Episode #102: Intuitive Eating & Pregnancy Similarities

Today I’m sharing a few quick life updates on me and the pregnancy! I’m also going to share how intuitive eating and pregnancy actually have a surprising number of similiarites!

Psstt! Have you listened to the 100th episode? ALL of the past guests shared their incredible self-care tips. Take a listen, and try the practices that resonate with you! And remember – when you leave a review and send me a screen shot, you WIN!

Pregnancy Updates

If you’d like to hear more details about my first trimester of pregnancy and intuitive eating, you can listen in to THIS previous episode. In trimester two my nausea calmed way down – woohoo! Not too long later, however, the heartburn kicked in. That’s not something I normally deal with, so it’s very noticeable in my body!

I’ve definitely thrown up a lot more in this pregnancy than the last one. I also feel like I’m SO much bigger than I was at this point in my last pregnancy. That might partially be from this being my second pregnancy, and partially because last time around I was still teaching yoga at this point. I can NOT imagine doing that this time!

Recently I’ve also noticed an increase in hip pain. That’s normal, from what I hear, but it’s definitely not super fun. This time around, I’ve also been getting weekly progesterone shots. Since Cooper came early, we’re trying to get closer to full term with this one! (Although when I imagine getting bigger still, I’m not sure how it’s going to happen!)

Similarities Between Intuitive Eating and Pregnancy

Trimester One Similarities: Intuitive Eating and Pregnancy

In your first trimester of pregnancy, you often end up eating a lot of carbs. You might be averse to veggies, or might be trying to ward off nausea. Either way, it’s usually different than your normal eating patterns!

Similarly, when you start intuitive eating, you’re suddenly free to eat anything. And lots of time, women find that they are drawn to carbs that they’ve previously restricted! The early stages of intuitive eating tend to feel really different than any way you’ve eaten before, and that might include an aversion to veggies and a bit of carb loading. And that is completely fine!

Trimester one often holds some body image stuff as well. You don’t usually quite look pregnant yet…but you’re pants start to not fit well, and you don’t feel like yourself. When you start with intuitive eating, this can happen too! You might feel a little bloated, your pants might feel strange, and you’re in a strange limbo.

Trimester Two Similarities: Intuitive Eating and Pregnancy

Often in trimester two your body starts to crave more diversity again. You can eat more veggies, and you might even find yourself craving a salad. Even though there are still a ton of changes happening, you feel a little more at home in your body.

The second stage of intuitive eating is often like this too! You’ll find yourself working in more colorful fruits and vegetables, not because you “have” to but because you actually want them. You’re body has started relaxing around foods you’ve previously restricted. You’re learning and growing a lot, but you’re starting to settle in and feel a bit more comfortable and confident.

Hunger/fullness becomes more important during this phase of intuitive eating as well. You’ll start to play with what satiates you, what feels right at different times of the day and for different activity levels, and what works for your body.

Similarly, during your second trimester of pregnancy hunger/fullness are important. Physically, the baby is pressing against your stomach. You might find that you need to eat smaller meals, or do more snacking during the day. Even if that isn’t your “norm”, you may find that you need to adapt in order to do what’s right for your body.

Recently I realized that when I order my usual order at our favorite sandwich shop, I was feeling STUFFED when I ate the whole thing. I used to always eat my whole order! I realized that things have changed with the pregnancy…and that I should adapt as well. Last time we went I ordered a half order, and it was perfect.

During your intuitive eating process, you don’t have a baby pressing into your stomach that reminds you to evaluate your fullness levels! You may need to tap into your body a little more intentionally, and really check in.

Trimester Three Similarities: Intuitive Eating and Pregnancy

In the next stage of intuitive eating, you get to focus on self care! This typically happens once you’ve figured out your fullness level and are back to eating the foods that feel right for you. You’ve also usually invested some time into your body image and self-love.

I’m comparing this to the third trimester of pregnancy. Things are still changing, of course, and it’s key that you learn how to holistically care for yourself. The third trimester of pregnancy is all about the self-care! Same with intuitive eating. Long-term, it’s about self-care that provides the balance to continue making choices that feel good, rather than simply turning to food.

For me right now (in my pregnancy), that means movement! I find I feel best when I do yoga or some other form of movement. It helps me sleep better, it reduces my aches and pains, and overall makes me feel better! (And it’s FUN! I can’t stress how important fun is when it comes to movement!)

I’ve also been doing projects around the house, like preparing the nursery and getting organized before the baby comes. My emotional needs have also been super important to pay attention to. There is so much happening in the world (and state) right now, not to mention in my body! Self-care is a key element of my holistic process.

Self-care also helps me NOT eat my emotions; both as a pregnant women and as an intuitive eater! Finding ways to make myself feel good and care for my full self (body, mind, emotions, relationships, etc) allows me to make choices that leave me stronger, happier, and more rested.

(And if you’ve recently been pregnant, you might be interested in my postpartum body confidence interview with Brittany Woodard!)