Can I avoid first tri food aversions?

[Ms. B. Sprout]

Hi TF mamas!

Mods, I am asking this question here because of the nature of a TF kitchen/eater. I want advice from mamas who approach & prioritize food the same way I do.

Ok, so during the first tri of pg#2 I had huge, huge food aversions to anything prepared in my kitchen. I felt like my kitchen was filthy (it was decidedly not), and the food was tainted in some way (again, definitely not). It made me nauseated just to think about eating at home. I white-knuckled my way through many meals, but I ate out/ate processed junk waaay more than I should have.

Now we are TTC #3 and I would really like to avoid repeating that situation.

Any ideas? Thanks!

[Ms. B. Sprout]

And just to amend, now that I have another second to post, I am wondering if there is a nutritional-deficiency aspect to pregnancy food aversions. I'm sure there is for cravings -- probably not the other way 'round, though.

I am making some freezer meals. I am also more committed this time to eating nutritionally dense foods despite my aversion (but it's easy to say that now -- less easy when one is actually pg ).

I suspect that aversions are the body's deep evolutionarily-developed approach to avoiding toxic things during early pg, and I bet there's not jack I can do to avoid them but I figured I would give it a shot and ask you ladies.

[Metasequoia]

I don't know, but I had HUGE aversions in my first trimester this time. Aside from aversions, I had insane carb cravings which was really tough since I was eating a Paleo-ish low carb diet before I got knocked up. The only thing that didn't make me puke in the mornings was cereal. I hadn't had dry cereal in YEARS! And it was the organic EnviroKids peanut crunch stuff, too. Until one day I puked it up & then moved to my aversion list.

Anyway, I don't know about deficiencies possibly causing aversions/cravings - makes sense though. I just don't see how the crap I craved had any real nutritional value. I craved donuts, for crying out loud & in allergy testing, I reacted to gluten. Maybe it's more of a blood sugar thing.

Some aversions were: chorizo, chicken, eggs, liver - even BACON!....that's all I remember, but I couldn't eat chicken up until this last month. Even chorizo is hit or miss these days & I used to eat it a lot. Bacon was one of my top 2 favorite foods (that & butter ) and it sucked that the thought of it made me want to hurl.

[crunchy_mama]

I am generally paleo as well and had more aversions last time, luckily not as bad as some. But my daily green juice suddenly seemed disgusting to me. I found in the first trimester I wanted a lot more carbs as well and as I went along it got much better. The first tri I seriously craved BRM Mighty Tasty gluten free hot cereal. So, I ate it a fair amount and it didn't bother me as much as usual. I found the further I got in pregnancy the easier it was though and the aversions went away and I was able to go back to my regular diet.

[outlier]

Originally Posted by Ms. B. Sprout

I am also more committed this time to eating nutritionally dense foods despite my aversion (but it's easy to say that now -- less easy when one is actually pg ).

I'd be careful with this part. My first trimester, I was simultaneously super-committed to eating healthier than I ever had and completely unable to stand the thought of eating nutrient-dense foods. I tried to force myself to eat things that I knew would be good for me and baby, and now that the nausea is long gone, I still have some food aversions sticking around that I'm sure I brought on myself. For example, I've never had a problem with eggs before. I tried to force myself to eat the beautiful free-range chicken eggs we were getting during 1st tri, and now months later I'm forced to disguise their taste with cheese or maple syrup to even get them to go down.

Next pregnancy, I am going to try to keep the density of the food I eat way, way down. One way would be to eat crappy processed fast foods, which I did resort to this time, but another may be to prepare nutritious foods in a way that aren't too much for my stomach to take at one time, such as soups, smoothies, or spreads on toast.

[Nora'sMommy]

Wow. this is so were I am right now! This is my third baby and I've been super committed to creating "that perfect wapf baby" as I've learned more over the years and perfected our diets. I'm even a wapf chapter leader.

But I'm 9 weeks along and for the past 3 weeks I just can't figure out what my body is trying to tell me. Nothing I used to eat looks appetizing. All I feel like I can stomach is toast with butter or certain fruits.

I even increased the amount of raw milk I get when I found out I was prego but now it really doesn't appeal to me.

I don't want to prepare food or smell it. But I will eat good food in small quantities if it is prepared for me......doesn't happen much though so that's really not an option.

All I can figure is that this is probably the biggest reason it's important to have a proper, nutrient-dense pre-conception diet. And I do think it is possible to at the very least, still avoid the stuff we know is just plain evil, like hydrogenated, super processed, take-out type crap.

[Llyra]

I don't know that you can avoid them. I had terrible aversions to a bunch of foods in each first trimester, and it was different in each pregnancy, and there didn't seem to be any sensible reason for some of them. The aversion to onions and garlic I can explain by talking about strong smells, but why could I eat turkey but not chicken? And why were blackberries the yummiest thing ever, but raspberries were so nasty to me that I wouldn't even let DD1 eat them in front of me? Some of those just seemed so random to me.

I also had lots of cravings, but most of them make sense to me. The first sign of pregnancy for me has always been an intense craving to drink tons and tons of milk. I craved peanut butter, cream, and red meat, and eggs, which shocked me because normally I just tolerate eggs. Those I can explain-- it's about the fat and the protein.

The aversion to eating in one's own kitchen, and worries about cleanliness, make a lot of sense to me. It's logical to think that a heightened awareness about foodborne illness would be a protective mechanism.

[Ms. B. Sprout]

So many good ideas here! Thanks, y'all!

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

I don't know, but I had HUGE aversions in my first trimester this time. Aside from aversions, I had insane carb cravings which was really tough since I was eating a Paleo-ish low carb diet before I got knocked up.

Originally Posted by crunchy_mama

I found in the first trimester I wanted a lot more carbs as well and as I went along it got much better.

Wow, I am primal now (was not with #1 or #2 pg) and I wonder if this is going to happen to me? Interesting -- thanks for the heads-up, mamas.

Originally Posted by outlier

I'd be careful with this part. . . . I still have some food aversions sticking around that I'm sure I brought on myself.

Thank you so much for this piece of advice. I never would have thought of that! I am really grateful that you took the time to post!

Originally Posted by Nora'sMommy

I don't want to prepare food or smell it. But I will eat good food in small quantities if it is prepared for me......doesn't happen much though so that's really not an option.

All I can figure is that this is probably the biggest reason it's important to have a proper, nutrient-dense pre-conception diet. And I do think it is possible to at the very least, still avoid the stuff we know is just plain evil, like hydrogenated, super processed, take-out type crap.

This was me last pg!! I could eat food if my DH prepared it for me and if I did not think about it too much. Like you said, that didn't happen very often.

I'm going to make a list of the restaurant meals I think are ok to eat. Also a list of the grocery store type foods I find to be ok from a nutrition/health standpoint. Maybe that will help me avoid the drive-thru!

Originally Posted by Llyra

The aversion to eating in one's own kitchen, and worries about cleanliness, make a lot of sense to me. It's logical to think that a heightened awareness about foodborne illness would be a protective mechanism.

I'm in a different house now, and we painted and have new flooring, so I'm hoping that my lizard brain doesn't think that this kitchen is as dirty as last time. Keeping things insanely clean might help. Or maybe not.

[Metasequoia]

Never thought of it that way....maybe we have aversions to nutrient-dense foods in the first tri because our bodies don't want us to become grossed out by them later in pregnancy? I'm grossed out by that crappy dry cereal now - which is really a blessing.

I've also found that carby things that REALLY bothered me before being pregnant haven't been bothering me as much. I made the mistake of eating some popcorn yesterday (almost deep friend in butter & coconut oil ) & it REALLY messed with my blood sugar. I hate that feeling & there's nothing you can do about it. All I could do was go for a brisk walk with Ds to try to burn it off. No more popcorn for me.

[Ms. B. Sprout]

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

Never thought of it that way....maybe we have aversions to nutrient-dense foods in the first tri because our bodies don't want us to become grossed out by them later in pregnancy? I'm grossed out by that crappy dry cereal now - which is really a blessing.

I've also found that carby things that REALLY bothered me before being pregnant haven't been bothering me as much. I made the mistake of eating some popcorn yesterday (almost deep friend in butter & coconut oil ) & it REALLY messed with my blood sugar. I hate that feeling & there's nothing you can do about it. All I could do was go for a brisk walk with Ds to try to burn it off. No more popcorn for me.

Being pg is no walk in the park sometimes. I remember feeling like I was inhabiting an alien body at times.

I'm going to just go with it and do the best I can to minimize the truly bad stuff. Reading that powering through aversions can lead to bigger problems was a lightbulb moment for me. Thanks again, outlier, for posting that!

I guess the part that keeps me picking this issue over in my mind is how illogical it is that I crave junky crap in the 1st trimester. I mean, I value nutrition/nourishment immensely, it's THE most important time to get great nutrition -- what gives??

[Ammaarah]

I had awful protein aversions in my first pregnancy. I am far from strictly TF but I do eat a high-protein, high-fat diet. I also supplement B vitamins. I'm pregnant with my second baby and have had nary a whiff of morning sickness or aversion, and I do wonder if it's because I've made protein a big priority outside of pregnancy.

[outlier]

Originally Posted by Ms. B. Sprout

I'm going to just go with it and do the best I can to minimize the truly bad stuff. Reading that powering through aversions can lead to bigger problems was a lightbulb moment for me. Thanks again, outlier, for posting that!

I guess the part that keeps me picking this issue over in my mind is how illogical it is that I crave junky crap in the 1st trimester. I mean, I value nutrition/nourishment immensely, it's THE most important time to get great nutrition -- what gives??

Glad I could help!

As for the second part above, I would love to know what pregnant women ate back before modern times, like even before civilizations existed. It wouldn't do the woman or her fetus any good to be puking all the time, and would surely have made her more vulnerable to predators. I do get that the first trimester is probably the most vulnerable time in the entire life of a fetus/person, with all the body systems being created and the huge potential for catastrophic errors, and with that in mind I was able to at least make peace with the fact that food aversions were keeping me from eating too much of anything that may in fact be bad for the baby. Still, how did they do it back then???

Ammaarah, maybe you're on to something there...

[Ammaarah]

It's possible I just lucked out, though!

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by outlier

As for the second part above, I would love to know what pregnant women ate back before modern times, like even before civilizations existed. It wouldn't do the woman or her fetus any good to be puking all the time, and would surely have made her more vulnerable to predators. I do get that the first trimester is probably the most vulnerable time in the entire life of a fetus/person, with all the body systems being created and the huge potential for catastrophic errors, and with that in mind I was able to at least make peace with the fact that food aversions were keeping me from eating too much of anything that may in fact be bad for the baby. Still, how did they do it back then???

Nuts & berries? The carb & sugar fixes of the caveman?

[newcastlemama]

This is my 4th pregnancy and 2nd TF/paleo/primal one and I still have morning sickness...I have had it with every pregnancy. I even drank a fair amount of kombucha, dandelion tea, B vits before this one.

So my compromise is adding GF grains and potatoes and high quality ginger ale. I agree that that is why the preconception diet is so important. Like tonight I am havng homemade chicken and brown rice noodle soup but I do;t think that is junky...just not normal for me. In the first trimester I have to eat higher carb and lower fat or I cannot cope well. I also have to eat about every 2 hours it seems to keep the nausea down...10 pounds in the first trimester here I come again! Then about 16 weeks I can even eat chicken liver pate and all the other things that sound so gross right now.

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by newcastlemama

This is my 4th pregnancy and 2nd TF/paleo/primal one and I still have morning sickness...I have had it with every pregnancy. I even drank a fair amount of kombucha, dandelion tea, B vits before this one.

So my compromise is adding GF grains and potatoes and high quality ginger ale. I agree that that is why the preconception diet is so important. Like tonight I am havng homemade chicken and brown rice noodle soup but I do;t think that is junky...just not normal for me. In the first trimester I have to eat higher carb and lower fat or I cannot cope well. I also have to eat about every 2 hours it seems to keep the nausea down...10 pounds in the first trimester here I come again! Then about 16 weeks I can even eat chicken liver pate and all the other things that sound so gross right now.

Jen, when are you due? I feel like you just had a baby!

[newcastlemama]

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

Jen, when are you due? I feel like you just had a baby!

My baby is 2.5 and I am due April 1st-ish (I never had a PP AF from nursing)

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by newcastlemama

My baby is 2.5 and I am due April 1st-ish (I never had a PP AF from nursing)

Really? 2.5? Wow, time flies. Congrats on the new little one!

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

Nuts & berries? The carb & sugar fixes of the caveman?

Not to mention easier to be certain they're disease free than even freshly killed meat. With a healthy immune system, as long as an animal looked healthy it was probably fine to eat, but with a suppressed immune system it'd be problematic to eat a squirrel that just caught a tummy bug or something.

So all you carb craving pregnant mamas, does it help you any to eat a ton of yummy yummy watermelon?

[newcastlemama]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

So all you carb craving pregnant mamas, does it help you any to eat a ton of yummy yummy watermelon?

I don't really like watermelon but homemade soups and smoothies seem to be working right now.