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10 Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
Pregnancy is such a wonderful time, but it can also bring a lot of unpleasant side effects and symptoms along with it. Here are 10 Tips for a great pregnancy using natural ingredients. It is important to use natural ingredients when you are pregnancy so you won’t expose your developing baby to toxins and anything that could harm them.
10 Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
Magnesium
Magnesium is a vital mineral for your body (pregnant or not). It is important for blood sugar metabolism, handling stress, helping you sleep, preventing morning sickness, and controlling blood pressure.
During my pregnancy… I had so much morning sickness, but I could eat chocolate… who would turn that down, haha?
Every day I would drink this chocolate superfood powder with extra magnesium to help me get in all the nutrients I needed even when I was dealing with morning sickness.
Many people are deficient in magnesium. Pregnancy hormones make it even harder to absorb and use the magnesium you are eating. Here are my simple ways for increasing magnesium intake. When I was pregnant, I used a magnesium lotion, oil, and epsom salt baths along with supplements to increase my magnesium.
Cut out the Sugar in your Diet
Pregnancy is full of cravings and a lot of women struggle with sugar cravings in pregnancy because their body wants energy. When you are struggling with a lot of sugar cravings, instead of reaching for candy make sure you are fueling your body with your baby in mind. Excessive sugar intake will not be easy on your pancreas which is stressed from pregnancy anyways.
Many pregnant women develop insulin resistance because of pregnancy hormones making it harder for blood sugar to enter the cells. I used stevia when I was pregnant and wanted sweet foods. Stevia is a natural sweetener that does not affect blood sugar.
Here are my other tips for cutting out the sugar in your diet.
If you do develop gestational diabetes, here is how I controlled my gestational diabetes naturally.
Keep Moving
Stay as active as you can during your pregnancy. If you were active before pregnancy, there is no need to stop. Listen to your body and don’t push yourself beyond your limits. If you are starting a new exercise routine, always consult your doctor. Staying active will keep you strong, get your body ready to carry a baby, and be ready for labor. I have had 2 short labors (4.5 hours and 2.5 hours) and I believe that staying active was one reason my body was able to push effectively.
Some great exercises for pregnant women include: walking, using an elliptical machine, stationary bike, playing with your older kids, yoga, light cardio classes, body weight exercises and light weight lifting.
Right now, I just prefer dancing with my 3 year old to some music. Find something that you enjoy and that isn’t a chore.
Here are my tips for working out as a busy mom
Eat Your Protein
Protein is so important for building and growing a baby. The Bradly Natural Childbirth Method recommends getting in 80-100 grams of protein each day.
I find that when I am eating lower carb, it is fairly easy for me to reach this level of protein. Eating protein at each meal and snack will also help you keep your blood sugar levels stable and help with any nausea related to low blood sugar.
Foods high in protein:
Meats like Chicken, Beef, Turkey, Greek Yogurt, Cheese, Nuts, Gelatin, Eggs, Almond Butter (and other nut butters)
Get Adjusted
Find a chiropractor in your area that specializes in chiropractic adjustments in pregnancy.
I was able to be adjusted at the end of my pregnancy and it really helped me have a smooth labor. Spinning Babies is a website dedicated to proper alignment in pregnancy for your pelvis. They include exercises for you to complete throughout your pregnancy. Doing these exercises plus getting adjusted can shorten labor and help you have a safe and natural delivery (plus will keep you more comfortable).
Drink Your Pregnancy Tea
Pregnancy tea is specially formulated to have the vitamins and minerals needed for your body during pregnancy. These vitamins and minerals will help tone your uterus making labor easier, keep you hydrated, and nourish your body. This is the tea I used in my pregnancy from Blessed Beginnings (not an affiliate link, just a happy customer).
I drank one gallon a week in my third trimester.
Use a Belly Cream
To prevent stretch marks and itchy growing skin, it is important to keep your skin hydrated. Do this by drinking water and your pregnancy tea.
For another line of defense, I used these two body gels and creams to keep the stretch marks away!
Grab a Pillow (or 4)
I don’t have a certain pregnancy pillow that I used or recommend, but I do recommend using extra pillows to support you during the night. I used 4. Sleeping on my side, one for my head, one behind my back, one for my belly, and one between my knees. Having all this support really helped me get comfortable when I was growing very, very large.
Use a Belly Support Band
I didn’t use a belly support band with Aidalyn (my first baby). If I had, I may not have developed diastasis recti quite as badly. With Annaleigh, my midwife loaned me one to use to help me hold her in my uterus in proper positioning. My baby kept falling forward, because my abs were already separated and weak from my first pregnancy.
Using a support band will help remind you to hold those abs in and prevent diastais recti from forming.
Read more on how to heal diastasis recti.
Choose Your Support Team Wisely
I had three amazing pregnancies because I had a wonderful team both times. I chose to have homebirths for each of my labors (You can read my birth stories HERE and HERE
and HERE.
I used three different midwifes for each of my labors, because I moved between pregnancies. I used these strategies for choosing my midwives. By hiring someone who you can trust and confide in, you will have the best experience. You want someone who understands your desires for your pregnancy and also your labor. This isn’t the time you want to have to fight for something you want or believe in.
Have you had a great pregnancy?
What are your tips for having a great pregnancy?
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