Do you feel tired of avoiding food? Are you wondering when you will enjoy food again? You are not alone. Pregnant women often experience little to no appetite especially during the first 3 months. This is due to all the changes that happen in your body during this time.
It is important to keep in mind that lack of appetite for the first 3 months may have no effect on the development of the baby. However, lack of appetite can lead you to a cycle: eating less leads to taking in less energy which leads to feeling more tired which can lead to reducing your appetite even more – even though your body is asking you to eat. So what can you do about it?
Here’s 10 tips to help increase your appetite and feel more energized:
- Try eating foods that are appealing to you
- Try eating something every 2-3 hours
- Drink fluids after eating
- Give yourself enough amount of sleep and rest during the day
- Ask somebody else to take over meal preparation
- Order in or go out for your meal
- Make your meal time more pleasant by eating with other people
- Try high energy and high protein snacks such as nut butter with bagel, dried fruits with nuts and cereal, or hummus with vegetables and whole grain pita
- Avoid foods that are reduced-sugar and reduced-fat products
- Avoid meal replacement drinks because they contain high levels of vitamins and minerals that can cause you to gain too much weight or harm the growing baby
What helps increase your appetite and feel more energized during pregnancy?
