Worried about chocolate consumption

[FruitLoopzz]

Hey all

I’m extremely worried about how much chocolate I’m eating daily. I’m concerned but I can’t help myself, it somehow relieves my nausea at least for the time I’m eating it.

I’m talking cinema size bags or chocolate...

Am I being careless towards my baby and heading down a dark path? I’m 11weeks.

I meant cinema size bags OF chocolate

I ate lots of chocolate and ds is ok. Please don't worry.

Hi
Hate to share this but I ate loads of chocolate in my last 8 weeks. Ended up with an 11lb baby.

I'm a size 10. No diabetes.

It might be unrelated but still. Next baby I ate nothing sweet- baby smaller.

A woman I worked with took pregnancy to mean she could eat cakes and sweets all day, every day. She wasn’t that overweight initially, but developed gestational diabetes due to all the excess sugar she was eating.

I ate chocolate by the bucket load OP and everything was fine. Just make sure you are balancing it out with healthy stuff as well. Just keep in mind though that it might catch up with you later on- I ended up with quite limited mobility towards the end of my pregnancy so was sat around a lot and put on loads of weight, which I’m struggling to lose now.

Congrats on your pregnancy!

I second what @Yumyumdindins said.
I went a bit overboard in 1 st trimester and now 37 weeks almost, mobility very reduced, super heavy and wish i had gained less.
I don't feel great! 😕

I ate soooo much chocolate and sweets during both my pregnancies and it was fine. Average size babies, lost the weight easily, etc

Chocolate contains caffeine, so it would be a good idea to be mindful of how much you consume from that point of view, but if it's the only item of food/drink containing caffeine that you consume I wouldn't be too concerned. You can find a calculator tool here: www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/calculators-tools-resources/check-your-caffeine-intake-pregnancy

I think it's worth weighing up risk vs benefit - better to eat something, even better if it relieves nausea, than nothing - hopefully you'll be feeling less nauseous in a few weeks anyway!

My guess would be that chocolate is so good at relieving your nausea because it's a quick sugar fix. Low blood sugar often causes or exacerbates morning sickness, so you could try some slow release foods for energy (porridge for breakfast, grains for lunch, etc) and eating little and often. Flapjack is a huge favourite of mine because you get a quick hit of energy from the sugar followed by a slower release to tide you over until a meal (n.b. it's also a really good snack for your hospital bag and for if you plan on breastfeeding).

And having said all that... I'll admit that I'm currently 15 weeks pregnant and addicted to creme eggs.

I'm not pregnant but had a baby 8 weeks ago. When I tell you I am a major chocolate maniac, I really am. I love it and would eat lots daily. I put on a lot of weight due to this and craved it a lot.

Now I just have it as a treat on weekends and spcial occasions. My problem is cadburys and MmMs. Even talking about it now is making me want it lol.

I'd take it easy because you wouldn't want to wind up with Gestational diabetes. Treat yourself on weekends like me. Also cut back on chocolate cereals too , if you're having those as well.

Previous posters saying you’ll give yourself gestational diabetes are wrong. Certain factors such as being overweight can increase your chances of developing GD but you can’t cause it just by eating too much sugar. It’s hormonal and down to how the placenta processes sugar.

For your own health id try and reduce the amount you are eating though. It will also be giving the baby a sugar hit.

Don't worry! Honestly just enjoy it and feed yourself some of the good stuff too.

I love chocolate/cakes/bread/cheese - everything 'naughty' and whilst I've put on 2.5 stone (due next month) I haven't developed diabetes and my baby is measuring average. I gained four stone with my first and lost 90% of it by the time he had turned one.

Be kind to yourself x

I had never had a sweet tooth before being pregnant, but now I can’t stop eating chocolate! There is very little caffeine, so don’t worry about that - you would have to be eating a kilo to get near your limit!! It also doesn’t cause GD, I don’t know where people have read that. I eat it everyday and growth scans show 50th percentile which is bang on. Have also put on 4kgs from start to 30weeks which I believe is normal? I think you should stop giving yourself a hard time, and relax with a tea and some chocolate!!

As mentioned previously, GD is caused by the placenta being unable to process the sugars correctly, it's all hormonal. I've had it with all three pregnancies and have been told it could be hereditary as my BMI, weight and diet is perfectly fine. Don't worry about that.

For your own benefit though, if it concerns you then cut down to reduce your own weight gain. You'll probably find as your pregnancy progresses you'll move on to wanting other foods and itll all balance out.

I think it's okay for a few weeks if it really is the only thing that stops you feeling sick. You have to function if possible! After that, maybe try to get it in check! I gained five pounds in the first trimester of my first pregnancy (healthy weight to begin with) due to a similar issue - I ate haribo instead of chocolate, but just as unhealthy. After 12 weeks I could eat other things again, and went back to a healthy diet. I gained less over the second trimester so it balanced out fine.

So long as it's temporary you'll be okay. As PP said though, do check your caffeine intake and reduce the chocolate if necessary.

I ate everything I wanted with my first, gained 3.5 stone, no diabetes. Very hard to lose at the other end though!

Gestational diabetes isn’t caused by eating too much sugar.