No Hot Dogs? No Sushi? It's Gonna Be a Long Nine Months.

Awesome! Hot dogs for dinner!

But John Larsen, chair of obstetrics at George Washington University Medical Center, was more cautious. There are reasons, he explained, to avoid certain foods: because of toxins, such as mercury in some fish, and bacteria, such as listeria in unpasteurized milk products and undercooked meat that can cause miscarriage or stillbirth. And then there's toxoplasma, a meat-borne parasite that generally causes minor illness but can be fatal for a fetus -- not to mention unsanitary conditions in delis and potentially cancer-causing nitrites in hot dogs.

The warnings are "based on some good data," said Helain Landy, a professor and chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center. "You have to be smart."

Listeria is 20 times more likely to affect pregnant women than healthy people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 2,500 people become seriously ill from the bacteria every year in the United States. I guess you just don't want to mess with the odds, whatever they are.

Which is why I focused on choosing the right food rather than on how much I ate -- until my doctor told me recently to watch my weight.

You see, I've already put on 28 of the recommended 24 to 35 pounds. So his comment put me over the edge. What did he know? Then, a little more than a week ago, Kaiser Permanente released a study showing that more than one in five women gain too much weight during pregnancy, leading to bigger babies and potential risks at birth such as bleeding, tearing, stuck shoulders and broken collarbones. One more thing to worry about.

I have decided that nine months is a long time to abide by so many new rules. And who knew about all these rules, anyway?

"This information has been known for many years," Landy said.

Oh. Wow.

With three months to go, I have decided I need to relax, to take a step back and look honestly at myself and the many pregnant women who came before me.

If one hot dog can consume me with such guilt, I must be a little off balance. You know, now that I think about it . . . my mom drank beer when she was pregnant with me.

Clearly that must have something to do with it.

Comments: mclaughlinme@washpost.com.