Meat cravings while pregnant

[Guest guest]

" Janis MK Tan " <janis_mktan

>Has anyoe talked abt meat cravings while preggie? I know this came up on a

board I was on n

>preggies talking abt how they caved in, feeling it's the body's message

that

>the baby needs meat, and they end up devouring meat! I ask becoz yesterday

I

>saw an advert with shrimps and I feel like eating them, yikes!!

 

This happened to me, Janis! And it was the only two times I had a meat

craving since becoming a vegetarian.

I'm a vegetarian since 1988, and I wasn't a big meat eater even before that,

I only ate it casually and occasionally. Still, during both my pregnancies,

one in 1993 and one in 1997, I did have once a meat craving. It was always a

spicy kind of thing. The first time it was while passing through a kebab

shop (the ones which sell pita with gyros filling), and the pungent, grilled

smell got to my nostrils and I felt a craving, and the second time was while

passing through the salami section in the supermarket. (Note that even while

eating meat, I was not passionate about salami and things, just ate them

occasionally, like everything else). But it was part of a general tendency

towards spicier, more pungent food, like chips and things. Usually I don't

even use salt and pepper while cooking, so you understand that this was a

change. I don't believe it has to do with the baby needing anything. It's

just hormonal upsets and stomach upsets, and whenever I did eat spicier

things ( I didn't even consider to give in to the meat cravings) I only got

more heartburn as a result.

 

Irene

Towards_health_and_beauty/ Friendly support

and guidance to everyone struggling with weight and wellness problems.

[Guest guest]

>

>

>Janis MK Tan wrote:

>

>I am not sure if this topic ever came up on this list, but has anyoe talked abt

meat cravings while preggie? I know this came up on a board I was on n preggies

talking abt how they caved in, feeling it's the body's message that the baby

needs meat, and they end up devouring meat! I ask becoz yesterday I saw an

advert with shrimps and I feel like eating them, yikes!!

>

Hi, Janis!

 

I didn't crave meat when I was pregnant, but I craved scrambled eggs

with cheese. I'd been a vegan for about 2.5 years when I got pregnant,

and the cravings were SO strong. I fought them for several weeks but

finally gave in. That was the best darn breakfast taco I'd ever eaten! ;-)

 

I had no idea pregnancy cravings could be so overwhelming. I thought I

could easily overcome them, but I was wrong. I ended up eating dairy

and eggs until my daughter was about 4 months old. I'm not sure that

pregnant women crave things their body needs. I've heard some women

crave SOAP. Surely, there's no need for soap a diet?!?!?!

 

Sheri

Mommy to Heather Joy 9/28/00

[Guest guest]

I never craved anything non-vegan (in fact just eating

in a restaurant that served meat almost made me get

sick). I did crave strawberry cupcakes with

sprinkles...not something I've eaten while I was an

adult and not something I remember eating much as a

kid. My husband made some vegan strawberry cupcakes

and I had two then couldn't stand to look at them

anymore and gave them to the pigs (I volunteered at an

animal sanctuary at the time). I don't think my body

needed strawberry cupcakes, but there may have been

some childhood memory that I'm not aware of. I

believe most of us (in countries where food is

abundant) have emotional ties to food that we may not

even understand...those things tend to be pretty

strong in pregnancy.

 

If I craved something that I was ethically against

eating during pregnacy, I would try to get the vegan

equivalent or maybe wait for it to pass. I ate lots

of avocadoes, collards, fruit, etc. while I was

pregnant...couldn't get enough of them. I listened

more to those cravings since I felt good about eating

these things and knew they were good for me too.

 

Good luck!

 

Linda

--- Sheri Slattery <sheri wrote:

> >

> >

> >Janis MK Tan wrote:

> >

> >I am not sure if this topic ever came up on this

> list, but has anyoe talked abt meat cravings while

> preggie? I know this came up on a board I was on n

> preggies talking abt how they caved in, feeling it's

> the body's message that the baby needs meat, and

> they end up devouring meat! I ask becoz yesterday I

> saw an advert with shrimps and I feel like eating

> them, yikes!!

> >

> Hi, Janis!

>

> I didn't crave meat when I was pregnant, but I

> craved scrambled eggs

> with cheese. I'd been a vegan for about 2.5 years

> when I got pregnant,

> and the cravings were SO strong. I fought them for

> several weeks but

> finally gave in. That was the best darn breakfast

> taco I'd ever eaten! ;-)

>

> I had no idea pregnancy cravings could be so

> overwhelming. I thought I

> could easily overcome them, but I was wrong. I

> ended up eating dairy

> and eggs until my daughter was about 4 months old.

> I'm not sure that

> pregnant women crave things their body needs. I've

> heard some women

> crave SOAP. Surely, there's no need for soap a

> diet?!?!?!

>

> Sheri

> Mommy to Heather Joy 9/28/00

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

I

believe most of us (in countries where food is

abundant) have emotional ties to food that we may not

even understand...those things tend to be pretty

strong in pregnancy.

 

When I was pregnant I craved ginger and any type of greens(collards, kale,

dandelion,beet etc.)

I rarely craved sugar or other foods that were usual comfort foods before my

pregnancy.

The only unusual thing I wanted was to go out to play Bingo. That threw my

husband for a loop. A non-food craving!

Peace,

Laura

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I think that while your answer is the RIGHT one, unless you've experienced a

craving for something you know you shouldn't (or can't for other reasons)

have, it's impossible to understand how overwhelming it can be. I spent

literally a MONTH thinking of honeydew melon around the clock, crying and

obcessing, because I NEEDED honeydew melon, but it wasn't in season and

couldn't be found. ANYWHERE. I waited until the week that it came into

season in California (I was in NY at the time) and had it overnight mailed

to me. And the cravings for meat were worse than that! I spent somewhere

between one and two months waking, going to sleep and every moment in

between with beef on my mind. I knew I didn't want it, but I just could NOT

shake the craving no matter what I did. And I was actively trying to find

substitutes for both the nutritional content (iron, protein, etc) and the

taste/texture, and nothing I did helped. It was nightmarish. FWIW, I had

meat for the last time the night before he was born and didn't have a bit of

trouble giving it back up again.

 

Do I think I did the right thing to cave and eat the meat? Certainly not!

Would I do it again? Well, I'd try my hardest to prevent the anemia in the

first place, but I'd be lying if I said I'd try that hard to go without

again, though hiding it from my daughter would be harder now that she

notices what I eat and knows what meat is. It was just too stressful.

 

Sandra

 

> If I craved something that I was ethically against

> eating during pregnacy, I would try to get the vegan

> equivalent or maybe wait for it to pass.

[Guest guest]

I " craved " Buffy the Vampire slayer when I was pregnant, I had to watch it

every week or I sobbed unconsolably. And I didn't even like the show before

I got pregnant!!!

 

Go fig...

Sandra

 

> The only unusual thing I wanted was to go out to play Bingo. That threw my

> husband for a loop. A non-food craving!

[Guest guest]

Sandra,

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to judge other people's

choices...I completely understand if people eat

something they normally wouldn't during pregnancy. I

was just offering my experience. We all do what we do

and in my opinion there is no 'right' or 'wrong' way.

 

Linda

--- Sandra Mort <sandra.mort wrote:

> I think that while your answer is the RIGHT one,

> unless you've experienced a

> craving for something you know you shouldn't (or

> can't for other reasons)

> have, it's impossible to understand how overwhelming

> it can be. I spent

> literally a MONTH thinking of honeydew melon around

> the clock, crying and

> obcessing, because I NEEDED honeydew melon, but it

> wasn't in season and

> couldn't be found. ANYWHERE. I waited until the

> week that it came into

> season in California (I was in NY at the time) and

> had it overnight mailed

> to me. And the cravings for meat were worse than

> that! I spent somewhere

> between one and two months waking, going to sleep

> and every moment in

> between with beef on my mind. I knew I didn't want

> it, but I just could NOT

> shake the craving no matter what I did. And I was

> actively trying to find

> substitutes for both the nutritional content (iron,

> protein, etc) and the

> taste/texture, and nothing I did helped. It was

> nightmarish. FWIW, I had

> meat for the last time the night before he was born

> and didn't have a bit of

> trouble giving it back up again.

>

> Do I think I did the right thing to cave and eat the

> meat? Certainly not!

> Would I do it again? Well, I'd try my hardest to

> prevent the anemia in the

> first place, but I'd be lying if I said I'd try that

> hard to go without

> again, though hiding it from my daughter would be

> harder now that she

> notices what I eat and knows what meat is. It was

> just too stressful.

>

> Sandra

>

> > If I craved something that I was ethically against

> > eating during pregnacy, I would try to get the

> vegan

> > equivalent or maybe wait for it to pass.

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Oh, no, I didn't think you're judging at all, and I *do* believe that you

are right!

 

I'm just expressing frustration because I always believed what you said and

when all was said and done, I just didn't have the will power to say no.

I'm sort of anxious because I'm 7 weeks pregnant and DON'T want to do it

again! But I also know that if those cravings hit, I'm not going to bother

spending two months making myself an anxious wreck over it because sooner or

later I'll cave. I'll wait a few days, try to boost iron and protein, and

if that doesn't do it, I'll do the same thing. I think you're right, but I

only have so much energy to spend on such issues. Of course, I would

*never* give meat to my husband or kids, or even eat it around my kids, or

even cook it in my home.

 

Moping a little,

Sandra

 

> Sandra,

>

> Sorry, I didn't mean to judge other people's

> choices...I completely understand if people eat

> something they normally wouldn't during pregnancy. I

> was just offering my experience. We all do what we do

> and in my opinion there is no 'right' or 'wrong' way.

[Guest guest]

, Linda Evans <veganlinda> wrote:

> I never craved anything non-vegan (in fact just eating

> in a restaurant that served meat almost made me get

> sick).

 

The smell of meat made me sick, too, during pregnancy, but I did crave

a lot of protein. Yves made a lot of money off me at that time!

 

Be well, Hadass in Winnipeg.

[Guest guest]

Sandra wrote:

 

<<I " craved " Buffy the Vampire slayer when I was pregnant, I had to

watch it every week or I sobbed unconsolably. And I didn't even like

the show before I got pregnant!!!>>

 

Makes perfect sense to me....a show where people make it their life's

work to fight evil....bringing a child into the world is a frightening

prospect, because we know how dangerous the world is....how wonderful to

fantasize about heros who make the world a better place.

 

Liz (a Buffy fan -- can you tell? <g>)