Mornings are a strange time for pregnant women. Some wake up extremely nauseous, while some are ravenous as the Bugblatter Beast of Traal. There are of course a lucky few who wake up like it’s just another day and they don’t have a baby growing inside them, but the world is not as kind to everyone else. But whether you are feeling super hungry or super pukish, the fact remains that you simply must kick start your day with a healthy breakfast. This morning meal is, at any time, the most important meal of the day, and when you are pregnant, it is absolutely essential that you have breakfast, and have it right. But with all the restrictions and the diet plans, it might be a little difficult to decide what to eat in the morning. To know more about breakfast ideas for pregnant ladies, read on.
Get a balanced breakfast
Your metabolism gets hampered during pregnancy, and breakfast is extremely important to kick start your metabolism for the day. So, in pregnancy, it is all the more important to have a solid, filling breakfast. Ideally, the pregnant woman needs a very balanced breakfast, so you should opt for a healthy dose of fresh fruits, vegetables, and possibly some meat if that does not put you off.
Bread, eggs, and fruit
Bread, eggs, and some fruits make for a very light yet very filling breakfast. The bread and the fruits help to make you full, thanks to all the carbohydrates, fiber, and water. A side of hard boiled eggs will provide you with the necessary protein and healthy fats, and you will not have to go through the ordeal of breakfast meats; of course, if breakfast meats appeal to your tastes, by all means go for them. Just remember that all that you eat must be thoroughly cooked. So, the breads must be well toasted, the eggs hard boiled, and the meats baked to perfection. Eat them hot, and avoid having anything greasy or processed on your plate right in the morning.
A heavy and healthy smoothie
If a heavy breakfast does not appeal to you either because you are hardly hungry or struggling to keep your weight down, a healthy smoothie is the best alternative. Take the fruits of your choice and put them in a blender. Throw in some oats and yogurt, and some nuts and seeds for the extra protein. Add some honey if you are craving something sweet in the morning, but steer clear of the sugar. A glass of this smoothie will keep you well satiated, and you don’t have to worry about your health at all. Besides, this is something you can easily carry to work with you for the occasional sip when hunger pangs strike.
Bread, fish, and veggies
You need a bunch of nutrients for your growing baby and yourself, and the best time to get them is for breakfast. Opt for a simple yet solid meal of bagels, low fat cheese, and fish. Or simply make yourself a fish sandwich. If cheese is not your thing, no problem. Stack up your sandwich with ample fresh veggies, slather on some homemade pesto, and you are good to go. Get yourself some garden produce and boil them; you need to give the crunchy bites a miss for the nine months. And do not forge to cook the fish well; uncooked or undercooked fish plays host to a colony of pretty harmful bacteria and other parasites, and you don’t want to ingest those. Try not to carry this preparation with you as an on-the-go breakfast, but eat it right after you make it.
Oats, yogurt, and fruits
You need a load of fiber into your system not just to keep your metabolism up and running, but also to get your bowels to move. Constipation is a painful and often embarrassing condition that affects every pregnant woman, and you need to help things along. So, load your plate with high fiber foods like oatmeal, fruits, and vegetables. A bowlful of oats and yogurt with a generous topping of fruits will work wonders for your digestion, and the next morning will be a lot more pleasant.
Also read: Foods that help to reduce the stretch marks after delivery
The idea is to eat healthy, and eat something that will not induce any morning sickness or aggravate the condition if it already exists. While morning sickness is a common symptom of pregnancy and can happen any time during the day, it is usually at its worst in the mornings. So, if you are already experiencing morning sickness, it is best to avoid any food that causes you to feel nauseated. Now this may require some trial and error as the trigger food can be different for every woman, it is usually overly sweet food or meaty items that are the common triggers. It is best to stick to foods with neutral taste that do not tax your taste buds too much in the beginning of the day.