It is often said that the first meal of the day is the most important of the day and for good reason: your body has been fasting for 10 to 12 hours and has therefore received no energy. Even more important during pregnancy is breakfast, including for women prone to nausea.

Your ideal breakfast will be the one that will be the right balance to satisfy your desires and to meet the criteria for a balanced breakfast. Sweet or savory, there are as many balanced breakfasts as there are desires of a pregnant woman.

But all will provide at the same time carbohydrates which are the main source of energy for the cells of the organism, fats essential for their proper functioning, calcium for the growth of the child and of course, vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.

If it is well balanced, breakfast can:

• avoiding a fast for too long which could harm the baby’s development
• meet the fetal glucose needs
• meet the vitamin and mineral needs of mom and baby
• avoid transit problems if the cereal product is unrefined and if the fruit is eaten fresh
• avoid the unpleasant feeling of hunger before noon and avoid snacking, which is the cause of excessive weight gain.

And if you are one of the 50% of pregnant women who have nausea, eating a good breakfast will certainly help relieve them because remember that hunger increases nausea.

Provide good quality fuel: low GI carbohydrates

As you probably know, carbohydrates are your body’s fuel, and of course, your baby’s. But beware: not all carbohydrates are created equal from a nutritional point of view. We are used to saying that there are slow sugars and fast sugars. These notions are not entirely correct. To be precise, there are two types of carbohydrates:

• Those which greatly increase blood sugar levels and then induce reactive hypoglycemia. This results in, after the meal, an unpleasant feeling of fatigue, hunger or even discomfort. These are called high GI (Glycemic Index) carbohydrates. Regarding breakfast, this concerns white bread for example, but also wholemeal bread, refined “breakfast special” cereals, white, brown and wholemeal sugar and most cookies.
• Those which induce a moderate increase in blood sugar levels and which are not the cause of reactive hypoglycemia. They are satiating in the long term and allow you to avoid hunger pangs between meals. These are integral bread, black bread, Wasas fibers, oatmeal, flaky muesli, oleaginous fruits (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.) and the vast majority of fruits. . The following sweeteners are also low GI: fructose, agave syrup, xylitol, coconut sugar, acacia honey.

As you can see, this is the second category of carbohydrates which should be favored especially as they are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers that will allow you to regain your optimal vitality by avoiding pump strokes between meals.

Fill up on vitamins

In terms of vitamins, nothing beats fruits and vegetables! Rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, they are typically healthy foods. Vegetable juices are popular (celery, carrot, fennel, zucchini, etc.) but if that is not your cup of tea, stay in the classic by opting for the fruit of your choice. The best would be to vary your fruits regularly to take advantage of the nutritional virtues of each of them and to consume them fresh to benefit from the maximum amount of vitamins, to preserve the fibers (essential for good intestinal transit) and the antioxidants they contain. . Cut into pieces and mixed with dairy and cereal, they will make a perfect breakfast! Fruit juices and smoothies are a tasty way to stock up on vitamins, as long as they are squeezed or blended at home. It rarely takes more than 2 minutes, think about it!

Pineapple, peach, apricot, nectarine, apple, pear, mango, banana, red fruits, clementines, orange, grapefruit, quince, fig, persimmon, kiwi, nectarine, melon, plums, grapes… the list goes on!

Without forgetting the calcium!

During pregnancy, calcium plays a fundamental role in bone mineralization and the growth of the baby. Dairy products, whether from cow, sheep or goat, are a very good source of calcium: yogurts, white cheeses, faisselle, small Swiss, cheese, milk. For women who do not consume animal dairy products, either by intolerance or by taste, vegetable drinks are an excellent alternative, provided they choose well enriched with calcium. There are vegetable drinks of almond, hazelnut, oat, spelled, chestnut, rice. Soy-based products (yoghurts or vegetable drinks) should however be avoided during pregnancy because little is known about the long-term effects of the phytoestrogens they contain.

Think about fats

Contrary to popular belief, fat should not be banned. Quite the contrary! Because if they are chosen of good quality, they play a protective role on your arteries and allow the good neurological development of the fetus and its eye cells. Butter has the advantage of being rich in Vitamin A, involved in the mechanism of vision, skin protection, growth and resistance to infections. It also contains Vitamin D which helps to better fix calcium. 10 g of butter to accompany your bread is a perfectly fine amount. To fill up with good quality fatty acids, you can opt for almond or hazelnut puree for example (preferably complete and without added sugars).

Hydrate well

After a night’s sleep, it is necessary to hydrate well and this is all the more valid during pregnancy. Water is indeed essential to increase blood volume to irrigate the placenta, to build up amniotic fluid and to create the placenta. If the glass of water when you wake up does not excite you, take the time to prepare yourself a good coffee or a good tea (possibly decaffeinated or decaffeinated), an herbal tea or a chicory-based drink if you like. The trick is to drink at least the equivalent of a large glass of water (250 ml). Freshly squeezed fruit juices are also a good way to start the day because all fruits are rich in water.

Nausea starts during the first weeks of pregnancy and usually goes away by the end of the first trimester. However, in 20% of cases, they persist, sometimes even until the end of the pregnancy. Here are some tips to help you get rid of these unpleasant symptoms:

• On an empty stomach, drink a few sips of water. Carbonated waters seem to be particularly effective.
• Do not skip any meals and take care to have a good breakfast. It is best to start eating something while you are still in bed, before you even get up. However, avoid lying down immediately after your meal and, ideally, wait 5 to 10 minutes before getting out of bed.
• Divide your diet into several small, light meals, and if you’re not very hungry in the morning, stick with light foods such as dairy and fruit to start. You will complete with a cereal product later in the morning and with some almonds for example.
• Avoid breakfasts that are too heavy and too fatty, difficult to digest. So avoid pastries and industrial products such as pound cake, donuts or brioches.

Here is an example of breakfast for fans of the traditional bread-butter-jam:

• Hot drink: infusion, coffee or tea (possibly decaffeinated or decaffeinated)
• 60 g of multi-grain or flaxseed bread
• 10 g butter
• 2 tbsp. to c. collapse
• 1 bowl of milk, 1 yogurt or 1 faisselle or 2 small Swiss or 1 fromage blanc
• 1 seasonal fruit, whole or in juice

For women who prefer a more original breakfast, with multiple variations, 100% vitamins, rich in fiber and Omega-3:

• Hot drink: infusion, coffee or tea (possibly decaffeinated or decaffeinated)
• 40 g oatmeal
• 100 g of cottage cheese or 1 yogurt
• Oil fruits of your choice (1 handful): almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts
• 1 fresh seasonal fruit cut into pieces: 1 apple, 1 pear, 2 kiwis, 2 clementines, 1 peach, 3 apricots, 1 peach, 1 brugnon, 100 g of red fruit or 1/2 banana or 1/2 mango
• 1 C. to c. sugar, fructose or agave syrup
• Choice of: vanilla beans or cinnamon

Mix the oatmeal with the milk and the fruit. Sweeten according to your tastes and possibly add vanilla or cinnamon.