is this bad for me and baby - diet

[Miss-Boo]

through my whole pregnancy I've been mad on cereal, any kind, cornflakes, muesli, porridge, cocopops - anything. especially crunchy nut.
it's all I really ate through my morning sickness, but now It's all I really want to eat again.
I eat crunchy nut for breakfast, porridge or crunchy nut for lunch
i'll have a cooked dinner, like chicken&veg pie, casserole, or pasta or something
and then i'll have another bowl of cereal before bed!
Do you think this is unhealthy? I eat it with semi skimmed milk.
I take pregnacare everyday but my iron levels are slightly low, last time I had my bloods done about a month ago.
I'm just worried I have a really poor diet at the moment, what do you think?

 

[greenlady]

Muesli and porridge is fine but crunchy nut has quite a lot of sugar in it I think, so if your having three bowls per day that could be quite a lot of sugar. I would try to get more fresh stuff into your diet, maybe have a half-sized bowl of cereal and some fresh fruit for brekky, and another half-sized bowl at lunch with a salad sandwich or something..?

 

[kerrie24]

I believe you should eat whatever you fancy,and cereal isnt as bad as some of the things you could be craving.Most cereals are fortified now and if your eating a proper meal once a day I think thats fine.

 

[louise85]

Well its better than what I eat!!

I posted a similar thread last week about not eating healthy at all, and most the replies I got put my mind at rest. Baby will take what it needs from you so if you are low in anything its you it will affect not baby.

I take pregnacare too. I'm surprised your irons low though, cereal usually has quite a bit in coupled with your vits you should be fine

xx

 

[pinktaffy]

i think all the milk would be quite good for u. aslong as your eating veg and stuff for your main meal. i just cant see the cereal being a problem.

 

[Miss-Boo]

I feel a bit better now, thanks girls.
I'm trying to eat some more fruit, I have some frozen I might make a smoothie. yum

 

[waltzy]

I'm sure it will be fine. But try to get your five portions of fruit and veg as well as all the cereal.

I've been having a lot of cereal as well. I normally never eat it, but now I have probably a bowl a day. Funny how so many women eat lots of cereal in pregnancy.

 

[jk28]

Mmmmm I'm lovin Muesli too at the moment, not on the same amount as you just yet & have actually just run out!! Aaaahh. I'm sure the baby will be taking all the nutrients it needs, you enjoy!!

Jayne x

 

[Lara310809]

Look, cereal is better than chocolate. The wholegrain cereals are stupidly good for you, and muesli/porridge has a lot of nutrients in it, so you shouldn't feel guilty. The crunchy nut has a lot of sugar in it, but at the same time, there are good things in it too.

You're getting a good amount of calcium and protein from the milk, and you eat a sensible dinner. As long as you try to vary your foods when possible then you should be okay. Make sure you get fruits and veg, even if you have them as a snack between meals, and get a lot of water too. Your prenatals will help you to a certain extent, but they shouldn't be used instead of a balanced diet.

I think we're all guilty of not getting something we need; so don't be too hard on yourself. Just try your best.

 

[Sazzoire]

I think cereal is fine...especially as you are having a 'proper' dinner.....

xx

 

[emsiee]

Your diet sounds like mine!
All I wanna eat is cereals too and I did on my son too.
They have the essential vitamins and iron in them so i too, am surprised your iron levels are low. Maybe try having a glass of fresh orange juice with it as the Vit C helps your body absorb the iron..

Other than that, i think your diet sounds fine.

 

[JadeyB]

Hey honey,

I'm all for eating whatever your body tells you to eat. My diet has gone downhill as I don't really like anything anymore.

The only thing that I think you may be lacking is protein. It may sound gross, but I sprinkle a combination of 4 crushed seeds in my porridge or bran flakes (those are my current favourite cereals). If you combine four particular seeds then it makes up a complete protein.

Once you get used to it, you can't really taste it. It also helps me with the toilet if you know what I mean. I have major problems in that area and no amount of fruit helps!!

xxx

 

[JennTheMomma]

Cereal is fine for breakfest and snacks, but you should really be making sure you have a well balanced diet. Have fruits and veggies for lunch and again at dinner. Also, while milk is healthy, you don't want to get too much as it can give you kidney stones. You want to make sure that you're getting plenty of water, which helps to prevent kidney stones and keep you well hyderated, as well as helping with circulation. I know that it can be hard to eat healthy while pregnant with all the cravings, but you don't want yourself and your baby to be deprived of nutrients. A prenatal vitamin is good, but most don't absorb well and it's not to be in place of a poor diet.

 

[RedRose]

I've also taken to eating a lot of cereal during my pregnancy. Lots of cereals nowadays are fortified with vitamins and iron, as well as being a good source of whole grains, so you could be doing a lot worse. As someone else pointed out, just watch your sugar. That includes fresh fruit juices too, which have a lot of sugar per glass. I've been watering my fruit juice down with water throughout the day, which spreads it out a bit.

Having said that I did eat a whole bar of M&S fruit and nut milk chocolate. Like a whole large bar. I couldn't bring myself to stop!

 

[greens]

I understand that calcium blocks effcient iron intake.
Vitamin C improves iron absobtion, such as a glass of fruit juice (unsweetened and not fortified with calcium) when you have your evening meal and your pregnacare multivitamin.

 

[Miss-Boo]

thanks for your input and suggestions girls, I'll give the orange juice a go