During my pregnancy I read all I could about breastfeeding. I was determined to exclusively breastfeed and I knew being informed about it was key.
One thing I never read nor anyone told me about was the crazy sugar cravings I would get. To be more specific, chocolate cravings.
I’ve always liked good quality sweets: chocolate and cakes; but I am a very picky person and for me to eat anything sweet it has to be good. Plus, I was one of those people that could eat one chocolate bar in 2 weeks, just by eating a little at a time.
All that changed when I started nursing. I would crave chocolate so bad! There were times all I could think about was having a piece of chocolate…. Seriously!
I thought I was not normal and I started researching and asking other moms. Turns out when your nurse your blood sugar levels drop and is why you have cravings for sweets. Every single mom I asked had gone through the same thing.
I’m sure there are some moms out there that didn’t have this issue but I haven’t met any. If you’re one of those, consider yourself lucky.
So here I am. My baby is almost 8 months and although I crave chocolate less than before I still crave it.
I was sure by now these cravings would be gone but asking other moms, I’ve been told they will most likely last the entire time I’m nursing.
I plan to follow the WHO breastfeeding recommendations, so I plan to nurse until she’s at least 2…which means I’ll be craving chocolates for a while.
I am also very far from my pre-pregnancy weight and I’m sure these stupid cravings are part of the problem! Aaaggghhhh!
So if you’re one of those moms going through this, all I can say is that YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Some recommendations to satisfy your cravings
- Real pure chocolate is good for you so if you’re craving a chocolate, buy a 70% (or more) dark chocolate. I try to do this as much as possible but I still get milk chocolate every now and then…it’s just sooo good!
- Prepare your sweets at home. This way you can control what’s being put in your food. Try these coconut oil treats!
- Always try to use natural sweeteners like raw honey (or this one) or Maple Syrup (grade B). If you must have sugar try a good quality one like: Sucanat, Coconut sugar, Rapadura, Molasses or Turbinado.
- Make your own chocolate treats. My favorite ones are coconut oil chocolate bars. They are delicious, satisfy my cravings and I can prepare them in 5 minutes.
- Another thing I’ve learned how to make is flourless chocolate cake (or this one). It’s so sweet you need a little of it to satisfy your cravings, although it might get addictive.
- If you have to have ice cream, go for Greek yogurt ice cream. At least you’re getting a little bit of protein in it.
- Fruits are your best friend. Try them different ways: steamed, grilled, baked, add nuts, salt or cinnamon to make them tastier.
- Above all, try to eat lots of greens and protein, with healthy fats. It’s supposed to help maintain your sugar levels so you won’t be craving sweets as much.
- If you decide to get a piece of cake at a restaurant, share it. This way you’ll be eating half the calories.
Did you crave sweets while nursing? What kind? When did your cravings stop?
Jessica says
Yes! I never noticed how badly until I started tandem nursing -now now my cravings are through the roof! Love all these suggestions you gave, definitely gonna try your coconut bars 🙂