I've been LCing for a long time and was able to handle quite a few carbs (but lost a taste for most of them since LCing). When I became pregnant, I really didn't want to eat anything at all (ugh, the thought of food turned my stomach) but the only thing that made me NOT feel sick, was eating (and I have to have food in my stomach at all times or else I'm nauseous.) This meant mostly nibbling on saltines constantly or dry toast (LC or otherwise) and cereal. My new favourite foods are Wheatabix and Grape Nuts. Both very bad LC choices - lol!!

I can't even stomach the *thought* of cottage cheese (and I usually LOOOOVE cottage cheese). Meat and eggs do NOT appeal in the LEAST though! Gosh, I used to LOOOOVE a rare steak and I had my egg crepe (with cottage cheese) every single morning for probably a year. The only way I've been able to get protein in is through a few almonds (but they upset my stomach), peanut butter (on toast), yogurt, and cheese (but I have to limit the cheese as I have been getting ... ahem ... constipated - sorry.) I haven't even had the energy to work out lately, so the pounds are slowly creeping up on me.

Now before anyone gets mad at me, I know weight gain in pregnancy is normal, but I really do think the weight gain at the moment is mainly from dietary choices and lack of desire to eat anything other than the things that make me NOT feel like hurling. Why does this have to be carbs though??!! Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions for how I may be able to kick start a lower LC regimen, and some food choice ideas I may not have thought of? I've read through some of the threads in this section, so I know that I can still be healthy for my baby while avoiding the simple carbs and sugar that make me feel like crap.

I probably just needed to get this out in writing more than anything, but if anyone has any suggestions, I'll be reading.

Thanks!
Lily

hi lily girl
glad u can join us
and congrats on ur pregnancy
well all ic an say is that if you can just incorporate some veges in your food and lower the intake of high carb bread.
i know it is eaiser said than done but still try to subtitute hight carb foods with low carbs or good carbs like fruits vegetables
,it does'nt matter id u can't eat eggs or meat give ur self time and try to add one thing at a time
i am on the same track as u r and somedays i can't even seem to put anything in my mouth just the thought of food makes me nauseous
so oihope this helps
i am also new to low carb and the experts here will give u more good advice.
any way welcome to the forum

Hey Lily!
Man, your story sounds like my pregnancy experiences. LC goes out the window, because I'm sick as a dog, and only carbs (and a constant flow at that) will stay down. Ever try puking scrambled eggs? Bleh!

The first trimester was the worst. Just do what you need to do to get through it. Do you like milk? Are you able to drink it without feeling sick? That's a good source of protein and calcium, and the carbs aren't horrible. That combined with your carbs will provide decent nutrition.

The big problem I had, and I'm going to TRY to remedy this next pregnancy, is I got USED to eating carbs the first trimester, so when I moved into the 2nd and 3rd, and was able to eat meat and stuff again, I kept the carb habit. Not smart, ......I gained a bunch of weight.

Happy ending, though! After delivery, LC'ing is working to lose the fat just fine!

Have you checked out TigerSue's pregnancy thread in this forum? Lots of good advice there, and pregger people going through it now to support you!

BTW.........Congratulations!!

I suggest you avoid milk, it is just like eating juice to the body, even if it is whole milk. Right now it is do the best you can and when you can. As soon as other foods start to taste good add them in and start to decrease those carbs you know aren't so good for you. (ie the crackers). Much of weight instability in the 1st trimester is hormonal and once you can eat again it should stabalize and maybe even go down if you are retaining alot of water from the excess carb intake.
Veggies still can be hard for me to eat, this pregnancy has been harder for me than the last one, I want more carbs and thinks like dark greens that I normally love are just too bitter for me to handle. So even now it is simple, bland foods, I can't deal with a lot of seasoning. As for the constipation try adding some magnesium in your diet. It is too bad almonds make you sick, because they are good to my tummy. You could also try some ginger tea, or flat ginger ale. The energy is normal for 1st trimester, you are nearly through it, you will start to notice more good days than bad days with the nausea and your energy will increase. Rest when you can, eat as much good things as you can, the yogurt is better than milk, and good luck all around.
Tanya

WOO HOOOO CONGRAT'S ON YOUR PREGNANCY GIRL!

Many blessing to you and your family.

Lily

I respectfully disagree.......juice is bascially just fast energy calories.........sugar, little to no fiber, some vitamins and minerals. Milk, though, (and in particular, whole milk) provides protein, energy, fat, calcium, magnesium, and other goodies, all in one cupful. Yogurt is similar, just slightly lower in carbs. Both are good. However, some people have a hard time digesting the lactose in milk, and if that's the case, than just stick with fermented dairy products.

Hum, interesting you disagree when sources I read, all state that the fats and protiens in milk do not make up for the amount of lactose and the speed in which it is digested. I got my info both from Dr. Schwarzbein, and Dr. Bernstein. I also have personal experience with gestational diabetes and I can tell you milk makes my bs go up fast and stay up, much higher than it's 15 grams of carb should do. I even add cream to the milk when I have it to help increase the fat content to see if that would make a difference.
So you may disrepectful agree but I am going by solid evidence from what I experience, it is possible to get what you need from many other sources and not need the milk. For me in comes down to what carb source is more important and gives me more bang for the buck and milk is not one of them. I can say bye-bye to it and I don't mind missing it. Is it worth the few gms of carbs meaning 15 per cup, which acts like 45 gms when you can only have 100 or so gms if you are really watching what you eat to have a healthy baby. I don't think so. Yogurt has less carb, and actually has more of the minerals you talk about than does milk.
I have studdied this, gone now through 2 pregnancy's lc and milk was not an essensial part of my diet.
Tanya

Tanya, I think you're misunderstanding me. I'm not saying one MUST drink milk; merely that one doesn't need to avoid it, if you like it. Now, gestational diabetes sufferers or diabetics in general, will need to be more careful all around.

This is interesting to me, as the only difference between yogurt and milk is the fermentation process. Does the fermentation bacteria add extra minerals? How would that occur, I wonder. Unless you might be referring to volume.......1 cup of yogurt is more concentrated than 1 cup of milk, hence for equal volume, yogurt will have more minerals, etc. But I don't enjoy a glass of yogurt with my meals, or yogurt in my tea,

FWIW, I like Dr. Sears writings, and his feelings about milk mirror my own, except he prefers one to drink 1-2%. We could get into a technical debate, citing oppositional research, but I honestly don't feel like messing with that.

At any rate, I drank milk thru 2 pregnancies, no worries--blood sugar levels, etc. all perfect. As was blood pressure and all other markers. The weight I gained was not from milk, that's for sure!

However---this is not to say milk is the "perfect" food.....obviously it isn't for you. It is for me, As always, YMMV.

Interesting thought about the yogurt, I hadn't thought about the minerals that way, particularily when I go for the carb count measurement.
As for our difference of opinion I come from the lc view point and I don't agree with dr. Sears on much. Again I have seen way too much and I can't support him in anyway. Just my opinion again, but as a nurse, and a baby nurse I have seen too many sad, sad stories and risk is not something I like and I find his veiws risky.
If someone is worried about weight gain, worried about gestational diabetes, I say avoid milk, if you know you are insulin resistant you don't need it pregnant. This society puts too much emphasis on weight gain in pregnancy, and the need to have milk as part of the diet. I have known too many normal weight active women who put on very little weight, and don't have to take off weight after they have their babies. My last baby I wasn't puffy at all, and I contribute that to lc, and avoiding all simple sugars, including lactose in milk. I just think it is time for those of that are obese, overweight start saying we don't need to put on extra fat lbs during pregnancy. That the only weight we should have to gain is the baby, placenta and some blood volume. We need to not feel guilty for making choices that are the best for our body, and that can come in many forms to have a healthy baby, doing what is unhealthy is not good for the baby. That is all I maintain, it is time to really educate ourselves, I just find it sad that it took so many years for me to learn this for myself.
Tanya

I see your point, Tanya. You are certainly in a position to know! I hope you're still around here when I'm pregnant again.