Cravings & Such « Back to Group Discussions

[Xobel]

A couple food craving questions:

1) When do pregnancy cravings usually begin?  I know all about the AVERSIONS - those I'm quite familiar with.  But the desire for very specific things?

2) My non-pregnant body avoided bread and pasta like the plague - they were usually a source of much digestive distress.  For years, my grains of choice were brown rice and quinoa -- and even with those, I didn't eat much.  But times have clearly changed since I've been pregnant.  Since about 8 or 9 weeks along, I've been able to pack away what to me seems like HUGE quantities of spaghetti in particular.  I digest it just fine as well!  I find it particularly strange that my body is excited about something I had always considered to be rather nutritionally empty - so what am I getting out of it?  Why do I want it so bad?  And why is my digestive system suddenly just fine with me eating?

And 3) Anyone else have particularly strange cravings?  Under the influence of my out-of-character wheat/carb desires, I bought a loaf of challah bread the other day and ate nearly the entire thing to myself, slathered in extra garlic hummus.  I thought it was totally fine, but anyone who witnessed this was a bit humored by this combination.  They called the sweet bread/garlic combo a "weird pregnancy craving," while I just considered it a particularly good idea!  Even though I still don't think it was odd at all, it did make me realize that I may be eating some things in the coming months will be odd indeed.  What are the strangest cravings any of you guys have had with this or prior pregnancies?

[GISDiva]

I didn't have any cravings at all during my last pregnancy, except just for protein I suppose.  This time around I had more nausea, so citrus seemed to sit especially well with me, but I'm a big citrus fan normally anyway.  We'll see what transpires!

I am clearly not an expert, but my digestive system really slows down during pregnancy, practically from the time I pee on a stick.  Perhaps the simpler carbs are easier to digest?  That's my whack-job theory anyway.  

[thecoffeebean]

Xobel, I've had some intense cravings the past week or two (10-12 wks). Yesterday I wanted tuna noodle casserole so badly that I made some from scratch- no canned soups involved. :-) It was everything I hoped it would be. I've also been craving beef (which I hadn't eaten since 2007!) and oranges. Very weird!

[CraftyMcGluestick]

My last pregnancy I was so hungry that I ordered menu items based on which had the biggest portion sizes. A lot of simple carbs, definitely. I had nausea, but the feral hunger still ruled the day.

This time, I am not just nauseous but intensely sick and I hardly have any cravings that last long enough for me to procure and eat the food. Strangely though, I have been on a many days Asian food bender though. Vietnamese, Thai, Indian- whatever my husband could find, I'd eat as long as it didn't have fish in it. ( I normally love seafood, but can't abide it right now.)

Also, sometimes really ridiculously salty things like lays potato chips and pickles really hit the spot. I have heard they are a nausea antidote and maybe that's why I want them so much.

From moment-to-moment, day-to-day, I just never can tell what I'll want or tolerate. This is so frustrating when DH gets everything I want at the store and when I look in the fridge, I don't want anything. :-/

Except oranges. I can always eat oranges!