I think that proper nutrition is elemental to a healthy pregnancy, but a myriad of changes in appetite and food safety restrictions present difficulties. Accordingly I've assembled some of the topics I've covered in relation to diet for pregnancy.
Food safety questions
Is cottage cheese safe for pregnant women?
Is honey safe for pregnant women?
Nutrition and diet tips and suggestions
Quick nutrition for pregnant women
Top 10 pregnancy comfort foods
Pregnancy meals, eat often and eat early
How to make a healthier grilled cheese
Dietary changes
The diet of a pregnant woman may depart sharply from pre-pregnancy.
My wife's first hamburger in 21 years
Protein and iron craving and an increase in red meat consumption.
Cravings
Nighttime snacking
More, nighttime snacking
Couvade syndrome and how dietary changes affect the father.
Pregnancy nutrition roundup - food tips and suggestions for pregnancy
Is cottage cheese safe for pregnant women?
In my post about quick nutrition for pregnant women I mentioned that "cottage cheese, possibly with some fruit mixed in, is a great way to get some protein." Following that post, a reader wrote and asked if cottage cheese is in fact safe for pregnant women because it is a "soft cheese."
This question refers to a warning that soft cheeses should be avoided by pregnant women. Originating before the prevalence of well marked foods, this guideline was intended to prevent consumption of unpasteurized cheese. Many soft cheeses used to fit this description so it became a blanket statement.
Today, however, most dairy products sold in the United States are already pasteurized and are packaged with detailed nutritional information which would indicate so.
According to an article on BabyCenter.com, the risk behind the "soft cheese" warning was that:
Raw milk and any cheeses or other dairy products made from it can carry disease-causing organisms, including a potentially deadly bacterium called listeria monocytogenes.
So in light of well-marked, widely pasteurized foods, otherwise edible cottage cheese should be fine for most pregnant women.
Dietary changes during pregnancy, a.k.a death by meat
This summer my wife ate her first hamburger in 21 years. In that span of time she had not eaten any red meat and for many years no chicken either. All that changed once she became pregnant.
Since our offspring has begun developing, my wife has single-handedly sent cattle futures skyrocketing. In the past seven days I've had steak for dinner three times. I cut myself shaving this morning and au jus trickled down my neck. My cholesterol hit triple digits, I sweat Worcestershire sauce and I was woken this morning by the feeling of my dog nibbling on my legs.
Her cravings for red meat have been incredible, but it's par for the course of a pregnant woman's diet. I've mentioned in passing that I think couvade syndrome is tied to household-wide changes in diet, if I have a heart attack before my next post, we'll know for sure.
Quick nutrition for pregnant women
One of the best ways to care for a pregnant woman is to make sure she's always properly fed, and fed quickly. Although a lofty goal, preparing ready-to-eat snacks in advance and keeping certain ingredients on hand is key to making her fed and happy. Keep in mind that she will get hungry at inconvenient times, so some of the items on the list are travel friendly. Stock up on these items so when hunger strikes her, she won't strike you.
Preparing snacks in advance makes sure that she's getting the nutrition she and the baby need from good foods, not just anything within arm's reach. Fresh fruits and vegetables fit this profile wonderfully and are easy to prepare in addition to being vitamin rich. Keep in mind that fruits and vegetables are usually sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals, so buying organic and pesticide free is highly recommended. Organics can be expensive, but those fruits and veggies with thick skins may be okay. DeliciousOrganics.com has a list of the top produce to buy organic.
Some great snacks include:
Sliced apples with a spread of peanut butter
Apples are loaded with nutrients, and the peanut butter is a great source of protein and healthy fats and oils. Try and get organic apples.
Orange juice or cranberry juice
Lots of vitamin c and sugars to help low blood sugar levels.
Trail mix (organic)
Quick, easy, portable and tasty. Some good carbs, oils and proteins.
*travel friendly, spoil resistant - Buy a large bag at a super center to save money and portion it out in Ziploc bags so she can throw some in a purse.
Yogurt
Keep some yogurt handy, either in a larger container or individual cups. Add some granola or mix in your own fruit to make it a more substantial treat.
Eggs
Eggs are very simple to prepare on the spot. It doesn't get much easier than scrambled eggs. If you have a little more time, make an egg white omelet with some diced veggies and cheese. For a quicker grab, prepare some hard boiled eggs and keep them in the fridge for when the urge strikes.
Bread (for toast)
Depending on which trimester she is in, dry toast may be one of the only things she can stomach. I suggest a multi-grain bread if she isn't battling an upset tummy. In that case something a little less fibrous like an oatmeal bread is healthier than just plain white bread.
Crackers and...
Cheese is the obvious answer, but there are lots of other things you can add. If you do go the cheese route, pregnant women should stay away from soft cheese. Hummus, jelly, slice of fruit or salsa are all great cracker combos. Stick to a more grainy cracker, as some tend to be high in saturated fats.
* Travel friendly, spoil resistant - Buy her a box for her car or for work.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese, possibly with some fruit mixed in, is a great way to get some protein.
Granola Bars
I personally love the Kashi brand of bars, but most of these bars provide an ultra-portable energy boost.
* Travel friendly, spoil resistant - buy a few extra for the car, purse or on the job.
Peanut Butter and....
Just about anything. With jelly on bread, spread on some fruit, dipped with celery, a bunch on some crackers.
* Spoil resistant - great to put in a desk with a box of crackers at the office.
Nutrition for pregnant women can be an easily manageable as long as you plan in advance. A well-fed pregnant woman is a happy pregnant woman, so always make sure she's got a steady supply of food at the drop of a hat.
Is honey safe for pregnant women?
One contested item in the realm of pregnancy nutrition is honey. No, not the Maria Carey song of the same name which should be avoided in pretty much every circumstance, but rather the bee and nectar byproduct.
While honey should not be ingested by children, it is safe for both pregnant and nursing mothers.
The reason that kids should avoid honey is that it may contain botulinum spores which could thrive in the low-acid digestive tracts of children. It is fine for pregnant and nursing women, though, as their more mature and acidic digestive systems will kill the spores.
You may have learned this from a George Clooney era episode of E.R., but this article from iVilliage has all the info.
Pregnancy nutrition, a healthier grilled cheese sandwich
So I was awoken the other night as my wife flopped around in a hungry, hormonal tantrum. It turns out she wanted some grilled cheese. She burned the first batch and almost cried in the process, so I got up and made us a snack.
Grilled cheese is a tasty and relatively easy and tasty treat, but can also be an unhealthy dietary addition. I had just written a post on real food, so I thought this might be a good tie in to eating healthfully in the face of a violently hungry pregnant woman.
With a few minor tweaks your can turn this perennial favorite into a much healthier treat.
1. Use multi-grain bread.
Multi-grain bread has more fiber and more complex carbohydrates, so it won't break down as quickly and cause insulin spikes.
2. Add slices of tomato or onion.
This is a quick and easy way to add some nutritious vegetables to your diet. These two veggies always add great flavor as well.
3. Use healthier cheese.
Typical American cheese is very high in fat. Using provolone or low-fat cheddar will cut at least half the fat and calories of American cheese slices.
Follow these steps and you've got a much healthier spin on an old classic.
Real Food
Yahoo! Food is featuring a segment on "real food", and seeing as how my pregnant wife eats with the voracity of a hungry shark, I began thinking about what I considered to be “real food”. My immediate thought was that it is a key element in a healthy lifestyle and ensuring my wife has a successful pregnancy. But while the countless elements of real food make it difficult to define, to me the concept is very specific. Real food has a personality and begs to be prepared. It is food that is fresh, flavorful and nourishing. It is food you experience, not just a meal you eat and forget.
The concept of 'real food', like beauty, lies with the beholder. In my eyes, food is indeed beautiful and has been a central theme in my relationship with my wife for the past few years. Our meals and our diet are things that extend beyond filling enough calories to get us through the day.
We started a cafe together, and for years observed the public's relationship with food. During that time we noticed a divergence in people; to some a meal was a requirement packed into a busy schedule, while others were invested in what they ate. This was an important distinction in defining what real food means to us. My wife and I experience food, meals are an event, food is enjoyed and prepared carefully.
Now that my wife is pregnant, we make sure that the foods we eat are real by a more scientific definition. We eat lots of unprocessed foods and organics whenever able. This includes tons of fruits and veggies and using all natural flavors and seasonings. My wife is a brilliant cook and has always had a wonderful way of combining fresh ingredients with out losing their distinct flavors. As we sat down to eat lunch today, my interpretation of 'real food' struck me. She had sliced up some grilled chicken and served it on a whole-grain baguette with fresh beefsteak tomatoes, red onion, honey mustard, baby spinach, Brie and avocado. The sandwich had a distinct overall flavor, yet I could taste each individual item's rich contribution in this tasty concoction.
Real food is a sensory event, ranging from the color contrast of red and yellow peppers, to the smell of a pie baking or the sizzling sound of chicken on a grill. Finding your own real food is an evolution. Become a foodie. Enjoy what you eat. Make distinctions for yourself that help you experience food, anything from switching to sea salt from table salt or slicing your own cheddar instead of buying pre-sliced American cheese.
Anything that is doctored too much loses its flavor. Real food really shouldn't change much between when it was grown and when you prepare it. Grains should be whole, fruits and veggies should be fresh and meats not loaded with hormones. Food isn't found in wrappers and boxes in nature and we try and keep that in mind when shopping.
Pregnancy nutrition, an ongoing tale of night time snacks
The pregnancy-induced cravings are getting increasingly frequent and terribly tempting for me.
Last time it was macaroni and cheese, but on tonight's menu a particularly tasty, nutrition-light offering: two freshly-baked chocolate chunk cookies sandwiching a layer of ice cream and a generous spread of peanut butter. She's definitely trying to sabotage me so I don't lose any more weight.
Pregnancy meals, eating often and eating early
I might as well be dining with my grandmother because my pregnant wife now likes to eat dinner at 4:30; It's like an early bird special at my own house. I don't even have the laptop bag off my shoulder yet when I get home from work and she's asking me if I'm ready to sit down and eat.
"Where ya' been? I'm starving," she asks as if I'd gone missing for days.
"I always get home at this time," I answer in defense.
"Yeah, but I'm hungry. Come on lets eat." I have no response, logic would do me no good.
So, if you're used to eating meals together with your pregnant partner, you may have to bend that habit a little bit for her sake, and the baby's. As I'm sure any of you expectant fathers know, pregnant women have significantly increased appetites, no surprise there. However, the key to satiating her hunger is small portions on a frequent basis.
A regular, three squares a day schedule won't suit her very well. Rather , little mini-meals eaten several times a day are the key to managing her hunger and nutritional needs. One primary function of eating frequently is that it helps regulate her blood sugar levels by keeping them from ever dropping too low or spiking after large meals. Low blood sugar levels often cause people to be cranky, so stack that on top of crazy hormones and you have a dangerous individual on your hands. Get the woman some food.
The moral of the story is that you should encourage your wife to eat manageable amounts of food frequently. The only schedule that truly matters is the baby's. When he or she wants to eat, he or she needs to eat. (Like mac and cheese at 10:45.)This may mean that you eat by yourself, but it also means she'll be healthier and happier.
Pregnancy nutrition, another tale of night time snacks
It was mint chocolate chip ice cream at
“Do you want some mac and cheese?” Alison looked at me sheepishly as if it was an off handed idea not prompted by ravenous hunger or impulse cravings.
It was incredibly tasty and I’m glad I did it. Not only was it a great treat, hopefully it will help preserve the gap between my body weight and my wife’s.
Incidentally, if you love the yummy, inexpensive and non-perishable glory that is macaroni and cheese as much as I do, there is an alternate way to prepare this delicious dish that reduces the amount of fat, sodium and calories per serving.
On the side of the Kraft mac and cheese boxes there are instructions which include using unsalted butter in a smaller quantity, among other small tweaks. This cuts the fat of the dish by 65% and the calories by 25%.
Couvade, weight gain and other gems of expectant fatherhood
With the addition of ice cream as the fifth basic food group of the pregnant household, it can be difficult for father to avoid any collateral weight gain. Especially during the second trimester when women tend to feel better and are able to shop for themselves (not as much morning sickness, but not yet immobile), do not be surprised as to what types or quantities of food may appear at your house. Nor should you be surprised by the times at which she chooses to eat. She will ask you to join her and before you know it, having waffles at 10:30 pm seems completely reasonable… like it did last night.
She’s going to become an eating buddy; like a geriatric version of that kid in college who always had a fifth of Jack Daniels ready at a moment’s notice, but with peanut butter cups instead.
This leads me to the topic of paternal weight gain and other pregnancy symptoms wrapped up under the blanket of the Couvade syndrome. This is basically a set of sympathetic changes in expectant fathers that mimic certain aspects of pregnancy, the most notable of which is weight gain. I have personally lost 13 pounds since the beginning of my wife’s pregnancy, but it’s not for lack of trying and the pusher-like tactics of my wife. Regardless, this change in diet is one of the reasons why exercise is so important for pregnant dads. The catch-22 is that although your caloric intake will increase, your free time will decrease leaving you less time for exercise.
A very easy way to get some exercise during the day is to go for at least a one mile walk during your lunch time. Use the stairs instead of elevators, walk in place of driving or riding when possible and drink plenty of water. The water helps your body metabolize fats and improves your digestive system, skin and overall health.
Other symptoms of Couvade include insomnia, indigestion, nausea, changes in appetite and aches and pains. 1
Some of this could easily be attributed to proximity to a pregnant woman who, for example, tosses in her sleep and wakes her partner at the same time. Changes in stress, diet, schedule and exercise levels could easily account for weight gain, indigestion and many of the other apparently pregnant-sympathetic experiences.
Regardless, it is important to make sure you’re eating healthy and taking care of yourself or you’ll never be able to manage caring for her.
1. Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couvade_syndrome
First hamburger in 21 years.
Last Sunday my wife agreed to something I never thought I'd see; she ate a hamburger of her own free will. A real hamburger, made solely from beef. No bean patties, no soy derivative. Meat.
It was her first burger in 21 years, all because of the pregnant crazies.
My wife had been a vegetarian for the past couple of decades (with the recent exclusions of fish and chicken) so you can imagine my surprise when she gave the idea of a burger even a glancing consideration. Further more, she didn't just tolerate the burger, she loved it. She had a second one a couple hours later.
Now it's not like she's not eating steak at every meal, but it was significant in that the idea of eating red meat used to make her feel sick. Obviously certain cravings may be tied to different nutritional requirements, but it's a good example of the unexpected changes that pregnant women go through. I've said it before but remember, the pregnant woman is a fickle being, feed it well and it won't turn on you.
The diet of the pregnant woman
I looked down at my grocery basket as I strolled up aisle 7. Hot dogs, mac and cheese, coke and cake. Oh, and organic baby carrots, check.
I felt like I was carrying someone else's basket. My wife is (mostly) a vegetarian, we don't drink soda and we haven't had macaroni and cheese since college. And although she tries to make as many organic meals as possible (hence the organic baby carrots) everything in the basket was a specific request of hers. She really wanted those foods, but oddly enough that was the only time she craved them, and not once afterwards.
You'll hear lots of stories about strange cravings, along the lines of pickles and ice cream, but how quickly those cravings change is what can really be confusing.
The next hot item was ginger ale. She couldn't drink enough of it, and as soon as I stocked up with a dozen liters, she couldn't stand the site of a bottle of Schweppes. She then ate cracked-pepper smoked turkey twice a day for two weeks. Soon after she declared thinking of turkey made her want to puke. She'd feel terrible and nauseous if she didn't eat and not much better when she did.
My point is that you never can tell exactly what or how much of a particular food a pregnant woman will want. Nor can you tell how quickly her tastes will change. I've given away excesses of food that she couldn't be without only a few short hours earlier, and been sent to the grocery store for coconut cake at 9:30 at night because nothing else appealed to her.
The pregnant woman is a fickle being. Feed it well and it won't turn on you.
Your job really is to keep her happy and make sure the baby gets what it wants and need. Consistently our staple item has been ice cream. There is a steady supply of it in the house at all times, which leads to another important point;
there is a very high likelihood that the father will gain weight right along with the mommy to be.
Be conscious of your diet and try to exercise as much as possible.