Constant Hunger Pains

Try to fill up on fiber rich foods, or whole grains... veggies etc. These foods are usually more "filling." Try to stay away from simple starches and sweets of course- as these are more caloric and fattening and "sugary" and it causes hunger quicker afterward.
Another great "whole" food is "Kashi" cereal...they have many different products.

Main thing is to eat balanced.
For nausea, try ginger... in tea form, as ginger drinks etc. They say this helps. Or ask you OB/GYN for some good food tips. They are used to these questions and concerns.

Perhaps as well, sometimes "oily" foods can cause nausea... and rack up the calories/fat content.

Don't know if you are having cravings... but this is hard to avoid if you do have any.

I really sympathize... I felt this way with my first pregnancy. I was always hungry. But fortunately, I didn't gain "over" the amount my OB recommended. Also make sure you stay hydrated.

Take care and congratulations!
Susan

1 mom found this helpful

Hi A.. I was hungry all through the beginning of my pregnancy; having something in my stomach was what prevented nausea, same as you. I just listened to my body and ate. A lot of women are scared to gain weight too fast but honestly, I am at 39 weeks now and have gained 30lbs and feel great. I don't feel like it's going to be difficult to loose it at all and the benefits of offering your baby all that nutrition from good whole foods so early on(a lot of women can't keep anything down thus baby has to get initial vital nutrients from vitamins) far out weigh the time and energy it will take to loose a few pounds.
I say, Bon Appetite! And best of luck to you.

A., Eat, eat, eat. Your baby is asking for it. If it sounds good, eat lots of fruit- especially oranges. I ate about three oranges a day in the beginning of both pregnancies and later realized that they are very high in folic acid, which is what you need to help avoid birth defects. So- the body is amazing- it will tell you what you need to feed that baby. Congratulations!
S.

Welcome to pregnancy! You'll be hungry from now until you deliver! Eat a healthy snack every two hours (protein helps with the nausea.)
Some doctors freak out about weight gain, but I gained 50lbs. with all three of my pregnancies, and all my doctor said was I'd have more to lose after they were born.
Good luck! :)

Yep, I ate all day long, still do as I'm still nursing a 17m old. Just eat healthy snacks: grahm cracker, non fat plain yogurt with fresh fruit, nuts, dried fruit, veg, whole grain pasta, breads, cereal, low fat icecream... no fried foods or foods with a lot of perservatives.

It is absolutely normal, and it is there for a reason. Your body is telling you it needs food, so EAT! You can lose that extra 500 pounds after the baby is born. :0) The trick is to eat smart! There are plenty of low-fat, low sodium, healthy foods you can eat when you are hungry. Steamed veggies. Fresh fruit. I always kept lots of yogurt in the house, and a huge bowl of beans, rice and corn (mixed together) in the fridge. Easy to heat up a bowl and fill up on something healthy and low fat. A bagel with low fat cream cheese and a sliced tomato. Be creative! You can eat up a storm and not pack on the pounds.

Hi;
I suggest buying Ginger tea and trying a cup - you may want more than one each day to help with the nausea. Another thought - the acupressure point for nausea is 2.5 thumb widths above the wrist crease (on the 'inside' of the arm).
Another reason we feel hungry when we have enough calories is lack of hydration - take your body weight in pounds, divide by 1/2 and that is the number of ounces the body requires. Make sure your water has not been stripped of minerals, ie, reverse osmosis, or distilled. When we are pregnant our need for hydration grows.
Congratulations and good luck!
Best,
S. H.

try a big glass of water before eating something. your blood supply goes up almost immediately, so you might just be thirsty and its relaying as hunger. if after 20 min. you're still hungry, stock up on fruits and veggies. have melons, strawberries, oranges, carrots, celery sticks, zuccinni, cherry or grape tomatoes (and the fruits, too) cut up and ready for you in the fridge. if they are already prepared, you'll go for them more often, trust me :). i am kinda lazy and i eat more if they are already prepared. i am pregnant with my third and have never been hungry like this time. also, yogurt, small bowls of cereal, and cheese and whole grain crackers, like triscuits or wheat thins are a great choice and won't pack on the pounds. i am 17 weeks along and have only gained 2 lbs. thusfar eating "the good stuff" and drinking lots of water. congradultaions on your first biological, but second child. its a whole new adventure for you, and i'm excited you get to experience it. i have two stepsons, a daugher, a son, another boy on the way, and a niece i raise mostly by myself, so i always am excited when others are willing to take in children who need love (my sister-in-law is one of those fun ones who isn't ready to be a parent). you'll do just fine, especially with all the practice you've already got.

I had this same problem after my throwing up finally stopped. I would have nausea any time that I wasn't eating, but I stopped throwing it up, so if I wasn't careful it just added on the pounds. Depending on how big you are before your pregnancy, most people gain about 30 lbs.
Make sure to eat smaller meals throughout the day, spreading the calories out so you will feel less hungry between meals. Make sure that these "meals" are small though, eating six full sized meals a day won't help keep you slim. But six half sized meals a day will keep your tummy happier and keep your scale from sliding up into the red numbers. Make sure to eat foods with more fiber so that you will feel fuller for longer. Eat as many fresh vegetables as you like (in fact, fresh vegetables -- not cooked and with no additives -- can really be a heaven send because they will fill your tummy and not pack on the pounds). Exercise as you can to keep your body healthy and DON'T avoid your chocolate (or whatever treat you love). If you deny yourself your treat, you will be more likely to binge on it later. Just make sure to eat one piece of chocolate or a small piece of cake or 1/2 bowl of ice cream and limit those intakes to once in awhile instead of all the time. Good luck and congratulations!

It can be normal because you are expecting and need more calories and/or it could also be a sign of gestational diabetes. Extremem hunger is a symptom. So is being extremely thirsty all of the time. Let you doctor know so he can test you early. Frequent urination is another symptom;however, it's also a pregnancy symptom so it's hard to tell without a blood test to be sure. Good luck.

Try eating something high in fiber to help you feel full. The only thing that worked for me was Frosted Mini Wheats! There were times I woke up hungry at 3 or 4 am and ate a bowl because it was the only way I would be able to go back to sleep.

I have to agree with many here, eating several times a day will keep your blood sugar steady especially if you include small amounts (2oz) of protein with all of your meals and snacks. Avoid sugar and wheat products and balance the protein a 1/2 a cup of a carb like fruit, potato, rice, yams, or the like. Eat lots of green leafly vegetables at your main meals. I'd insist on being checked early for gestational diabetes as well. The above suggestions may help that as well.

You've gotten some good responses so far. I would add the following snacks: organic whole milk yogurt (forget the low/no fat- real food is better for your health!); nut milk like hazelnut or almond, very cold worked for me. During my first few weeks I had symptoms kind of like yours and had one or both of these throughout the day, and especially the nut milk before bed really helped. I'm 24 weeks now, eat these things for enjoyment now and not treatment- and have only gained about 9 pounds. Congratulations!!

eating was the only way to control nausea for me in the first trimester. Instead of the recommended 1 lbs gain, I gained 10 the first trimester and 40 lbs overall in my preg. 9 mo later I've lost 34 of those lbs. You body is going to do what it is going to do. Just don't eat empty calories or use your preg. as an excuse to overeat and whatever you gain you gain. The truth comes after the baby wether you over did it or not. If the weight falls off in the first year, all is well. I know woman who gained 70 lbs and lost it without effort. We are so different.

Hi A.!

My pregnancies were the same. With the super hungry feelings, I had horrible mood swings as well. Yuck! I discovered that small doses of milk and maybe a piece of fruit or some veggies did the trick. I taught at a high school in California when I was pregnant and when my students saw me crashing into the hunger zone, someone ran to the cafeteria to get me a milk! It was really funny. But, it's healthy, low calorie and it does the trick.

Good luck!

been there! just say no to the ben and jerry's! cereal is good with non fat milk...raisin bran is high in fiber and iron. yogurt...anything that will fill you up so your stomach is not empty. the whole eat small portions many times a day thing is great here. a good practice while pregnant and breastfeeding too. good luck :)

Just make sure you are eating healthy and try to eat 5/6 times a day. 3 meals/2-3 snacks. Don't give in to things that are just a quick fix. Nuts make a great snack and fill you up (small handful of course) (-:

Congrats on your pregnancy!!
M.

Saltine crackers are a good low calorie way to solve the hunger and keep the nasea away.