Here's what I've been craving during pregnancy

I am four months pregnant (a week away from 5 months), and so far it has been a unique experience. My body has changed in many ways, yet I still have a small bump which at first worried me, but after seeing pictures of other pregnant women, I have realized that it's perfectly normal and we all come in different shapes and sizes.

I certainly have been eating well, and I have not felt guilty once for giving into my cravings. Before I was pregnant, I heard that pregnant women usually get strange cravings or are addicted to one meal/snack throughout their pregnancy. My mother told me when she was pregnant with me, she didn't stop drinking orange juice.

My perspective about cravings

I haven't had the urge to try a combination that I haven't tried before. I thought that I would, given this is all I have read or heard about, but my cravings have been pretty normal. What I usually crave on most days is chocolate or something with chocolate in it. I can't help it, and even though it's advised to not eat a lot of processed sugar, I still enjoy my chocolate cereal, ice cream or Oreos.

However, during my second month of pregnancy, I was craving tacos a lot, and kept on asking my husband to go for tacos. I was also craving a Korean dish called Dak-Galbi, which is stir fried chicken cooked in front of you and you can have it with melted cheese. I am currently living in South Korea with my husband, and I am eating a lot of Korean food.

And what was strange at first was that my favorite foods such as Kimchi or Korean Fried Chicken made me feel sick, or I was put off by them at the very beginning of my pregnancy. But thankfully that changed later down the line, and I am okay to eat them again.

The Do's and Don'ts

Being pregnant for the first time is scary, because I am very cautious about what I should and should not eat. It has been a known fact in the Western society to not eat sushi or sashimi during pregnancy, due to the health risks for the baby. However, in Asian society, eating it in moderation is okay. This is what I was told by my doctors here.

Personally, I haven't eaten sushi or sashimi during pregnancy, since it's planted in my brain not to, even though I have been reassured by the doctors here that it's okay. However, I have also steered clear of other foods such as raw beansprouts, since they have a high risk of getting listeria.

Of course, during pregnancy, you should be eating healthily, but even some fruits such as pineapple can be seen as a notorious fruit to eat a lot during pregnancy, due to the high acidity it has that may cause a miscarriage.

The reality is, it's very daunting choosing what to eat during pregnancy.

The thought of what to eat

Every pregnant woman faces a different experience during pregnancy, and mine is that on most days, I have no idea what I want to eat. Yes, this is a stereotype about women not knowing what they want to eat and their partner usually makes the suggestions. Before pregnancy, I knew what I wanted to eat and would even find restaurants that I would want to visit.

Now, I have no idea. My husband asks me and I just shrug. There would sometimes be a certain feeling of craving in my body for a doughnut or burger, but I can never plan out what I want to eat everyday. It has been challenging for me, because I need to eat for the baby, but at the same time I am clueless about what I want. However, I always make sure to eat every meal and snacks too.

Am I eating right?

Every time I go to my regular visits for my scans and check ups, the baby is healthy and fine. The point is, give in to those cravings, because now is the time to feel guilt free about it.