Pregnancy Cravings

You’re pregnant! Everything you have dreamed about is soon to happen, including feelings and emotions that trigger all sorts of cravings as this tiny miracle grows and thrives. You’ll feel better knowing that you are by no means alone in your palatal craziness. In fact, nearly 90 percent of women experience cravings during pregnancy.

Personally, I lived on pancakes, grape Popsicles, mashed potatoes from KFC and vanilla malts from Winstead’s! Once, I even ate an entire can of green beans straight from the can—which did not have nice consequences later.

Are you craving olives in ice cream or sauerkraut in cottage cheese? Don’t worry! Many believe eating lots of different foods assures your growing baby receives a wide variety of beneficial nutrients. So mix, dunk and crunch away! Some cravings actually stem from your body’s needing specific nutrients.

Sweets and chocolate are other fulfilling favorites for mamas. One old wives’ tale even suggests that the more sweets you crave, the bigger the chance you’ll have a girl. Concerned about calories? Consider a glass of juice or piece of sweet fruit, such as watermelon or some grapes. These natural sweets are cool and delightful and also provide you and your little one a dose of vitamin C. Make sure you aren’t in danger of gestational diabetes if you simply can’t get enough sugar.

Spicy foods are a good way to cool the body, strangely enough, because consuming them makes you sweat. And then there are those infamous pickles, combined with everything from ice cream to peanut butter. Because they are low in calories and inexpensive, crunching away is ideal! Pickle cravings are probably actually vinegar cravings. You might want to try unfiltered apple cider vinegar mixed with seltzer for a tasty treat.

Morning sickness often can be calmed with fizzy drinks, as carbonation helps settle queasiness. Ginger ale or Sprite are great decaf choices.

Your taste buds literally change during pregnancy, which is why foods you would never normally eat sound awesome, like raw lemons and very spicy foods. Feel free to shock those tasters with strong flavors and satisfy your hunger!

We can give credit to our emotions for other pregnancy cravings. That desire to mix up a batch of homemade biscuits like your grandmother made or a special dish you recall from childhood holidays is a comforting way to make yourself happy. Let’s face it, being pregnant can make us weepy, and these foods recall cozy, calm memories.

One word of caution: If you find yourself craving substances such as chalk, dirt or other nonfood items, contact your doctor.  This condition is called pica and can be dangerous as it is thought to indicate iron deficiency.

We couldn’t agree more!

An avid outdoors girl, Judy Goppert live in Lee’s Summit and enjoys all seasons, especially summer. She enjoys drawing on her personal experiences to write about the nuances of everything wonderful about life.

As always, please consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns.