First Trimester Survival Tips
I was inspired to start a healthy pregnancy eating blog, to document my current journey in pregnancy. As I write this, I have recently entered the second trimester of pregnancy with my baby girl. I was one of the lucky ones with pretty mild symptoms in the first trimester, and only suffered from mild nausea, food aversions, and fatigue. In my clinical experience, I worked with women suffering from extreme symptoms, including hyperemesis gravidarum, or extreme nausea / vomiting in pregnancy. These women came to the hospital extremely dehydrated and required intravenous hydration and anti-nausea meds to help them keep food and fluids down. Inspired by these women I helped treat in the hospital, and my current pregnancy journey, I will start my pregnancy blog by discussing first trimester survival tips.
Weight loss can happen in the first trimester due to morning sickness and food aversions, so don’t be alarmed if this happens to you. Keep a close eye on your weight, to make sure you are not losing a significant amount. Weight gain recommendations in pregnancy are based on your pre-pregnancy BMI (body mass index). First trimester weight gain recommendations are between 1-4 pounds. Reach out to your OB or an RD if you are concerned about first trimester weight loss. Here are the IOM weight gain guidelines for a full term, singleton pregnancy. If you are unsure of your BMI, you can try an online BMI calculator, or ask your OB or RD.
Underweight (BMI < 18.5): 28-40 pounds
Normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9): 25-35 pounds
Overweight (BMI 25-29.9): 15-25 pounds
Obese (BMI 30 or greater): 11-20 pounds
Morning sickness is not always in the morning. My nausea tended to be worst at dinner time, so figuring out what to eat for dinner was always a pain for me and my husband! Because of this, I would focus on eating small, frequent meals. Keeping your belly full is a great way to prevent nausea! Eating 5-6 times throughout the day is a great method to improve symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Focus on eating your sources of protein first (meat, poultry, fish, eggs), if you are unable to complete your meal. I often found making a smoothie or protein shake in the morning was helpful for those days I wasn’t interested in eating a full meal. Also….do NOT take your prenatal vitamins on an empty stomach. This will only make your nausea worse!! Trust me, make sure you take your vitamins during or after consuming a meal. Finally, focus on choosing foods without strong odors or many spices. For me, the smell of fish and shellfish triggered my symptoms, so it was best for me to stick with blander proteins like chicken and turkey at first.
Next is HYDRATION!!! If you are anything like me, it is very easy for you to forget to drink water. Because of this, I find filling up a large water bottle in the morning before I go to work motivates me to stay hydrated throughout the day. I try to refill my water bottle mid-day to keep myself going. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends consumption of 8 to 12 cups (64 to 96 ounces) of water daily for pregnant women. Water has many benefits in pregnancy and can aid in digestion and the formation of amniotic fluid around the fetus. If you find you are getting full quickly, drink water between your meals and snacks. Constipation is a common symptom in early pregnancy, so adequate hydration with a high fiber diet can definitely help.
Just remember, after the first trimester, symptoms begin to improve for most women! Unfortunately some women do experience more long term sickness in pregnancy. Always discuss your symptoms with your OB if you have any concerns. I have found many online support groups for pregnancy, so I encourage all new moms to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
