Paleo Pregnancy - Chat and Tips and Tricks - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[Jillgayle]

I am just starting to eat animal proteins again at 13 weeks 6 days. I have terrible MS, very strong aversions and on meds. I was paleo about 1.5 years before getting pregnant.  This first trimester I  have been eating a ton more dairy and rice based products (rice cereal, rice cakes veggie sushi).  I am really hoping to get back to full paleo sometime very soon, since i have already gained 10 lbs and i would like to slow down a bit, not to mention that the grains create havoc on my digestion.

I was wondering what other's are doing for snacks?  It seems that nuts are bothering my stomach a bit, and all i eat is fruit.  Other ideas?

[GreenVariety]

Hey there, I'm so glad to see this group getting a bit more active :-) Have you checked out Chris Kresser's stuff. OH and Food Renegade is offering her Beautiful Babies e-course for free when you preorder her book (I'm all for more real food knowledge for a great price). Might offer some MS help? I'm glad it's getting better!

As far as snacks, I have been having "issues" with almonds and a few other nuts but have a few soaked, spouted that aren't bothering me. Brazil and walnuts to be precise. Do you have a food processor? I have also been making roasted sunflower butter in my food processor (just let it run for like ... ever) and eat on some green apple so I get the carbs and it doesn't spike my sugar. Also in the same department you can take shredded coconut and turn it into coconut butter. Which I just came across an awesome recipe on the Paleo Parents for Coconut Butter Bark. Super rich, full of good fats, date sweetened (but you don't have to sweeten I would imagine) and I didn't use the chocolate chips on mine (made a bunch for hubby too). I'm also finding that if I do a coconut kefir (home made not store bought) smoothie first thing in the morning it really helps. I stick with a small amount of liver (chicken usually), egg yolks (I've been reacting to the whites...grumble), raspberries, a splash of maple syrup and the kefir and it really works wonders. I've also been doing lots of Red Raspberry Leaf tea in Susun Weed's infusion form and using that for mineral/vitamin supplements that I might not be getting. My body has no real interest in nettle leaf, which I devoured by the quart in my first pregnancy. Make me think I'm getting good minerals. Other snack ideas, jerky (home made if you have the time and a dehydrator or oven would probably work), banana and sunflower butter (although rare), just a spoon full of roasted almond butter which doesn't seem to bother me (home made in food processor), sour gummies (mommypotamus recipe), an orange, hand full of brazil nuts or walnuts and pecan's (soaked and dehydrated), fried plantain chips (this have been a life saver, pan fried in coconut oil and sprinkled with salt - think). I find that anything "baked" with egg has been giving me heartburn (unless it's egg yolk strictly) so I've been staying away from a lot of baked stuff but found some good recipes just yesterday for coconut butter macaroons (also on Paleo Parents) and although they were with chocolate chips I opted for plain or lemon zest personally. They are awesome and gave me the "sweet" Valentines day kick I wanted.

And for veggies, I have been doing celery with tuna (sans the onion) in home made mayo, with sunflower butter or cucumber slices with a home made mayo. Other women I have talked with are doing sweet potato fries baked in the oven dipped in mayo (sweet potato is too much starch for my body and I get indigestion).

Hope that helps! Good luck!!
 

[MommyKlein]

For snacks I've been having lots of fresh cut veggies and I cheat and eat it with a dill dip sour cream that I make at home.  So yummy.  If Im craving something sweet I will have an apple or two with nut butter.  When my MS was really bad from 6 wk to 12 wk  I could only eat protein bars.  

[FarmerCathy]

When I eat fruit I normally eat a banana or apple, add cinnamon and melt a tablespoon of butter and pour it on.  Seems like upping my fat has helped me.  I wish I could eat sweet potatoes.  Seems like this pregnancy says no way.  Gives me indigestion.  I did do some extra rice pastas and stuff for awhile in the beginning.  It seems like I've moved to more of a paleo diet again.  Yay!!  I seem to be more satiated and I've only gained about 11 pounds now.  I gained about 18 last time by now, at least and I wasn't paleo.  I'm 16 weeks tomorrow.
 

[GreenVariety]

Not sure if any of you like lemon, but I made this today and it's seriously a little slice of heaven. http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/05/tangy-lemon-curd-honey-sweetened-and-dairy-free.html

This was indicated in a link in the comments (I didn't use whites so mine is real thick and creamy but if you use whites, probably a good plan):

Instead of simply combining the ingredients in the pan on the stove as most lemon curd recipes call for, Mary Jane mixed the ingredients as if she were making a cake. She creamed the butter and sugar until fluffy, beat in the eggs slowly, and only then did she add the lemon juice. The method works every time: the curd thickens properly, becomes satiny-smooth, and there's not one drop of cooked egg to strain. ~http://www.finecooking.com/articles/foolproof-lemon-curd-method.aspx

I have been dipping the coconut bark recipe (which I eat without the chocolate) in it (lots and lots of good fat!) ~ http://paleoparents.com/2013/guest-post-coconut-butter-bark-from-diabetic-paleo/

[Jillgayle]

Thanks for the ideas.  Sunbutter was on my list of things to either make/get this weekend as an alternative to the almond butter, which I love spread on bananas drizzled with a little honey :).  Also, I do bananas with unsweetened cocoa powder dusted on them occasionally.  

I will look up the coconut bark on Paleo Parents right now too. 

I had some pulled pork last night for the first time in 3 months and did not gag or vomit.  And had homemade chicken salad with pecans and grapes that my DH made with homemade mayo today, that's the first time I've had chicken in about 8 weeks too! Things are looking up.  Maybe in a couple of weeks I will try jerky again.  

Also Greenvariety- thank you for the resource types, I haven't heard of Beautiful babies yet and will check it out.   I have felt kind of discouraged by some of the other info out on the web about Paleo and MS because things seem to say you should not get MS if you've been paleo, or assume that you will be able to continue paleo one pregnant, but that was not me at all since the sight/smell made me immediately sick. 

[LaurieBM]

Hi Jill,

I'm not particularly fond of nuts in general, and if you are already largely consuming fruits, then you should consider branching out with meat and veggie snacks, of which there are plenty of really good ones! As GreenVariety mentioned, celery with tuna is a good dish, and the combinations you can do with tuna are nearly endless. One of my personal favorite snacks are simple turkey or ham roll-ups with cucumber, tomato, grated carrot and avocado inside, which I got from a paleo cookbook set I came across after first looking into the Paleo diet and reading that review. The best thing about this snack is how versatile it is--you can add pita in as the wrap if you choose, include your favorite dips, etc. and yet it will always be simple, delicious finger food!

Good luck in finding the snacks that work best for you, and if you do come across an awesome snack, please do share in this thread!

[GreenVariety]

Beautiful Babies is a WAPF modeled nutrition course but lots of good info. She covers morning sickness as it is related to liver imbalance but I haven't gotten there yet. Magnesium deficiency is another thing I have read causes morning sickness and since our soils are deficient, we are as well. I've seen a bunch of women talking about being Paleo and their MS. I have been fortunate. I haven't had any morning sickness with either pregnancy. Not sure if it's because I'm using transdermal magnesium or what? I'm a resource lady and like to apply anything real food that works with my diet so I hope it helps you!

[FarmerCathy]

I thought you ladies might appreciate this.  I'm diabetic and on a mostly paleo diet.  Well, my endo nurse when I told her how many carbs a day I eat now wants me to test for ketones.  She told me to test every morning for 5 days and then 2 times a week for the rest of the pregnancy.  lol  She said because I'm obviously gaining weight, I was weighed at my OB appt. and then yesterday at my endo appt. and I had gained 1-2 pounds in that time.  Anyway, I tested this am and what did I see?  No ketones in my urine.  Huh.  I think I'm doing ok, worry warts.  lol  It's just funny.  I eat quite a bit of fruit esp. when my blood sugar starts going low.  I've been eating more fat now that my ms has eased up and I can stomach it and have been eating less and that worries them too.    They want me to eat way more carbs.  No thanks.  I'm not trying to starve myself ladies, I just stop eating when I'm full. 
 

[MommyKlein]

Cathy, my husband is a diabetic too and is just really getting started on the paleo diet. His blood sugars are much more stable now. Especially if he doesn't have carbs.  I love not eating all those carbs anymore.  Everything else tastes so much better than it used too.  :)

[GreenVariety]

Wow... lol. I wish I could get my diabetic grandmother to stop eating so many carbs. I know it would be huge for her. But "WHOLE GRAINS" is such the buzz phrase and marketing tool. LOL. Any of them actually nutritionists? I'd be curious to see how much time they actually spent even studying the subject in school (and what they remember). I worked for a vet clinic and the vets get 1 semester, 1 class...and guess who the class is sponsored by/given by (well the vets I was working with anyway - 7 of them), it was Purina/Hills. Sigh... I would be annoyed that they were making me do this test JUST because I wasn't eating the carbs they thought I should be and for no other reason... ;-)

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by MommyKlein 

Cathy, my husband is a diabetic too and is just really getting started on the paleo diet. His blood sugars are much more stable now. Especially if he doesn't have carbs.  I love not eating all those carbs anymore.  Everything else tastes so much better than it used too.  :)

Yes, everything does taste so much better doesn't it?  I was talking to dh and he reminded me that these ladies are so used to people eating high carb nutrient deficient foods so they just aren't used to someone who is eating so well.  They don't know what to do with me.  lol.  It makes total sense though.

[Jillgayle]

Hi Everyone!  I feel like i've really fallen off the wagon and could use some advice/encouragement.  I'm now 18 w 5 days. Pregnancy is going very well, and my weight gain to date is minimal compared to my first pregnancy.  I am not overly concerned with weight, but do not want to gain the amount i did last time, it was really uncomfortable, i had a long labor and it was hard to take it off.

At this point,  I have stopped eating all the rice cereal and rice crackers that i was turning too in the first tri when I couldn't stomach anything else. I am eating salads, fruits, vegetables, beef, pork and fish.  I do still eat dairy too (milk, cheese and cottage cheese right now). I still cannot really stomach chicken, especially on the bone.  So, really my diet is much improved in comparison.  BUT, I can not stop eating grains at least once a day. I am craving them, especially in the morning.  I think i had a slice of pumpkin loaf from Starbucks 10 times in the last two weeks, and a two bagels already this week.  Unfortunately nuts are still bothering me too (but i have to wonder if that's because my stomach is already being irritated by the grains).  My stomach hurts (especially after the bagels), my skin issues are flaring up, but that is no deterrent.  The cravings are so strong.  What to do? (also any great nut free pumpkin bread recipes out there, maybe that would suffice?)

Thank you :)

[AngelBee]

Been trying to fins info about going paleo. I am due with twin girls in July.

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by Jillgayle 

Hi Everyone!  I feel like i've really fallen off the wagon and could use some advice/encouragement.  I'm now 18 w 5 days. Pregnancy is going very well, and my weight gain to date is minimal compared to my first pregnancy.  I am not overly concerned with weight, but do not want to gain the amount i did last time, it was really uncomfortable, i had a long labor and it was hard to take it off.

At this point,  I have stopped eating all the rice cereal and rice crackers that i was turning too in the first tri when I couldn't stomach anything else. I am eating salads, fruits, vegetables, beef, pork and fish.  I do still eat dairy too (milk, cheese and cottage cheese right now). I still cannot really stomach chicken, especially on the bone.  So, really my diet is much improved in comparison.  BUT, I can not stop eating grains at least once a day. I am craving them, especially in the morning.  I think i had a slice of pumpkin loaf from Starbucks 10 times in the last two weeks, and a two bagels already this week.  Unfortunately nuts are still bothering me too (but i have to wonder if that's because my stomach is already being irritated by the grains).  My stomach hurts (especially after the bagels), my skin issues are flaring up, but that is no deterrent.  The cravings are so strong.  What to do? (also any great nut free pumpkin bread recipes out there, maybe that would suffice?)

Thank you :)

Sounds like your more addicted to the sweetness than the grains itself.  I could be wrong.  My Naturopath had me start  drinking water with lemon first thing in the am before anything else.  Hot or cold.  Just like 1/2 to 1 cup water and a slice of lemon squeezed in. Then later when a craving hits put sea salt or celtic salt on the end of your tongue and wash the salt over your tongue with some water.  I also found that eating a little extra fat like butter drizzled on a banana or apple slices with cinnamon helped too.

[Jillgayle]

Hmmm, interesting. I have been doing hot water with lemon in the morning and evening, just because I like it.  Maybe i will try to make it more consistent. But I think you are probably right on the sweet craving.  I could eat multiple pieces of fruit a day (and I usually do!)   Do you know the rationale behind the salt rinse?

[GreenVariety]

I forget what I was recently reading but they were saying that the carb cycle can be broken by switching over to fat every time you get a sugar craving (taking a teaspoon of coconut oil) so you switch your body to fat burning instead of carb burning.
 

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by Jillgayle 

Hmmm, interesting. I have been doing hot water with lemon in the morning and evening, just because I like it.  Maybe i will try to make it more consistent. But I think you are probably right on the sweet craving.  I could eat multiple pieces of fruit a day (and I usually do!)   Do you know the rationale behind the salt rinse?

I think to satiate your taste buds.  It def. worked for me though and like pp said, try to eat some fat.