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Oh, the fun stuff!
Let’s get one thing straight: there are a lot of sucky parts of pregnancy. Yeah, I said it! Sure, it’s beautiful and a blessing and blah, blah, BLAH! Regardless, most of it is absolutely exhausting, trying, challenging, overwhelming, anxious, and that list goes on much longer than the pros do. And if you don’t agree, you probably haven’t been pregnant yet.
There’s one huge saving grace to being pregnant, and that is the need to satisfy cravings. There are only so many times in your life that you will feel completely confident (not just comfortable, but CONFIDENT) inhaling gigantic portions of the most ridiculous food combinations your pregnant little mind could ever imagine, all in the presence of loved ones, and your pregnancy is one of those times, my friend!
Not only do we turn to foods to satisfy our ridiculous cravings that stem from the ever-increasing-and-changing pregnancy hormones overtaking our growing bodies, but we also seek from them a feeling of satisfaction, accomplishment, and comfort when pregnancy has got us down (like, even physically down. Like, literally lying-on-the-couch down.)
Which ones do we turn to? There are some weird cravings reports out there but here are some of the most common.
1. Ice Cream
We come to associate ice cream with happiness when we’re kids, and why wouldn’t we? When pregnant, ice cream is an ideal source of coldness when we’re sweating, sweetness when we’re sour, and chocolate when we’re… well, when we’re women. So, ice cream, always.
2. Fruit
Nutritiously, our sugar intake should come from fruit, not carbs or (amazing) treats like the wonderful ice cream already noted. Where possible, satisfy your sweet tooth with a big bowl of strawberries, and don’t be afraid to slap a little cool whip on there for an extra comforting treat.
3. Pickles
A healthy choice regardless of pregnancy, pickles satisfy both salt and crunch seekers in one she-bang. In fact, many women who aren’t typical pickle fans may find themselves unable to beat the pickle craving during pregnancy. Why? Not sure, but stock up!
4. Chips/Crisps
Easy. Tasty. Quick. Varied. Why wouldn’t we turn to chips for comfort? Have you HAD Doritos? How do they fit so much cheese on there?!
5. Chocolate
You’ve turned to chocolate to get you through holidays, midterms, break-ups, stronger forms of vodka, monthly visits from “Aunt Flo”… don’t give up now.
6. Spicy foods
Plenty of women report having craved spicy foods during pregnancy, even if they aren’t normally a fan, so comfort yourself by satisfying that craving and start dousing anything you can with hot sauce. Except for the ice cream. Let the ice cream speak for itself.
7. Soda
Sometimes just a crisp, carbonated sip of some soda does the trick. Careful, too much of it is not ideal for your growing baby, especially those with caffeine, but the syrup in certain colas can be soothing for nauseous mamas.
8. Coffee
If you’re a coffee drinker, you probably already agree that most mornings wouldn’t be possible without a cup or two of joe. Like, if mornings were to win an Academy Award, they’d surely thank coffee first. Careful though, just like soda, the caffeine in coffee isn’t the best idea for your growing little one, so opt for decaf when possible.
9. Ice
You might as well get used to it during your actual pregnancy because you’ll be relying on it for basically giving you life and healing you in the moments immediately before and after delivery. Ice satisfies the crunch and delivers the hydration that we seek while pregnant. Bonus: it’s calorie-free.
10. Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is versatile. It’s comforting on a Friday night at 1 AM AND you’d be happy to eat it for breakfast on Monday at 9 AM if you thought people wouldn’t point and stare. It doesn’t become any less comforting during pregnancy. Enjoy.
11. Mashed Potatoes
Is it the texture? The gravy on top of it? The thickness? Not sure but, another scoop, please.
12. Crackers w/Peanut Butter & Jelly
Your cravings will pull you in multiple directions, which is where odd pregnancy concoctions come from. Have you had a pickle, peanut butter, and tomato sandwich yet? Me neither…
To satisfy a salty/sweeth tooth at the same time, aim to kill two birds with one stone by topping salty crackers with sweeter toppings.
Or, you could always forego the peanut butter and jelly and just go right for chocolate.
I’m behind you 100%.
Sources:
- https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/coping-with-pregnancy-food-cravings#1
- https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/food-cravings-during-pregnancy
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/craving/201306/what-really-causes-pregnancy-cravings
- https://www.rd.com/health/conditions/weird-pregnancy-cravings/
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pregnancy-cravings-explained_l_5c58b9d3e4b09293b207723b
- https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/pregnancy-food-cravings#1
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/