Should You Skip Breakfast While Pregnant?
We all have our own unique preferences, including what and when we like to eat. Though most healthy people tend to eat breakfast, for many, eating can be a difficult thing to get in during chaotic mornings when we're trying to get ready for work or get kids off to school.
There are also those who simply dislike breakfast food (via Women's Health). The thought of eggs and cereal the first thing in the morning can make some people feel queasy. Many people prefer to take a few hours before putting food in their stomach and opt for a protein drink instead. Also, in today's world of intermittent fasting, it's not uncommon for some people to skip breakfast altogether and eat their first meal around mid-morning or even lunchtime.
However, when you get pregnant, your body changes. According to Verywell Family, you might crave foods you otherwise don't like, while at the same time detest food you normally love. Even if you enjoyed it before you were pregnant, breakfast can sometimes become a problem.
Why you need to eat breakfast when pregnant
Your regular eating habits change when you become pregnant and probably sooner than you may think. You could already feel fatigued and queasy by the time you receive a positive pregnancy test (via Parents). Yet, even if you don't notice any pregnancy symptoms right away, there is much going on behind the scenes. Since your body is busy creating a human, as well as a placenta and a much larger blood supply, you'll require a steady level of blood sugar to stay balanced.
In addition, your baby is continuously using the available blood sugar in your body (as noted by Healthline). So if you're not eating or you're missing meals, it's more likely your blood sugar will dip.
If you skip breakfast, or wait too long to eat between meals, you may get signs of low blood sugar. These include feeling dizzy or light-headed, cranky, headachy, fatigued, and weak (via Mayo Clinic). In order to prevent this, it's important to take the time to eat regularly throughout the day.
How skipping breakfast affects morning sickness
Morning sickness can be brutal. While you're feeling nauseated or are already vomiting, putting food into your stomach is the last thing you want to do. Yet, the lack of food can make things worse and contribute to morning sickness.
In addition, prenatal vitamins can be hard on the stomach (as noted by WebMD). Taking prenatal vitamins without breakfast can be a recipe for intense nausea or vomiting. It's recommended that you use food to try to offset nausea.
If the thought of runny eggs or greasy bacon makes you run for the bathroom, WebMD suggests trying to find ways to eat small amounts of plain food even before getting out of bed. Keeping saltines or crackers on your nightstand can do wonders for squelching morning sickness before your day even starts. You can also munch on pretzels or plain cereal when waves of nausea surface. For most women, nausea ends toward the end of the first trimester and then the appetite kicks back into drive.