What I am eating vs what I should be eating in early pregnancy

[thereistheball]

I am 6.4 weeks pregnant, and am feeling fairly ropey and very tired most days. I don't think my diet is helping. I can't stop eating bread, I'm drinking a lot of (caffeinated) tea, I want sugar. I had gestational diabetes in my last pregnancy and expect it to come back soon, which will mean cutting out all carbs and sugars including fruit, bar one slice of bread a day. I'd like to start making those changes now but I'm stuck in the sugar/carb high-low cycle. What appetising, sustaining, non-queasy-making snacks and meals can I have that require minimal preparation (no energy or desire to cook - this is very unusual for me), and that provide me with the necessary vitamins/fibre/etc? Thanks!

Cut out the caffeine, keep up with the toast but have fruit and veg too and take pregnancy multivit - you should find it easier to eat healthily once the sickness and fatigue passes.

I think with your history you'd be best off talking to a nutritionist. Still, I wonderd if you could try to fill up on fruit + veg as much as possible, don't think so much in terms of limiting certain things, instead focus on eating as much of the healthy things as you can? fresh fruit & salad included.

Thanks. I should say - I am eating as much veg as I can, but it's mostly with meals not as snacks (who steams broccoli as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up?). I'm also taking vits and a fish oil supplement. What I really need is inspiring snack ideas and lunches - those are the times I'm by myself and liable to knock back a cheese sandwich and some biscuits because I cba to think of or make anything else.

Sorry - missed the point of your earlier post: could you have wholemeal pitta or oatcakes or carrot sticks and some houmous for a snack. Or apple and some cubes of cheese. Basically some carbs and protein is a good aim to fill you up

I'm a big fan of cheese and oatcakes

Great, thanks. Yes, I had a kind of ploughmans lunch today with cheese, oatcakes, apple, salad etc. any other ideas?

Baked sweetpotatoes can be done very fast in the microwave?

I found cereal and dried fruit good as a quick snack with no preparation required. I fill up at lunchtime with a huge bowl of salad with chicken and coleslaw and some nachos for crunch. Peanut butter on ryvita is yummy. Frozen grapes and melon balls are like really cold sweets. A fruit smoothie for a snack or yoghurt with granola and chopped fruit?

All good suggestions, thanks.

Hi
I'd watch the carbs on their own as they can be high GI (gycaemic index, ie they make blood sugar soar) and therefore as bad as sugar in some cases. Dried fruit is one of tose things, baked potatoes is another. This link shows a list of high, med and low GI foods to give an idea. here

I'd get some professional advice if you can asap but in the mean time try and balance out your carbs with protein. Oatcakes and cheese is good idea etc.

All the best

I found I was (and still am!) eating / craving crisps which is not healthy but does satisfy me and keeps the sickness at bay!
On a healthier note I am snacking on things like crumpets, toast, cereal, cereal bars, fruit, veg (ie. carrot sticks), yoghurt, and crispbread /crackers.
Just bought some ice lollies today too which are healthy-ish (the ones I got say its one of your 5 a day!) and refreshing too!

I've been eating loads of snackajacks (they stop me feeling queasy and are loads better than crisps or buttery toast!)

Gingerbread - I'm very aware of the effect carbs have on my blood sugar, so I'm trying to rein in that impulse, though I'm feeling a bit funny about protein at the moment (I may be reacting against my usual high-protein diet, but I also felt like this last time I was pregnant). I just bought a lot of plain low-fat yoghurts and unsweetened fruit purees to mix with them, plus some nuts, and some dried apricots to keep in my handbag for emergencies (funnily enough they have a lower GI than regular apricots, presumably because, being dehydrated, they take longer to digest?). I also got lots of humous and carrots / peppers / cucumber to cut into sticks, and pulses to bulk out salads. In one of my less queasy moments I have meal-planned. Tomorrow - salade nicoise, and baked trout with veg, both of which I'm quite looking forward to.

Thereis you've come a long way in two days! The second diet sounds great compared with the first. Congratulations on the pregnancy.

You should probably try to have 6 small meals rather then 3 or at least ensure you are having good snacks which you have listed above. It may also help with the queasiness.

Always try to have protein with every meal/snack, it will help the sugars to release into your blood stream more slowly.

Oatcakes are great, dip into humous, quacamole or spread with tahini (full of good minerals). Nairns now do a red pepper one which is v tasty.

Boiled eggs are great on their own, as is half an avocado with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Cottage cheese on ryvita with a splash of tobasco?

Have you tried 9 bars, bounce balls, nak'd bars?

Ensure you get plenty of leafy greens - rocket, spinach, watercress for iron, calcium and magnesium.

Drink lots of fluids, water, herbal teas.

To ensure your carbs are not affecting your blood sugar massively, swith to wholemeal or rye bread, and wholemeal pasta and brown rice.

Try not to go too long between meals.

Tomorro'w menu sounds delicious!

I suffered terribly with sickness and had tablets both gp and midwife said keeping anything you can down is great baby takes all it needs from you. I think at this stage if you can keep your multi git down is good. I terrible tea drinker but switched to decaf before getting pregnant I don't notice taste difference find pg tips best!!

I am on day 3 of decaf tea- I've gone completely cold turkey. Had a headache on day 1 but now I'm OK, just even more sluggish and tired than before. Decaf Earl Grey for me.

On a positive note, I do feel better for eating better. Today - 1x slice sourdough bread with scrambled egg, a fat-free plain yoghurt with fresh mango, a small croissant and a salad of lettuce, tomato, red onion, green beans, tuna and boiled eggs. Plus a teensy square of dark chocolate and a dried apricot. I'm less sick today too.

Ps - almond fingers. The 9 bars etc, what are they? I'm in France, haven't seen those but I may be able to find an equivalent.

They are seed bars, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, sesame with a carob topping, delicious.