My constant companion through this pregnancy is worry over my wee ones being too little when they are born. I am so little to be carrying twins and I did not have extra body fat anywhere on me before I was pregnant for them to eat off of later when I can't fit enough into my stomach. My doctors (who are useless and talk down to me and are being fired this week!) are on the opposite end of the scale from my worry and don't even comment on my weight gain ever. I asked for a recommendation of a dietician and they scoffed at me. "Just eat a lot. Around 3000 calories a day." But I don't know how one does that when one is trying not to make all her calories empty ones!
Any recommendations for meals that can be made in bulk and reheated throughout the week, are high in calories, protein, and preferably vitamins/minerals? Currently I have Jonathan make a large batch of chili once a week and that becomes at least one meal every day. I already drink about four glasses of whole milk every day. Ensure is too heavy for my stomach and makes me either 1) throw up or 2) not hungry for the next few hours, so it is not worth the 350 calories. I don't eat nuts, so that is out, and I'm not huge on cheese, but I will eat it if there are other tastes mixed in (such as in quesadillas or tacos). Any ideas?
18 comments:
What about salad? I make salad with spinach (lots of good vitamins and minerals there) and I usually chop up some green/yellow/and red bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, cherry flavored craisins. I also add slivered almonds and sunflower seeds but you can leave those out. You could also have Jonathan grill some chicken breasts or steak and slice it and put it in the salad. Do you like yogurt? You can get some organic yogurt made with whole milk. I buy the Yo-Baby yogurt for Ruby but they also make a version for older people. Good luck and I applaud you for firing those doctors if you don't feel comfortable. Best of luck!
Salad toppings I find scrumptious:
corn, black beans, olives, tomatoes, and avacados - really good with chicken and barbecue sauce or ranch dressing
strawberries and mandarin oranges with a sweet vinegarette
I have trouble gaining weight. My husband the health and fitness guru says that carbs are the way to go for weight gain. I try to have a potato in some form once a day.
As far as meals that can be made in bulk and reheated throughout the week, I think soups are the way to go. I make a seven-bean soup with added beef that's really tasty and healthy. Also, chicken noodle and beef/chicken stew. Pasta dishes can be good too, but I don't know how good they'd be to make in bulk. Shepherd's pies are good too. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know :D
Good job on the milk! Avacado is a super food and has lots of good fat. I would suggest making some pasta casseroles with chopped up zuccini and yellow squash for added veggies. Do you like fish? Salmon has very good fat in it and the omega3s are very important for those little guys. I want to hear about your plans. Are you going to have them naturally? You should look into seeing a midwife especially if you dont like your doctors. Most people automatically think c-section for twins but that is just not the way it has to be. Breastfeeding? I am so excited for you!! Your boys are going to keep growing strong and healthy. You just put those worries out of your mind. Take care of yourself and be smart and God will bring them to term.
What tip you suggest for a call center guy for weight gain.
Boys Weight Gain
I suggest Giada's Fettucini Alfredo. Its got all the good stuff - butter, heavy cream and lots of parm cheese. All with pasta and its some serious YUMMY. You and your boys are in my prayers!
Scrambled Eggs? Hardboiled eggs? They're good for brain development. Pb & apples. Cheese & crackers. Cheese & apples. Trust me, you're going to run out of room quickly for eating so go with smaller snackish meals throughout the day. I'd be scarfing down the milkshakes too. High in calories, vitamin D & calcium & as long as youre still tolerating lactose, I'd go for it. I became lactose intolerant around 25w.
I know by the end of my pregnancy, I felt like I was eating constantly, but then I lost 10lbs in the last 6w. The babies were still gaining, but I was losing. It was crazy.
Look for high iron foods too. Anemia is really common with twins. High iron breakfast cereals are good choices.
Lasagne can be good. Add frozen chopped spinach and you've added a veggie to it. I also use ground chuck to cut down on saturated fat, but you keep the protein. My lasagne recipe is on my cooking blog (I'll put links on the bottom). I also make mac and cheese thats a whole meal (it has veggies and chicken!) in it. Both can be made and then re-heated in smaller portions.
You want to watch your fruit intake as its going to spike your blood pressure... but then you want to eat fruits... being pregnant is hard!
Google the glycemic index. This will help you eat foods that will digest slower and won't raise your blood sugar (which causes crashes and bad feelings for you) and will help reduce your risk of Gestational diabetes.
I applaud you for firing the doctors! Hopefully your new ones will help you find better food options!
Peanut butter is always a plus!
http://thedivasmomcooks.blogspot.com/2010/06/mmmm-lasagne.html
http://thedivasmomcooks.blogspot.com/2010/06/burn-your-mouth-mac-and-cheese.html
Have you checked out Dr. Barbara Luke's book (When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets or Quads)? It has diet suggestions and recommend a lot of fat and protein to boost the babies' weights and lessen the risk of preterm birth. I'll see if I can find my copy around here somewhere and send you some actual food suggestions.
Congrats on the baby boys!
Ahh, I remember she suggests full-fat ice cream every day as it contains both fat and protein. Milkshakes and smoothies are another good option. You can add fruits and yogurt and make them with the whole milk.
Jessie- I do have her book... The amount of food she wants me to consume every day worries me! I was doing a couple cups of ice cream every day for a while, but now it is just too sweet and I can't do it.
Don't be afraid to eat fatty foods, just make sure it's healthy fats like those found in good quality meat or avacados. Snacking is important!
I could never meet her food requirements either. I tried for a few weeks and just about went crazy. Instead, I ate when I was hungry (which was a lot until I hit the 3rd trimester), drank one Slimfast shake a day (for the calcium and protein) and made one smoothie a day with protein powder. I do not drink milk on its own, so the slimfast and the smoothie made sure I got enough calcium. I ate scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast a lot. It was easy to get from the cafeteria at work. (I'm sure my cholesterol was awful, but it's ok now!) I ate a lot of peanut butter sandwiches for snacks too.
Ok so food ideas... egg salad, chicken salad, quiches, macaroni and cheese (I ate a lot of Kraft mac n cheese), hummus and pita chips, lentil soup, lentils and brown rice, southwest chicken stacks.
Mojardra (Lentils and Brown Rice)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Cup Brown Rice
1 Cup Lentils (brown or green)
1 Bay Leaf
3 3/4 cup water
2 Tbsp Sea Salt
2 Onions, sliced or cut
2 Cloves Garlic
Coriander, Cumin, Cayenne (to taste)
1 Cup of plain yogurt with a bit of fresh dill or prepared dill dip
1. Put olive oil into a sauce pan. Add your washed and rinsed brown rice and lentils. Saute until nicely coated with the olive oil.
2. Add the bay leaf and the water. Simmer for 45-50 minutes or until the water has evaporated from the pot. There is no need to stir, this will disturb the natural steam holes that are created!
3. Add your sliced onions to a pan and saute in olive oil. When they have carmelized add the spices. The cumin, crushed coriander, and cayenne are fabulous in this dish. Don't skip them!
4. Mix them all together and top with the dilled yogurt if you like.
Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Stacks
2 cups frozen corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 1/2 cups salsa
Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the slow cooker. Pour frozen corn into the bottom of the slow cooker and place the frozen chicken breasts on top. Cover with beans and salsa. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with forks. Return to the slow cooker and stir until the chicken, corn, beans and salsa are combined.
Serve on a bed of tortilla chips and top with additional garnishes: lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, etc.
Yummm, that chicken recipe sounds right up my alley!
Thanks for all the fabulous suggestions, girls!
Hi there! i stumbled across your blog on accident one day in May because my blog is burnhambaby.blogspot.com ! we found out we were pregnant soon after i started blogging about trying to conceive. i read a little bit of your blog and was feeling your pain and hope. i am soooo excited for your pregnancy and said a little thanks to God for blessing you with TWO babies! i just started my 3rd trimester and we are expecting a girl in February. have fun and enjoy your second trimester (it was a breeze for me).
~jessica burnham
Post a Comment