When do healthy pregnancy cravings start?

You are about 12 weeks pregnant and suddenly you must have a burger. Lots and lots of burgers. But when you are standing in line for McDonald's, you realize nothing would go better with burgers than a bowl of ice cream.

Watch out: Your pregnancy cravings are officially in full swing.

Here’s a look at why cravings happen during pregnancy and what they mean. We’ll also discuss how long they last and if it’s safe to indulge.

Cravings Explained

It’s common during pregnancy to crave odd combinations of food or things you’ve never wanted to eat before.

According to research, about 50 to 90 percent of women have some type of specific food craving during pregnancy. But it is not known exactly why pregnant women get the urge for specific tastes, textures, or flavor combinations.

Your rapidly changing hormones might be to blame. Or cravings might happen because of the extra work your body is doing to quickly produce a lot more blood. It might be as simple as the comfort certain foods bring at a time when your body seems to be different each day.

When Do Cravings Start?

For most women, cravings start in the first trimester, peak during the second trimester, and then start to decline in the third.

Very few cravings continue after delivery, so you don’t have to worry that you’ll keep eating the same strange things forever. In fact, a lot of women claim to have one craving for a day or two, another craving for a day or two, and so on.

Food Aversions

Food aversions are the opposite of food cravings. They can create some equally unusual feelings. Food cravings and food aversions during pregnancy usually start around the same time.

Interestingly, researchers found that food cravings might not have anything to do with nausea and vomiting of morning sickness, but avoiding certain foods probably does.

What Will I Crave?

Most pregnancy cravings are personal, harmless, and can be kind of funny. Some of the most commonly reported craved foods are ice cream, fruit and fruit juice, spicy foods, and carbohydrate-heavy foods.

For some, odd combinations of food are most satisfying — that’s the root of the famous joke about pregnant women eating pickles and ice cream.

Should I Be Worried?

Some cravings can be dangerous and a sign that you need to see a doctor. If you have a strong desire to eat dirt, soap, or other nonfood items during pregnancy, you may be suffering from pica, a potentially poisonous condition.

While only a small number of women crave alcohol or drugs during pregnancy, the danger to your baby is too great to give in. Talk to your doctor about it honestly so you can get the help that will keep both you and your baby safe.

Takeaways

Even if you only want french fries for every meal, be sure to pay attention to how many you are munching on. Most doctors say occasionally giving into high-salt, high-fat, and high-carbohydrate cravings isn’t a big deal, especially if the cravings only last a short time.

But take note: A steady diet of unhealthy foods that are high in fat, sugar, or chemicals can lead to excessive weight gain, gestational diabetes, or other problems that can last beyond the birth of your baby.