The Wonderful World of Food … Cravings That Is

Pregnancy cravings. Everyone has heard of them, many pregnant women have experienced them, and most men just wish that they had a good excuse to go eat whatever they want, and as much as they want, without someone looking at them like they are a pig. Cravings are one of the best perks a woman will experience while pregnant, and one she should try to indulge in and enjoy.

While we have never known anyone who during pregnancy craved pickles and ice cream, not at the same time at least, the stories are definitely out there. Cravings can start early in the first trimester while the woman experiences morning sickness and only certain foods keep the nausea at bay. She may go weeks only wanting to eat one thing, driving her family crazy. It is also common for a woman to start craving food that she has never really liked before, and probably will not like again after her baby is born.

During the second trimester cravings become more determined and the woman’s partner might start hearing, “Honey, the baby wants some ice cream,” or “Honey, the baby wants Mexican food for dinner.” Women definitely have the upper hand when pregnant when it comes to where to go for dinner, and most use this to their advantage. And why not! There has to be some perks to go along with all the aches and pains, weight gain, and bigger breasts a woman must endure for nine months. Why not make her partner give into her cravings?

During the third trimester, just because the baby is getting bigger and there is less room for food, doesn’t mean that the cravings stop. They may in fact become more intense. A woman may be dying for chicken sandwich at lunch time, only to be able to eat half of it, because she gets full. However, at 2pm she is hungry again but that chicken sandwich no longer holds appeal and now she wants an ice cream cone from the local ice cream stand. When a woman has a craving for ice cream, nothing but that ice cream will take the craving away. Her partner may bring her a candy bar, or a slushy, and while she may eat and drink those, she will still want the ice cream.

There are many causes for food cravings besides being pregnant. Many women crave certain foods, like chocolate, right before their period begins. Stress and a poor diet can also lead to food cravings. But let’s face it! It is so much more fun for a woman to be pregnant and be able to wake her partner up at 2am saying, “Honey, I really want to chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and dill pickles. You wouldn’t mind going to the store for me RIGHT NOW would you?”