Week 31

Baby's Development This Week:

-  Heading into a growth spurt
-  Getting plumper while fat accumulates
-  Moving a lot more (good reflexes!)

What to add to your menu this week:

-  Self-control when it comes to cravings

-  More water (are you really hungry, or just thirsty?)

Ah, the third trimester cravings can be so sweet...

But it is important to figure out what your body really needs when you get a craving. If you feel like you are overeating, try drinking water before pigging out. In the third trimester, your blood volume is still increasing and your body needs more water to pump it all through.

If you find that you are getting cravings for junk food, try these substitutions suggested by babycenter.com:

1. Eat breakfast every day. If you start the day well nourished, you'll be less susceptible to midmorning snack attacks. One winning combination: a poached egg, an orange, half a whole-grain English muffin, and a glass of low-fat milk.

Exercise regularly. Staying active is an excellent way to curb hunger and distract yourself from cravings. Regular exercise – like a daily walk – is a great way to keep fit, too.

Outsmart that snack attack. Keep healthy snacks planned and ready to eat when you get home from work – or perhaps you'll want to eat your snack before you leave work. If you arrive home starving with nothing in mind to eat, you might snack on things you don't need.

Get emotional support. The hormonal roller coaster of pregnancy can make you more vulnerable to mood swings. You may turn to food when what you really need is someone to talk to, says Elizabeth Somer, author of Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy.

Train yourself to think small. Try a single scoop of ice cream rather than a whole bowl, or one square of chocolate instead of the entire bar.

Substitute healthy stand-ins for your cravings.

Instead of	Try
Ice cream	Nonfat frozen yogurt or reduced-sugar, low-fat ice cream, sherbet, or sorbet
Can of cola	Mineral water with fruit juice or a squeeze of lime
Doughnut or sweetened pastry	Whole-grain cinnamon raisin toast or half a small whole-grain bagel with low-fat strawberry cream cheese spread
Slice of cake	Low-fat banana nut or zucchini bread, or angel food cake topped with fresh strawberries
Sweet, low-fiber cereals	Whole-grain cereal or oatmeal topped with a little brown sugar and cinnamon, raisins, or cranberries
Potato chips	Baked potato or tortilla chips, popcorn (plain or sprinkled with popcorn seasonings), or pretzels
Sour cream	Nonfat sour cream or nonfat plain yogurt
Sundae toppings	Fresh berries, sliced bananas, or crushed pineapple in juice, topped with a sprinkle of coconut or – if you crave crunch – chopped nuts
Canned fruit in sugar syrup	Fresh fruit or unsweetened canned or frozen fruit
Chocolate	Hot cocoa made with nonfat or low-fat milk – or homemade trail mix with raisins, dried fruits, nuts, and a few chocolate chips
Cookies	Graham crackers or other low-sugar cookies with no more than 3 grams of sugar per cookie (add a little peanut butter if you like)
Cheesecake or other creamy dessert	Small slices of cheese on whole wheat crackers, low-fat vanilla or rice pudding, or some low-fat cream cheese and a dab of fruit spread on a graham cracker