Primal Pregancy and Baby Food page

[suzyq463]

Mark,

First, let me say that I love, love, love your "Quick and Easy Meals" cookbook. I turn to it all the time! We have a couple of the others, but that's my favorite.

I'm nearly two-thirds through my pregnancy and though I did fairly well in the first trimester at maintaining the 80-90% primal diet we'd been doing for awhile (mostly cheating with cheese, cream and eating out). BUT, the past months I've had a terrible craving for--sit down--ramen soup. My non-primal but gluten-free friends keep telling me my body must be craving some soaked, whole grains. I didn't ever have any issue with nausea, but I have had a very decreased appetite for meat. I'd rather eat ramen any time, even when I just cooked a delicious leg of lamb, rack of pork ribs, or beef xyz.

Plus, I am so tired of eggs for breakfast but not ready for the more non-breakfast type meals, so then I crave steel cut oats. (Some of your recipes for alternative breakfasts are awesome, but they just take too much time in comparison to scrambled eggs & bacon on a hurried morning.)
And I just read something scary about bacon and sodium nitrate and nitrite, whether it's true I have no idea. But, I'm starting to worry that I should avoid bacon and salt because of getting some swelling in my hands that is causing quite a bit of pain.
Potassium Benzoate - 9 Ingredients Nutritionists Won't Touch - Shape Magazine

Can you share some ideas for getting through pregnancy without driving my husband nuts because I complain about every meal? And how to get past the craving for grains that I wasn't feeling so much of pre-pregnancy...

SECONDLY
I'm starting to think more about where we are going to get some new ideas for baby purees and toddler food. I know we can feed baby quite a few things we eat (eventually), but I am the kind of person who really likes to have a cookbook as a starting point. Any suggestions? I see organic purees books out there, but wouldn't it be nice if there were a healthy book that didn't even have the word rice in it?

[Ayla2010]

Google baby led solids.
No need for purees at all Once babies can sit up and reach for food and get it into their mouth, thats when they may be ready to start. Its just the same food you eat, cut into managable pieces, and yep even without teeth
For example, avocado, steamed sweet potato, scrambled eggs etc.

There are heaps of sites out there, and you may even find a book, but its pretty simple, no cook book needed

[Dragonfly]

Grain cravings often mean you need more Magnesium. Most of my pregnant clients supplement with 400-600 mg Magnesium Citrate before bed. Magnesium helps regulate fluid balance, so it probably help with your hands swelling. Helps with sleep & constipation, too.

More Primal pregnancy tips in the link in my signature.

[Sandra in BC]

Google baby led solids.
No need for purees at all Once babies can sit up and reach for food and get it into their mouth, thats when they may be ready to start. Its just the same food you eat, cut into managable pieces, and yep even without teeth
For example, avocado, steamed sweet potato, scrambled eggs etc.

There are heaps of sites out there, and you may even find a book, but its pretty simple, no cook book needed

This.

As a guideline for first foods, start with foods that can be mashed easily with a fork. Cooked eggs, veggies, fruit, potato. Raw banana, avocado, melon. Yogurt, cheese. If it has to be pureed, its not an idea first food. Work up to the foods with strings, skins or fibers (peas, meat, grapes)