Any veggies turn carnivores during pregnancy?

becca2325 · May 2009

I am a pescatarian (only eat fish on occasion). I know you can have a very healthy baby on a vegetatian diet, but I have been craving burgers and roasted chicken for the past week or so. (like dreaming about it!) I'm debating on whether I should just cave and eat the meat while I'm pregnant or just stick to my current diet. I have also been craving cake and cookies and I probably don't "need" those, right? Anyone turn to the meat side during pregnancy? How did you feel after eating it?

JGirl2005 · May 2009

I wouldn't say I eat only vegetables, but I eat less meat in general. I found I ate a lot of meat while pregnant and now I keep craving it while BFing. I've heard it helps with milk supply and I know my body craves it more.

I think if you crave it you should cave because I read that cravings are your body telling you =you need a certain vitamin or protein. not sure if you crave donuts if that is true though....:)

I hope to eat less meat again after I stop BFing.

PsychedForBaby · May 2009

Not me, but a girlfriend of mine was a vegetarian for 6 years before she got pregnant with her son. ? All of a sudden she felt like she just had to have meat. ?It was the strangest thing seeing her eating a big burger, but she said that meat was the one thing that she actually craved.

For her, she didn't go back to a full vegetarian life-style and still eats meat to this day. ?She said she has no regrets, and actually can't believe that she went without for 6 years.

I've read somewhere that it's the protein that your body is craving. ?Are you getting lots of proteins through different foods? ?If you aren't sure about how you'd feel adding in meats, maybe you could put an effort into increasing proteins through other means for a while and going from there.

crystalgirl · May 2009

Well, I have always eaten everything, but I love my veggies... Certainly during the first tri, there was a huge turn around. I could NOT stomach vegetables AT ALL. Literally the only way I could choke them down was in soup. I pretty much wanted really crappy stuff (Chef Boyardee, frozen pizza, Arby's, McD's cheeseburgers) only. I hated eating, but those were the things I would tolerate best. It went mostly back to normal in the second tri.

ejgballerina · May 2009

I'm a pescatarian too! I have had occasional cravings for meat, but I've held off and they've subsided. I've found that the soy meat substitutes work for the cravings and are healthier! I used to drink soy milk, but with first tri m/s, I couldn't stomach it so I drink cow milk during the duration of the pregnancy.

kimarino13 · May 2009

I am not pregnant yet, but I have been a vegetarian for 17 years. ?MH wants me to start eating meat again if/when I get pregnant (for protein, sheesh, I can get protein without eating meat) but I am pretty sure I won't be able to do it. ?The thought of meat, fish included, totally grosses me out. ?I wonder if I will crave it when I am pregnant...

alchris · May 2009

I ate *very* little red meat before I was pregnant, but I craved red meat while I was pg, esp. during the first trimester. I had it only a couple times, but I just really wanted the protein constantly.

Mrs.LisaP · May 2009

I am a vegetarian and have also been noticing that I am craving chicken and a burger lately...very weird for me. I dont plan on giving into that craving though!

mybobble · May 2009

I only eat chicken/turkey and once in a blue moon pork. I NEVER eat read meat as I've never really been a big fan. But since I've been pg I've actually wanted to eat beef and have on 3 occasions. We had burgers on Sunday and I couldn't stop talking about how good it was. Dh was funny "hun, it's just a burger, it's nothing special".

I wonder how long it will last though. I've wanted to eat beef but I run the other way when I think about chocolate. Hmmm.

becca2325 · May 2009

mybobble:

I only eat chicken/turkey and once in a blue moon pork. I NEVER eat read meat as I've never really been a big fan. But since I've been pg I've actually wanted to eat beef and have on 3 occasions. We had burgers on Sunday and I couldn't stop talking about how good it was. Dh was funny "hun, it's just a burger, it's nothing special".

I wonder how long it will last though. I've wanted to eat beef but I run the other way when I think about chocolate. Hmmm.

Yes, chocolate has sounded awful to me too so I've stayed far away from it. Very unlike me.

alison43 · May 2009

I am a lacto-ovo veggie and I did have chicken a few times while I was pregnant. In the first tri it was one of the only foods that sounded good to me. In the third tri I craved red meat but I did not give in to that.

I have no desire to eat meat now...

desabean · May 2009

Interesting-- first tri I basically turned vegetarian. Most meat (except hamburgers, which I have eaten liberally)really grossed me out. I still find chicken somewhat repulsive but could not go near it during first tri.

I have gained a lot of weight during this pregnancy so I'm not the best person to ask about giving into cravings, but I also never got sick during first tri, and I think that is part of it. I ate what I wanted the second I realized what it was. It was usually a bagel or a big bowl of pasta with parmesan cheese on it ; )

Good luck!

CandT · May 2009

It was suggested to me to start eating some meat, I choose chicken and turkey only, while TTC. I have stuck with over the past 2 yrs and will continue for a while. I was a veg. for 10 yrs and it was more of a habit at that point, I had to remind myself to cook chicken for dinner. I still sometimes forget to eat meat during a day but I try to eat a little every day.

I have a friend who was a veg. and her baby had some health issues, the Dr. said it was from her eating too much soy.. from fake meat products and told her to eat meat for her next baby. I'm sure this could happen to meat eaters too, but it can't hurt.

Have you considered meeting with a dietician? They could suggest good meat alternatives if you are strongly opposed.

bmf8140 · May 2009

Nope! A lot of people told me I would, but the desire was not there at all. I ate a lot of PB&J to get some extra protein.

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