Body Myths

A question on nutrition during pregnancy?

I am almost 2 months pregnant. I crave pickles, collard greens and McDonald's french fries. I feel like if I eat anything else I will get sick and throw up. Are these foods healthy for me? And what foods should I be eating (please be specific as possible if you can) Thank You for your answer!

Public Comments

1. First of all, you need to have a visit with your OB to discuss a food plan that will work for you. During very nauseous times, my doctor says to eat whatever I think I can get down, so long as I don't make a habit of it. With my first pregnancy, all I wanted was Whopper JR's, fruit punch, pineapple, and watermelon mister mistys. Once I got through the first trimester, I got back to my old healthy eating pattern. And, no, McD's french fries are NOT good for you!
2. Eating healthfully during pregnancy is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your baby. After all, the food you eat is your baby's only source of nutrition. Smart choices about pregnancy nutrition can help you promote your baby's growth and development. Here's help making every bite count. Grains Grains provide essential carbohydrates, your body's main source of energy. Many whole-grain and enriched products also contain fiber, iron, B vitamins, various minerals and protein. Fortified cereals can help you get enough folic acid. How much: Choose six to nine servings a day. If that sounds like a lot, relax. It may not be as much as you think. One serving equals: 1/2 to 1 cup cold cereal 1/2 cup cooked cereal, pasta or rice 1 slice bread 1/2 English muffin 1/2 small bagel 6 crackers Trade sugary cereal and white bread for whole-grain cereals, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and whole-grain bread. Feature wild rice or barley in soups, stews, casseroles and salads. Look for products that list whole grains first in the ingredients list (such as whole-wheat flour, not simply wheat flour). Fruits and vegetables Fruits and vegetables provide various vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber to aid digestion. Vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables, helps you absorb iron. It also promotes healthy gums and other tissues for both you and your baby. Dark green vegetables have vitamin A, iron and folate — other important nutrients during pregnancy. How much: Choose three or more servings of fruit and four or more servings of veggies a day. It's easy! Top your cereal with slices of fresh fruit. Make a veggie pizza. Sneak extra vegetables into your casserole. One serving equals: 1 medium-sized piece of fruit 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit 1/4 cup dried fruit 1 cup raw, leafy vegetables 1/2 to 1 cup cooked or other raw vegetables 1/2 cup fruit or vegetable juice 1 small baked potato If you're tired of the standard apples, oranges, green beans and corn, branch out. Try apricots, mango, pineapple, sweet potatoes, winter squash or asparagus. Make trail mix with a variety of dried fruit. If you drink fruit juice, limit the number of daily servings. Too much fruit juice can lead to undesired weight gain. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans Foods in this group have plenty of protein, as well as B vitamins and iron. Protein is crucial for your baby's growth, especially during the second and third trimesters. How much: Choose two or more servings of protein-rich foods a day. Eat peanut butter toast for breakfast. Make scrambled eggs or an omelet for lunch. Serve a salmon fillet for dinner. Add chickpeas or black beans to your salad. Snack on a handful of soy nuts. One serving equals: 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish (about the size of a deck of cards) 1/2 cup cooked dried beans 1 egg 1/2 cup tofu 1/3 cup nuts 2 tablespoons peanut butter If your traditional sources of protein no longer appeal to you — especially during the first trimester — experiment with other options. Dairy products The calcium in dairy products and calcium-fortified soy milk helps build your baby's bones and teeth. Dairy products also have vitamin A, vitamin D and protein. How much: Choose four or more servings a day. Drink the milk in your cereal bowl. Eat yogurt for your afternoon snack. Have a glass of milk with dinner. Add cheese to a salad. One serving equals: 1 cup skim milk 1 cup yogurt 2 ounces natural cheese (about the size of six dice) 2 ounces processed cheese If you have trouble digesting dairy products, get creative. Try calcium-fortified orange juice. Experiment with lactose-reduced or lactose-free products. Take a lactase enzyme preparation when you eat or drink dairy products. Fats, oils and sweets Sorry, there are no minimum requirements for fats and sweets. It's OK to indulge once in a while, as long as you're getting the nutrients you need and your weight gain is on target. To avoid going overboard, keep an eye on portion size. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pregnancy-nutrition/PR00108 Foods that Aren't Safe to Eat During Pregnancy Alcohol: Alcohol in any amount is unsafe for the health and development of your baby. Un-pasteurized Juices: Un-pasteurized juice can harbor bacteria that can affect you and your baby. Unless you've washed, squeezed and bottled the juice yourself, you have no idea how it was handled before it got to you. The process of pasteurization should kill all bacteria, making it a safe during pregnancy. Smoked/Cured Meats and Deli Meats: Cold cuts and smoked meats can harbor bacteria like E. coli and listeria, which can be very dangerous for a pregnant woman and her baby. Avoid them during pregnancy, as well hot dogs — even the ones you make at home. Fish: although fish is generally safe to eat during pregnancy, certain large fish which prey on smaller fish ma
3. I was a HUGE pickle lover before I got pregnant, and turned out pickles actually calmed down my nauceous stomach! it ROCKED! lol. But honestly, for the time being, you can eat whatever you can keep down... toward the end of the first trimester though (for me its happeneing now, and I'm in my 9th week) I'm starting to be able to eat stuff without them making me feel sick, and I'm trying to stick to nothing but healthy foods. You shoudl be eating food with good source of nutrients for the baby. -fruits -veggies -protien rich foods -calcium rich food -stay off sodas, no caffeine -low sugar (as to not overwork your already overworking kidneys) -a TON of water -juices -chicken is great! -a fish maybe 2 times a week for good vitamin d intake :-) Hope I helped!
4. I craved the same foods. McDonald's was a five star meal for me. Pickles and olives were my best friends. I ate whatever I craved. Then gradually you will experience that those carvings will fade and you would want to eat healthier meals. Do not force yourself to eat something you do not want to eat, eat foods you crave. As long as you take your prenatal vitamins you should be ok. I know women who ate burgers and french fries throughout their pregnancy and their babies are absolutely healthy. DO NOT DRINK, SMOKE, OR EAT SUSHI=RAW FISH. STICK TO DECAF COFFEE AND TEA.
5. until you are about 16 weeks and the early pregnancy symptoms are gone just eat whatever you need to get you through. After that the general guidelines are just a sensible healthy diet. Try for 3 servings of fruit and 4 servings of vegetables a day, you want some kind of protein with each meal and try to make your carbs whole grain. Drink lots of water. The food pyramid website has a lot of great info for eating during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It also has meal planner and can help you figure out what is considered a serving for different foods. It has a program where you can daily food tracking intake to see if you are getting what you need. http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramidmoms/index.html I know this can be an uncomfortable topic for a lot of people, but you do need to watch your weight gain. Gaining too much weight can be bad for both you and the baby. Too much weight gain increases your risk of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and the baby can get too big and even be at risk for obesity later in life. An extra 300 calories a day is all you need. If you were underweight when you got pregnant you may need a little more and overweight a little less.