Pregnant? Nauseaus? Constipated? and don’t know what to eat for breakfast? ln this blog I share 6 of my favourite brekkie ideas with you, and explain why they’re a good option….

This is a question that I commonly hear from pregnant mum’s.  Even if you’re usually a good breakfast eater, it can be difficult to know what to eat for breakfast when you’re pregnant.

However, my answer is actually a question….

What is your goal?

You see, a good pregnancy breakfast is going to be very different from one person to the next.  For example, someone who’s experiencing terrible morning sickness will benefit from a different breakfast to someone who has gestational diabetes.

More than likely, your goal will change throughout your pregnancy, so what you eat for brekkie may need to change throughout your pregnancy too.

Let’s have a look at a few suggestions….

Breakfast for women with gestational diabetes

Firstly, if you have gestational diabetes, the goal is to have a carbohydrate-containing breakfast that has a low glycemic index, so that the carbohydrates will break down slowly throughout the morning.  Your breakfast choice will depend upon what your fasting glucose levels are like, but for most women, I’d recommend around half a cup of raw oats topped with full cream milk and slices of banana or a handful of berries.  The reason that this is such a good choice is that oats have a very low glycemic index, so that they breakdown slowly.  You may be interested in why I opted for full cream milk?  If you were sitting in front of me, I’d base my recommendations around your weight goals.  Obviously full cream milk contains more calories than skim milk, but the fat makes it lower GI.  The reason that I’d add the fruit is that it is slightly higher GI, so your body can start utilising the carbs in that first, while your body digests the rest of the meal.

Breakfast for women who don’t have time for breakfast

Most of the pregnant women I work with are busy, busy, busy!!  They’re working and/or looking after other kids, trying to prepare for their new arrival and exhausted from their pregnancy.  If this is you, I know that even having breakfast can be challenging!  For you I’d recommend a tub of bircher muesli.  I love bircher muesli because it can be made in large batches, then scooped into mini containers, so all you need to do is grab it out of the fridge and eat it on the run.

There’s many different bircher muesli recipes available…. I’ve got a few on my website that you can check out….but one of my favourites is to simply mix 2 cups of muesli with a tub of Greek yoghurt, ½ cup apple juice, a punnet of blueberries, a punnet of raspberries, 2 tablespoons of flaked almonds and a teaspoon of cinnamon.  I like to use a Swisse muesli as a base rather than separately add my own sultanas, oats etc because it saves time.  Then just mix everything together, and portion out.  It’s quick to make, and there’s no prep needed in the mornings when you’re most busy.

Breakfast for women who are constipated

My third recommendation is for women who are constipated.  Try a couple of slices of fruit toast spread with ricotta cheese.  You want to invest in a good quality fruit toast that has lots of dried fruit.  Dried fruit is high in fibre and helps draw water into the bowel to make going to the loo a little easier.  The ricotta cheese isn’t so much for your bowels, but just because it’s a healthier option that butter or margarine, and tastes great!

Breakfast for women with heartburn

Most women experience heartburn later in the day, but if yours is really bad and you’re experiencing it in the morning too, try having a smoothie for breakfast.  The milk in the smoothie settles the acid in your chest, and being a liquid, it moves down through your oesophagus more easily.  You can use any recipe you like, but I’d recommend mixing 250ml of cow’s milk with 100g Greek yoghurt, one small banana and 3 tablespoons of oats.  Mix it in the blender and drink!

Breakfast for women who are trying to avoid too much weight gain

If you’re trying to avoid gaining too much weight during your pregnancy, I’d suggest some porridge made with skim milk.  If you have time, try to use the traditional oats instead of the instant oats, and avoid the flavoured sachets which often contain additional calories.  You really just want 1/3 cup of oats, pop them into a saucepan, add ½ cup of milk, then stir until it’s just about to boil, then turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes while the oats absorb all of the milk.  Make sure that you use skim milk as this has less calories than a full cream milk.  Once it’s ready, pour into a bowl, and sprinkle with some cinnamon to add sweetness without the added calories of sugar or honey. This breakie is low in calories and filling, so you won’t be tempted by high kilojoule snacks throughout the morning.

Breakfast for women who are trying to gain weight faster

If your baby is on the smaller side, you may need to increase your calorie intake.  The best way to do this is to increase your intake of good fats.  So, I’d recommend some smashed avo on toast.  Simply toast a couple of slices of wholemeal bread, then, while they’re in the toaster, dice an avocado and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Mix together, then pile on top of your toast.  Breakfast is served!

Breakfast for women with morning sickness

if you’re experiencing terrible morning sickness, you may be struggling to eat breakfast. Most women crave salt and carbohydrates when they’re nauseous.  Instead of turning to biscuits or chips, try a slice of wholemeal toast spread with a yeast spread such as vegemite.  I’d recommend giving grainy toast a miss if you’re feeling awful, as you want a higher GI carbohydrate, so that’s why I’d recommend opting for wholemeal, or even white.  The yeast spread provides B vitamins and salt which will help reduce your nausea.

I hope you found these suggestions helpful!  You’ll find more breakfast suggestions in my pregnancy meal plan which you can download here.

Please feel free to ask any questions that you have in the comments below.  I’m here to help, and don’t forget you can subscribe to my YouTube channel – Nourish with Melanie – for more pregnancy nutrition tips.