Does your pregnancy diet measure up?
Categories: Just for moms, Pregnancy & birth
When my BabyCenter.com email showed up the other day, I took one look at the subject line "Does your pregnancy diet measure up" and forwarded it to my best friend. "I don't even have to open this," I wrote, "I know it probably does not."
My best friend, being a little bit pregnant herself, wrote back saying she had done the quiz in the newsletter and was surprised by her positive results. No way, I thought. So of course I had to go and do it. You know what? It wasn't that bad. I got 15 out of 18 on the quiz, though between you and me there's no way I'm getting 7 servings of fruit and veg in a day. Are they for real?
I remember how much I obsessed over the books and websites, the Dos and Don'ts the first time around. So I dove deeper into the vacuum that is the BabyCenter.com site and found this list of what I should be eating. Unfortunately, reading about healthy foods just made me crave ice cream. Oh, but BabyCenter has that covered too. Foiled again. While their list of suggestions for junk food alternatives made sense, I highly doubt that a graham cracker covered in peanut butter is going to satisfy my brain when it wants a Double Stuf. And where's the alternative to the fast food burger and fries combo?
What about you? Are you finding it hard to eat right? (You can tell me, I won't judge. I'm eating double fudge brownie ice cream right now and licking up the bits that are dripping onto my laptop.)
My best friend, being a little bit pregnant herself, wrote back saying she had done the quiz in the newsletter and was surprised by her positive results. No way, I thought. So of course I had to go and do it. You know what? It wasn't that bad. I got 15 out of 18 on the quiz, though between you and me there's no way I'm getting 7 servings of fruit and veg in a day. Are they for real?
I remember how much I obsessed over the books and websites, the Dos and Don'ts the first time around. So I dove deeper into the vacuum that is the BabyCenter.com site and found this list of what I should be eating. Unfortunately, reading about healthy foods just made me crave ice cream. Oh, but BabyCenter has that covered too. Foiled again. While their list of suggestions for junk food alternatives made sense, I highly doubt that a graham cracker covered in peanut butter is going to satisfy my brain when it wants a Double Stuf. And where's the alternative to the fast food burger and fries combo?
What about you? Are you finding it hard to eat right? (You can tell me, I won't judge. I'm eating double fudge brownie ice cream right now and licking up the bits that are dripping onto my laptop.)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Carrie 3-13-2007 @ 1:30PM
I am definitely finding it difficult. I'm just nearing the end of the 1st tri and so far everything but carbs have been unappealing to me.
If I don't eat I feel queasy though so I'm trying to keep my stomach full at all times...and I'm probably eating way too much.
I definitely wasn't perfect during my first pregnancy...but once I got thru the 1st tri I tried to eat much better.
I don't track it or monitor it. I'm sure people have done much, much worse.
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mamaloo 3-13-2007 @ 1:45PM
I think you're probably getting more fruit and veg than you realise. Take for instance that banana in the photo (I realise it exists purely for illustrative purposes), but it is about 2-3 servings of fruit right there.
Remember, a serving is about a handful.
My problem is fitting veggies into my diet. Fruit I'm good with, but I'm not getting enough veg in my meals.
I've been writing about some of my dietary considerations and changes with this pregnancy, if anyone is interested in reading:
http://momcast.blogspot.com/2007/02/happy-news.html
http://momcast.blogspot.com/2007/03/pregnancy-week-23-food-weight.html
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Kate 3-13-2007 @ 1:45PM
Errmmm... okay, I'm no saint during this pregnancy, but I'm also not as bad as this quiz said I am (I only got 9/18). The majority of these questions didn't apply to me - i.e. I can't stand cottage cheese, but I eat plenty of other kinds of high-quality cheeses for protein. And I get no points for keeping fruit on my kitchen table versus in the freezer? WTF??? I eat fruit every day.. not 7 pieces of it, mind you (yikes) but the kitchen table just so happens to be the most convenient place I keep it. So who cares, as long as I'm choosing grapefruit over twinkies?
And another thing: they ask if my snack food is EITHER pretzels, popcorn, chips or cookies. The actual answer is none - but maybe once a week, I might make a batch of cookies and eat a couple. So I answer 'cookies' and get a zero? Grrr.
This quiz made no sense whatsoever. I get the point they're trying to make, but it's over-simplified, badly written and I wouldn't stake anything in it.
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Stephanie 3-13-2007 @ 2:09PM
I think if someone said they didn't have trouble eating right while preggo, they'd be lying!
There is something extra hard to eating right when you are getting weighed on a regular basis and that's being compared to how much weight one should or shouldn't have gained during that time period. I've never really struggled with my weight (good genes) but getting weighed at my appointments made my heart race.
Does it not just seem like a lot of pressure?
Not to mention that I don't like to "work out" that much anyways and during ten months of feeling horrible (one way or another), it's even more important to exercise. That doesn't make sense either.
So, I do what I can, indulge every once in a while (because there is no replacement for fries or Girl Scout cookies) and try to eat what's good for me and exercise a little self-control so I'm not indulging ALL the time.
Lastly, I try not to beat myself up. Or let a silly little quiz. I do what I can and move on. I've got enough to worry about.
PS. I hope you enjoyed that ice cream. Obviously the baby needed some calcium (and chocolate!)
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Heather 3-13-2007 @ 2:11PM
During one appointment (7 months maybe)I had to admit to the nurse that by breakfast consisted of three tablespoons of peanut butter, a handful of hershey kisses, 32 ounces of OJ and a diet coke.
The doctor and nurse got a huge laugh out of it and told me not to worry.
I simply could not control myself on certain days.
I also never drank (and still don't) milk while pregnant. Dr. advised tums as a replacement.
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Ethel 3-13-2007 @ 4:49PM
I found my diet was great the first 8 months or so, after that I was all over Tillamook's Peanut Butter ice cream (the best of the west) and strawberries and cream. I gained all of 10 lbs the first 8.5 months, and the 35 the last month, ugh.
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rebecca Biernesser 3-13-2007 @ 4:55PM
lol....i'm already overweight and have high blood pressure, so I do try to watch what I eat during my pregnancies (I'm on baby #3 at the moment). I'll never forget going to the dr and learning that I gained 10 lbs. I cried and the dr said it was okay that it was the baby, and that it was normal, but I cried and told him he had no idea how much watermelon and pringles I have gone thru. he laughed and just said to lay off the pringles...
With my second pregnancy and it looks like this one too, I'm just eating, b/c I can't keep anything down anyway...I lost three dress sizes with my second one...so I'm eating and if it stays down, GREAT and if not, oh well...lol
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april 3-13-2007 @ 6:59PM
Just an aside about your post - I always find the differences between the US and UK so different! I noticed you said one of the things Baby Center (as opposed to "Baby Centre" here in the UK) suggests eating is peanut butter - over here peanut butter while pregnant is a big "no no"!
Never having heard this before, I ate peanuts as usual during my first pregnancy, until at my 12 week appointment the midwife said "and you know not to eat peanuts..." I was like "Huh?" She was aghast I hadn't totally the evil legumes and said "Well, hopefully you haven't done too much harm, you haven't been eating big bags full have you?" (I so did not like her. I was really pleased when she was on mat. leave when I had my second.)
With my second I just figured that it wasn't such a big deal in the US so I ate the occasional peanut butter and didn't sweat it.
We don't have any family histories of allergies, so I did not worry too much about it. Apparently there is some worry that sensitising the baby in the womb might cause allergies, but they don't really know.
I keep coming across weird differences like this, having a foot on both sides of the pond can be confusing!
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Cassie Lyn 3-15-2007 @ 1:52PM
My husband and I live on a college student budget and so all I eat is junk food. But ever since I got pregnant I'm eating healthier than ever now. I actually have some fruit and veggies in my diet and I'm eating a lot more protien and drinking a ton more milk!
I still eat way too much junk food. I don't expect myself to get off of ice cream, cookies and chocolate cold turkey but it's been really nice to have fresh produce in my fridge for once...now if only I can eat it without getting sick!
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baby names expert 4-19-2007 @ 6:52AM
Its importnat to use both common sense and to listen to your body. Check out this Nutrition Guide for pregnancy - http://www.babyhold.com/pregnancy/Diet/Weight_Gain_During_Pregnancy_-_A_Dietary_Guide/
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