Foods to Get You Through

My general aversion to food during the first trimester was astonishing to me. I've always been a good eater and a serious snacker, but in the past three months there have been days where I've only been able to get down Gatorade.

It's not even the food as much as the idea of food that turned my stomach. My husband cooked chicken one night, and I had to go upstairs and shut myself in the bedroom. I'm sure it smelled delicious, but to me it smelled like someone had barfed in the crock pot. Graphic, I know. Welcome to pregnancy.

There have been a few secrets passed on to me from other moms-to-be that have proved incredibly helpful, so I thought I'd pass them along. When you are sick and nauseous and don't want to get out of bed, some of these might give you a lift, or at least get you through the day.

1. My friend Stephanie suggested keeping some Country Time Lemonade around. Best. Advice. Ever. I have had a glass of this within arms' reach nearly every day. Something about the citrus settled my stomach really well. It's cheap, easy to make, and not super-healthy but not as bad as drinking tons of soda.

2. Several women with kids told me that string cheese was a real saving grace for them. It sounds odd - why eat cheese when you're nauseous? - but it really, really worked. When I couldn't eat anything else, sometimes I could eat one or two of these.

3. Pineapple has tasted like the food of the gods during the past month. We buy fresh sweet golden pineapples, but I found that even canned pineapple in juice worked in a pinch.

4. I love me some Gatorade. During days where I really just couldn't eat, it kept me hydrated while offering at least a few calories to boot. I craved a lot of citrus at the beginning, so lemon-lime and orange were my two favorites. All flavors are gluten free, so you can go wild.

I've also had a really strong craving for Lucky Charms, which unfortunately aren't gluten free. I want a bowl of them SO BADLY. But it is not to be. Has anyone heard of General Mills thinking about churning out some gluten free Lucky Charms? Because after two months of craving them nonstop, I'd pay about $200 for a box... Not kidding...

My first trimester eating advice? Don't let the pregnancy books and guidelines that talk about what you should eat get you down. One of mine recommends four to five servings of vegetables a day. Uh... right. In a perfect world, sure. In a pre-pregnancy life, sure. But during the first trimester? No way, man. About a month ago I choked down half a green pepper and then spent the next twenty minutes dry heaving in the bathroom. I am pretty sure guidelines like these were written by men.

Eat what you can, when you can. If it's six gluten free donuts, go for it. If its an orange, a piece of string cheese, and a 2-liter of Sprite, don't feel bad. When you do crave healthy things, go wild. In the meantime, take your vitamins, get your rest, and know that come second trimester, food will be a lot more appealing.

For those of you who have children, what got you through the first few months?