benefits of eating lobster while pregnant are so substantial that it’s worth taking these few extra steps to ensure you and your baby remain healthy.

This simple checklist will allow you to enjoy lobster throughout your pregnancy.

  • Check for environmental hazards. Take time to figure out where the lobster came from so that you can look into possible pollutants. You can conduct your own research online, or you could ask someone at your local seafood market. It’s important to know where your seafood comes from, whether you’re pregnant or not. This is a great time to become familiar with local fish advisories.
  • Limit lobster intake. So, can you eat lobster while pregnant? Yes! However, you should limit your lobster intake. You can eat approximately 8-12 ounces of seafood per week while pregnant. Keep in mind that number includes all types of seafood, not just lobster, so plan accordingly.
  • Follow safe food handling protocol. Make sure to prepare the lobster properly. You can read about how to prepare lobster and find some recipe inspiration here. That being said, lobster is pretty easy to cook! Lobster only takes a few minutes to cook thoroughly, and the results are mouthwatering. You can make leftover lobster meat into lobster dip, bisque, or mac n cheese.

 

Eating Lobster While Breastfeeding

Once you’ve thoroughly researched, “Can you eat lobster while pregnant?” and figured out that you are able to consume lobster during pregnancy, you might have some questions about breastfeeding. Namely, whether you can indulge in a special lobster dinner while breastfeeding your newborn.

Don’t worry. You can enjoy lobster while breastfeeding. Most people can safely consume lobster two to three times per week while breastfeeding. Still, you should still use the safety checklist above to make sure that you and your baby are safe from any potential pollutants. Lobster and other shellfish provide essential vitamins and nutrients.

 

Seafood You Should Avoid While Pregnant

Can pregnant women eat lobster? Yes, but that doesn’t mean all seafood is fair game while carrying a baby. There are several types of seafood that you should avoid, including:

    • Seafood with high mercury levels. High levels of mercury can harm your baby’s nervous system. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends avoiding shark, king mackerel, swordfish, marlin, tilefish, bigeye tuna, and orange roughly, specifically. As you can see from this list, most of your supermarket seafood favorites have low levels of mercury. However, if you’re planning for an event that might require a specialty seafood item, you should avoid all of the options listed here to reduce mercury exposure.
    • Contaminated, raw, or undercooked seafood. You should not eat raw fish or shellfish, including sushi and ceviche. Additionally, you should avoid uncooked, refrigerated seafood, which includes seafood labeled kippered, nova style, lox and jerky. However, you can eat smoked seafood in prepared dishes such as a casserole or other fully cooked meal.

You can safely consume seafood while pregnant if you prioritize low-mercury seafood options, including lobster, and only eat fully cooked seafood. Always make sure to cook your seafood properly and check with a doctor if you’re concerned about what to eat during your pregnancy.

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