Pregnancy Nutrition: Should It Be an All or Nothing Deal?
You've just found out you're having a baby, and you want to give your little one the best pregnancy diet plan you can
. So you immediately clean out your pantry and refrigerator, head to the local health food store, and drop hundreds of dollars to restock everything. Flash forward to several months into your pregnancy, and the momentum has ceased.
Your energy is low, you feel tired all the time, and eating anything is great because you just can't afford the health food store, or the food is just too new and time consuming to make. So, you wonder, is pregnancy nutrition an all or nothing deal? If you can't eat 100% healthy all the time, why bother?
Actually, you can still give your baby everything it needs without stressing out. The key is moderation. Your pregnancy eating plan should never be 100% or 0%, because you should incorporate changes as you can.
Try Incorporating Change Slowly
Begin by incorporating change slowly. Are you a caffeine addict? The worst thing you can do is swear off caffeine cold turkey. Instead, step down your consumption as you can, because your detox could make you very sick. Most physicians agree, you can consume up to 150mg of caffeine safely throughout pregnancy. That's the equivalent of one cup of coffee, or two cups of black tea. So begin stepping down from coffee to tea to green tea. You can then progress to white tea and then herbal teas if you want to go completely caffeine-free. If you adopt the all or nothing approach to caffeine, you will suffer withdrawal and become very ill, so moderation will help you cut back the amount of caffeine you consume.
Try One New Thing per Week
Look on your pregnancy as an excuse to get adventurous with nutrition. For example, rather than eating lunch meat while pregnant, try adding a whole, organic source of protein to your noon meal. A piece of organic grilled chicken, or a handful of raw nuts can give you the protein kick you need without the added fillers and sodium that processed foods contain.
Try eliminating wheat from your diet and add sweet potatoes, millet, brown rice, or quinoa instead. These grains help keep you feeling full without the bloating, indigestion, and water retention that wheat and gluten products can cause.
So why not focus on trying one new thing per week? You may find that you like your new alternative to your old way of eating. It could even become a permanent change in your life, even after pregnancy.
Stay Positive!
Stay positive throughout your pregnancy. It's easy to get nervous, scared, or feel uncertain about your every move when you are pregnant. So find a resource and network with other moms-to-be who are experiencing the same things as you.
Your local Moms Club is a great way to start meeting moms in your area. These connections can lead to playdates and even lifelong friendships. You can also investigate community boards at websites like CafeMom.com.
You should also try to stay rested and take regular exercise, both of which help combat stress. If you are having trouble finding a comfortable sleeping position, try a wrap-around body pillow, which can help cradle your baby bump so your body is in proper alignment during rest.
Exercise such as prenatal yoga, swimming, and walking is excellent for helping you to combat stress and stay healthy through pregnancy. The best thing you can do for yourself and your baby is to stay as stress-free as possible throughout pregnancy. So don't worry about all the things you feel you should be doingcelebrate every day instead.
Pregnancy Nutrition: Should It Be an All or Nothing Deal?
By: Isabel De Los Rios
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