Pregnancy and Food

[annanstee]

I had a lot of trouble the first few months, and really had to force myself to eat. I would have a bran muffin with cheese in the morning. Toast and butter with tea, worked, and noodles with butter and salt. Apples.

Then, when all that was over I wanted nothing but Mexican food for like, seven months in a row. :

[LaurelH]

Congratulations. Everyone has offered great ideas.

I was an "all day" sickness sufferer for the first 4 or 5 months with my first pregnancy and Toast and Crackers and tea, yes, all good. Fortunately I craved steamed green vegetables of all kinds. Just steamed plain with salt and butter. Brown rice, white rice and lots of fresh fruit and yogurt.

However the absolutely most important things for me were:

1) Have food near the bed so that you can eat before you sit up in the morning, just one or two soda crackers and a sip of water should do it.

2) Keep soda crackers, or a mild treat that you can stomach in your desk drawer at work to nibble if your blood sugar drops.

3) Clothes that are normally comfortable are no longer sufficient. Even if they still fit you. Try wearing something that does not bind your stomach, ever! Wear loose fitting pants or dresses. For some reason this can make or break the day nausea-wise. It might not work for everyone but it sure worked for me. Unfortunately, I didn't make this connection until my second pregnancy.

4) Make sure your Folic Acid Supplement is Iron Free and eat lots of fresh greens instead, unless your doctor recommends otherwise (anemia being a common issue with pregnancy).

5) Eat what you crave, try to be reasonable, if you crave chips its probably the salt so find a healthy salty thing, and so on.

6) And drink lots of water, or juice blended with water.

I hope that you are able to find some suggestions that work for you amongst all of our kind wishes. Good luck! It will go away. Enjoy the rest of the pregnancy, it is like a massive science experiment on your own body. It is so cool.

[snowangel]

I found parmesan flavored gold fish a good idea to keep by the bed -- less crumbs.

With my second pregnancy, I was sick the whole time. Carnation instant breakfast was one thing I could stomach.

BTW, for many, it ending with the first trimester is a myth, my doctor said that it is often more tied to the half-way point. Most of my friends found this to be true as did I for numbers 1 and 3. With them, once the nausea passed, smells still got to me. To this day, the smell of microwave popcorn popping just about sends me to the bathroom.

[Kim Shook]

What Laurel said. Seriously - I agree with everything - it sounds odd, but loose clothing can be very important! I was sick until they cut the cord, so I completely sympathize with you. Mr. Kim used to bring me saltines and coke in bed in the mornings and sometimes that helped. I hope that yours passes soon, but if it doesn't, talk to your doctor. Losing a little weight in the beginning isn't a problem, but you don't want to continue to lose a lot! Good luck and let us know how things are going!!

[Susan G]

Thanks so much *everyone* for all your good wishes and advice! *Love* this community! I found lots here to use - like where to find sea bands, the fact that the pre-natal vitamins may be causing some of the nausea (in retrospect, duh!) and the expected hypersensitivity to smells. I had just started having this with other people's foods; knowing others had gone through it made me feel like less of a freak! Also eating a small meal every ninety minutes to two hours is *really* helping keep the nausea at bay....

My new favorite snacking combo: Salted, smoked almonds (in smalll quantities) and pink grapefruit juice!

I have a pilot coworker who smokes cheap cigars outdoors and then comes inside where he radiates fumes. Imagine my joy. The other night another co-worker broiled salmon in the kitchen and left the pans out for 12 hours.......anyone have tales about the food smells that completely did them in during pregnancy? Peanut butter is another scent I'm suddenly prepelled by: I'm wondering if it's the afflotoxins?

[christine007]

When pregnant with my first, my mother was baking a pork roast and I had to leave the house. Ugh, I'll always remember that. I too threw up in my own backyard, hubby could not get the door open fast enough.

But take heart, it does pass, and you'll be ok. For me, oddly, the one thing I could count on not to upset my stomach was a tossed salad and pita bread.

For my second pregnancy, other than the no period thing.. I opened the fridge up and wanted to puke my brains out. that was how I just knew I was preggers again.. Oh, and simmering potpurri make me sick.

To this day, my mom cannot stand the smell of a certain soap that made her sick during her pregnancy!

[therese]

I have a pilot coworker who smokes cheap cigars outdoors and then comes inside where he radiates fumes.  Imagine my joy. 

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Ah, yes, cheap cigars. When I was pregnant with my second child one of my co-workers (the boss) would smoke his pipe in his office (with the door closed, as it was strictly prohibited to smoke anywhere in the building). I couldn't bear to be in his office or anywhere near him, and because he wouldn't admit to smoking there was no way I could come out and say, "Listen, that crap you put in your pipe smells like dead rotting animals. Smoked dead rotting animals."

...anyone have tales about the food smells that completely did them in during pregnancy?

Lemon grass: smelled like sweaty chickens

Basmatic rice: weirdly animal sort of odor

Laundry detergent: I don't remember which one, but I had to switch products during the pregnancy

[popover]

Congradulations. I used to carry a lemon where ever I went just in case and breathe into it. But cooked onions and fish really was my worst enemy and smells of cheap perfume and scented soaps. Try not to have an empty stomach as this can make the stomach worse. I used to eat crackers and left them at my bedside.

Later on when I had cravings it was always pizza and a nestle crunch mcflurry.

All the best,

Melinda

[lesfen]

Coffee. I could not deal with the smell of coffee when I was pregnant. Blegh. Oh, and beer. My husband went golfing one day and came home smelling of the stuff. He said he only had three but to me he smelled like he went swimming in it.

[kkeym]

For both of my pregnancies I made sure that I always had some hard candies (pref. butterscotch) handy, they were good for beating a blood-sugar low wherever I was. Sea bands every night helped too. I couldn't even think about chicken, and the mere idea of cooking chicken made me sick. I also developed a bionic sense of smell and certain smells just got to me. I could smell a cigarette from a mile away, and let's not even talk about coffee.

Incidentally, I read a study when I was pregnant with #2 (my daughter) that linked daily chocolate intake in pregnant mom with happy baby -- no kidding -- and I jumped on that as an excuse for a daily chocolate fix -- just a little bite of something. My daughter is the happiest baby I have ever seen. So that is my advice -- chocolate every day!!!

[bavila]

My new favorite snacking combo: Salted, smoked almonds (in smalll quantities) and pink grapefruit juice!

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Sounds good to me!

Onions got me the first time around. Which basically meant staying out of any kitchen anywhere.

[pamjsa]

The smell of peanut butter set me off, too--throughout my entire first pregnancy, not just the first trimester. As did the smell of cooking beef. Not chicken or fish, oddly enough, just beef. That's only the tip of the weirdness iceberg--this was the pregnancy during which all I wanted to eat was celery with aerosol cheese. (I know! It's not something I would ever, ever eat under normal circumstances, but pregnancy doesn't fall into that category.)

During my second pregnancy, the peanut butter aversion didn't reappear but I couldn't stomach the smell of coffee at all. And I love coffee beyond all reason, so that was very sad. I even tried drinking a cup with my nose plugged, but you can imagine how well that worked. That time around, my cravings were focused on Pepperidge Farms' frozen coconut cake. (Interestingly, I gained only half as much weight as I did the first time, eating all that celery!)

Congrats!

[Kouign Aman]

During my pregnancy, I wanted palak paneer. I pigged out at local indian buffets at least once a week. The other big craving was baked beans w cornbread. I missed bleu cheeses and wine something fierce.

The smells of artificial flavor in coffee really got to me, and its still a problem. I couldnt walk down the coffee aisle in the grocery at all, and the smell still gives me a headache. I didnt give up all coffee drinking but noticed that the previously rich welcoming smell of brewing coffee (as it is now), was reminiscent of cat-spray while I was pregnant.

[Susan G]

During my pregnancy, I wanted palak paneer.

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Yes!! For the last two weeks I had been craving (and eating alot of ) saag paneer!

I won't be posting to this thread for awhile: The pregnancy was an ectopic one, and yesterday I had surgery just in the nick of time.

I've been comforting myself today with the recommended doses of painkillers, and lots of chocolate. Lots and lots and *lots* of chocolate.

...Already, I notice I'm fine with food smells. Funny how quickly that changes?

[therese]

I won't be posting to this thread for awhile: The pregnancy was an ectopic one, and yesterday I had surgery just in the nick of  time.

I've been comforting myself today with the recommended doses of painkillers, and lots of chocolate.  Lots and lots and *lots* of chocolate.

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Very sorry to hear, Susan, but very good news that you made it to surgery. Chocolate is an excellent post-op food.

[Dana]

So sorry, Susan. Mythoughts are with you.

[DTBarton]

I thought I'd add this from a recent observation. We were picking up some takeout from a local Greek place a couple days ago and in the space of about 10 minutes, two obviously pregnant women came in by themselves, separately, and ordered gyros to go.

We thought perhaps gyros were on the list of pregnancy cravings.

[K8memphis]

I thought I'd add this from a recent observation.  We were picking up some takeout from a local Greek place a couple days ago and in the space of about 10 minutes, two obviously pregnant women came in by themselves, separately, and ordered gyros to go.

We thought perhaps gyros were on the list of pregnancy cravings.

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Yeah their husbands were cravin' some supper

No but really, I could not get enough Tango tamales when I was pregnant. No other brand would do. They were available at Eagle grocery stores 27 years ago

But also I could not abide the smell of peanut butter ~ran screaming. Then that kidlette did not like it either for most of her life.--Lately she will eat it.

[LaurelH]

During my pregnancy, I wanted palak paneer.

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Yes!! For the last two weeks I had been craving (and eating alot of ) saag paneer!

I won't be posting to this thread for awhile: The pregnancy was an ectopic one, and yesterday I had surgery just in the nick of time.

I've been comforting myself today with the recommended doses of painkillers, and lots of chocolate. Lots and lots and *lots* of chocolate.

...Already, I notice I'm fine with food smells. Funny how quickly that changes?

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Hi Susan,

I just wanted to add my heartfelt sympathy. So sorry to hear of your sad news, glad to hear that you made it to the hospital in the nick of time.

Best wishes,

Laurel

[Jenny McClure]

Just thought I would revive this topic as I sit here contemplating what I want for dinner and what would be fair to expect my husband to have to eat it also.

As I enter the 2nd trimestre, I am still waiting to get back my once healthy appetite for red meat. I have not been able to face; meat, chicken, dark chocolate (my absolute favourite).

I could eat smoked salmon, cereal and pizza for every meal.

Smells also bother me. Everything smells so strong, which is particularly unpleasant in public bathrooms, places that do a lot of fried stuff and my local gym.

[lesfen]

I'm having a similar dinnertime quandry. I'm 32 weeks and my appetite just bottomed out on me. I'm not sick, I'm just not very hungry. My husband says that the baby is tired of all the spicy food that I've subjected her to for the past few months. What does he know? I thnk she LIKES it when I put Wendy's chili sauce packets on everyting. All I know is that I have to prepare meals for my daughter and my husband and I have no interest in food tonight. That's never fun.

[Domestic Goddess]

When I was pregnant with our first son, I only had a week of morning sickness. I did crave Washington Apples which I had my sisters find at the fruit stalls in the wet markets of Manila. They had to look for perfect red ones with 5 bumps on the underside of each apple. But I wouldn't eat the apples but would just look at them and make my sisters eat one.

For my second pregnancy, I had a month's worth of afternoon sickness. Everyday, at 6:00 pm on the dot, I would rush into the bathroom to emerge 10-20 minutes later with a sick look on my face. Saltine crackers helped a lot. For my cravings, I had my hubby go out and buy balut (boiled duck egg embryo in its shell) and onion dip. The balut I ate. The onion dip, I would open, smell and keep in the fridge until it got moldy.

[SheenaGreena]

When I was pregnant with our first son, I only had a week of morning sickness. I did crave Washington Apples which I had my sisters find at the fruit stalls in the wet markets of Manila. They had to look for perfect red ones with 5 bumps on the underside of each apple. But I wouldn't eat the apples but would just look at them and make my sisters eat one.

never had a bun in the oven, but I loved that. Sounds like you have great sisters to find you "perfect" apples so you can admire them

what's up with women and smells? particularly onions? I wonder why we have an aversion to certain smells while pregnant, what purpose could this serve? perhaps some sort of defense mechanism, but all the food smells you don't like are perfectly fine foods.

[Kouign Aman]

I lost my appetite toward the end too. Snacking worked but I just didnt want to eat "meals", particularly at the end of the day. Frequently there was a foot between the intake and outake parts of my gut and it was uncomfortable. (I was known to poke said foot with a finger til it relocated. The ensuing high-volume gurgle as the food flowed past the previous roadblock sent us into gales of laughter.)

I hope you managed to feed the family. Sounds like a night to send them out for a 'bonding' experience at the local drive-thru, to me.

[Jenny McClure]

I shouldn't complain too much about the lack of appetite. A close friend of mine, who is now in week 39, faces the opposite problem....she can't get enough, of EVERYTHING. After a 8lb gain in just 1 week and tipping the scales 55lbs heavier than prepregnancy, she is starting to regret that daily packet of cameo cookies habit!!