Second Pregnancy - Eating Too Much

Sounds like you are getting tons of walking exercise, and that's great. I think it's okay to eat 5 times a day instead of 3 - it's good for most everyone, and especially for pregnant women.

Switch up your snacks, and add more protein and healthy fats. DO DO DO eat breakfast. Have eggs or an omelet or a piece of vegetable frittata or quiche (reheats well). You can make little hand-held egg "muffins" (scrambled eggs baked in muffin tins, with any added desirables such as veggies, a little ham or bacon, cheese and so on, and eaten at home or put between pieces of bread or a whole grain croissant to eat on the train. Or reheat in the office microwave if you have one.). Avocado toast, or a few slices of avocado on the side with your eggs. 15-20 almonds to crunch (my neighbor swore by them for morning sickness too). Trail mix with oats, raisins, a little dark chocolate, and nuts like almonds or walnuts. They aren't too heavy to carry for your walk and commute.

For breakfast, consider oatmeal with frozen fruit - I do it in the microwave for 2 minutes, then add some frozen berries for 1 more minute. You can add cinnamon instead of sweetener, and flax seed too for fats and fiber. That holds me for hours. If you prep a little at home, you can avoid the high carb shop and save that money too.

I'm not sure why you feel you eat too much in the mornings - that's where you should have your calories (first thing and before your long walk), and I think avoiding it may be why you may be getting headaches, on top of the sleep loss.

Not sure what you do for lunch, but add protein and fats to that as well - grilled chicken and avocado on a salad for example. Beans and chicken in tortilla wrap work well too. Be very careful not to avoid fats out of fear of gaining weight - they are actually what sustain you for longer. Just choose healthy sources of fat (coconut oil, avocado, nuts, peanuts, lean chicken & fish).

When I was pregnant, I took an extra PB&J sandwich to work everyday. I would eat breakfast at home, half a sandwich mid-morning, then lunch, then the other half of the sandwich mid-afternoon, then dinner at home.

I also bought grapes in large quantities and took them with me everywhere for an additional snack. And I kept raisins and unsalted cashews in my desk at work in case of hunger pangs.

So, I think that you should eat if you are hungry. Just plan ahead and take heathy food wherever you go so that you aren’t snacking on junk.

ETA: I used to wake up really hungry at 2am. My husband thought I was crazy because I started bringing a bowl of grapes to put on my nightstand before bed so I could eat in bed in the middle of the night.

Even with all this snacking - I ate almost constantly it seemed - by keeping the snacks healthy, I gained less that 20 lbs with each pregnancy.

I ate a lot during my pregnancies. I had low iron - which didn't help. I felt incredibly lethargic. Are you anemic? Worth checking. Low iron, plus tired - makes you want to eat for energy.

Watch the snacks that don't give you much in the way of energy - can you eat stuff like nuts, cheese, yogurt, high fiber stuff - pack some high fiber muffins with PB, cheese slice, almonds .. that will keep you full longer, and fiber is good when you're pregnant.

Hydrate! drink tons of water. I know.. you already have to pee.. but still. Helps with energy.

Also helps with the headaches.

I just snacked all day long. I used to also have a little stretch/walk at lunch and sometimes a power cat nap after lunch if I could fit it in (just ten minutes did the trick).

I wouldn't worry about the weight - if you make smart choices, and exercise (can you take your oldest for a walk in evenings? or workout at all?) you should be ok.

I too didn't sleep well during my pregnancies after a certain age. I would wake. I found eating something before bed (a sandwich with protein) sometimes helped.

The walking is good for you.
Bananas, apples, prunes, raisins, dried apricots, nuts - are all great snacks and very portable.
Steel cut oatmeal with a tablespoon of nut butter is a meal that will keep you feeling full for a long time.
Try drinking more water for the headaches.
Mint tea hot or cold is great too.
You are building up a lot of blood volume for the pregnancy and drinking more water throughout your pregnancy and afterward for breast feeding will help keep you hydrated and help flush your system.

Being pregnant exhausted me.
I'd come home from work, eat a snack and grab a nap.
Then had supper when my husband got home and went back to bed.
Second trimester I wasn't as sleepy.

Eating smaller meals 6 times a day will keep you satisfied longer and your blood sugar from spiking.

I dealt with gestational diabetes with both pregnancies and that’s what I did. I weighed less after delivery than pre pregnancy and that was with being on complete bed rest at 6 weeks with the first.

As the others have stated, healthy high protein is good for you. Also make sure you’re eating full fat too, (avocado, whole yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.) for baby’s brain development. My specialist told me he wanted me to eat an egg, pear and apple every day. I had to have a total of 5 fruits a day and two were dictated to me the others were my choice. I did a lot of cheese with fruit to balance so my blood sugar behaved. He also required I drink 96 oz of water per day. It was hard at first, but became a habit quickly.

You need to eat when you are hungry. Make each bite count. Your body is working so hard to grow a tiny human, don’t ignore the cues you’re given.

Best to you and congrats!!

You have to eat and you have to gain weight. If you don't your baby won't be getting it's nutrients.

good for you for all that walking!

lots of little meals. keep fruit and nuts on hand. don't deprive yourself if you're hungry, just eat lightly and frequently.

khairete
S.