Pregnancy is such a unique and special time in a woman’s life, that really requires love and attention. We are creating life after all! Everything we DO, everything we EAT, and even what we THINK affects the health of our baby. So making natural, healthy choices everyday to maximize our health, our happiness, and that of our baby, is SO important.
Here are 8 of my best tips for a healthy, happy pregnancy and baby:
1. Eat a nutrient-dense diet, as much as you can. The #1 key to a healthy pregnancy is eating a balanced, whole-foods diet; no processed junk. Eat what comes from nature. Eat tons of: vegetables (any/all varieties, especially greens and root veggies), fruit (depending how much you can tolerate and maintain stable blood sugar), fish (wild-caught) /meat (grass-fed) /poultry & eggs (organic) , nuts/seeds, pulses (lentils, chickpeas, beans), small amounts of whole (unprocessed) grains (if tolerated), etc. LIMIT as much as possible processed, packaged foods (chips, crackers, cookies, cakes, and things with white flour). Buy organic when possible, as it will have most amount of nutrients.
Its essential to cover the common nutrient deficiencies during pregnancy. You want to make sure you’re getting enough:
a. Vitamins:
B-Vitamins (particularly Folate/B-9, B-12, Choline, B-5, B-6, Biotin/B-7)
Vitamin A/retinol (but be careful not to have too much; usually no more than 10,000 IU per day via supplements; aim to get it mostly from vitamin-A rich veggies and fruits).
Vitamin D2/D3
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
b. Minerals:
Iron
Magnesium (usually no more than 400mg per day)
Iodine
Zinc
Selenium
Copper
Chromium
Boron
Calcium
c. Omega-3’s (DHA in particular) *critical for baby’s healthy brain development (and more)
Aim to get these nutrients from your daily meals as much as possible. HERE are some of the best “pregnancy superfoods” to be having on a regular basis in order to meet these needs.
2. Supplement. On top of a nutrient dense diet and filling up with “pregnancy superfoods” you’ll want to take a good-quality prenatal supplement. Usually additional DHA and vitamin D is helpful too (and/or whatever your doctor/midwife suggests). After lots of research and courses, I believe these are the best prenatal vitamin options:
Thorne Prenatal *best price and most convenient as its just 2 pills
Metagenics Wellness Essentials *most complete!!
Full Circle
MegaFood Baby & Me (my least favorite but still great choice. just make sure to take extra Vit D, DHA and eat a diet based on my #1 recommendation above)
If you choose a prenatal without iron, you might need to supplement additionally with iron. Plus, and omega-3 supplement is key, plus potentially extra vitamin D. Here are add-ons I recommend:
Omega-3:
Cod Liver Oil *note: this has a high concentration of vitamin A and vitamin D, so if you opt for cod liver oil, watch your vitamin A intake and you probably wont need additional vitamin D
Vitamin D *i add 2 of these drops to my lemon water every morning and my Vit D is perfect!
Choline *in case your prenatal doesn’t contain enough choline
*Note: @mamaeatss on IG has some great prenatal reviews. Check her out!
3. Limit your exposure to chemicals, and work on minimizing your oxidative stress. I lay out all the tips HERE. And more tips on living a “clean, non-toxic” lifestyle HERE.
4. Move your body. Every pregnancy is different and some complicated pregnancies may require lots of rest and minimal moment, but overall, exercising during pregnancy is VERY recommended and can help prevent lots of issues, not to mention it can help lead to a healthy birth and healthy baby.
BENEFITS OF EXERCISE FOR MAMA:
Better mood
Helps prevent excessive weight gain
Better flexibility and mobility – which can help a lot during birth
Less body pains during pregnancy
Oxygen-rich blood supply
Commonly shorter delivery time and less possibility of needing c-section
BENEFITS OF EXERCISE FOR BABY:
Helps keep healthy Heart rate variability
Contributes to positive Cognitive development
Helps build good Motor skills
What exercise is best?
Do what feels good! Do what you were doing before if it still feels good, but aim for lower impact, and modify to make sure you are “making space for your baby.” No crunching, no compressing of the belly. My favorite pregnancy-friendly exercises include:
Walking (even light jogging can be great if you are a runner and have your doctor’s OK to continue): 20-45 minutes, preferably in the shade / where its not too hot
Barre (and Pilates as well but with careful guidance for modifications)
Yoga (stick to pre-natal yoga)
Other: Squats (keeping neutral spine), prenatal friendly stretches and foam rolling, and sex!
*Avoid risky sports where you can fall or where a ball can hit you.
*Remember if something doesn’t feel great anymore, stop doing it. You have tons of great pregnancy-friendly options to choose from.
5. Watch your blood sugar to prevent gestational diabetes
Eat small amounts of complete carbohydrates, particular “cellular carbs” such as sweet potatoes, squash, berries. Limit processed “acellular” carbohydrates as much as possible (foods containing refined flours such as most desserts, chips, breads, etc.). If you want a dessert, have a small portion after a meal (not on its own), and ENJOY IT without guilt; that will make it easier for you to be fine with small portion.
Check out my 11 tips for blood sugar balance – really, its all there in this blog!
Limit caffeine and alcohol. Listen to your doctor and your body on what feels right, but generally, keeping these 2 to a minimum is best for both mom and baby.
6. Support your GUT. Fill up on greens and fiber as much as possible. Consider taking probiotic supplements, as well as prebiotic foods. Healthy fats also help to keep a healthy microbiome and proper digestion. Read more HERE.
7. Prioritize Self-Care. Stay on top of your oral health (see your dentist and give extra love to your mouth daily) and the health of your skin (moisturize!). Generally, it’s an important time to take care of ourselves. Build the habit now because when the kids come, it will be that much harder to start healthy self-care rituals.
Take care of your teeth/gums. Hormonal shifts during pregnancy can interact with the bacteria in plaque, leading to gingivitis, swollen, tender or bleeding gums. So: floss daily and brush 3 times a day. I’m also a huge believer in oil pulling. Also, visit your dentist as soon as you find out you’re pregnant and a few months later.
Nourish your skin. Our skin is stretching and needs extra care and nourishment. Get yourself a non-toxic oil or cream (I’m a fan of pure coconut oil, and also have some other non-toxic, pregnancy-friendly creams such as organic belly butter and even Eucerin unscented baby lotion for sensitive skin). Also, WEAR SUNSCREEN (please get a mineral, non toxic one) as we’re more prone to sunburns and sun marks/stains when pregnant. My favorites for the face are: Suntegrity (clear) or supergoop! mattescreen (tinted). Elta MD tinted is another good one. *NOTE: for both supergoop! and Elta MD, only specifically these 2 that i feature are fully non-toxic and mineral, most of their other versions are not fully pregnancy-safe.
Pamper yourself! Get a massage with an experienced prenatal massage therapist, and/or visit a good Chiropractor and/or get acupuncture. Do one of these once a month if you can. These are all great therapies that are worth splurging on if/when you can during your pregnancy.
8. Educate yourself, but mostly, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. I definitely recommend reading a few books (i liked Mamma Natural, Expecting Better, The Whole Pregnancy Handbook, plus I have a ton more for post-partum, breastfeeding and sleeping on my bookshelf) and read my blogs! Also, sign up for a birthing course, especially if its your first baby. Look up Bradley Method and Hypnobirthing courses. I took the Primemester course pre-pregnancy, then the Fab4Pregnancy course and am taking the Mamma Natural Course = all super useful.
There is soooo much information out there, and ultimately, we have to remember to LISTEN TO AND TRUST OURSELVES. We forget but our bodies are smart and are constantly giving us signals - especially during pregnancy. It’s the most important time to tune inwards. Remember every body is different and every pregnancy is different. We have to honor our own journey, talk to our body, listen to it and trust our intuition. So… When you’re tired, REST, and when you’re hungry, EAT (of course, following my recommendations in #1 and #5).
Hope you put these tips in practice and share this blog with your pregnant mammas!
Love,
Mariana
PS- FOR YOUR BEST PREGNANCY EVERY, JOIN MY 6 MONTH PRENATAL ONLINE PROGRAM WITH ON-DEMAND BARRE CLASSES, NUTRITION TIPS, RECIPES AND MORE (IN SPANISH: “BALANCE-BARRE-BIENESTAR PRENATAL + POSTNATAL ONLINE)