Stuff to Enjoy During Pregnancy

You are in charge of this baby! Nourish it with whole foods, movement and humor. Now is the time to take control and be the woman you want to be! Nobody is going to mess with a pregnant woman – assert your health and confidence.  You’ve got 9 months and the rest of your life to eat great!


WHAT YOU GET TO EAT

How much food do you get to eat?
Think about how big the baby would be for you to really be eating for two. Now be thankful that baby is much smaller than that. Think eating for 1.15.
You get to add about 300 extra calories a day - here are pictures of what 300 calories looks like

If you were underweight prior to your pregnancy, you should try to gain 28-40 pounds. Average weight women should aim for a 25-35 pound weight gain, and overweight women should strive to gain 15-25 pounds. A general trend is to have little weight gain for the first 12 weeks. Then, in the second and third trimesters, a weight gain of a pound a week is common
 
Where do the extra pounds come from?
For an average 24 pound pregnancy –
• Baby: 7lb 11oz
• Uterus 1lb 14oz
• Placenta 1lb 6oz
• Amniotic fluid 1lb 12oz
• Breasts grow by approximately 14oz
• Extra blood 2lb 12oz
• Retained water 4lb 6oz
• Fat 3lb 11oz

And what do I eat?
About 10 % of calories should come from protein. You will get an abundance of proteins in every day foods like veggies, whole grains, beans and nuts
About 35 % of calories should come from fat – think raw nuts, avocados, cold-pressed oils and seeds
About 55 % of calories should come from whole-grain & low processed carbohydrates – think brown rice, quinoa, veggies, fruits and morning oatmeal

How do I make it easy?
Keep healthy foods on hand. A fruit bowl filled with apples, bananas, peaches, oranges, and grapes makes it easy to grab a healthy snack. Fresh, and frozen fruits and vegetables make healthy and quick additions to meals. Try to plan ahead and make dried beans and grains.

Eat breakfast every day. If you feel sick to your stomach in the morning, choose dry whole-wheat toast or whole-grain crackers when you first wake up- even before you get out of bed. Eat the rest of your breakfast (fruit, oatmeal, cereal, or other foods) later in the morning. Soak oats overnight in a little bit of vinegar and warm water and they cook ultra-fast in the morning and the soaking allows for greater vitamin absorption.

Eat high-fiber foods. Eating whole-grain cereals, vegetables, fruits, beans, whole-wheat breads, and brown rice, along with drinking plenty of water and getting daily physical activity, can help you prevent the constipation that many women have during pregnancy.

If you have heartburn during your pregnancy, eat small meals more often, eat slowly, avoid spicy and fatty foods and try drinking beverages between meals instead of with meals, and do not lie down right after eating.

Why are these foods so good for me?

Dark Leafy Greens (and other fruits and veggies)

Treat yourself to around two servings of dark leafy greens each day. You can have salads if you enjoy them. Dark leafy greens such a lettuces (not iceberg lettuce! Go with a dark type like romaine or green leaf) spinach, and mustard greens are packed with nutrition. Choose fresh or frozen varieties for lots of vitamins. You'll also get some iron from each serving. Leafy greens will help keep you from getting constipated as well.

Eat seasonal, local and organic fruits and vegetables. Explore the market for new weird produce and find a recipe online – you never know what kind of cravings a new food will satisfy. If you aren’t too keen on eating so much fruit – make a smoothie with frozen fruits and rice milk. Juice carrots, apples, beets and ginger for a morning pick-me-up. Add some pulp back in if your juicer is one that whirrs it all away – the fiber will help keep you full & regular.

Whole Grains/Carbohydrates

You'll want to have around five servings of whole grains each day. These grains will give you carbohydrates that your body needs. Carbohydrates are burned for energy – without enough complex carbs, your body will burn protein that you and your baby need.

Whole grains are the best carbohydrate to get because they provide you with vitamins, minerals, and small amounts of protein. You get B vitamins from whole grains, which are essential for your body. You'll also get folic acid, an essential nutrient for your baby.

Wheat, oats, rice, corn, and other whole grains are all a good choice. You can enjoy them as breads, pastas, breakfast porridges, cooked rice, or other tasty of whole grain dishes.

Good Fats

Fats help your body to have the energy it needs to grow your baby and to get you through each day. It also helps your skin and other vital systems in your body. If you don't get enough, your body begins breaking down the protein that is needed to build your baby. Cook in good olive oil or coconut oil, or find tasty salad dressings. Nuts are, again, a good source of fats. Chocolate (baking) counts, but use in moderation! Other tasty foods like avocados, olives, and coconut are rich in good fats.

Hydration

Your blood volume will expand dramatically during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. Salt helps your body retain this expanded blood volume.

Drink plenty of water, salt to taste, and use the bathroom frequently. Getting plenty of protein and a complete balanced vegan pregnancy diet will help ensure your excellent health during pregnancy. Salt does not cause abnormal swelling during pregnancy - if you have abnormal amounts of swelling, contact a care provider.
Water

Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. This helps your body clear all the wastes that need to be cleared, it helps keep you regular, and it helps with your expanding blood volume.

HOW TO STAY BRIGHT AND SHINY AND HAPPY

Pregnancy and the time after you deliver your baby can be wonderful, exciting, emotional, stressful, and tiring, all at once. Experiencing this whirlwind of feelings may cause you to overeat, not eat enough, or lose your drive and energy. Being good to yourself can help you to cope with your feelings and to follow eating and physical activity habits for a healthy pregnancy, a healthy baby, and a healthy family after delivery

Go outside! Get out into the sun. Sunlight is the easiest way to get vitamin D. All you need is about 20 minutes of sun directly on your face and hands two or three times a week. Do not use sunblock, and go out when the sun is weakest.

Get moving! Aim to do at least 30 minutes of a moderate activity (one that makes you breathe harder but does not overwork or overheat you) on most days of the week.
Go for a walk, try swimming, try prenatal yoga or bellydancing! Your body is changing so learn to love it asap.
If you are feeling homebound, try a DVD or get an exercise ball and use it as a chair at home or the office.
Yoga is a fantastic way to get & stay strong for your birth and recovery. Yoga is like exercise plus, in that it also provides an opportunity for women (and couples) to explore the integration of physical and emotional well-being for the process of pregnancy and birth. Explore different teachers and find one you feel comfortable with and who challenges you.

Regular, moderate physical activity during pregnancy may:
• Improve your mood, energy level, and feelings about your changing physique.
• Help you and baby to gain appropriate amounts of weight
• Reduce backaches, leg cramps, constipation, bloating, and swelling in hands and feet.
• Strengthen your muscles and improve your blood flow.
• Improve your sleep and stress management.
• Help you have an easier, shorter labor
• Help you to recover from delivery.
• Return to a healthy weight faster after birth.

Sleep! You know how much sleep you need to feel good  - so respect your body and gift yourself some snoozetime. Now is the time to ask friend, partners or family members to help out with some of the things that keep you up at night – dishes, laundry, pets… Keep a pen and paper with you at all times so you can write down things that pop in your head all day so that you can feel assured that you’ll remember to come back to them after a long restful night.
Shift the burden of to-do-lists to paper to free up your brain and find a clear meditative space.

Take time to love your new body & your growing baby. You were born to do this!

Please email me for more information or to arrange a free consultation.