>>Increased appetite during pregnancy

Increased appetite during pregnancy. What if you are constantly hungry?

Food preferences during pregnancy

Approximately 25% of women during pregnancy feel cravings for at least one type of food. These eating habits occur spontaneously in early pregnancy and can be almost overwhelming. Doctors and scientists still have not been able to determine exactly what are the reasons for this manifestation. It is unclear what caused such desires, changed hormone levels, emotional changes, or anything else.

What food do pregnant women want most often?

40% of women want sweets

35% cravings for salty or pickled snacks

16% of expectant mothers want spicy food

9% of women are attracted to fruits (green apples, citrus fruits and other acidic foods)

How often do women follow their food desires?

36% of women eat whatever they feel like eating every day

34% of women consume what they really want every other day

24% of women allow themselves to do it once a week

6% of women indulge their food desires more than once a day

Frank conversations of women. What kind of food is drawn during pregnancy?

I always want something salty or spicy. Yesterday I persuaded my husband to go to a Mexican restaurant and never before have I experienced such pleasure. - Emma

I am drawn to sweets all the time. Bread with chocolate spread, puffed rice, sweet cereals, small donuts covered in chocolate or sugar. I know that this is all bad for me and I allow myself such things no more than once a month. - Alla

I really want mashed potatoes and gravy and nothing else. Sometimes I think that I will never want anything else. - Valeria

I often eat peanut butter and jellied meat. And in my last pregnancy, I was crazy about shrimp. - Helena

I am pregnant for the third time and I want tomatoes every day. Throughout my first pregnancy, I carried apples in my purse, and during the second pregnancy I was not drawn to anything. On the contrary, I rather did not feel like eating, there was no appetite at all. - Darya

How to safely satisfy your appetite and your food preferences during pregnancy?

As practice shows, only a few women during pregnancy feel a craving for healthy foods (spinach, broccoli, oatmeal, etc.). Most want ice cream, chocolate, and cakes. Of course, it is very difficult to resist such temptations, especially in your position, so sometimes allow yourself a favor, but always remember the small organism growing inside you. The following guidelines will help you better control your gastronomic desires:

Eat a full breakfast every day.
A good breakfast is a good way to deal with the urge to grab something before lunch. A good breakfast can be a glass of orange (or other) juice, yogurt, eggs, white bread toast, oatmeal, muesli, fruits and nuts.

Exercise regularly.
Walking also gives a good effect. Not only are they good for your wellness, but they can also help relieve the boredom that leads to over-eating chips, salty croutons, cookies, or other junk food for you.

Train yourself that everything is possible in moderation.
For example, try eating half of your ice cream instead. Or instead of a large bar of chocolate, a small one. If such small portions only increase your appetite, then eat the entire portion, but do it less often.

Healthy substitutes for unhealthy foods

Below are several options for replacing unwanted products for pregnant women with useful analogues:

1. Try low fat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream.
2. Make mineral water with fruit juice instead of sweet soda
3. Instead of donuts and buns, buy a whole grain baguette and spread jam
4. Instead of cakes and pastries, buy breads with bananas and nuts. If the temptation is very great, you can afford a strawberry meringue.
5. Try brown sugar oatmeal instead of sugary cereals.
6. Eat low-fat chips or popcorn instead of potato chips
7. Instead of fatty sour cream, try low fat sour cream, or yogurt.
8. Fresh or frozen fruit works well in place of canned fruit.
9. Bake homemade peanut butter crackers instead of cookies
10. Instead of cheesecake or creamy dessert, try on whole-grain crackers or low-fat vanilla-sugar rice pudding.

Video: Why do pregnant women want salty so much?

The promotion of the ideal image of women through the media and the obsession with their appearance lead to the fact that some ladies find it difficult to come to terms with the fact that the figure changes during pregnancy. Lack of self-acceptance pushes some women to take drastic action. Is fasting appropriate during pregnancy, is it possible to ignore food? Absolutely not!

A lot has been said and written on the topic of fasting, and there are still many very different points of view on this issue. Among the many advantages and disadvantages of refusing food, there is still one indisputable point: fasting should not be practiced by pregnant women and nursing mothers.

Sometimes malnutrition does not become a healing procedure at all. It happens that ladies simply ignore certain dishes, hoping that providing the body with fewer calories will save them from gaining weight. Meal skipping also occurs due to negligence, forgetfulness, or constant busyness. Whatever the reason, however, this behavior can have serious consequences for the health of the development of the fetus and even health problems later in the life of the child.

Fasting during pregnancy: negative consequences for women and children

The body, deprived of sufficient amounts of nutrients, begins to rebel. The expectant mother has a severe headache, the problems associated with cardiovascular diseases, if any, are aggravated; kidney stones and hypertension may develop. In general, fasting can lead to depletion of the body (depending on its duration), which leads to vitamin deficiency, a deficiency of proteins and fats. This is unacceptable for a mother-to-be! Too strict a diet weakens the body, often causing a feeling of chronic fatigue, and sometimes even leading to depression, which is also completely useless for women carrying a child.

What do the experts say about the effects of fasting their mom's pregnancy on a baby? Researchers at the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands have found that hunger in the first weeks of an interesting situation has a significant impact on the health of a child even in adulthood. From their research, it follows that ignoring food can lead to genetic changes, the result of which backfires in adulthood. The study authors concluded that babies who are malnourished during the first ten weeks of pregnancy have some characteristic differences in genes when compared to their siblings of the same sex. "Starving" children had fewer substances that control the amount of protein synthesized by cells.

The use by a mother of a hunger strike during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, and lead to future diseases of the nervous system: depression, mental disorders, and weaker brain development. Mom's hunger in early pregnancy (in the first trimester) can have an impact on brain development and is associated with the risk of future addictions and disorders, such as schizophrenia.

At the same time, fasting does not solve the problem of extra pounds for the expectant mother. Most often, weight loss associated with malnutrition occurs due to the burning of muscle tissue instead of fat and getting rid of water from the body (due to the lack of absorption of carbohydrates).

Pregnant women should not go hungry - what to do?

Active weight loss in an interesting position is excluded, but excessive weight gain is also not beneficial to either mother or baby. What to do?

As in many areas of life, moderation is key. To lose weight, you need to eat, but eat healthy foods. In this context, it seems clear that eating well, providing adequate calories and nutrients, is essential to the health of both mother and baby. It's also worth remembering not to skip meals, but try to balance them. Weight gain during pregnancy is absolutely normal, and you do not need to protect yourself from it, remembering that, on average, body weight gain ranges from 11-13 kg. The time will come for losing weight after pregnancy, but now you need to think about something completely different.

The first days of pregnancy were different for each woman. But, interestingly, each remembers in detail how the early stage of her interesting position proceeded.

When Mom Doesn't Know Yet ...

When we talk about the very first weeks of pregnancy, as a rule, we are talking about the time when the expectant mother does not even suspect that a new life has arisen inside her. During this period, the body begins to give the very first signs, as hormonal changes begin. Although it also happens that the sensations that many experience, some do not manifest at all.

For example, a pregnant woman's temperature may suddenly rise sharply - after a couple of hours, it also unexpectedly normalizes for a woman. Or at some point, her lower back starts to ache or her stomach hurts - these are the first sensations that they cannot yet convey to the pregnant woman important news for her.

It is believed that in the first days of pregnancy, the body itself partly understands that a fertilized egg is developing in the uterus, but this information has not yet reached the brain. Therefore, he is lost in conjectures, not knowing how to react to the changes that are taking place. At the same time, most women admit that in the early stages of pregnancy, the thought suddenly occurs to almost everyone: “Am I pregnant?”, Although there seemed to be no reason for this. If you realized that you are expecting a baby, closer to 12 weeks, then you already had to experience a variety of sensations.

Avoid Overwork

So, how does pregnancy manifest itself at different times and what are the feelings of a woman? First of all, there is a familiar feeling of overwork. A pregnant woman (if she is not yet aware of what happened) thinks that she is getting sick, because her body aches like before the onset of a cold, she constantly wants to sleep. But no matter how much time a woman spends in a dream, she begins to "nod off" within a few hours after waking up, without having time to do important things or work.

It turns out that by sending such sensations to a woman, a smart body accumulates strength for the upcoming changes and enables a woman to recover if she was exhausted mentally or physically. Almost every pregnant woman says that at such moments it was simply not possible to fight sleep - as if someone pressed an invisible button so that it would instantly turn off.

Doctors explain: this happens during pregnancy because the body turns on the energy-saving mode, when overloads are unacceptable. So every time a woman tries to do something tedious or "overwork", the body immediately stops her, as if teaching the fair sex to set priorities right now.

Don't eat clay

How else does the early stage of an interesting situation manifest itself? Of course, a pregnant woman in most cases does not want to eat, or, on the contrary, she is constantly overcome by hunger. It all depends on the state of the body, lifestyle and physique.

It is believed that thin girls at this time begin to lean on buns, because they are drawn to them. Thus, the body is in a hurry to stock up on the fat it needs, which will also serve as protection for mom and baby. Women in the "body" can become selective in their diet, and after childbirth they often become much slimmer than they were.

In general, the relationship with food in pregnant women becomes difficult immediately - this is how pregnancy manifests itself in almost everyone. Someone, suffering from toxicosis, already in the early stages cannot see raw meat or nuts and eats only canned corn. There are also those who pretend to love pickles. Of course, there are lucky women who do not know what morning sickness is, and can eat absolutely any food without problems, but there are very few of them.

After the 12th week, the situation returns to normal, but keep in mind that the very course of pregnancy suggests odd eating behavior throughout the entire 9 months. For example, vomiting, which appeared in a woman from the moment of conception, can pursue her until the birth of a baby.

Such a manifestation of an interesting situation can and should be fought. To get rid of the discomfort that occurs in the morning, you need to eat a small piece of cookies, even before you get out of bed. Also, avoid stuffy and smoky rooms - otherwise, you are guaranteed to faint.

This stage of pregnancy is also characterized by the fact that you may be drawn to inedible "products" (chalk, earth, clay). It is believed that in such a non-standard way, the body tells you what elements are missing in your diet. Also, by the way, it comes in when it sends you a signal to eat a food item that you are not used to.

Consult your doctor - perhaps, after a series of tests, he will prescribe you a course of vitamins. Try not to eat what you really want - after all, these "products" can lead to poisoning or infection in the body, which is dangerous in your condition.

Body and Mood: Change Is Coming

The course of pregnancy, of course, at an early stage has a number of features. In addition to all of the above, a woman may also feel a desire to empty her bladder more often. This is due to the fact that the uterus grows from the very first day of pregnancy - thus, even during this period, it can put a little pressure on its "neighbor" who is responsible for urination.

Due to extensive hormonal changes, emotions will replace one another at incredible rates. Therefore, do not be surprised that you will be annoyed even by the little things or suddenly want to cry. Try not to shout at loved ones, as much as you would like it - remember that pregnancy manifests itself in this way, and in a couple of minutes you will be ashamed of your act. Over time, these emotional outbursts will be smoothed out, but be prepared for the fact that you will cry with emotion at the sight of babies (even in advertising) for all 9 months.

The early stage of an interesting position can also manifest itself at the physiological level. First of all, a woman's periods stop. At the very beginning of pregnancy, unpleasant sensations appear in the area of ​​the mammary glands, because they are the first to prepare for childbirth. The breasts may swell and hurt, and the nipples may become sensitive to even the slightest touch. Sometimes even wearing a bra can cause discomfort.

Pregnancy is a natural physiological state of the female body, during which serious hormonal, biological changes occur. The work of the endocrine glands and metabolism change. The body begins to create the conditions necessary for carrying a pregnancy and giving birth to a child.

Each woman is special and the signs of pregnancy are manifested individually for each. In some, they are quite obvious, while in others they may be absent altogether. If you suspect you may have become pregnant, listen to your body. There are common true symptoms and sensations of conception. Not sure what are the signs of early pregnancy? Let's take a look at the most basic ones:

Delay of the next menstruation

This symptom is considered to be the main one for women with a regular menstrual cycle. If the expected period did not come within 5-6 days, then most likely you are pregnant.

Feelings of nausea

From the second week of conception, nausea appears. This sensation is especially pronounced in the morning, and sometimes vomiting can be quite strong, up to vomiting. This is the main symptom of early pregnancy toxicosis. But the female body can react to pregnancy in different ways. Some do not feel toxicosis throughout the entire period, while others suffer from nausea and vomiting from the first days to the very birth.

Smells

Many women from the first weeks of pregnancy acquire an incredible ability to catch odors. Previously pleasant aromas can become extremely disgusting and your favorite perfumes, cosmetics, without regret, end up in the trash can. Almost all pregnant women react very negatively to tobacco smoke, even if they have smoked themselves before.

Weird appetite

If severe toxicosis appears, appetite may disappear completely due to nausea and vomiting. Or, conversely, you want to eat constantly, day and night. Then the expectant mother begins to eat everything, not paying attention to the combination of products. For example, he gladly eats salted herring, washed it down with milk, and after an impressive piece of cake, pickles from a can are used. This is also a sign of pregnancy.

With the onset of pregnancy, especially in the early stages, there is a well-known craving for salty foods. This is due to the fact that the body began to experience a lack of vitamins. If you really want lightly salted cucumbers, then you do not have enough vitamin C. If you really want to drink beer, you do not have enough B vitamins. Also, one of the indicators that conception has come is the desire to eat those foods that you could not stand before.

Frequent urination

With the onset of pregnancy, frequent urge to use the toilet may appear. This is because the uterus increases in size and presses on the bladder. Therefore, very often you want to run to the toilet "in a small way."

Breast enlargement

This sign is one of the most revealing. In the first or second week after conception, the breasts enlarge, the mammary glands swell, and the nipples become extremely sensitive even to light touches. Severe pigmentation of the nipples will soon appear.

Drowsiness and weakness

Everything seems to be in order. The mood is good, work is pleasing, there is no depression, a deep, full sleep sets in at night. But for some reason the forces are going somewhere, they are getting smaller, especially towards the evening. Some women even experience fainting spells. These ailments are a characteristic symptom of the onset of pregnancy.

Mood swings

Very often, unmotivated irritation appears. Moreover, everything annoys - the actions of colleagues, the words of a loved one. But literally in a couple of minutes, the mood changes radically. You have just cried over the scene of a popular TV series, but now the same characters in the same scene cause unrestrained laughter. You yourself have just provoked a violent quarrel with your loved ones, but after five minutes you kiss them, shedding tears of joy. Such changes are very noticeable to others and they have the idea that "something is wrong" with you.

However, all of these signs cannot be 100% symptoms of the onset of conception. The mood will not necessarily change. Changes in taste preferences also do not appear for everyone. In the early stages, you may not feel any changes in the body at all. That is, this entire classic set of characteristic features may not appear at all.

One of the most popular and reliable ways to determine pregnancy at a short time is the biochemical method. The hormone secreted by the embryo - chorionic gonadotropin - can be easily determined in the urine of a pregnant woman using an express test. Special tests can be bought at the pharmacy. They differ only in price, and the quality is almost the same for all.

A gynecologist will help you confidently diagnose. Therefore, if the next menstruation has not come, go to the antenatal clinic to see a specialist. An ultrasound scan (ultrasound) will help to accurately establish the onset of pregnancy. This examination must be carried out without fail at the slightest suspicion. It is this procedure that will help eliminate the likelihood of an ectopic pregnancy, which may be accompanied by exactly the same symptoms.

The feeling of hunger in the early stages haunts many moms. On the one hand, this is logical, because a small life grows inside, which needs strength. On the other hand, mommy also gets tired of the sometimes just bestial appetite that haunts her day and night. What to do to prevent hunger during early pregnancy from leading to problems in the later stages? It is worth finding out the reasons for its appearance.

Read in this article

Causes of increased appetite

It should be noted right away that you cannot let the problem take its course. After all, extra pounds is a direct path to varicose veins, back pain, a large fetus, respectively, difficult childbirth and others. The reasons that provoke a constant feeling of hunger, doctors call the following:

The fact that there was a strong feeling of hunger during early pregnancy is not a problem in itself. This is a normal reaction of the body.

However, if you do not take timely measures, in the future it will be very difficult to return to normal form and not suffer from the "side effects" of overeating.

It is worth noting that some girls were so frivolous about their appetite, absorbing everything indiscriminately and without limitations, that they managed to gain up to 40-50 kilograms by the end of pregnancy. And to prevent this from happening, you must follow some rules to normalize the diet.

Look at the video about the nutritional features of a pregnant woman:

Pathologies that provoke an increase in appetite

The reasons for regular trips to the refrigerator are not always so cloudless. Such diseases can also provoke a constant desire to eat:

• diabetes;
• peptic ulcer, gastritis;
• hyperthyroidism.

If the expectant mother knows that she has problems in these areas, she should definitely inform her gynecologist about this.

Ideally, before conception, you need to take care of yourself and treat existing diseases. But pregnancy can be unplanned, and in chronic forms it is not always possible to foresee this. To exclude possible pathologies, the doctor will offer to take tests, and then adjust the treatment and tell you about the rules of nutrition.

Basic nutritional rules for a young mother

In order not to turn into a little elephant by the end of pregnancy, it is worth following simple dietary recommendations:

• If there is constant hunger in the early stages of pregnancy, not associated with diseases, you can satisfy it with the help of healthy foods (dried fruits, biscuits or cereal cookies, muesli).
• You can eat as often as you want, only to impose restrictions on the size of the portions. For example, no more than three to five spoons or a fist-sized portion. And to make it psychologically easier, you should take plates for desserts for a snack. Small portions will not look as dull on them as on large plates.
• Grain bread will bring fewer calories than white bread. You can also eat bread.
• In the eternal bustle, ladies often forget about the simplest thing - about water. The expectant mother does not always really want to eat, she can be tormented by thirst. To reduce the amount of food consumed, as well as to avoid dehydration, it is recommended to follow the water regime and drink one glass of liquid before meals.
• Sour foods are provocateurs of hunger. They irritate the walls of the stomach, and this provokes the desire to eat something else.
• Fruits are best friends. They will not only saturate the body with useful vitamins and microelements, which is so important for mothers and children, but also help fill the stomach with fiber, which is low in calories.
• Meat will help you stay full for longer. Yes, fruits or cereals alone are difficult to eat. The natural protein found in meat makes you feel fuller faster and stay away from the refrigerator for longer. However, it is worth remembering that against the background of the same unstable hormonal background, other problems with the gastrointestinal tract may arise. Therefore, meat products are best used boiled and steamed.
• Dairy products, cheeses will help saturate the body with calcium. Thanks to this, in the future, it will be possible to avoid problems with brittle hair, nails, crumbling teeth. Hard cheese is the perfect snack.
• The rate at which food is absorbed is also of great importance. Scientists have long proven that only a calm, measured meal will help you to eat without overeating. After all, the feeling of fullness comes after 20 minutes from the start of a meal. Therefore, amateurs eat on the go, or in 5 minutes it is worth reconsidering their habits. To prolong the process, you can make it a real art: set the table beautifully, carve figures from unloved fruits, look out the window and admire the views.

Some nutritionists also advise eating naked in front of a mirror. Usually such a sight discourages the desire to overeat, even with an ideal figure.

• Bananas, mangoes, fish, and legumes are tryptophan-rich foods. They are recommended to be eaten before bed, so that you can rest calmly and not be interrupted by nighttime snacks.
• I feel bad - I'll go and eat. This is the motto of many women, not only in an "interesting" position. However, it is also worth giving up the habit. Of course, the expectant mother is upset and causes an excessive storm of emotions by many factors, which she would not have paid attention to without the naughty hormones, but she must control herself.
• Hunger is a symptom of boredom. Quite often, in the early stages, various unforeseen pathologies arise, up to the threat of a breakdown. To avoid losing the child, doctors put the mother in the hospital. And there is absolutely nothing to do there, except to drink teas with delicious cookies or sweets, carefully brought by family and husband.

A sedentary lifestyle will further contribute to weight gain. It is better to find yourself another occupation (books, magazines, embroidery, etc.), and also do not forget about walking in good health. After all, pregnancy in itself is not a disease, light physical activity, provided you feel well, will only benefit.

Do not forget that doctors have long developed recommendations for optimal weight gain. So, girls who were too thin before pregnancy can gain 12 - 18 kg. For those who are of normal weight, it is recommended not to overstep the bar with indicators of 11 - 16 kg. For overweight girls, an increase of 7 to 11 kg will be optimal, but for those who fall into the category of "obese", they will have to keep within 5 - 9 kg. Proper nutrition will keep you at a healthy weight and control your appetite without harming yourself.

What to eat is undesirable

There is a certain list of products that doctors do not recommend to absolutely healthy people who are not in an "interesting" position. As for mothers, they are completely forbidden for them. These include:

• smoked meats, especially from the store;
• pickles, which retain fluid in the body and lead to edema;
• marinades, seasonings;
• hot sauces, especially if you have problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
• fast food products;
• carbonated drinks, spirits and coffee;
• crackers, chips and other delights with a large amount of chemical additives and salt;
• confectionery, baked goods, which very quickly show their presence in the body by deposition on the sides.

Healthy foods include seafood and citrus fruits. However, during pregnancy, they should be approached with extreme caution, since allergies can be provoked, even if they have not been observed before.

Feeling of constant hunger is often quite normal in the early stages. Mothers noted that it goes away by 10 - 12 weeks. If you eat right and choose foods for snacks, then problems with excessive weight gain can be avoided. And following the doctor's recommendations will allow you to survive the happy nine months of waiting without incidents, preparing your body for an easy birth.