Concerned I'm not eating enough - bad for baby?

[Saphira]

Hi all,

I'm posting because I'm a little concerned I haven't been eating enough for my growing baby. I've always been a picky eater and one that doesn't need much to satisfy but since my 7th week of pregnancy I've pretty much gone overboard on the pickiness and barely eat anything all day. It's not even because I'm extremely nauseous or anything, I simply have no appetite. I'm so worried although I've read in the first trimester babies need very little nutritional value and the body takes care of any lacking nutrients. I'm still worried though. I feel like next week at my 12wk. scan the baby will be smaller than normal or weak because I'm not eating nearly enough daily. Any thoughts? Is my baby in danger?

 

[K2785]

I wouldn't worry from 10 to 12 weeks I had sever sickness and couldn't keep anything down but the doctor just said that as long as I kept fluids down it was fine as baby gets everything it needs from us... I wouldn't worry perhaps ur appetite will come back in a few weeks. Try drinking lucozade to keep ur sugar levels up that's what I did xxxx

 

[Misstink]

I dont think youre baby will be in danger because regardless of whether you eat or not, your baby will take all the nutrients it needs! You really need to start taking, if youre not already, prenatal vitamins to make up for your lack of nutrients!! You say you are a picky eater, well if there is something that you enjoy then eat more of that, you really need to start eating more, you have a little person relying on you now hun!! Im really struggling at the min with morning sickness, i have no appetite, i feel constantly sick 24/7 but im forcing food and drink down because i know i have to eat for the sake of my baby!!
Dont feel bad hun, just try your best and maybe talk to your doctor, he will be able to check if you are lacking in any vitamins and make the appropriate steps to make sure you and baby are developing as you should! Dont forget, youre not alone and there is help there for you!!
Let us know how youre getting on sweetie, you never know, in a few weeks time this raging appetite may appear from nowhere and then you wont be able to stop eating!!
xxxxxxx

 

[Misstink]

I dont think youre baby will be in danger because regardless of whether you eat or not, your baby will take all the nutrients it needs! You really need to start taking, if youre not already, prenatal vitamins to make up for your lack of nutrients!! You say you are a picky eater, well if there is something that you enjoy then eat more of that!! Im really struggling at the min with morning sickness, i have no appetite, i feel constantly sick 24/7 but im forcing food and drink down because i know i have to eat for the sake of my baby!!
Dont feel bad hun, just try your best and maybe talk to your doctor, he will be able to check if you are lacking in any vitamins and make the appropriate steps to make sure you and baby are developing as you should! Dont forget, youre not alone and there is help there for you!!
Let us know how youre getting on sweetie, you never know, in a few weeks time this raging appetite may appear from nowhere and then you wont be able to stop eating!!
xxxxxxx

 

[Saphira]

Thanks so much for the replies! I've been taking prenatal vitamins since week 6 into the pregnancy when I found out. I try to drink 1,5L of water a day but sometimes it only ends up being 1L. I have forced myself to eat on various occasions but still am not eating enough. Hope you're right Misstink, would love to have a raging appetite hit me soon! Would feel a lot less concerned and guilty. Thanks again!

 

[xxEMZxx]

Don't worry, with Liam I couldn't eat much at all up until 14 weeks and he ended up being above all the averages on the 20 week scan and was born 9lb7 so it doesn't make much difference!! lol. You could always try getting vitamin supplement tablets (I take pregnacare) to help?

 

[Saphira]

Thanks xxEMZxx, that's a relief to hear you were in a similar situation and your son did so well and was born healthy!

 

[XxCalxX]

i feel excactly the same hun.. i had nausea between weeks 6 and 8 then that went away but now i just dont really have much of an appetite... i only have a bmi of 18 aswell so think i really need to try and eat more, but my mw wasn't too concerned, she just told me that early on baby gets alot of what it needs from vitamin tablets, and to try and eat little and often if cant face big main meals.

 

[redrachel22]

I'm glad i've seen this as i am exactly the same! I'm usually a good eater and i'm usually starving by lunch and dinner time but in the last few weeks my appetite has just gone. If i didn't make myself eat, i probably could go all day without eating.

I'm 7 weeks on Thursday and so far the only symptom ive had are sore boobs. I'm waiting for the sickness, the thirst, the need to urinate more and the hunger but i've had none.

I was worried thinking it was a bit abnormal but its nice to know i'm not the only one!

 

[Eternal]

you baby wont be in danger but you will, you need to eat, your body will take care of the baby first and give it all the nutriants it need and can get from you.

Your body stores up "good stuff" for just these occasions, but if your always a picky eater it may not have enough vitamins and minerals stored.

Make sure you are taking a multi-vitamin, i know we dont need to so much after 12 weeks but if your not eating enough it def will help. and eat, even if its not the most healthy, make sure you are eating something.

 

[Saphira]

I'm relieved to hear it isn't a major concern but I know I need to try harder. I actually pigged out on McDonalds last night. o.o Not the healthiest choice but I'm beyond getting the healthiest in me at the moment! It's like, I go through the day without any hunger then at night sometimes I'm able to eat as if there were no problem in the first place. All I know is my eating is inconsistent and some days I simply don't eat enough. I am taking vitamins and they're hopefully making up for what I'm not getting enough of. I have read online that food aversions in early pregnancy are common. Glad to know I'm not alone!

 

[yellowbuttons]

Saphira I totally get where you're coming from. I'm at that point too where something, anything, even McDonalds, seems preferable to eating nothing at all. And pre-pregnancy I was a very healthy eater! I've had more McDonalds (3 times) during this first trimester than I had probably the whole of last year lol.

 

[Laws2008]

Don't worry about it! I hardly ate anything at the beginning, and then all I could keep down was pizza until I was about 18 weeks! Now I'm 37+2 and had a scan last week and my baby was 8 pounds 6 so your baby has plenty of time to grow!!

 

[Saphira]

Saphira I totally get where you're coming from. I'm at that point too where something, anything, even McDonalds, seems preferable to eating nothing at all. And pre-pregnancy I was a very healthy eater! I've had more McDonalds (3 times) during this first trimester than I had probably the whole of last year lol.

I have to admit, I've probably had McDonalds at least 10 times since I've been pregnant. Not at all the way I imagined eating while pregnant but some days all I wanted was a McDonalds burger, nothing else! Hopefully we'll get past this stage soon and move on to healthier choices!

Don't worry about it! I hardly ate anything at the beginning, and then all I could keep down was pizza until I was about 18 weeks! Now I'm 37+2 and had a scan last week and my baby was 8 pounds 6 so your baby has plenty of time to grow!!

Thanks for the reassurance! It's great to hear your baby is doing so well!

 

[XxCalxX]

what about swapping mcdonalds for subway? i know thats not the healthiest either, but thats what ive done as subway is slightly healthier id say,but still nice comfort food

 

[FreeSpirit]

I'm in the same boat. I'm roughly 5 weeks pregnant. (They're having a hard time telling exactly how far along i am). And I just don't have a big appetite. Although now that everyone is talking about McDonalds..... yum. lol.

 

[Saphira]

what about swapping mcdonalds for subway? i know thats not the healthiest either, but thats what ive done as subway is slightly healthier id say,but still nice comfort food

I must admit, that idea is genius and I have no idea why I didn't think of it before (especially since the Subway is practically across from the McDonalds here....)!