breakfastI go back and forth between being a breakfast person and not being a breakfast person. I have phases where I want a heaping bowl-full of cereal with blueberries and a bananas shortly after waking up; and phases where all I can stomach is a cup of coffee for my first few waking hours.

Since I've been pregnant, though, things have changed. Not only do I want breakfast every morning, I realize that, well, I kind of need breakfast each morning. Here are five reasons you shouldn't skip breakfast while pregnant.

Hey, they don't call it the "most important meal of the day" for nothing.

 

It's your baby's breakfast, too. You wouldn't skip feeding your baby breakfast after she's born, right? Well, same thing applies before your baby's born. When you're pregnant, your little one is growing on a constant basis -- and a growing baby needs a steady supply of nutrients! Eating on a regular basis and not skipping meals is crucial to making sure this happens.

You'll regret it later. One thing I've noticed since I've been pregnant is when I skip a meal, or go too long without eating, I'm starving later. And not just starving, starving (damn low blood sugar levels). This, of course, leads me to make poor eating decisions. I wind up going for whatever's easiest and most convenient -- which isn't usually (read: rarely) the healthiest of meal choices.

You need the energy. We've had to nix the caffeine, and we have to deal with pregnancy brain -- we need all the help we can get here. Forgoing essential vitamins and minerals in the morning will only serve to make us more sluggish and spacey, and of course, more cranky.

It can actually help with morning sickness. I know, I know. When you're running back and forth between the couch and the toilet, eating is the last thing you want to do. But, eating a little something -- even some whole wheat toast with butter -- can help settle your stomach and ward off symptoms a bit. Also, it's important to have something in your belly before taking your prenatal vitamin.

Some experts link skipping breakfast to preterm labor. According to some, eschewing the first meal of the day -- after you've gone nine to 12 hours without eating -- can lead to preterm labor, which, of course, puts your baby at risk for health problems. It's not completely known what causes preterm labor, but skipping breakfast is a theory. And even if it's just a theory, why risk it?

If you've never been a breakfast person -- and you're still not while pregnant -- go small: A yogurt, a fruit cup, a granola bar of some sort, anything. Your body -- and your baby -- will thank you later.

What did/do you eat for breakfast while pregnant?

 

Image via ralph and jenny/Flickr