Food Has Weird Taste and Texture During 2Nd Trimester Pregnancy

Updated on October 20, 2013
T.S. asks from Langhorne, PA
4 answers

This started less than a week ago and is very annoying. Seems like anything I eat tastes weird to me and the texture is off-putting (especially when food gets caught in my teeth). I always have this weird feeling in my throat like a gas bubble or something, and I feel alot of gassy bubbles in my tummy. I don't have any pain or anything like that. It's just this weird feeling and taste in my mouth and throat. I keep hoping that something I will eat will be super appetizing like it used to be... like seeing food and getting that craving for it. I am 22 weeks along and this is my third child. Never had this with my first 2. I tried taking an antacid hoping it would help but really did nothing. Like I said, I have no pain or discomfort, it's just very annoying! Anyone have this happen? How long did it last and is there anything I can do or eat to make me feel somewhat normal again. I don't want to be repulsed by food the rest of my pregnancy.

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J.S.

answers from Hartford on

This is normal. Many of my favorite foods were unappealing during pregnancy, when I was actually able to keep food down.

I ended up going with more bland foods, like complex carbs which helped with nausea, and still had some nutritional value. Whole wheat, Cream of Wheat, shredded wheat, brown and long grain rice, are good. Non-fried foods. Non-fatty foods. Slip in some shredded fruits or veggies and try some Boost. But you have to talk to your doctor. You don't have to suffer through the feeling when it might not be morning sickness but reflux.

The gassy bubble feeling at 22 weeks could actually be the baby moving.

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K.L.

answers from Erie on

It sounds like it's acid reflux, which can cause a bitter taste in your mouth. This is common in pregnancy due to the loosening of the muscles and ligaments in the body. If it's worse earlier in the day, the best thing to do is to try to sleep on a slight incline (head and shoulders elevated). If it's all the time, then you may want to pay more attention to your diet, avoiding highly acidic or gas creating foods and drinks.

One other thing that you may already know is that the gums become more sensitive during pregnancy (which is why it's so important to brush well). I wonder if this also contributes to what you notice when food gets stuck, although I haven't experienced this one.

My last suggestion is to try to gargle wih warm salt water a couple of times a day to see if it cleans out any of the yuks. Do you brush your tongue when you brush your teeth? This can get rid of not only bad tasting stuff, but germs too.

Good luck and remember that this too shall pass!

D.B.

answers from Boston on

Something similar happened to me. It's just weird. I had a lot of heartburn and found it was best to eat a lot of small, frequent meals - not too much at one sitting, and I never allowed myself to get hungry. That meant carrying a variety of small snacks with me all the time. My oddities were that I could open a block of Swiss cheese but couldn't eat it melted (as in a quiche or omelette) - something about the texture and maybe the smell. Tuna was the opposite - I could eat it, but I couldn't open the can or be in the room when my husband opened it. Something about the rush of odor when the lid was lifted.

My advice it to try different foods and see what happens. A friend lived on lightly salted almonds - kept them in her car and just ate 3 or 4 as needed.

Some people say it's the hormones, others say the baby presses on the stomach and squishes it upwards, changing the way food sits in there and how the acids come back up into the throat. I've since found something that's awesome for reflux, and it's proven safe for pregnant and nursing mothers, even kids. You could try a patented product to settle your stomach - patents are rare in foods and they indicate proven data for safety, efficacy and uniqueness.

Otherwise I'd say to eat a little of everything, try not to worry about whether it's appetizing or not but just whether it's semi-nutritious, and wait it out. By the time you figure this out, hopefully the phase will have passed! Good luck.

M.B.

answers from Seattle on

Dontcha just HATE all those extra hormones?

I'm 7 weeks along today with my third, and FINALLY the Russian Roulette that my taste buds and stomach have been playing with each other is subsiding.

I don't know if there is anything you can really do except choke it down and ride it out.

Like you, this pregnancy is totally different from my other two. I'm so much more miserable earlier than my other two.

Guess all we can do is hang in there and wait for our bodies back.

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