Food aversions during pregnancy

Food aversions are typical symptoms at the early stage of pregnancy. They start during the first trimester and soon will go away by the second.Food aversion🍜What is food aversion?A food aversion is when you can’t eat certain foods due to unpleasant smell or taste.😔 It’s the opposite of a craving and also a common symptom in pregnancy just like cravings.🤰 🍜When will you have food aversions? Food aversions often come along with morning sickness around week 5 or 6 of pregnancy. Your appetite can still be out of whack throughout the entire pregnancy but usually the symptoms of food aversions disappear when you reach the second trimester.🤰Causes of food aversion  🍜HormonesChanges in hormones in pregnancy play an important role in changing your appetite. Increased levels of both estrogen and hCG results in nausea, food aversions, and sometimes vomiting.🤮🍜Heightened stressIn pregnancy, you become hypersensitive to smells👃 and taste, making certain foods unappealing. Food aversion may have developed as a defense against substances that are potentially harmful for the baby. How to cope with food aversion🍜Healthy substitutesFind healthy substitutes that provide the same nutrient you need. If meat🥩 is a big no no, you can try steamed tofu, nuts and cheese.🍢 🍜Mix foodYou can lure your hyperactive senses by mixing them into other foods that you like.🍲 If you hate spinach, try to blend it with your favorite fruits to camouflage spinach’s taste and smell.😃 🍜Cold or bland foodsSince cold food doesn’t have a strong taste or smell, you may find it easier to consume it. Bland food such as rice, oatmeal also has a mild taste so you might want to give it a try.🍚 

Morning sickness and nausea during pregnancy

Congratulations! Finally you’re sailing along on your pregnancy adventure. Are you feeling any seasickness along the way? That’s probably because you are experiencing morning sickness which definitely does not occur in just mornings. Morning sickness🤢What is morning sickness?It describes the nausea and vomiting that happen when you are pregnant.🤰 Depending on how sensitive you are to smells and odors, you may have strong aversions to certain smells or foods that are so powerful that you feel sick to your stomach.👃Morning sickness does not necessarily mean it only happens in the morning. In fact, you can suffer the symptoms any time of the day or night.☀️🌃🤢When does morning sickness start?It typically starts around week 6 until the middle of month 2. It is truly the first sign you’ll notice after your hCG hormone levels overcome the threshold to produce a positive pregnancy test result.🤰  🤢How long does morning sickness last?  Nausea and vomiting diminish between weeks 12 and 16, but they are at their peaks form weeks 10 to 16. It is possible that you continue experiencing these symptoms when you enter the second trimester or even throughout pregnancy.🤮 Morning sickness causes🤢Hormone levelshCG hormone level is at its peak when morning sickness is worst. Increased levels of estrogen and progesterone relax the muscles of the digestive tract and make it difficult for you to digest food.📈🤢A sensitive brainIf you are already hypersensitive to car sick🚗 or seasick🌊 compared to others, you are subjected to morning sickness. A family history of migraine also makes you prone to morning sickness. 🤢StressEmotional stress such as anger😠, depression😫 can upset the gastrointestinal tract. No wonder when you’re under stress, you experience morning sickness more often.🤢FatigueIf you have morning sickness, fatigue can make the nausea worse. On the other hand, morning sickness can increase fatigue.🥴🤢First time pregnancyIf this is the first time you’re pregnant, the symptoms might appear more severely and decrease when you’re pregnant again.🙋 Your body is less prepared for the sudden surge of hormone levels, making you feel more anxious and resulting in stomach upset.  Morning sickness remedies🤢Stay away from offensive smellsBecause your sense of smells is so keen, some scents may be offensive and sickening despite them being familiar. Stay away from smells that make you feel nauseous. Open windows so the air inside your room can be well ventilated.🍲🤢Wear Sea-Band wristlets  They are clinically proven to be effective to protect you from severe morning sickness. These 1-inch-wide bands are anti nausea acupressure wristbands that put pressure on an acupressure point and naturally relieve the symptoms.😃🤢Rest wellMeditation, visualization or any methods that help you stay calm can help minimize queasiness. Relax your body and take it easy since rushing only makes your pregnancy experiences worse.😶‍🌫️😌 

Pregnancy symptoms that you should never ignore

You are probably familiar with pains, aches, and weird symptoms along the way. If you have any signs of potential problems, you should stay alert and call your doctors immediately.Early stage symptoms⚠️Bleeding or spottingVaginal spotting or bleeding🩸 can be considered a serious sign of potential miscarriage. It can also signal ectopic or molar pregnancy. If molar pregnancy is the case, you may pass small, fluid-filled sacs from your vagina while feeling severely nauseous and vomiting.🤮⚠️PainIf the crampy, persistent abdominal pain comes along with pelvic pressure or low back pain, non stop bleeding, all signs might indicate miscarriage.🤰 Pain anywhere in your abdomen or pelvis at the early stage can be linked with ectopic pregnancy.Pain in your shoulder can be a symptom of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. You should call an ambulance and doctors immediately if this is the case.👩‍⚕️🏥Some serious symptoms throughout pregnancy⚠️Painful or burning urinationYou can’t help going to the bathroom🚽 and feeling the urge to go again minutes after you just finish. Painful or burning urination, little or no urination, cloudy and blood-colored urine, strong and unpleasant odor can be signs of urinary tract infection.😟 UTI can result in soreness in your back, sides, or lower abdomen. If the situation gets worse and spreads to the kidneys, you may experience back pain, fever and chills, and nausea and vomiting.🤮 ⚠️Strange vaginal dischargeUnhealthy vaginal discharge such as green substances🟢 having unpleasant odor, pain and itching signs accompanied, you may have yeast infection. If the discharge is thin white or gray with a strong fishy smell, you may have bacterial vaginosis.A common sexually transmitted disease called trichomoniasis is also a consequence of yellow🟡 or green vaginal discharge. Have a regular checkup with doctors to protect your health.👩‍⚕️ ⚠️FeverIf you experience chills or fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit🌡️, there is a high chance that you have infection in the kidneys, uterus, lungs or elsewhere. Other symptoms such as belly or back pain, nausea, diarrhea, trouble urinating, foul-smelling vagianl discharge will be used as indicators to address the disease more correctly.👩‍⚕️ ⚠️Severe nausea and vomitingSevere nausea and vomiting, also called hyperemesis gravidarum can be associated with weight loss, low birth weight, and dehydration. It starts in early pregnancy and continues throughout the process.🤕🤢⚠️Extreme tirednessPregnancy takes a toll on you, leaving you fatigued at times. If you feel suddenly extremely tired, it can be a sign of heart disease, anemia, diabetes or depression.😟   

Bloating and gas during pregnancy

You’re paying attention to what you eat and medications you ingest. Gas and bloating are common symptoms at an early stage of pregnancy. If you have gas problems, this information is for you.Causes of bloating and gas during pregnancy😶Undigested carbohydratesGas is an uncomfortable result of a common process of digesting undigested carbohydrates.🍙 Gas enters your digestive tract when you swallow air and is released when bacteria in your large intestine breaks down carbohydrates.🦠😶CarbsCertain carbs can make you gas often.🍚 Fats contribute to a sense of bloating especially when you eat noodles at night because they slow down digestion.🌾😶Progesterone hormonesWhen you’re pregnant, a high level of progesterone hormones relaxes your muscles and decelerates digestion.🤰 These relaxed muscles lead to more gas being released, bloating, burping, and flatulence after you have a big meal.😌You may experience bloating and gas a few times a day. Relax and unbutton your pants to make yourself more comfortable.😃 Foods to avoid to help relieve pregnancy bloating and gas😶Beans, whole grains, and certain vegetablesCabbage, cauliflower🥦 , brussel sprouts, broccoli🥦, asparagus contain raffinose sugar, making people more gassy. Bloating and gas are inevitable symptoms but cutting down on these kinds of food is an effective way to relieve them a bit.🌳 🌿🥬 😶FructoseFructose, also called fruit sugar, is found in leeks, onions, artichokes, dried fruit, ketchup, pears, honey, or apples.🍒 It is often added into processed foods. Together with carbonation, fructose in sodas and fruit drinks can result in bloating and gassy feelings.🥤😶Certain starchesExcept rice, wheat or corn🌾 can lead to bloating and gas because you may not have the enzyme to break down these complex carbohydrates. When they reach the colon, bacteria start feasting on them and producing gas.😃😶Fiber-rich foodsOat bran, beans, peas🥫 and many fruits are fiber-rich and produce gas after they are digested. Wheat bran, however, is not as easily broken down as other types of foods and suitable for you if you’re constipated.🚽 😶Dairy productsIf you’re lactose intolerant, you’re likely to get diarrhea, stomachache, and gas production after consuming dairy products.🥛 Try lactose free milk or calcium-fortified soy milk to enhance your calcium intake. If all these options are not available, consult with doctors for calcium supplements.👩‍⚕️ 😶High fat and fried foodsThe fiber content of most fried foods is low, making them hard to digest and remain in the colon much longer. When they stay in your digestive tract for too long, you’re likely to feel full and bloated.😃 

Appetite loss

Pregnancy is one of the special moments when you are applauded for gaining weight and eating your favorite food as much as you want. Gaining enough pregnancy weight is critical to provide nutrients and support your baby’s needs. Loss of appetite during pregnancy🤢Nausea and vomitingLoss of appetite is one side effect of morning sickness and nausea.🤢 When morning sickness strikes and smell sensitivity triggers, you naturally walk away from strong scents, including the foods you once loved.🍲 Your appetite consequently becomes a bit shy when it comes to food. 🤢Mental health conditionsDue to various physical and biochemical changes, you are prone to mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.😟 Depression during pregnancy is associated with decreased appetite for healthy food, increased intake of unhealthy food, leading to lower nutrients for the baby development.👶 Health disorders may go undiagnosed if you don’t speak up because of embarrassment. If you’re experiencing any symptoms, please consult with doctors and trusted health professionals.👩‍⚕️ 🤢Phobia of weight gainYou are afraid of gaining weight because you might adhere to a certain weight stigma or portray weight gain as a flaw.🙅‍♀️ You are worried that you’re not able to return to your old body once you eat vociferously.😟 If you’re experiencing this sense of anxiety, please consult with doctors or therapists. How to treat appetite loss during pregnancy🤢Eat small mealsIf your appetite loss is linked to nausea or vomiting, you can try to distribute meals into small portions but more frequent meals throughout the day. Little by little, you’ll get used to the foods and increase your food intake.😋🍛🤢Food prioritizeTake your prenatal vitamins daily to ensure both you and your baby are getting enough nutrients. Drink plenty of water.🚰 You can try many kinds of foods that are simple to make, filling and easy on your stomach such as protein-rich snacks, bland veggies, fruits, or soup.🤤  

Foods to avoid during pregnancy

You’re eating not only for yourself but also for the baby. When you’re pregnant, you should always stay alert and avoid all items that could potentially make you sick or badly affect your baby’s health condition.Why should you avoid certain foods during pregnancy?Some foods are a shelter of bacteria like E.coli.🦠 Meanwhile, pregnancy also diminishes your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to all ailments like flu or common cold.🥶 You are more likely to get sick or suffer from complications such as miscarriage or premature delivery if you have foodborne illness.😟 The disease which crosses the placenta will harmfully affect your baby, developing severe birth defects or serious infections.😔 Foods to avoid during pregnancy🐟High mercury fishFish is loaded with brain-boosting nutrients and omega-3.🐟 However, some fish contain a dangerous level of mercury that is detrimental to your baby’s developing nervous system.🧠 The bigger and older the fish, the more mercury it carries. Avoid shark🦈, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and bigeye tuna. Limit white albacore to 6 ounces a week. Fish such as salmone, anchovies, cod, catfish, shrimp, trout, or sardines can be eaten up to 8 to 12 ounces per week. 🥩Raw, undercooked foodRefrain from blood-red meat🥩 because they can harbor bacteria causing food poisoning such as E.coli or Salmonella. Uncooked fish in sashimi🍣, raw oysters should also be off-limits because the danger of ingesting bacteria or parasites is too high. Dishes having undercooked eggs🥚 are so prevalent such as soft scrambled eggs, homemade mousse, raw batter or cookie dough, mayonnaise. Pregnant moms🤰 who consume these rampant raw and undercooked eggs are prone to Salmonella infection.☕Too much caffeineCaffeine wakes you up when you’re tired. However, too much caffeine can interfere with the ability to absorb iron, leading to anemia.☕ It is time to switch to decaf ones. You should consume no more than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day. Any caffeine sources such as chocolate🍫, black or green tea, energy bars and coffee-flavored desserts, ice cream🍨, yogurts should also be controllably devoured to ensure the 200 milligram limit. 🥛Unpasteurized dairy and juicesDairies such as skim milk🥛 and cheese🧀 can be a healthy part of your pregnancy diet. However, anything containing unpasteurized milk is a big no-no since they might have Listeria and other pathogens. Check your products’ label before making a purchase.🐄 🍷AlcoholAlcohol is extremely harmful to your health during pregnancy so avoid it at all cost.🍷 The concentration of alcohol that goes into your bloodstream is also the same as that enters your baby, resulting in fetal alcohol syndrome, which can cause facial deformities and intellectual disability.☠️ Toast happy events with healthy fruity juices! If you’re concerned about alcohol that you drank before you knew you were pregnant, please consult your worries with doctors.👩‍⚕️ 

Best food to eat during pregnancy

Are you worried that you’re not hitting the healthy pregnancy diet mark? Don’t worry, you can always look up to this information and prepare all vitamins and minerals that both you and your baby need.Essential nutrients for you and your baby💊Folic acidGetting at least 600 micrograms per day during pregnancy is important. Folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects, serious abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord.🧠💊IronIron plays an important role in hemoglobin formation🩸, a protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen to your tissues. Your body needs iron to make more blood to supply oxygen for the baby.👶💊CalciumCalcium makes bones and teeth strong.🦷 It also helps your circulatory, muscular and nervous systems function normally.🧠 You should aim for 1000 milligrams a day.💊Vitamin DVitamin D assists calcium to do its job and your immune system to stay healthy. You should take 600 IU a day.😃💊DHAAn omega-3- fatty acid called DHA is vital in your baby’s brain and retinal👁️ development. It helps absorb fat soluble vitamins and reduce symptoms associated with prenatal depression. You need 200-300 milligrams per day.👁️💊IodineIodine, available in salt, promotes your baby’s brain and nervous system development.👁️ You should get 290 micrograms per day.🧂Examples of recommended pregnancy diet🥩Lean meatHigh protein lean meat🥩 provides you energy throughout the day and stabilizes your blood sugar. In addition to being protein-packed, it’s also rich in iron, developing red blood🩸 cell supply for both you and your baby.🥜LentilsLentils are a great alternative source of protein that deserves a good place on your plate.🥜 Not only are they rich in vitamin B folate, they are also high in fiber which protects your digestive system and prevents pregnancy-related constipation.🚽   🐟SalmonFatty fish are one of the best foods to eat during pregnancy.🐟 Since your body cannot produce omega-3, salmon are packed with DHA omega-3s and iodine, making it a safe seafood choice for pregnancy.🤰🥑AvocadoThis creamy green fruit has a high amount of folate, along with vitamin B6 which also alleviates morning sickness. It’s a healthy source of monounsaturated fats so your body can absorb vitamins in veggies and fruits better.🥑 🥬KaleKale is a potent pregnancy, all in one package of food.🥬 It serves lots of nutrients that you need, including folate, iron, vitamin C, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K and fiber.😄   

Common pregnancy aches and pains

Growing a new person in your body takes a toll on your body. You should expect some body aches and pains along the way. Causes of body aches during pregnancy😩Hormonal changesSurges of relaxin and progesterone hormones relax your ligaments and joints to prepare your body for labor.🤰 Your body then feels all the aching and pain😫 as these unstable ligaments slightly move.😩Weight gainYou’re gaining weight and putting extra pressure on your joints. Your growing uterus👶 also shifts your center of gravity and stretches abdominal muscles, causing inevitable pain to your back and spine.Relieving body aches in pregnancy😩HeatYou can apply heating pads, a hot water bottle on your abdomen. However, don’t apply heat to your body for longer than ten minutes because you don’t want to heat up your baby.👶😩ExercisesOne of the best remedies to reduce pain is to stay physically active.🚶 Pregnancy safe exercises help keep weight gain in check, strengthen muscles, support your blood circulation🩸 and reduce swelling. Common body aches in pregnancy😩HeadachesFeeling a squeezing pain on both sides of your head is a sign of tension headache.🤕 It’s usually a harmless symptom due to hormonal changes and increased blood flow.😩HemorrhoidsHemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels🩸 in the rectal area due to straining during bowel movements. The growth of the uterus puts pressure on your rectal veins, making you feel downright painful.😩 😩Heartburn  Burning sensation in your chest strikes you after you eat. During pregnancy, progesterone hormone relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing the stomach acid🍲 to travel up your throat. Your baby👶 also contributes to pushing on the stomach and adding to the burn.😩Leg crampsLeg cramps🦵 can be rooted from vitamin deficiency, electrolyte shortage or other reasons. Changes in your body🤰 during pregnancy can cause unprecedented pains in your body.😩Carpal tunnel syndromeDuring pregnancy🤰, you experience tingling pain in your hands✋, wrists and arms. Extra fluid and swelling are the main culprits causing these symptoms. 

Early pregnancy symptoms

Have you been actively trying to conceive? Because very early signs of pregnancy symptoms are similar to premenstrual syndrome, the most accurate way to know that you have a baby on board is to take pregnancy tests. However, these symptoms can still provide credible clues.Early signs of pregnancy before a missed period🤰Basal body temperatureAn elevated basal body temperature🌡️ by 1 degree when you check your first morning temperature can be a good indicator of the big news. The temperature may rise and stay the same during pregnancy, but it’s not likely to be a huge increase.😃 🤰Smell sensitivitySmells of your favorite food or previously mild odors👃 that once made you pleasant become unappealing and distasteful. You might want to throw up immediately if the situation is severe.🤮 This is a very common symptom of pregnancy indicating good news.🤰Breast changesTender, swollen breasts followed up with darkening and bumpy areolas🧐 are signs of breast changes that make you feel itchy and be in pain. Tiny bumps growing in size and quantity appearing on your areolas are preparing to produce oils that lubricate your nipples. 🤰FatigueSince all of your energy goes into building a placenta at the early stage of pregnancy, you tend to get hungry more easily. Pregnancy fatigue occurs shortly after you conceive.🥘Other signs of pregnancy including missed periods 🤰 Missed periodsIf you have regular periods🩸, this can be a good sign that all expectant moms experience. Missed periods are very common when you suspect pregnancy.😃🤰Implantation bleedingLight spotting or implantation bleeding can be an early pregnancy signal that an embryo has deposited itself into the uterine wall. Unlike the usual red color of periods🩸, implantation bleeding is usually medium pink or light brown, lasting for a few hours to a few days in discontinuity.📅🤰Changes in cervical mucusIf your cervical mucus becomes creamy and remains the same after ovulation, it’s likely that you’ll have a positive pregnancy test result.😃 Increased amount of thin, milky-white vaginal discharge post ovulation is normal and healthy. If it gets thicker and lumpy, you need to have a checkup with your practitioner or doctors.👩‍⚕️ 🤰Incessant urinationAfter conception for two or three weeks, you constantly want to pee.🚽 Due to the hormone hCG, your kidney receives more blood, aiding the solid and liquid waste disposal process from the body.  Your growing uterus is putting more pressure on your bladder, leaving less space for urine and increasing the need to pee.🚻 🤰Mood swingsBlame your hormonal changes all you want for the sudden mood swings you may be experiencing.😃🥴☹️ Your life is going through a major change, so it’s completely normal for your moods to fluctuate. 

Fatigue during pregnancy

It’s common for you to feel fatigued and extremely tired, especially during the first trimester. Oh mom, if you could rest more…Fatigue😫What does pregnancy fatigue feel like?Your entire body is lagging and dragging from the moment you get up in the morning.😫 You constantly feel tired and lack energy.😧😫When does fatigue start?Fatigue can begin in the very first weeks of pregnancy.🤰 Many moms notice the symptoms as early as one week after conception.😖  Fatigue causes😫Building the placentaYour body is creating the placenta to supply nutrients and oxygen for your baby to thrive.🥱 Growing a human takes a toll on your body, making you feel tired.😧  😫HormonesIncreased production of progesterone hormone assists milk production for breastfeeding later on.🤱 Intense mood swings resulting from hormone changes make you feel drained and tired faster. 😫Increased blood supply Your baby demands lots of supply of blood, nutrients and oxygen and you are the baby’s delivery method.👶 The procedure of transportation makes you feel fatigued.😫Other physical changesSince the baby is taking nutrients and energy from you, your blood sugar, pressure and nutrients are wearing out. You inevitably feel fatigued and tired.😥  Fatigue remedies😫Prioritize rest and sleepIf you’re tired😩, try to rest as much as possible and pace yourself. A good night's sleep and naps during lunch or downtime can give you a boost of energy.💤 Getting an extra hour of sleep can really make a difference.😫Eat oftenEating six meals instead of three large meals per day can maintain your blood sugar and nutrients steady. Gaining weight is common during pregnancy because you’re not just eating for yourself but also for the baby.🍲