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Every day is full of excitement when you are in the third trimester of your pregnancy. Almost every day I discover a new thing that is not making me happy – I am starting to run out of clothes to wear and I really don’t want to buy more, I need to pee more often, sciatica I kicking my butt and so on… So many things change and the only thing that remains the same from the end of the first trimester is that I crave things.
We all love to make fun about weird pregnancy cravings – pickles, ice cream or junk food, but I think my family just enjoys buying jars of pickles, because in their minds this is what I am supposed to crave (guess what, I couldn’t care any less for pickles – but my sister and my husband sure do). I craved the sweets with my daughter, couldn’t live without carbs with my son, but the craving of this pregnancy is completely off the wall – I want to eat vegetables and chilled fruits! I am not complaining, as I am not gaining a lot of extra weight, but how weird is it to actually want to eat vegetables and a lot of it? What else? I love chocolate (DUH!) and I make sure I have a piece of dark chocolate handy – it is my ultimate indulgence and who is going to stop me? We all know “Baby gets what baby wants!”
However, have you ever stopped to think where do the cravings come from? According to the “Why Do Pregnant Women Crave Chocolate?” article on Yahoo Parenting, “Cravings aren’t explained by hormones, for one; most studies show that fluctuating hormones don’t have much of an effect on the frequency or intensity of chocolate cravings.”
What is the chocolate craving? Is it the need for caffeine or nutritional desire? Apparently, it’s neither and it also it has very little to do with the whole concept of “eating-for-two”. The article suggests that it has everything to do with our mind and nothing to do with biology, because we crave what we traditionally cannot have, because pregnancy gives a permission to consume things otherwise not appropriate for the nutritional content or another reason.
As the article suggests, “pregnancy may be the one “socially acceptable time for women to indulge” in these food cravings… Calling the urge for a specific snack a craving makes it sound like there’s some kind of biological pull happening, which makes it okay to give in, in other words.”
I am not sure if I fully agree with the researchers – I swear I felt different with each of my pregnancies, but I am not a scientist and can’t make any claims in regards to one statement or the other. However, there has to be a logical explanation why I make my husband run to the convenience store for a bottle of sparkling water from time to time.
What do you think of pregnancy cravings?
Is it real or is it all in our heads?
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Expecting mom? New mom? Know one?
Check out tips, tricks, and other great articles on Advice for a New Mom page
Interesting, I’ve never thought of it before. I’ve never had kids but my mom said she used to eat EVERYTHING when she was pregnant with me, lol.
Honestly when I was pregnant I never felt healthier! I had no bizarre cravings. I have them now however lol – with pre-menopause! I don’t think making it socially accepting or unacceptable is the answer, we all have cravings pregnant or not. Its all about knowing what your body needs, not that I know for sure lol I just know when I crave something it usually has more to do with some other healthy nutrient I am missing.
Having never been pregnant I can’t even begin to understand what you are going through on any level. When it comes to food though, I figure if you are craving it you must need something within that food and anything in moderation isn’t going to kill you…
Pregnancy Craving are real. No way was I making up the stuff I was craving…and I don’t really crave stuff when not pregnant. So… ergo
I think cravings are fine to indulge in because you truly do need calories to support the life you are growing inside you. Now whether craving pickles and ice cream is justified or real, well I’m no one to get in between a pregnant woman and her cravings, that’s for sure! I DO know a woman who craved dirt her entire third trimester!
I craved tuna fish when I was pregnant. I don’t think I’ve eaten it since. Pregnancy cravings are definitely real!
Pregnancies are so real! I guess the things we crave are the things our bodies need to soothe whatever pain or also whatever we are lacking for the baby in terms of foods with Irons , Sweets , Fats etc. Those cravings are real
I didn’t get any weird cravings with my pregnancies except with my third I CRAVED peanut butter. I would eat a few spoonfuls of straight up peanut butter every day!
I craved donuts when I was pregnant – but I have to admit I still crave them now!
Oh, I had cravings alright! They are real. I need ice cream sundaes!
I think my cravings were real. Especially because some of them were for foods I don’t even really like!
This is interesting! I wonder if it’s all in our heads. Sounds like something my dad would say. I love all of your pictures and quotes. 🙂
Cravings are real. I remember with all three of mine I wanted strawberries and chocolate, but I could not eat anything with chicken in it.
I never had cravings with either of my pregnancies, but I know many women that have and they are very real.
I definitely think that pregnancy cravings are real! I never realized until way after that I craved a lot of protein rich foods when I was pregnant.
Pregnancy cravings are real! I am 24 weeks pregnant and I am loving ice cream anything right now!
With my last pregnancy I CRAVED chocolate milk ALL.THE.TIME! At least it is somewhat healthy right??
I enjoyed a little of everything when I was pregnant. It was a wonderful time!
It never failed with all of my pregnancies that I craved all thing bbq…potato chips, pulled pork, ribs…although I still love all things bbq.
The cravings, swollen ankles the discomfort is all well worth it. I would do anything to be pregnant right now with baby #6. Enjoy!
I believe they are real. With each child, I had different cravings. From cake to salad to hummus All different.
I’m one of those people who thinks it’s a little bit of both, some of it is all in our heads and some of it is real. When I was pregnant with my son, I started craving foods that I wouldn’t typically eat. There were also times where I would eat just becasue I knew I could indulge, lol!
I think they are real. Your body will tell you what it needs.
I’m amazed that anyone would think that pregnancy cravings is something made up. Those cravings are very real! And sometimes so odd. You can make that up.
Every pregnancy for me was different. Each of the three brought a different craving. I don’t think it’s in a woman’s head at all 🙂 I think baby is in control!
The third trimester was so hard. I felt great at the beginning, but by the end every day was a struggle. I had all different cravings with each too and different symptoms. Thank goodness it’s only nine months and not any longer!