Meat, sweets, fruit, salty. When you have a craving during pregnancy, your body is trying to tell you something. More calories, or more of a certain vitamin. It is really a good idea to listen to these cravings. Do not deprive yourself or your baby what you need. Unless you have a strong craving for something that isn’t food. Like dirt. Dirt is really a craving that some women have. Chalk too. If you have these cravings, or any cravings, you should talk to your midwife.
With my first pregnancy I had a strong craving for watermelon. I always had to have it on hand. I could eat one of those little round seedless ones in one sitting. At first I thought it was the water that I needed. But in fact when I did a little research, watermelon is high in iron. Guess what, I was anemic.
I find it fascinating what some women will crave while forming their baby. Recently I was at a bar-b-que and a friend of mine who is 8 weeks along was having intense desires for red meat. The only thing is, she is vegetarian. My friend said her cravings were unbearable. She was really struggling with being able to hold in her craving. I told her to just give in. Here is why.
Meat is high in essential baby growing vitamins. You can take supplements to increase the amounts of a particular vitamin, but just remember, that food sources are always best for absorption. If you are looking for a great source of any nutrient, go right to its source.
Here are some of the most common nutrients you need and the foods that contain them: – from kidshealth.org
| Nutrient | Needed for | Best sources |
| Protein | cell growth and blood production | lean meat, fish, poultry, egg whites, beans, peanut butter, tofu |
| Carbohydrates | daily energy production | breads, cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta, fruits, vegetables |
| Calcium | strong bones and teeth, muscle contraction, nerve function | milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines or salmon with bones, spinach |
| Iron | red blood cell production (to prevent anemia) | lean red meat, spinach, iron-fortified whole-grain breads and cereals |
| Vitamin A | healthy skin, good eyesight, growing bones | carrots, dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes |
| Vitamin C | healthy gums, teeth, and bones; assistance with iron absorption | citrus fruit, broccoli, tomatoes, fortified fruit juices |
| Vitamin B6 | red blood cell formation; effective use of protein, fat, and carbohydrates | pork, ham, whole-grain cereals, bananas |
| Vitamin B12 | formation of red blood cells, maintaining nervous system health | meat, fish, poultry, milk (Note: vegetarians who don’t eat dairy products need supplemental B12) |
| Vitamin D | healthy bones and teeth; aids absorption of calcium | fortified milk, dairy products, cereals, and breads |
| Folic acid | blood and protein production, effective enzyme function | green leafy vegetables, dark yellow fruits and vegetables, beans, peas, nuts |
| Fat | body energy stores | meat, whole-milk dairy products, nuts, peanut butter, margarine, vegetable oils (Note: limit fat intake to 30% or less of your total daily calorie intake) |