My last pregnancy was a dream. I had a little bit of morning sickness but nothing that stopped me getting on with my day. This time around it has been a nightmare. The sickness hit with full force almost instantly and is completely debilitating. Many trips to the doctors, lots of prescriptions and a diagnosis of hyperemesis gravidarum later and I find myself struggling to be around food and smells but still needing to feed my son a healthy, balanced diet.
It’s not been easy but along the way I’ve learned a few little tricks that really help me to be able to feed my child without further aggravating my nausea and vomiting.
My top tips for cooking with pregnancy aversions
- Serve cold food where possible
When food is warmed up it releases more smells. Smelly foods are the enemy when you are suffering from pregnancy sickness! Serving cold, ‘picnic’ style lunches where all you have to do is put some healthy foods on a plate is much quicker and easier than preparing a hot meal. Buying precooked meats to keep in the fridge like chicken or ham also saves having to cook them and endure the smell yourself.
- Batch cook on good days
I find that I have days that are better than others with my pregnancy sickness. When I have good days I like to cook in big batches for the freezer. Meals like bolognese, curry, shepherds pie etc. freeze really well and if you freeze them in individual, child sized portions they can be whipped out and popped in the microwave for a quick and easy ‘ready meal’ when you are unable to cook on a bad day.
- Accept help
I don’t know how I would’ve coped over the last few months without my husband and my mum. The have been amazing, taking time off work to help with childcare, housework and all sorts of other jobs. One of the most useful ways they have helped is by going to the supermarket for me (a building full of food on display is my idea of hell at the moment) and by batch cooking for me so I don’t have to.
- Use shortcuts
It’s amazing what foodie shortcuts are available in the supermarket. I like to buy frozen vegetables to avoid having to prepare them myself. They are just as healthy as fresh and make life so much easier. I also like to buy frozen mashed potato, a few minutes in the microwave and it’s ready to serve! Buying passata with garlic and herbs already in it makes it really quick and easy to make a tasty pasta sauce, or stir through a spoonful of cream cheese for a creamy pasta dish. Food doesn’t have to take lots of effort and preparation to be tasty and healthy.
Another shortcut that is definitely worth considering is using ready meals. There are lots of different healthy options for children available and they are really handy to have available for when you really can’t face cooking. The same goes for snacks, companies like Organix make healthy, tasty snacks for children that are really handy, especially when out and about. (That’s if you do make it out of the house!)
- Be kind to yourself
Motherhood is hard at the best of times, we put so much pressure on ourselves to be the ‘perfect’ parent for out children. The fact is there’s no such thing as perfect parenting and sometimes we need to put ourselves first. As long as you are feeding your child then don’t be too hard on yourself about whether or not they have had their 5 a day or not. Remember, pregnancy sickness is temporary and by looking after ourselves we are also looking after our unborn child. Our children won’t remember the moments that we beat ourselves up for, they will remember how much you love them and how much you did for them at a time when you could barely look after yourself, they will remember the sibling that you gave them and all of the moments that will follow once pregnancy sickness has ended. Be kind to yourself. You’re doing great.
These are such great tips for those dealing with pregnancy sickness, especially when they have it to the level that you do. I can sympathize with how difficult it must be to have to cook when you are feeling this way and the smell and sight of food is just not something your body can handle. Luckily I never had it to this point with my pregnancies.
Thank you 🙂
Crackers and No to morning sickness tea definitely helps to take nausea away. The tea has a very mild taste. I did not have to add anything in it (sugar, cream). Just be sure not to steep it too long as it can get quite strong… unless, you like really strong tea. I would recommend giving this tea a try.
Great suggestions for people with morning sickness. What I have is hypermesis though and has required treatment in hospital. Ain’t no amount of dry crackers or tea gonna help with this severity of pregnancy sickness unfortunately. 🙁 thankfully I’ve got medication from my doctor now that allows me to keep some food and water down. X
I have IBS, which is obviously not the same but I haven’t been pregnant yet so I don’t have the experience yet, but I have similar experiences. Certain smells will cause sickness too and everyone in the house has to work around it! Great tips, hope to remember them once I’ll need them 😉
You poor thing. Hope some of the tips help 🙂
What wonderful tips! I sure remember the days when I was pregnant and felt awful .. I didn’t want to eat a thing. Forwarding your post along to my daughter. She’s newly pregnant and in the throws of this.
Thanks lovely 🙂
I hope your daughter has a wonderful, sick free pregnancy 🙂