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Original poster

pregnancy cravings

28 replies

MalkieFraser · 20/03/2011 16:49

"I NEEDED a Magnum at 2am so I made my husband drive to the petrol station and get me one"

This kind of statement pisses me off hugely! Man up husband! I must admit, the first time I fell pregnant I was looking forward to these 'uncontrollable cravings' and sending my DH out at stupid o' clock to get me pickles, but it's just a myth isn't it?

I got the occasional hankering for something, but nothing that couldn't wait.

Do some women just feel they need to perpetuate the myth?? Are some men really that gullible?

OP posts:
confuddledDOTcom · 20/03/2011 17:08

I know the feeling! I've never really had cravings, I had the taste to cover everything in sour cream (that actually started pregnancy #1 and now on #5 hasn't gone away since!) and I often find myself eating slices of cheese (apparently Clexane can cause bones to lose density and I'm supposed to be on calcium tablets but refuse so maybe the cheese thing is compensation?).

I often laugh when I remember the Esso ads where the expectant father is in the queue with lots of other expectant fathers, gets to the checkout and says "Cat food!" (ie he forgot to pick it up) and the other dads say "Cat food?!?!" "For the cat". Hearing other women's cravings often make me think of it.

ziva · 20/03/2011 17:54

when i need a red pepper,i need it.always make sure the veg drawer is well stocked.
cravings are very hard to explain to those who've never had one.imagine trying to sleep but your brain,mouth,jaw are all throbbing for a crunch of pepper.

JennyPiccolo · 20/03/2011 18:00

i NEEDED poached eggs one day. it was all consuming, i phoned my best mate at 8am because he has a poaching tin (I make shite poached eggs) and he was like 'haha, ill come round at tea time and make you them' and i couldn't wait. I had to go into town to a cafe.

Glimmerberry · 20/03/2011 18:00

I haven't craved things as such, but I have had unbearable nausea which has left me with a strong sense that only a particular food will relieve it...or terrible headachy hypoglycaemia from not being able to tolerate any food, during which I realise the one thing I could tolerate I must have immediately. The immediacy seems to come from knowing that if I don't get it my body will have changed it's mind again and I'll be desperately wondering what on earth I can eat again...

It's been crap and I very much doubt it's worse for him than me, despite running a few errands. Him getting on with it is manning up IMO.

TragicallyHip · 20/03/2011 18:01

I never had cravings, I feel a bit conned tbh! Grin

Bogeyface · 20/03/2011 18:10

I have had cravings on and off, mostly off though thankfully. But when I did I couldnt sleep for it.

I dont particularly like chocolate. Never have done, even as a child. I throw away easter eggs at Xmas as they are taking up space, thats how I am with it.

But I had a thing about Wispas. No other chocolate would do, and I ended up driving myself to 24 hour tesco to get some one night because I genuinely couldnt sleep without them! I wouldnt send DH though, unless I really couldnt go myself. Having said that, he did offer to go for me several times so they arent all being conned, some care enough to offer :)

redexpat · 20/03/2011 18:19

Two weeks ago I would have killed anyone who stood between me and a cheese and pickle sandwich Grin

I have asked DH to make me a c&p sandwich only once. I had made and eaten one, it wasn't enough, and he was already in the kitchen getting a drink for himself. tbh that's not that different from our usual non pregnancy related habbits.

bilblio · 20/03/2011 18:34

I've woken in the middle of the night with a desperate urge to eat, but it's usually to just eat anything so a bowl of cornflakes cures it.

DH is extremely lovely and has offered to go to the shop in the rain to get me crisps when I'm craving them, but I don't think he's lovely enough to agree to it in the middle of the night. :o

CBear6 · 20/03/2011 18:46

With DS I had an incredible craving for Washington Red apples. No other apple would do, to the point that I actually cried in Asda when they didn't have any left. DH went round five fruit shops for me until he found some and bought me dozens.

Bumpsadaisie · 20/03/2011 18:49

Today I havent been able to stop thinking about Pot noodles, which I wouldnt touch in my non-PG state!

marriednotdead · 20/03/2011 19:43

I agree with ziva upthread; unless you've had a craving you cannot imagine what it is like.

With both my pregnancies I had an aversion to fish, and lost complete interest in chocolate despite having a bar at least once a day normally.

But my cravings were all consuming and unquenchable.

With the first, it was for a particular brand of cheap lemonade, which I drank 4-6 litres of per day. My sis called round with a takeaway one evening and went to pour herself a glassful from a fresh bottle. I snatched it from her as it wouldn't leave me enough until the shop reopened in the morning Blush

Craving in the other pregnancy was for cold milk. Sent the same long suffering sis to hunt for more at 11pm on Christmas Eve, as I 'only' had 6 pints in the fridge to last me until Boxing Day morning.

Both cravings wore off during the final couple of weeks. Seems mad now Smile

abfab1973 · 20/03/2011 19:45

I craved cock. But my Husband didn't fancy it because he said I was to fat for him Confused

ShowOfHands · 20/03/2011 19:49

I thought it was all nonsense until I craved milk. I'd wake up in the night and my need for milk physically hurt. I'd stand at 2am, glugging from the bottle and groaning like a porn star with the sheer relief.

And when we ran out I'd be at the supermarket door at 7am with tears in my eyes.

It's not just a whim, it's a need.

justpaddling · 20/03/2011 19:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 20/03/2011 19:54

I got a craving for a St Clements after watching someone on Corrie having one! Had never had one in my life.
But I was disappointed to not have to do the 'send the husband out' emergency.
I just went myself !

Driftwood999 · 20/03/2011 20:04

I just planned for mine, though DH would prepare it. Marmite on buttered granary toast with a big bowl of parsley, not chopped, whole sprigs and a cup of tea. Smile lovely memory. Brought up on a tray, even better. As in DH "brought it up" on a tray....not me, later Grin

confuddledDOTcom · 20/03/2011 20:22

I forgot about aversions, I can't stand salt when I'm pregnant. Anything salty tastes vile, especially pig also means I can taste the sugar in anything so things like bread and potatoes taste sweet, but I don't go off it. Alternate pregnancies I seem to go off caffeine and end up with heart burn if I have any and it lasts until next pregnancy.

Funny story about the pig aversions... someone was cooking bacon and Mum called me into the kitchen, I ran back out and said "I can't stay in here! Urgh pig!" I totally forgot about the two coppers sat at the kitchen table talking to Mum! She had to quickly explain to them I wasn't being rude Blush

springbokdoc · 20/03/2011 20:23

Oh I know I was desperately looking forward to ushering dh out the door with the most obscure requests but sadly no.

I did eat my weight in tomatoes tho' (no mean feat) - about a punnet a day covered in Aromat (south african spice(?) that is pretty much just MSG). At the end I also had an uncontrollable urge to drink the water from the shower head. Don't know why, couldn't really stop myself. But wouldn't do it outside of normal showering time (ok maybe once or twice I had an extra shower Blush)

nancy75 · 20/03/2011 20:26

I craved ice, i have to admit, to my shame of pushing to the front of the queue in Mcdonalds more than once to get a giant cup of ice! I was working in a shop at the time and the amount times i went to Mcdonalds was so embarassing i resorted to getting the other staff to go and get it for me - how i have got any teeth left is a mystery.

RunAwayWife · 20/03/2011 20:26

Cornflakes were my thing, when DH ate the last of them and whet to the shop and came back with Frosties I cried [blush

noodle69 · 20/03/2011 20:29

I was thirsty a lot and couldnt stop thinking about mcdonalds coke with ice but tried to limit it cause I was scared of caffiene.

I went mad on maccys ds chicken sandwiches and I also drank so much milk it was silly. Probably 2 pints a day most days

RunAwayWife · 20/03/2011 20:31

I went right off Broccoli, I could not eat it I could not stand the smell of it and I could not look at it, I had to go in to the supermarket and go along the tills till I was past the veg, I could not go to the freezers with frozen Broccoli, and I could not stay in a queue when someone was buying it or eat out if it was on the menu.

I have never had such a aversion to anything before of since (not even in my second pregnancy) It was 3 years before I could face eating it.

ddubsgirl · 20/03/2011 20:34

i had cravings but never made dh go out in middle of the night,i also suffered 24hr sickness so even if i did eat it didnt stay down,still cant eat weetabix or drink tea :(

MainlyMaynie · 20/03/2011 20:52

I've been wondering about this! I definitely fancy some different food to normal - way more interested in sweet things and eating a lot of bran flakes when I never normally eat cereal. But it's just that I quite fancy these things, I don't desperately need them. So are cravings actually a real need for something? Why do some people get them and others not?

tethersend · 20/03/2011 21:01

nancy75, me too- I used to sit there with a huge bag of ice and crunch my way through it.

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