Happily low-carbing pre-pg. Now what?

[Miffster]

I was low-carbing before I found I was pregnant. I loved it, and I credit the WOE with my managing to get pg after 2+ years trying. My blood sugar and hormones stabilised, my moods improved, my figure and libido returned I had enough energy to train 5+ days a week. I stopped craving wine and toast and suddenly adored eating huge salads and heaps of green veg with protein (eg: nuts, eggs, meat, fish, bit of sheeps/goats cheese and fresh cream) with good fats - and I have never, ever felt so well.

Now I'm 5 weeks pg and tbh, eating wholegrain carbs as per the official advice is a horrible struggle. I hate it. I am much happier and I certainly feel much better ( no nausea, more energy) getting my carbs from veggies and avoiding sugar completely.

Bread bloats me, pasta stupefies me, potatoes make me feel like lead, rice makes my stomach clench. I just can't do it. My body feels naturally better eating what I was eating before - just adding in more fruit and even more veg. My cravings are low carb - roast beef, watercress and horseradish, radishes and rocket.

Has anyone here done a primal/paleo/low-carb pregnancy and how did you manage it and how did you handle the naysayers? And how many net carbs did you tend to eat each day?
Thanks

P.S: I realise I may get MS and this may all change as well. Another reason why I am wondering if previous low-carbers found carbs helped with MS, or whether (as is thought on some low-carb forums) adding in the carbs makes MS more likely and blood sugar/insulin/hormone levels surging and dropping with the addition of carbs is a MS trigger. Another reason not to want to get back on the carbcycle. I know how addictive carbs and sugar are: I was abusing them for years and my weight, fertility, mental health all suffered for it.

Hi, before I found out I was pregnant I was low carbing (IPD) but to be honest used it as the perfect excuse (baby needs carbs!) However now the end is in sight - 2 weeks to go I've only put on about 1 and 3/4 stone altogether and thats been even with mainlining ice cream most days I do think that you do need to increase carbs from pre pregnancy diet, but surely you can do this by just increasing the carbier veg that we'd normally eat in v small quantities (thinking of things like sweet potatoes etc) No one could accuse you of eating an unhealthy diet by avoiding cakes and biscuits and the most nutrient packed fruits can be on the lower end of the carbs scale, berries for instance Clare x

Keep doing what you have been doing, you know you'll feel healthier!

I'm mainly low carb, feel ill and bloated when I go off the rails (sadly I love cake and ice cream even if they don't love me). I never feel well when I've been eating too many carbs.

You are eating a very healthy diet, and anyone tells you you "need" to base your food round carbs is plain wrong - bread, rice, and other cereals are not even "natural" to our diets (the rice and grains we use now are very different from the ones humans eat before we invented farming, wild grains have a lot less carb and a lot more protein).

I'd agree with the PP, just eat a bit more carby veg (really little potatoes are good, much lower carb/GI than big ones, sweet-potato and corn on the cob are tasty too).

You could try some "wild" type grains such as Spelt- tasty and non-bloating, for me at least.

The baby doesn't "need" carbs, your body can make them. (though if you eat plenty of veg, you will be eating more carbs than you think).

And if you don't want a lecture from your M/W about how you should be eating 6 slices of bread a day AND a large bowl of cornflakes for breakfast (as I was told!), don't tell her! Tell her you eat a really varied diet including lots of fruits, veg and protein and no processed rubbish. All True. No need to mention "low carb".

Oh, thanks for the replies!

That's a relief - there is so much misinformation/misunderstanding about low-carb ( it's not NO-carb, it's not high-protein either, etc etc) and all the official pg stuff goes on and on about the standard carb-cereal pyramid...but I know that makes me feel rank and I can feel and see how much better my body works if I swerve the grains etc... I've added steamed peas and mangetout and more butternut squash to my repertoire and have gone from 20g carbs a day to 60g- 80g. If I need more I'll try some spelt and linseed stuff from the health food store...cheers!