You asked and you shall now receive. It’s only fair for us to share all of this stored up knowledge about having a baby and what is going on with your body during those nine (really ten) months. We now will answer, in a very public forum, all of those burning questions about having a baby. Each Monday, we will tackle a commonly-asked-question from the point of view of an expectant parent. Chiming in to give feedback will be an expert (you know someone who does this for a living). Earmark, share and add your own input to today’s question; it’s good karma.
Food cravings are wild! Why do I have them?
Ben and Jerry’s at midnight? A juicy burger craving from the devout vegetarian? Our bodies are such wise guides to what our little ones need. There is no definitive answer, though many nutritionists and providers believe each food craving may be linked to a nutritional deficiency. Craving chocolate has been linked to a deficiency of magnesium. Craving ice cream linked to calcium needs. Craving for pickles may signify sodium requirements.
The opposite may also be true – many moms develop aversions to potentially unhealthy foods for their baby – such as coffee or alcohol. During pregnancy our senses of taste and smell are heightened, which adds to our aversion for certain foods. I’m an avid Starbucks drinker, though when I was carrying my son – couldn’t get within 10 feet of a cup of java! The hormones during pregnancy and heightened sense of smell may make you crave foods or shy away from foods you hadn’t to before. This is also found in menopausal women – as their hormones are also in a state of adjustment.
Since 68% of women have food craving its important to pay attention to our cravings and its okay to splurge now and again. Being mindful to have balanced meals, eat a variety of foods, and to keep the sweets and sugary snacks to a minimum. Enjoy!
Expert: Renee Sullivan
Renee Sullivan, parent coach and Founding Director of babybites support groups, works with moms each week to create their own personal parenting plan that is right for them, while making sure that each mom gets the support, resources, and community they need for their parenting journey. Drawing from her experience as an birth coach and educator, she guides moms – new, seasoned and expectant through the never – ending array of decisions that come with having a child. Weekly sessions that are “nurturing, informative, and fun” and her “calm-laid back personality” has made her a “dynamic resource” to the parenting community since 2006. Renee’s positive, warm and enthusiastic personality relaxes and guides new and expectant moms to enjoy the journey and her personal attention to detail allows all parents that work with her to quickly get the resources they need to feel at ease to make informed and educated decisions. Before joining Mommybites, she narrowly escaped the trenches of Corporate America where she was a Senior Project Manager for The New York Times, Morgan Stanley and Pfizer. She lives in New York City and is the mom of one happy kindergartener.
