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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Constant hunger is really debilitating me - should I worry? Any advice?

22 replies

mrsbabookaloo · 31/01/2009 21:45

I'm 20 weeks, my morning sickness tailed off a couple of weeks ago but being hungry is ruling my life and I feel like it's getting worse.

It's not a funny "oh,...I ate so many biscuits when I was pregnant" hunger...I literally can't think of enough things to eat to keep me feeling OK: I was so crabby and shouty with dh and dd at lunchtime and then tearful, and this eve so wiped out and shaky and tearful again.

First, is this an indication of anything bad about the pregnancy (that sounds ridiculous, I think it's the hunger making me anxious and irrational)? I just meant in terms of the baby's weight or gestational diabetes etc?

And second, any tips, experience, food ideas?....(don't say nuts and dried fruit please!) Is it common at this stage of pg and then it eases off? I was pretty hungry (after having morning sickness for 18 weeks) with dd, but I don't remember it being this bad.

TIA...sorry that was long!

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Original poster

mrsbabookaloo · 31/01/2009 21:53

OK, have finished my big bowl of cheese and pasta now and am going to bed...will check for any words of wisdom in the am.

OP posts:

LadyOfWaffle · 31/01/2009 21:56

I was so so so hungry with no.1 it was unreal! Snack rather than eat meals. Try cereal, pasta etc?

Wheelybug · 31/01/2009 22:04

I was starving until at least 20 weeks - possibly longer. Now at 34 weeks, I can't eat much at all - have cronic hearburn and vomit if I eat too much. So, it should pass.... and hopefully won't turn as extreme as mine !

Meglet · 31/01/2009 22:07

i ate so much in the middle of both my pregnancies. Special K, pasta, macdonalds breakfasts..carbs.....mmmm..mmmmm

in fact I remember eating at 4am on several occassions when I was pregnant first time round .

Both babies were fine and I didn't end up the size of a hippo.

AccidentalMum · 31/01/2009 22:09

I used to inhale food with mine, I took sandwiches and bananas to bed and made a 6 egg tortilla every other day, just to supplement my 4 meals . I was not massive either so I think just listen to your body and eat good stuff.

Original poster

mrsbabookaloo · 01/02/2009 11:20

Thanks for your replies. Some foods just don't seem to even touch my hunger: i eat them and feel just as hungry and feeble afterwards. I'm eating far too much processed pork: ham, bacon, even hot dogs just because it's quick and easy.

DH and DD have gone out to the park and I wanted to get some tidying and cleaning done, but I feel like eating is taking up all of my time! I don't want to have to stop and make another sandwich and eat it, but if I don't I'll be crabby and feel faint.

Must at least wash the breakfast pots before they get back, any more ideas on food to have in would be gratefully received!

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Original poster

mrsbabookaloo · 01/02/2009 11:21

Wheelybug, sorry to hear about your heartburn: just 6 more weeks to go!

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SheWillBeLoved · 01/02/2009 11:28

Switch to wholegrain products if you haven't already. They take longer to digest, keeping you fuller for longer.

Coldtits · 01/02/2009 11:35

Instant mashed potato with ready grated cheese. Or pancakes with chocolate spread. Or fried egg butties.

You do need some fat to feel sated. YOu need some protein too. If you are physically hungry you obviously need food - just allow for the fact that you are pregnant, there are two sets of needs to be met (yours and the baby's) and it will naturally take longer tha it would if you were not pregnant.

I used to get up in the middle of the night to eat cheese sandwiches - but my weight gain wasn't excessive. Mid pregnhancy is a very very hungry time - it will get better.

Pollyanna · 01/02/2009 11:39

protein will make you feel fuller for longer, whereas carbs will make you have bigger dips.

Original poster

mrsbabookaloo · 01/02/2009 15:58

Thanks for the food tips: both ends of the healthy eating spectrum there!

I am definitely going for protein rather than just biscuits etc...I have to, but I need to vary it a bit I think!

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Myneaux · 02/02/2009 09:52

Im 23 weeks and havent stopped eating since the moment I fell pregnant.

At first it stopped me feeling queasy but now I think I have just got used to that amount of food and there is no going back !

I have just given in to it.....I put on loads of weight over christmas but since then have hardly put on any despite the bump growing quite a lot....so I think that my metabolism has just speeded up.

Things I have found to be good to snack while at work are grapes (i eat a few then hide the rest). I also got a massive bar of dairy milk for christmas and have been snapping off about 3 or 4 chunks and wrapping them up in tin foil...then you can treat yourself without overdoing it. Also ryvitas or carrot sticks with philadelphia or humous. If all else fails I make sure I have lots of chewing gum and boiled sweets !

My DH keeps finding snacks everywhere...he opened the glove box of the car yesterday and 5 bars of chocolate fell out!

bunnymother · 02/02/2009 10:03

I'm also 23 weeks and am eating a LOT of food, as though I was exercising a lot. Only I am not. Still, haven't really put on any weight, except for my rather large bosoms and bump.

A suggestion, and this is what I have done, is make up 1kg batch of muesli (untoasted oats, oven roasted nuts, dried fruit and cinnamon) - serve w milk, honey and yogurt and you have an instant, healthy, high fibre (am a bit scared about the constipation factor I keep reading about) snack that is also low GI so should keep you full for longer (esp with all the nuts). Wish I could tell you it takes me months to get through the bag, but am clearly impersonating a horse w the amount of oats I am eating!

Good luck, I have to go and ferret about in the fridge again...

firstontheway · 02/02/2009 10:33

I'm late to this thread I think, you've already got some great advice

As it happens, I have none whatsoever for you! But just wanted to empathise, I was like this from the beginning of my pregnancy, food was the only thing that stopped my morning sickness and the hunger during 2nd trimester was unbelievable. I remember sitting in my new living room with dh's brother and wife who had just helped us move, and I couldn't listen to a word, all I could think about was how hungry I was, I felt like I was dying!

As it happens, it has got slightly better the last month or so, but only because baby's clearly too big now for me to fill my stomach. And I've gone up from a toned size 12 to a size 18 maternity

Original poster

mrsbabookaloo · 02/02/2009 11:56

Thanks for all your replies. I'm not so worried about putting on weight (although I might regret that later), just how it's making me feel.

Very glad of the snow day today: good excuse to stay home and rest!

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notcitrus · 02/02/2009 11:56

I was ravenous for protein and fruit - made loads of 3-egg omelettes with ham or smoked salmon, and put a chopped nectarine or berries on my wholegrain cereal each morning. Or raisins for when I wasn't organised enough to have fresh fruit around. And yoghurts.

And dozens of apples and bananas. I was convinced Squirmy would be a small chimpanzee (actually, he clings onto my hair like one...)

Newb · 02/02/2009 16:04

Big big bowl of porridge for breakfast....

Original poster

mrsbabookaloo · 02/02/2009 20:28

Thanks all; lots of good ideas. I just can't eat porridge, no matter how much dh urges me it'll do me good....

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mumzee · 02/02/2009 21:34

I ate tons during my pg and went from a size 8 to a size 16 but I had a fabulous pregnancy - not a day of sickness and am at a size 10 now:-)

CookieMonster2 · 03/02/2009 12:07

I suffered with constant hunger a lot in early pregnancy. I'm afraid I don't buy any of this eat protein not carbs nonsense. Pregnancy is hardly the time to start on the atkins diet. I ate a balance of carbs and protein, but made sure it was all low fat/calorie stuff. A cheese sandwich made with low fat cheese is a lot better than eating biscuits and chocolate, and will keep you going a lot longer. If its any help eating loads didn't cause me to put on lots of weight, and now I am getting towards the end of the pregnancy I am sometimes struggling to eat enough.

1stMrsF · 04/02/2009 11:41

Cheese sandwiches or cheese and ham - ate LOADS of them in 1st half of pregnancy. Make with wholegrain bread (something with seeds in if you can) and it's not too unhealthy.

The other thing that is still saving me when I need to eat NOW is fresh pasta - ravioli or other filled things, with e.g. ricotta and spinach inside. You can put it in the freezer and cook from frozen in less than 3 mins. Use a jar of stir in sauce or pesto (or just olive oil, parmesan and pepper when very desperate!)

Cheese and crackers too.

(Do you see the cheese them emerging? )

Original poster

mrsbabookaloo · 04/02/2009 13:50

Ha ha: I am so over sandwiches: I can't look at ham anymore, but I too have just discovered fresh ravioli with pasta sauce and cream cheese mixed in for extra lardiness! Yum!

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