Hunger pains pregnancy

Hunger pangs (pregnancy sleep) - BabyCentre UK

In this article

• Why do I keep waking up hungry?
• How can I stop hunger pangs from waking me up?

Do you ever feel as if you're never full? An increased appetite during pregnancy is very common. From early pregnancy, changes in your hormones can make you feel hungry at any time. Eating plenty of fibre-rich food and drinking lots of fluids during the day can help you feel fuller for longer. Read on for more tips on stopping night-time hunger pangs.

Why do I keep waking up hungry?

Your changing hormones can make you feel hungrier from early into your first trimester.

When you're pregnant, your body gets better at using the energy in the food you eat. So even though you may feel ravenous, you don’t actually need any extra calories during the first six months of pregnancy. It’s only in the third trimester that you need an extra 200 calories a day.

But as your body works harder to make the most of your calorie intake, it's not surprising if you wake in the night feeling hungry. An empty stomach can also make pregnancy sickness worse.

How can I stop hunger pangs from waking me up?

These simple tips may help you tackle those hunger pangs and get a better night’s sleep:

During the day

For your daytime meals, eat plenty of fruit and veg, and choose wholegrain bread or brown rice and pasta over white varieties. These foods are full of fibre and release energy slowly, so you feel fuller for longer and also help to prevent constipation.

Go easy on sweet and fatty foods. They may give you a quick energy boost, but they don't really fill you up and they can make morning sickness worse. They also won't give you the nutrients that you and your baby need.

Foods to avoid in pregnancy

From undercooked meat to too much caffeine, find out what food and drink you should limit or avoid altogether during your pregnancy, to keep your baby safe. More pregnancy videos

If you suffer from indigestion, avoid rich, fatty and spicy foods, as well as caffeine, fruit juice and chocolate. These can all make heartburn worse, which could further disturb your sleep.

Make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids during the day. Sometimes thirst can be confused with hunger. Aim for around 1.6 litres (2.8 pints), or six to eight medium glasses of water or fluids every day. If you’re worried about more night-time visits to the loo, try to get most of your fluids during the day.

Before you go to bed

Eating foods that are high in starch and sugar before bedtime, such as fast food and takeaways, can cause your blood sugar to spike and then fall. When your blood sugar drops, you may feel hungry enough for it to wake you up. So if you crave your favourite takeaways, try to have them just once in a while and earlier in the day if you can.

Have a light snack before going to bed. Keep your fridge and cupboards stocked with quick-to-prepare, healthy snacks. These could include:

• a slice of toast or malt loaf
• fresh fruit and vegetables
• hard-boiled eggs
• a small bowl of cereal
• a handful of unsalted nuts

Some foods contain a natural sleep-promoting amino acid called tryptophan, which may help you sleep. Turkey, chicken and pumpkin seeds all contain tryptophan. Don’t be tempted to take a tryptophan supplement though, as it isn't safe for pregnancy.

Other studies have found that kiwi fruit can help with sleep, as they contain high levels of a calming hormone called serotonin.

During the night

If you wake in the middle of the night craving a midnight snack, choose something that's healthy and satisfies your hunger pangs. Try a milky drink, or something containing carbs and protein, such as a bowl of cereal with milk, toast with peanut butter, or a few crackers with cheese.

You might also like:

• Check out our diet for a healthy pregnancy
• Discover our trimester-by-trimester meal planners
• Feeling nauseous at night? Learn what to do.
• See 20 healthy 200-calorie snacks for your third trimester

References

Cafasso J. 2018. Why Am I Always Waking Up Hungry and What Can I Do About It?. Healthline. www.healthline.com [Accessed March 2021]

Medline Plus. 2020. L-tryptophan US National Library of Medicine. medlineplus.gov [Accessed March 2021]

Murray I, Hendley J. 2020. Change and adaptation in pregnancy. In: Marshall J, Raynor M. eds. Myles textbook for midwives. 17th ed. Elsevier, 197-245

NHS. 2018. Insomnia. NHS Choices, Health A to Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NHS. 2020a. Indigestion and heartburn in pregnancy. NHS Choices, Health A- Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NHS. 2020b. Have a healthy diet in pregnancy. NHS Choices, Health A to Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NHS Inform Scotland. nd. Hydration. NHS Inform Scotland. www.nhsinform.scot uk [Accessed March 2021]

NICE. 2010. Weight management before, during and after pregnancy. Ph37. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. www.nice.org.uk [Accessed March 2021]

NSF. 2020. The best foods to help you sleep. National Sleep Foundation. sleepfoundation.org [Accessed March 2021]

Sleep Council. nd. The good-night guide. www.sleepcouncil.org.uk [Accessed March 2021]

Smith J, Fox KA, Clark SM. 2021. Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: Treatment and outcome. UpToDate. www.uptodate.com [Accessed March 2021]

Show references Hide references

Constant Hunger During Pregnancy (Tips to Help)

Are you struggling with consuming enough food to make you feel full? Are you wondering why this pregnancy has you wanting to eat every second of the day? We’ve been there, and we know the feeling well!

It’s normal to experience constant hunger during pregnancy, especially during the second trimester when you get your appetite and energy back. But it can be frustrating at a time when you’re trying to pay especially close attention to your health.

It can be easy to overeat when you’re pregnant, as you can always blame it on the fact that you’re “eating for two.” But we all know how unhealthy this can be — not just for you but for your baby too.

In this article, we’ll explain why you may be hungry and give you some tips to help tame that appetite so you can keep yourself and your baby healthy throughout your pregnancy.

Table of Contents

• Increased Appetite During Early Pregnancy
• Is Constant Hunger a Sign of Pregnancy?
• What is a Hunger Pang?
• What Causes Hunger Pangs When Pregnant?
• How to Combat Hunger Pangs
• When Does Your Appetite Increase?
• Will Your Appetite Decrease?
• Why Do You Feel Hungry 24/7?
• How To Manage Constant Hunger
• Managing Your Weight When Pregnant
• Eat Less and Still Feel Full
• The Bottom Line

Increased Appetite During Early Pregnancy

In early pregnancy, the struggle can get real. You may be suffering from morning sickness and tons of other bodily changes, yet you still find yourself hungry all the time.

Many women experience this increased appetite during the first trimester because vomiting from morning sickness leaves their stomachs empty. Your appetite may have increased because the food you are eating is not being absorbed into your body.

Your body is trying to grow a tiny human and keep you nourished, but you may be consuming fewer calories now than before you were pregnant.

The increased hunger you’re feeling means you need to try to increase your food intake when you’re not feeling nauseated. Learn to navigate the bumpy waters of cravings and aversions to ensure you eat healthy foods and keep them down. You and your baby need all those calories.

Is Constant Hunger a Sign of Pregnancy?

Very early in your pregnancy, you may begin to experience particular food cravings and hunger pangs.

Hunger pangs alone aren’t enough to immediately lead you to believe you are pregnant, but if they are paired with a missed period, tender breasts, morning sickness, and fatigue — you might be on to something.

What is a Hunger Pang?

We experience hunger pangs in the upper abdomen. The inner lining of your stomach becomes irritable, which leads you to intense feelings of hunger ⁽¹⁾.

When you’re pregnant, your stomach becomes empty after digestion. An empty stomach leaves the inner linings exposed and can cause them to rub together. The irritation of the walls of the stomach rubbing together can cause hunger pangs to occur.

Pro Tip

The best thing you can do to avoid hunger pangs is to make sure your belly is never completely empty during the day. Don’t indulge in large meals 24/7, but feel free to eat small snacks when needed. This is also a good tip for decreasing acid reflux.

What Causes Hunger Pangs When Pregnant?

There are numerous causes of hunger pangs. It can be difficult to pinpoint just one, but these are several possibilities:

1. Your baby’s growth: The second and third trimesters of your pregnancy are a time of significant growth for your baby. Your baby will need you to consume many calories to help with that growth, and if you aren’t eating enough, you may experience hunger pangs.
2. Consuming too many liquids: You should always stay hydrated when pregnant and be sure to drink tons of water. However, there is a threshold you don’t want to reach. Consuming too many liquids can cause your stomach lining to stretch and result in intense hunger pangs. Shoot for 10 cups of fluids every day. It may be a good idea to limit liquids with meals. Your stomach fills faster when you’re pregnant because your growing baby pushes it upward.
3. Spicy food: Spicy foods can cause heartburn and indigestion, but they can also irritate your stomach lining.
4. Poor chewing: If you aren’t chewing your food enough, it could lead to indigestion and cause stomach pains. If you spend a little extra time chewing your food, it can also help you feel full longer.

How to Combat Hunger Pangs

You may not have total control over hunger pangs, but these are some steps that helped them subside for us, and many other moms have found them helpful too.

1. Eat regularly: It’s important to prevent your stomach from emptying fully. Consume small amounts of food frequently throughout the day to keep your hunger at bay.
2. Carry snacks: You always want to make sure you have some healthy options at your disposal. It’s wise to keep snacks like granola bars, trail mix, and dried dates in your purse.
3. Stay hydrated: Hydration is an essential part of pregnancy, and you should try to consume significant amounts of water throughout the day. Remember not to totally overdo it, or you can stretch your stomach lining.

When Does Your Appetite Increase?

Many women may notice their hunger increase during the first trimester, but the second trimester is when it seems to peak.

Once your morning sickness subsides, you will be thrilled to be able to keep down any food, so you may feel the urge to splurge.

Will Your Appetite Decrease?

Some women notice their hunger seems to subside once they reach the third trimester.

However, it’s different for each of us. You may feel like you are never hungry, or you may be hungry every couple of hours.

Your baby is growing bigger, which leaves less room for your stomach. Your stomach can’t hold as much food as usual, which can cause your appetite to decrease.

Even if you don’t feel hungry, you need to eat enough to help sustain yourself and your baby. You should be eating at least 500 extra calories a day ⁽²⁾.

Focus on high protein and fiber-rich foods. Both will keep you fuller longer and are very important for your baby’s development. For example, a snack could be cheese and whole wheat crackers. For a meal, try cottage cheese on a salad.

Editor's Note:

Katelyn Holt RN, BSN, BC

Why Do You Feel Hungry 24/7?

Your body has to work in overdrive when you’re pregnant to help sustain you and your growing baby. This means it is constantly working night and day.

You need those extra calories because you are busy growing a human! Think about the extra energy it takes to grow a heart, brain, and lungs. It’s amazing! All of this energy is coming from you and the food you consume.

Your body is likely burning calories faster than you can even consume them. This quick transition causes you to feel like you need to eat all the time ⁽³⁾.

Listen to your body, and don’t feel guilty if you feel like you are always digging for food. Relax! It’s all for your baby, and your baby needs those nutrients.

How To Manage Constant Hunger

Pregnancy hunger can become overwhelming, and it is important we find a way to keep it subdued. You shouldn’t completely ignore your hunger. Instead, look for healthy ways to manage it.

1. Hydrate

We mention hydration more than once because it’s crucial. Our bodies can trick us into confusing hunger with pregnancy dehydration.

You may think you immediately need food, but a cup of water could do the trick. Try to drink about 10 cups of water a day.

2. Watch Calories

Some women think once they become pregnant, they can eat anything and everything they want. Your food consumption is very important, but it does have its limits.

In the first trimester, you can keep your calorie intake the same. You should consume about 300 more calories per day during the second trimester and about 500 more during the third. If you are pregnant with multiples, you should double the extra intake.

Remember

The above calorie intake is an estimate for typical pregnancies. Be sure to consult with your doctor for an accurate caloric intake that best suits you and your baby.

3. Maintain a Healthy Diet

It is easy to eat anything when you’re pregnant because you can shrug the extra weight gain off as being baby weight, but you shouldn’t overindulge.

Keep your diet healthy and nutritious. Opt for foods that can benefit you and your baby rather than add to the extra pounds. Fresh foods are always a better option than processed ones.

4. Build Up Your Arsenal

Make sure your fridge or purse is always stocked with healthy options that can help ease your hunger. Sliced fruit, cheese sticks, and nuts are all quick, simple snacks.

It’s always great to have more healthy options at your disposal than junk food.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Indulge

Every once in a while, you need to reward yourself and indulge in your favorite food. Eating a few small spoonfuls of ice cream each day worked better for me than having a b0wl of it once per week, but some women find the opposite works best for them.

We all have cheat days, and these don’t have to stop when you are pregnant — as long as your other meals focus on nutritious items.

6. Snack

Eating small meals throughout the day can help keep your intense hunger at bay. You can take small items to work with you to have healthy snacks on hand.

When I was pregnant, I never left the house without my water bottle in my hand and a granola bar and a banana in my purse.

Editor's Note:

Katelyn Holt RN, BSN, BC

Managing Your Weight When Pregnant

We expect to gain some weight when pregnant. But with the constant hunger, it can be challenging to keep the weight gain under control. These tips helped us maintain a healthy weight despite pregnancy hunger ⁽⁴⁾.

• Begin pregnancy at a healthy weight.
• Eat often but in moderation.
• Stay hydrated, especially with water consumption.
• Accept cravings, but make them constructive.
• Exercise during pregnancy. Walking is an easy way to stay active and energized.

Talk to your doctor about how much weight you should gain. Your starting weight determines how much weight your doctor will recommend that you gain.

Eat Less and Still Feel Full

You don’t have to consume three-course meals multiple times a day to keep yourself full. It may seem like an impossible task, but it is possible to eat simple meals and make yourself feel full. Three small meals and two to three snacks should get you through the day.

1. Eat slower: Your brain needs at least 20 minutes to process that your body is full. Simply taking some extra time to chew your food can help you achieve that fullness faster.
2. Eat half your portions: Split your meals up into several a day. You don’t have to stick to the traditional three meals a day — eat when you are hungry. Don’t indulge in large meals. Instead, try eating eat six small meals a day.
3. Busy your mind: If you are sitting around, you will inevitably be distracted by hunger. If you pick up a hobby, you can help distract your mind from the hunger and redirect your attention elsewhere.

The Bottom Line

Hunger is an inevitable part of pregnancy. We would be crazy to expect a woman to consume the same amount of food as she used to even though she is now actively growing a human.

Your body and your baby need the extra calories to be well-nourished and healthy during pregnancy. You shouldn’t feel guilty about consuming more food. You are now burning way more calories. You need that extra food to keep you moving and your baby growing.

Feedback: Was This Article Helpful?

Thank You For Your Feedback!

Thank You For Your Feedback!

What Did You Like?

What Went Wrong?

causes of nausea and stomach pain in pregnant women

{{if type === 'partner-stocks'}}

{{/if}}

${this} {{if isGorzdrav}}

Delete

{{/if}}

Home

Articles

What to do if your stomach hurts during pregnancy

Pregnant women experience hormonal changes that can exacerbate chronic diseases or introduce new diseases. The digestive system is also being rebuilt. Therefore, many complain that the stomach hurts during pregnancy, although there was no such symptom before. In order not to miss a serious pathology and start treatment on time, you can learn to distinguish between different painful conditions and eliminate their causes.

How to understand that it is the stomach that hurts

If you put three fingers in the midline on the area just below the xiphoid process, which connects the right and left halves of the ribs, you can find the approximate position of the stomach. This is a hollow muscular organ, which is usually located almost vertically. Its glands produce hydrochloric acid and mucus, which does not allow the walls of the organ to be digested and prevents damage.

If the mucous membrane becomes inflamed, pain occurs. It can be sharp, cutting, burning, aching and is localized in the intercostal region, slightly below and to the left of the xiphoid process of the sternum. Hungry pains during pregnancy are not uncommon, sometimes they are accompanied by nausea, belching, appear at night in a dream. In some diseases, pain increases after eating.

But gastric pathology is not characterized by girdle pain, a feeling of fullness in the right hypochondrium, bitterness in the mouth, cramps in the lower abdomen. These are signs of diseases of the pancreas, liver or intestines.

Causes of stomach pain in pregnant women

After pregnancy, progesterone is intensively synthesized in the ovaries, and from the 12th week it is produced by the placenta. One of the functions of this hormone is to reduce the tone of the smooth muscles of the internal organs so that the uterus does not contract and reject the embryo. But at the same time, the muscles of the digestive tract also fall under the influence of progesterone. Therefore, in pregnant women, peristalsis slows down, the muscular sphincter located between the stomach and esophagus relaxes.

As the gestation period increases, the uterus grows and displaces the organs. Therefore, the stomach moves from a vertical position to a horizontal one. At the same time, intra-abdominal pressure increases, gastric juice during the digestion of food can be thrown into the esophagus and burn the mucous membrane. This process is more pronounced after thirty weeks, but the first signs may appear early.

The nature of pain during exacerbation of gastritis

Causes of severe pain in the abdomen may be associated with acute gastritis or exacerbation of chronic. Various factors lead to it:

• malnutrition - lack of protein, iron or vitamins;
• irritant effect of drugs - antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• infections - more often the presence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori;
• the influence of harmful substances - alcohol abuse, smoking, as well as work in hazardous industries.

The disease can be exacerbated by stress, lack of diet or gout, chronic kidney pathologies.

In case of exacerbation of gastritis, the stomach begins to hurt after eating, the sensations increase when overeating due to stretching of the walls of the stomach. Often the symptoms are associated with the use of spicy, fried, fatty foods or carbonated drinks. The pregnant woman feels that she has pain in the right hypochondrium, under the pit of the stomach. She is sick, there is an eructation sour, sometimes vomiting. Protracted gastritis disrupts the digestion of food, so there is flatulence, rumbling in the abdomen and a violation of the stool.

If the secretion of hydrochloric acid is reduced in chronic inflammation of the stomach, then the symptoms of the disease are less pronounced.

Features of pain in gastric ulcer or mucosal erosion

In most pregnant women, the symptoms of peptic ulcer disappear due to a decrease in acidity and an increase in mucus production. But in 1 out of 4,000 women, the pathology worsens. This occurs in the autumn-spring period in the 1st or 3rd trimester.

An ulcer is characterized by severe hunger pains that bother between meals or at night. A woman is often sick, sometimes vomiting appears, which alleviates the condition. Additional symptoms are heartburn, sour belching, constipation.

If the ulcer is left untreated, anemia develops and, in severe cases, gastrointestinal bleeding. In the latter case, the pregnant woman will vomit clotted blood that resembles coffee grounds, the pain in the abdomen will become severe, blood pressure will drop, and the skin will turn pale.

Sometimes, after overeating or physical exertion, the ulcer perforates and a through hole is formed in the wall of the stomach. At the same time, the stomach hurts very badly and unbearably sharply, sticky sweat appears on the skin, dry mouth, and thirst intensifies. Vomiting with perforation of the ulcer is rare. Then flatulence appears and after two hours the condition improves, but this is the appearance of well-being. Later, the pregnant woman develops peritonitis.

Bleeding and perforation of the ulcer are dangerous for the pregnant woman and the fetus. When the first symptoms appear, you need to call an ambulance. Otherwise, the likelihood of death from complications is high.

Other causes of stomach pain

In the later stages, stomach pain is more common and is not always associated with gastritis or ulcers. Sometimes other diseases or lifestyle habits are to blame:

• overeating;
• eating stale food;
• irritant effect of spicy, salty, sour or fatty foods;
• stress or nervous tension;
• long break between meals;
• concomitant diseases of the liver, gallbladder or intestines;
• chronic constipation;
• toxicosis;
• acute infections, including food poisoning.

Sometimes inflammation of the duodenum, or duodenitis, is masked behind gastric pain. Pathology often occurs in the 1st trimester or 4-5 weeks before delivery. For duodenitis, nocturnal hungry pains are characteristic, which decrease after eating. Pregnant women have reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting, a feeling of fullness in the upper abdomen.

Pain in the stomach in early pregnancy

According to statistics, from 21 to 80% of women experience a pathology of the digestive tract for the first time during pregnancy, and symptoms appear already at an early stage of gestation. They may be associated with toxicosis. Why it develops is not exactly known, but it is associated with a violation of the hormonal and nervous regulation of metabolism in the body. This leads to nausea, vomiting, salivation, gradual dehydration and deterioration. In severe cases, the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates is disturbed in a pregnant woman, body weight decreases.

If a woman is often sick and vomits, the lining of the esophagus becomes irritated and inflamed. Therefore, from the first weeks there is pain in the stomach.

Due to toxicosis, a pregnant woman develops an aversion to certain types of food or smells, and her appetite decreases. Irregular eating can increase pain in the stomach, and later lead to gastritis.

Treatment of stomach pain during pregnancy

Caution must be exercised in the choice of treatment in pregnant women. Many drugs are dangerous for the fetus, so the therapist should select the therapy regimen. He will also conduct an examination to distinguish early toxicosis from exacerbation of gastritis, peptic ulcer or other pathology.

A pregnant woman is prescribed a diet. All spicy, irritating foods are excluded from the diet. You can not drink coffee, strong tea, carbonated drinks, chocolate, fatty and fried foods that relax the esophageal sphincter. Recommend food in small portions, but at least 5 times a day.

Coating preparations are used to reduce pain. They are not absorbed into the bloodstream, so they will not harm the fetus, but they protect the gastric mucosa and alleviate the condition. In addition to them, doctors recommend drinking tea from chamomile flowers or alder seedlings, which has astringent and anti-inflammatory properties.

Pregnant women with exacerbation of chronic gastritis or ulcers are additionally prescribed antispasmodics based on drotaverine or papaverine to relieve pain. Drugs that increase intestinal tone, which include metoclopramide, also help.

How can I reduce or prevent stomach pain?

In order not to get sick during pregnancy or to prevent digestive problems, you need to eat right. For this, dishes are boiled, stewed, baked, cooked from vegetables, cereals, dairy products and lean meat. Spicy seasonings, fried and fatty foods, other heavy foods during pregnancy should be excluded.

To relieve the condition, do not overeat during the day, it is better to eat 5 times, but in small portions. Sleeping on an empty stomach is bad, but late dinner is also harmful. Therefore, it can be replaced with a glass of unsweetened yogurt or kefir.

Doctors do not recommend lying down immediately after eating, as there is a higher risk of stomach contents entering the esophagus and heartburn. To avoid this, you need to sit in a comfortable chair for an hour or go for a walk.

Stomach pain caused by an ulcer or gastritis can be avoided by being tested before pregnancy. To do this, you need to consult a doctor, take an analysis for Helicobacter pylori and do fibrogastroduodenoscopy. Upon confirmation of the diagnosis, the therapist will prescribe a treatment that will prevent heartburn and severe complications for the expectant mother.

🔍 Frequent questions about pregnancy and answers to them

Who had a hungry pain in the stomach? ..

Complain

day I feel like I want to eat and nothing helps, it calms down a bit when I eat! (but it doesn’t hurt much, it’s just like I want to eat, no other pains, no spasms. There’s no nausea or bile either! (Go to the doctor Naturally, I’ll go, but by the time I sign up, I’ll probably go crazy (((

Hungry pains in the stomach, how did you escape?

Complain

15 December 2016 06:48 at Personal journal I can't sleep at all. Omeprazole no longer helps. What can I drink before the doctor's appointment? Who met with this, knows that these are signs of gastritis, Eat do not Eat nothing goes away, or for a certain time, do not advise to eat! I eat as needed.