I need some help! (long post sorry)

[mrsj]

Hi

I posted this originally on CL but had to let it die a death because I was afraid it was going off topic. I am 21 weeks pregnant and have been suffering from hyperemesis, which meant that for 16 weeks I could barely eat anything, I lost a stone and a half and had to go into hospital on a drip. Needless to say it has all been very distressing and although I am much better, I have not regained my former appetite (which was massive) even though I have managed to claw back four of my lost pounds.

Anyway, I would like any suggestions for low-smell recipes - I cannot go near garlic and onions (which I used to eat daily) and can't stomach meat or fish although I can eat prawns now. I have had info from a dietician (which I had had before I was barraged on the other site) and I know what types of things I should be eating but I am lacking in confidence and inspiration.

So, to the point - I would be so thankful for any good salad mixes/ things requiring light cooking/ soup suggestions that anyone has. I must warn you all I've been very sensitive about this issue as I've found it very hard - I am so excited about the baby but have been v. depressed about the eating thing.:( :( :(

Thanks for reading all this, sorry it's such a long ramble!

Maria

[jazzactivist]

Hi! Maria, I am so sorry that you are having a tough time with eating during your pregnancy. Just think, though, at the end of the 9 months you will have a lovely baby and your regular eating habits will no doubt return.

If strong smells and tastes are a problem then lightly herbed vegetable-based dishes are probably best. What about roasted vegetables with couscous? Roast a mix of raw veg cut up to around the same sizes in a drizzle of olive oil in the oven. To cook couscous - put a smear of olive oil in a pan on a high heat, and when it is hot cover the base of the pan quite thickly with couscous. Stir it around swiftly until it feels a bit crunchy and some of the grains start to turn golden brown (about 1 minute). Add vegetable stock a good slug at a time, stirring swiftly all the time until the grains are plump and dryish (about 3 - 5 minutes). Add some salt and pepper, give it a good mix, and then top with the roasted veg - onto which you have sprinkled some fresh chopped parsley and lemon juice if you like. This dish has kept me going during appetite problems, is nutritious and light, and you can ring the changes by using different types of veg. I hope that this helps.

[keepersdaughter]

Hello Maria, Sorry to hear about your food sensitivity while pregnant. I recall I abssolutely hated the smell of meat when I was pregnant and really had to force myself to try and prepare it, gagging the whole time.

Can you tolerate milky products such as macaroni & cheese, rice puddings etc. ? They are rather bland and inoffensive.

I also saw an interesting cooking segment on TV the other day, aimed primarily at trying to get vegetables and fruit into picky eater children's diet, but would work for anyone I think. Pureeing veggies and fruit and adding cauliflower to mashed potatoes for example, pureed apples, carrots, sweet potato, just about any veggies or fruit really, to cakes or just about anything for that matter, does not alter to flavour too much, in fact the children did not even know they were eating brownies etc. with pureed sweet potato in, but it would be a good way to add extra vitamins and minerals to your diet.
Maybe baked potatoes with lots of different toppings, sweet potatoes are good too. I like roasted veggies - courgettes, yellow squash, onion, parsnips, a little red/yellow peppers, asparagus, roasted in the oven coated in some o. oil & little sea salt & pepper, then added to some already prepared orzo, you can add a little parmesan cheese for a little more creaminess and flavour.

I make a lot of soups in the winter and you can use a veg. stock base rather than chicken or beef, saute onions, garlic and add just any veggies you have on hand, add some pasta shapes or rice (precooked in separate pan and drained, then add to soup just before serving. Sprinkle with cheese, cheddar or parmesan. In fact I save all the parmesan cheese rinds in my fridge and add to my minestrone soup at the beginning of cooking, adds to the richness.

Best wishes, the time will pass quickly and this stage of pregnancy will all be forgotten when you have a beautiful lbaby in your arms.

[Oola]

Hello mrsj...you've had a bit of a tough time of it haven't you! Hope you can find some solutions here :)

How about potato wedges? They're rather lovely but quite inoffensive and you can make them as thin or as thick as you want. You can dip them into a nice cold salsa too.

Spring and summer soups as well....or perhaps something like potato soup or leek and potato soup, or perhaps even asparagus (although out of season)? If you use a good vegetable stock like Marigold bouillon you might find that it helps the flavour but doesn't necessarily heighten the smell.

Here's some links to some spring soups that I found on the BBC Food website:

Asparagus and Pea Soup (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/asparagusandpeasprin_74650.shtml)

Cucumber and Watercress Soup (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/cucumberandwatercres_247.shtml)

Chilled Pea and Mint Soup (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/chilledpeaandmintsou_72223.shtml)

Asian Noodle Soup (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/asiannoodlesoup_81146.shtml)

I expect South East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Singaporean etc) noodle dishes and light soups might be good for you - I remember when I was really ill with a stomach bug for a couple of weeks all I could eat was Hula Hoops, Toast and Chow Mein!

Do let us know how you get on :)

[mrsj]

Thanks both for the excellent ideas!

Have hubby preparing some roast veg in the kitchen as I type. I can eat milky things - am going mad for anything sweet which is very unlike me but I am enjoying puds at the mo!

Thanks for your good wishes too - I am wobbling from dead scared to very excited!

Maria

[mrsj]

Thanks Oola for the links! Mmmmm hula hoops yummy . . .

[keepersdaughter]

Sorry, I just noticed the bit about aversion to onions and garlic, but Oola's suggestion about Marigold cubes its good, will really add to flavour, Would dried onions be OK? they are not overly strong smelling, though I know for some reason some senses get particularly heightened when pregnant, so it's rather trial and error. Soups would be good, cos you can pack a lot of good veggies in, but you probably need some carbs for energy. I remember my grandmother making me some cream of tomato soup with a big helping of mashed potato in the middle when I was little, I loved that.

[mrsj]

ooh - love mashed spuds too . . .
Well done, you are all making me very hungry (which doesn't happen often these days!).

[Oola]

that mention of chow mein has really got my tastebuds going :( damn and blast!!!! :)

[Ivy]

Concentrated feed needed? Well I posted to you on CL some time ago but just came up with an other idea . Favorite when pregnant with me was banana milkshake with almond puree. Just put one banana into the mixer add some milk and a teaspoon of almond pure mix. Top up with more milk (ca one pint alltogether) mix again and enjoy its sweet without sugar . All the best for you and the baby--- once its there everything will be ok again.. fingers crossedXXX

[Crocus]

Hi mrsj, I make a veggie dish consisting of little baby corns, courgettes, mushrooms, tomato, either yellow or red peppers stir fried in a little olive oil. You can add rice to this, or potato cut into little chunks.(cooked). I then add cooked chicken but if that's to much for you, perhaps you can add the prawns. Or even pasta.

I trust that everything will go well for you the rest of your pregnancy. Just think about it, not so very long before you're going to hold your little baby in you arms, then this difficult time you are experiencing now, will be forgotten! Keep us posted how you and the baby are doing. :)

[jazzactivist]

Mrs J, your comment about liking sweet tastes now reminds me that you can sprinkle the roasting veg with some sugar and cinnamon to make it more crispy and a bit sweeter. Also, roasted butternut squash or sweet potato is lovely, again with a sprinkling of cinnamon. Just roast as per potatoes but they cook a bit quicker. Glad that you are noe feeling a bit hungry form everyone's ideas...

[mrsj]

hello all
thanks Ivy - I did get your suggestions on CL, didn't mean to imply you hadn't helped! It was the person attempting to create and argument about dieticians that I was referring to!

You've given me lots of new ideas everyone and I may even brave the shops later (with hubby supporting) to get some more veg. Feeling a bit bleaurgh at the moment though. I have to avoid the dreaded onions and garlic though, even in their bulb form in a shop they are too scary for me!

Thanks!

[franbee]

If you find some dishes you like, make sure your OH knows how to prepare them. Sometimes food can be more tempting if you've not cooked it yourself. And another thing, see he has a list of suitable dishes for after the baby comes, you may not feel like making descisions then either. Fran.

[Sparrow]

Hi Mrsj,

I don't have any suggestions, having never been pregnant myself. But I'm just sending lots of commiserations. A good friend of mine had a similar problem. She couldn't even stomach going into the kitchen, poor thing.

Couscous is a great idea. I have a fast way to do it (I love short cuts).

I cup couscous to 2 cups water in a microwaveable jug. You can put a glug of olive oil in it if you like, or butter. Then when it comes out, salt and pepper and dried herbs / spices of choice.

If you can handle dried fruit, I usually chop up a good handful of dried apricots and raisins and chuck those in too. 5 minutes on high and bobs your uncle.

[mrsj]

Thanks again.
Sparrow, I couldn't go through the kitchen either - had to avoid it totally which meant going out of our bedroom (old barn so outside steps) round the house and in through other doors to the sitting room - if I made it that far! Even the noise of water gurgling in the sink or boiler set me off. I spent 10 weeks unable to leave my bed (except for running to the bathroom) just lying flat on my back.
Sorry for rambling - I love dried fruit though so thanks!

[sheddie]

How are you doing now mrs.j ?

[mrsj]

Hi Sheddie sorry for not replying sooner! Still being sick about 3 or 4 times a day - baby is fine though so I am sitting it out and thankful everything else is ok.
have found one thing I can eat plenty of - ice cream, yummy!

[Oola]

My mum stuffed her face with ice cream when she was pregnant with me. She made my Dad chase after ice cream vans etc. I think she's passed on the taste for it, I absolutely adore it!

[dinger]

Think this must be a dear little baby girl going by the sweet tooth .All your problems now will be so worth it when you hold a baby of your own in your arms not another feeling like it .Love dinger x

[sheddie]

Mrsj how are you doing and is all well with you?

[fife]

Hi MrsJ

I can sympathise with you mrsj, with my first son i was sick till six months and to be honest i can't think of any thing i have been through that has been worst even the labour!! To look on the bright side i can asure you your eating habits will return to normal once your little bundle has been born. I found ice which i use to crunch whole really helped and my son loves crunching ice now. Also i use to make the weight watchers vegetable soup which was thick and takes 10 mins if that to make i haven't got the recipe anymore but will have a look.

Also Oola i have been having problems getting on this site a message comes up saying web site can not be found any ideas??

Fife

[mrsj]

Hi all! Things continue the same, felt very down this morning as I just can't manage to do anything I normally would, I just feel so sick. It does clear a bit in the evening which is great but I feel so useless. 11 weeks to go (and counting!)
XX

[Oola]

Hi mrsj, so sorry that you're still suffering badly with all the sickness. I know it seems a bit of a silly suggestion, but have you thought about using those travel sickness bands that you wear around your wrist? I don't know if it would help or whether you can use them when you're pregnant...might ease it a bit though?

[mrsj]

hi Oola, thanks for the suggestion -I have tried EVERYTHING, bands included. The only thing that will stop it is actually having the baby!! I just get down because I cannot go anywhere without being sick (even medical appointments) and the best way I can explain it is by saying it's a bit like having permanent food poisoning/travel sickness. I do get a few hours off now and then, and after 7pm I am usually ok (but not always). I am gutted because I am normally so busy and healthy, and I was so looking forward to being pregnant.
Sorry for moan! Feeling sorry for myself!
xxxx

[mrsj]

Update - had a good appointment with the midwives today (even if I nearly fainted when they took blood), am scoffing vanilla ice cream now as not been sick since lunchtime - yipeeeeeee!