Eating well now and throughout your pregnancy is key to a healthy mind, body, soul & baby. Make sure you get off on the right foot!

If you’ve tried, and maybe failed, to curb your love of pizza and ice cream in the past, now that you’re expecting, you may have the motivation you need: nurturing a beautiful, healthy baby. Eating well is especially crucial now, as your body uses the nutrients and energy provided by the food you eat both to build a healthy baby, and to keep your body strong. A healthful diet for pregnancy is one that contains all of the essential nutrients your body needs and one that provides the right balance of carbohydrate, fat, and protein – avoiding the extra calories!

The first trimester is marked by an invisible – yet amazing – transformation. Hormones begin triggering your body to nurture your new baby even before tests and a physical exam can confirm the pregnancy! While we cannot see our body’s amazing work in action yet, we will most definitely notice some symptoms. Breast tenderness, frequent urination, constipation & gas, discharge, fatigue, food cravings, heart burn, mood swings, “morning” sickness (nausea), and weight gain. It will be quite an eventful first 14 weeks.

Natural Remedies

Peppermint – safe after the first trimester – use for soothing digestion and overcoming nausea. It is also a great body strengthener and cleanser.

Fiber + Water – remedies constipation and bloating.

Baking Soda – 1tsp dissolved in tall glass of water, drink slowly, this should help with heart burn. Chewing gum, which increases salivation, also helps.

Keep your favorite fruits and veggies ready for a quick snack.

Get plenty of rest and “me” time to help with mood swings.

It is helpful to be in a “healthy eating habit” prior to becoming pregnant, as you will be faced with many changes once your first trimester symptoms really kick into gear. However, it is NEVER too late, and there is no better reason to start your healthful journey! When creating your pregnancy diet, choose a range of nutrient-packed foods from the following categories:

• Fruits: 3-4 servings a day. (One serving equals one medium piece of fruit such as an apple or orange, or 1/2 of a banana; 1/2 cup of chopped fresh, cooked, or canned fruit; 1/4 cup dried fruit; or 3/4 cup of 100-percent fruit juice.) Choose fresh, frozen, canned (in natural juice, not heavy syrup), and dried fruit or 100-percent fruit juice. Include at least one citrus fruit (orange, grapefruit, tangerine) each day because citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C. Limit fruit juice consumption to no more than 1 cup a day because juice is high in calories compared with whole fruit, and it does not deliver the fiber that whole fruit does.
• Vegetables: 3-5 servings a day. (One serving equals 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables such as spinach or lettuce, or 1/2 cup chopped vegetables, cooked or raw.) To get the greatest range of nutrients, think of a rainbow as you fill your plate with vegetables. Choose vegetables that are dark green (broccoli, kale, spinach), orange (carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, winter squash), yellow (corn, yellow peppers), and red (tomatoes, red peppers).
• Dairy foods: 3 servings a day. (One serving equals 1 cup of milk or yogurt, 11/2 ounces of natural cheese such as cheddar or mozzarella) Dairy foods provide the calcium that your baby needs to grow and that you need to keep your bones strong. To get sufficient calcium eat grass-fed butter, cream, full-fat yogurt and cheese. If you are lactose intolerant and can’t digest milk, choose lactose-free milk products, calcium-fortified foods, and beverages such as calcium-fortified soymilk. ***AVOID OVERLY-PROCESSED PRODUCTS***
• Protein: 2-3 servings a day. (One serving equals 2-3 ounces of cooked meat, poultry, or fish, which is about the size of a deck of cards; 1 cup of cooked beans; 2 eggs; 2 tablespoons of peanut butter; or 1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) of nuts.) Select lean, grass-fed meats, poultry, fish, and eggs prepared with minimal amounts of fat. Beans (pinto, kidney, black, garbanzo) are also a good source of protein, as are lentils, split peas, nuts, and seeds.
• Whole grains: 3 servings a day. (One serving equals 1 slice of bread, 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal (about 1 cup of most cereals), or 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta.) It is recommended that you eat a minimum of six servings of grains per day–at least 50 percent of those grains should be whole grains. Whole grain breads, cereals, crackers, and pasta provide fiber, which is very important during pregnancy. Eating a variety of fiber-containing foods helps maintain proper bowel function and can reduce your chances of developing constipation and hemorrhoids. As often as possible, select whole grain foods over those made with white flour. For example, eat whole wheat bread rather than white bread.

If you would like additional help creating your own meal plans, or would like meal plans emailed to you instead: email acleanfit@gmail.com to speak with a Certified Holistic Nutritionist.

Resources: Parent Magazine, Babycenter.com, ChooseMyPlate.gov