To ask how you managed the constant hunger in pregnancy?

[PollyHasAPocket]

I'm currently half way through my 2nd trimester and I am so hungry all of the time. It's really getting me down because I can tell the weight is piling on.

Just not eating isn't really an option as I can end up being sick if I don't and feeling faint.

I've been trying to eat fruit etc... But what I really want is something stodgey, I've been craving potatoes a lot!

I knew I'd be hungrier, I knew I'd eat more but this is constant, I could easily have two meals by 11am most days, did anyone else have this? I can wake up at 3am and need to eat immediately. I had ravioli at 5am the other day!

I just ate what I needed, it's annoying to think you're putting on weight but your body is very clever and is telling you what you need. You can diet once the baby is Here, it's a lot easier.

@jomaIone

I just ate what I needed, it's annoying to think you're putting on weight but your body is very clever and is telling you what you need. You can diet once the baby is Here, it's a lot easier.

I just see some people who still look so lovely and slim but with a bump and then revert back to normal afterwards. At this rate I feel like I'm going to be absolutely huge (and not just from the bump) by the time I've had the baby but as you say I guess it's telling me I'm hungry for a reason.

I just ate. Like you I would be sick if I didn’t. I put on a LOT of weight with DS2 in particular (3 stone) but I lost it all eventually (though only after stopping bfing)

I ate. If you’re hungry it’s because your body needs the fuel - it’s growing another person!

You can lose the weight afterwards, but for now do what your body is telling you x

I’m second trimester too but I haven’t felt an increase in hunger; my appetite has stayed pretty much the same.

Just eat and enjoy it. When else in your life can you stuff your face and not worry about it?

Like @TheKeatingFive I also put on a lot of weight during pregnancy and lost the last of it (effortlessly actually) once I stopped breastfeeding.

@heartsonacake

I’m second trimester too but I haven’t felt an increase in hunger; my appetite has stayed pretty much the same.

I'm so jealous! I was a pretty good eater before and had actually just lost a load of weight about 2 years ago and have been doing really well... Until now.

I think because I've lost so much weight in the past, I'm just gutted now that it's all piling on again!

Yeah I can imagine I’d feel the same! And everything changes so rapidly in pregnancy you never know, it could decrease back to normal levels and mine could increase. You just have to go with the flow during pregnancy I think.

I will say that I’ve been lucky enough to never struggle with my weight or my eating in the past, so I don’t know if that’s a factor in why nothings changed now.

Yep, another person who just ate. I eat my lunch by 11 am easily most days. I tend to be less hungry in the afternoons so try not to stuff my face out of boredom then! I’m trying to make sure I eat reasonably healthy meals but chocolate etc. are still very common. I’m still pretty active at 29 weeks so that helps I think. My weight gain has plateaued in the last few weeks thankfully, as it got a bit mad! I lost all the weight really quickly in my last pregnancy though so I’m not panicking too much.

I found eating small amounts regularly, with both carbs and protein helped. Fruit of any sort used to make me super sick so it was toast etc. Try to walk as much as possible and nap if you're able and hopefully you won't feel too bad.

I ate, but tried to choose better options if possible.

Unsalted cashews and oat biscuits were my staples when I wanted carby stuff

Orange juice, oranges, orange lollies featured a lot at one point

Still put on 20kg. If it’s any help, baby is now 3 months and I have lost 16-17kg without doing anything the last 3 months. The last few I assume will remain whilst I’m feeding as boobs grown a lot

I just ate little and often rather than meals, I found it stopped me feeling hungry, and was more comfortable. As I felt nauseous throughout otherwise, I'd have a biscuit before even sitting up in bed in the morning to line my stomach, and then just have a small bowl of cereal, some toast a bit later etc. Also if you fancy potatoes there's definitely worse you could be wanting! Baked potatoes are great.

I feel for you, everyone responds differently to pregnancy and it's shit when you see others easily breezing through, apparently staying slim and healthy. I had lost weight before pregnancy and then had the raging hunger through most of both pregnancies. Breastfeeding made others lose weight - not me! I couldn't lose any until my body was my own again. The first time I was very sad and anxious about it, the second time I felt better because I knew it would be alright in the end.

Just eat when you are hungry and try to make healthier choices when you can. Know that you will be able to return your focus to yourself at some point in the future, just now you are loaning out your body to create your beautiful baby xx

Baked potatoes are great

I think I've eaten more baker potatoes in the last few months than the population of Britain has in the past year!

I too wouldn't worry too much. Pregnancy can be miserable enough as it is without leaving yourself constantly hungry.

One thing I did was try to graze throughout the day to keep the hunger at bay. I found that if I let myself stay hungry, I was far more likely to far too much when I did eat

I’m the same OP. I’m honestly just letting my body take the wheel. I’m trying to make it as healthy as possible by bulking up with veggies so that alongside the much-desired stodge of bread, pasta and potatoes I’m having massive salads, roasted veg, etc but lots of it is just oversized portions and excessive meals tbh.

Pregnancy is such a weird time and the effects can be so hard to deal with. I’ve decided that the time to resolve any issues of weight gain is once the baby is born and the hormonal washing machine switched off. I figure it will be easier to deal with then than now!

Make a conscious effort to eat more protein.

Get a steak down you. With a jacket potato 😬

You sound like you just aren’t satiating yourself. You need lots of protein to fill up. Eggs. Meat. Fish.

I know it’s totally boring, but porridge is really helping me at the moment (23 weeks pregnant) plus anything with lots of protein. I keep a lot of high protein flapjacks in the cupboard for when I’m hungry between meals. They get rid of the hunger. I find fruit just doesn’t hit the spot and leaves me even hungrier.

Thanks! Glad to know it's not just me.

How can something so small require so much food!!! Agghhh.

Noted re the protein!

I was the opposite way and lost weight in pregnancy. Family members both gained 5st a piece in pregnancy and it's taken them years to get anywhere near Pre baby weight. You only need a couple of hundred calories a day more when pregnant, so try and keep the volume of food down

I am just eating. Pregnancy no 2 and I definitely wasn't this hungry with my first. Like others, I'm trying to eat something healthy and yes to aiming for protein to stay fuller. The weight dropped off breastfeeding last time so I assume my body is sticking up for feeding again.

I was like you. Both times I craved carbs and felt sick if I didn't eat. The hunger was overwhelming. I put on about 2.5 - 3 stone.
The only time I didnt was when we were on holiday and went swimming every day then I put on a normal amount. Nothing to advise really, could you look into healthy snacks like soup and freeze it in mug sized portions? Or yoghurt with nuts? I think carbs were my downfall!

I was the opposite way and lost weight in pregnancy. Family members both gained 5st a piece in pregnancy and it's taken them years to get anywhere near Pre baby weight. You only need a couple of hundred calories a day more when pregnant, so try and keep the volume of food down

What a helpful comment 🤣 no advice, no tips - just a smug self-promotion and some judgment of family members and the OP. Ahh, mumsnet...

By eating

@StylishMummy

I was the opposite way and lost weight in pregnancy. Family members both gained 5st a piece in pregnancy and it's taken them years to get anywhere near Pre baby weight. You only need a couple of hundred calories a day more when pregnant, so try and keep the volume of food down

The problem is I feel incredibly sick if I don't eat when I'm hungry, often it leads to me actually being sick and throwing up horrible bile/acid. I've also felt faint and dizzy a few times when I've tried to ignore the hunger/eat a small amount.

It may sound like excuses but I genuinely feel absolutely rubbish if I don't eat, and a couple more hundred calories a day isn't cutting it 😖