In the first trimester of pregnancy your body goes through incredible changes. Your hormone levels rise and soon after you find out that you are expecting there is a noticeable feeling of pregnancy that takes over. Some might experience morning
sickness, other might be extremely tired, all this is different for every woman. One important aspect to look at in the beginning of pregnancy that will set you up for success, even going beyond the 1st trimester, is your health. If you look closely at your eating and exercise habits you will be rewarded with:
• Fewer discomforts during pregnancy
• A healthy weight gain
• An easier birth!
When I was pregnant with my first child, I paid really close attention to what I was eating because I was basing it on this weight gain number that websites and doctors seem to tell you is a “healthy weight gain” during pregnancy. Every time I stepped on the scale at my appointments, I was so worried about that number that I lost sense of what good nutrition and weight gain was really about.
So where do you start?
How are you feeling physically?
Starting from where you are now, look at your current nutrition and ask yourself how you are feeling right now? Looking at what you are currently eating, evaluate which foods you would rather be eating. What foods are making you more tired? Which foods are giving you most energy? If there are foods that you would rather be eating that are not part of your diet, why not?
Do you:
• Have time to prepare food?
• Have enough money for food?
• Know which foods are healthy for you?
All of these are your own relationship with food that you could be asking yourself when you think about your pregnancy nutrition. Think of what will work for you in your own current situation with food. For example, in my first pregnancy, I stopped drinking coffee because I wanted to “do everything right” and I had read somewhere that coffee has all these potential side effects on the baby so I decided to give it up. Well I was feeling
miserable in the process and was beyond exhausted at work. This goes to show…follow your body.
If you are a vegetarian, you can still have a healthy vegan pregnancy, but your do have to pay closer attention to your intake of protein and other nutrient rich foods.
Supplements
Think of supplements as just that…supplements. Above all else food comes first and the supplements should be supplemental. Most health care providers would encourage you to take a prenatal vitamin. The type that you take depends mostly on how your body reacts
to the supplement brand that you are using. Sometimes mothers have to try different brands in order to feel like their body is reacting to it positively and that is ok.
Fish oil, cod liver oil (flaxseed oil for vegan alternative) is a new addition that most
midwives recommend for their clients. It contains many benefits for mom and baby
including:
• Less chance of developing preeclampsia
• Less chance of preterm labor
• Much lower risk of postpartum depression
Exercise
Listen to your body. Listen to your body. Listen to your body. You are not here to reach new level of performance when it comes to exercise during pregnancy. If you had a regular exercise routine before you were pregnant, it might be easier for you to stay active during your pregnancy but again, listen to your body. If your have any sort of pain or discomfort stop the exercise and rest. Your body will tell you when to stop and which exercises work for you. Any sort of vigorous activity should be balanced with rest.
If you are just starting off with exercise, a great one to do is walking. If you need a more structures exercise program for your pregnancy there are many classes available just for prenatal exercise. If you do not have any in your area there are free YouTube videos that you can search for. Find one that works for you and helps you feel good after. Again, listen to your body.
I hope that some of these can be helpful to you in your pregnancy. I encourage you to
also drink at least 2 quarts of water per day. Make sure the quality of the water is a good one, preferably bottled water. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
I would love to hear how you stay healthy during your pregnancy.
Much love,
Krystina
