Newly expectant mothers often fly into a frenzy to learn as much as they can about healthy pregnancy. Tips from every source are examined, tested and praised as lifesavers or dismissed as wives’ tales.
Keep in mind every pregnancy is different. What works one time may not have the same effect with subsequent pregnancies. Collected below are some of the top healthy pregnancy tips of proper diet during pregnancy that is tried and true and grounded in medical research.
Learn the New Rules for a Healthy Pregnancy
Often the first place to start is to examine diets during pregnancy. Eating right is essential; early pregnancy diet needs are different from pre-pregnancy. The body’s rules of how to eat right takes a major shift. This means diets during pregnancy need to likewise adjust.
During the first trimester, women feel the change in dietary need exhibited in the uncomfortable symptoms of nausea, dizziness and exhaustion. Eating should become more like grazing, which will keep the blood sugar in check. The results should be noticeably improved energy levels and decreased queasiness. Try a combination or all of the following early pregnancy diet tips:
Healthy Pregnancy Tips to Thrive in Early Pregnancy
Eat small meals frequently all day long. Proper diet during pregnancy is not composed solely of what is eaten but when as well. Pregnant women often find they need to eat every two hours.
Frequent small meals keep blood sugar levels from rising and falling. As blood sugars spike and crash, the body’s response results in morning sickness, and this certainly isn’t limited to the AM hours of the day.
Overeating should be cautioned against. An overly full stomach only adds to discomfort. To be effective, meals and snacks should be small. Don’t worry about not eating enough. The body does not require extra caloric intake during the first trimester.
Protein should be eaten with every meal or snack: it helps stabilize blood sugar. Protein takes longer to process in the digestive system. As a result, it provides a slow and steady release of fuel into the bloodstream, which keeps blood sugar and insulin levels in check.
Meats are not the only protein source out there. Raw nuts, cheeses and legumes are great options. Not only are they tasty, protein-packed foods, but they are also usually highly portable, convenient and welcome at any meal or snack.
Avoid sugar in candies, pastries and other sweets. Simple sugars raid the bloodstream almost instantly upon entry into the body. This sends blood chemistry bouncing wildly up and down, making mom feel sick.
Sugar-free alternatives are worse, if anything. They often contain ingredients that still cause rise in blood sugar levels. Add to that the chemicals in artificial sweeteners that pose a potential threat to baby’s healthy development.
Have a consistent bedtime and wake-up time. In a well-intentioned effort to get enough rest, expectant mothers often make the mistake of adjusting their normal sleep patterns to either go to bed early or sleep later than usual. This can actually make the problem of fatigue worse.
A consistent sleep routine going to bed and rising at the same time each day is much better. If establishment of bedtimes and wake-up calls do not work, try napping instead. Power naps combat fatigue effectively and do not throw the body’s natural sleep rhythms out of balance.
A “power nap” is not a three-hour siesta on the couch. Hop into bed, or lie down on the sofa for 20-30 minutes at most. Shorter naps are proven to be more refreshing than longer ones.
Tags: blood sugar levels, diet tips, early pregnancy, healthy pregnancy, pre pregnancy, pregnancy need, pregnancy tips, proper diet, response results, symptoms of nausea