Really worried about my eating (long, sorry)

[Rocklover]

I'm 20+5 and still feeling quite sick most days, with constant horrendous heartburn and my diet has suffered drastically. I have to graze throughout the day and only fancy crap like biscuits and bread (although to manage the occasional orange).

When it comes to dinner I must confess my veg intake is rubbish and I can only manage very small meals as I feel full and bloated all the time and the reflux is awful. I am taking Spatone with orange juice every day as I am anaemic and as such hardly get any exercise as I just feel too sick and tired.

I don't eat a vast amount, but what I do eat is too high in calories and fat and I am so scared that I look like a whale and will be vast by the time the pregnancy is over. I am wearing maternity stuff size 14-16 and was a 16 before i got pregnant, but I am really beginning to panic that I am turning into a lardarse. I am also obviously worried about the health implications.

A typical day's food is: 2 pieces of buttered toast and a small cup of strong tea for breakfast.

Snacks until lunch are usually 2-3 biscuits (although had a small bag of mini cheddars today). For lunch I have a sandwich, usually cheese or tuna, but trying not to have too much tuna. Sometimes have a bowl of cereal if I don't fancy bread and maybe a yoghurt.

For dinner I try to have something healthy like pasta or cottage pie, but today dinner went wrong so I ate oven ready crap. I often have a few squares of chocolate during the day too.

How is everyone else eating? I am truly really worried as I always feel so bloated and unfit. :(

rocklover do you mind me asking what was your 3rd trimester like with your DD? I keep reading lots of people have sickness back again and bad heartburn etc and I'm worried I'll get worse again, and given I've had such a hideous time it's quite a worrying thought. It's bad enough now, but I'm not nearly as rough as I was nearly 2 months ago.

With dd my third trimester was ok sickness wise, I came off the Cyclizine and didn't need it again. I did have very bad reflux and found that I only felt sick if I didn't take Gaviscon regularly through the day.

I had a few of the normal niggles like extreme tiredness, piles and the need to pee ALL the time came back with a vengence. However, I was out and about as much as I wanted and was able to eat out again. In fact exh and I had a meal out at an italian resteraunt the day before I went into to labour lol.

The fact that you are beginning to feel better now is a good sign, I don't see any reason why the rest of your pregnancy shouldn't be great. :)

There's always room for improvement but from what you said in your email I don't think your diet is that bad to be honest! When you said it was bad I was expecting you to list the 15 slices of cake you've been eating a day, followed by the tubs of ice cream!

Can you manage smoothies at all? A good way to get some extra fruit (or veg - apple and ginger very good) down and you could add some yog too.

I make this smoothie every day for my breakfast - I can't stomach solid food in the morning (I didn't have morning sickness in first trimester, and thought I'd got away with it - then it hit me at 29 weeks, the bastard. 35 weeks now and it's no better). I can always get this down and it makes me feel full till almost lunchtime, when I can usually manage some solid food.

Large glass of milk
1 banana
Couple of handfuls of berries (I get frozen mixed berries and leave some out to defrost in the fridge the night before) - you could use any fruit though, mango etc
40g porridge oats (if you want to be extra-virtuous and also boost your protein intake add a couple of spoons of mixed seeds - does give it a more bitty texture though)

Just blend together and drink - makes enough for breakfast and a bit mid-morning.

I'm newly pregnant with my second. First time round, I really went for it with the whole 'eating for two' - mainly rubbish convenience foods and too much carbs. I developed severe preeclampsia at 33wks, looked and felt terrible. Hade emergency section at 34wks.

Going to be alot more conscious of what I eat this time, definately avoiding too much carbs and going to try and eat much more proteinous foods - red meat, eggs, cheese etc. Read that lack of protein causes preeclampsia. And am eating plenty of good fats such as olive oil, butter and animal fats (good for baby's brain).