Food is life, especially when your body is working overtime growing a new one! When you are expecting, strategic nutrition is more important than ever. If you’re wondering what the best foods to eat for a healthy pregnancy are, we have you covered.
Baby’s growth and development depends on what mom is eating, as nutrients are passed on to her baby, and stored for later. You do not have to eat double the amount as you usually eat. Instead, focus on the quality of ingredients in your meals and make sure the few extra hundred calories required are supporting the baby’s growth, and your changing body, both during pregnancy, and postpartum, aka “the forgotten trimester”.
Pregnancy is not the time to restrict foods or experiment with new diets. Instead, nourish to flourish. Make every bite count, knowing that each meal is going toward growing a new life, and supporting you on your own pregnancy journey.
First trimester nutrition:
Approximately 50% of expectant mothers suffer from morning sickness during the first 3 months of pregnancy. As a Holistic Nutritionist and mother of 2, I can relate, but still always encourage eating during this important time, even if you do not feel the urge.
Smaller, frequent meals tend to be easier to tolerate than 3 larger ones, while ginger, applesauce, oatmeal, lemon and peppermint are great digestible remedies for nausea. Your prenatal vitamin should contain B6, also helpful with nausea, but you can also top up with foods like leafy greens, banana, chickpeas and avocado.
Second trimester nutrition:
By now, your morning sickness has likely subsided and you might start having food cravings, food aversions, and constipation all thanks to changes in hormones. This is an important time for baby’s bone growth, which primarily comes from mom’s own mineral stores. Include foods such as fatty fish, plain yogurt, almonds, sesame seeds, whole grains, cruciferous veggies and leafy greens for extra dietary calcium sources.
Baby’s blood volume increases now, so keep up with your iron-rich foods, like organic, lean meats, spinach, eggs, black beans and chickpeas. Many women start to feel the constipating effects of the extra iron from their prenatal vitamin, so
including plenty of dietary fibre from fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and water will help keep things moving.
The second trimester is when insulin resistance can develop, leading to gestational diabetes. To help keep blood sugar stable, eat 3 meals and snacks balanced with healthy fats, fibre, and protein. Limit your starches, refined foods, sweets, and foods that are high on the glycemic index.
Healthy snack ideas in the 2nd trimester:
● Hummus and veggie sticks
● Apple slices with almond butter
● Handful of trail mix with a few dark cacao nibs or homemade granola
● Bliss Balls
● Smashed avocado on whole grain toast with a pinch of sea salt and hemp hearts
● Protein smoothies with plain yogurt or ricotta, berries, almond milk, hemp heart seeds, and spinach
Balanced meal ideas in the 2nd trimester:
● Organic chicken breast with roasted veggies sheetpan dinner
● Wild salmon with lemony Tabouli or Greek Salad
● Veggie omelette with whole grain toast
Third trimester nutrition:
Your appetite is probably strongest now, while baby is growing rapidly, and you are trying to keep up with your own body’s changes. It might feel like you are running out of room, as baby puts pressure on your bladder and stomach. Meals might have to become smaller and more frequent again, at this stage, to prevent heartburn, but still aim to include around 450 extra, quality calories per day. If heartburn is a problem, avoid spicy foods, fried foods, and sip on ginger tea after meals to help with digestion.
This is an important trimester for baby’s brain development, as DHA is now stored in baby’s brain for life outside of the womb. Include foods to support this stage, like chia seeds, fatty fish, hemp heart seeds, flax, walnuts, avocado and fish oil supplements. This is also the time to keep up with dietary iron, since baby starts to store it for their own use for up to 3 months postpartum.
Meal ideas to support iron stores and brain development in the 3rd trimester:
● Spinach salad with avocado, olive oil, slivered almonds, chicken breast or salmon, and strawberries
● Egg salad on dark rye, with small salad or soup
● Chili with mixed beans, ground turkey or tofu, and lots of veggies, top with guacamole and shredded cheese
● Protein pancakes with blueberries
● Baked turkey burgers with avocado and tomato
Fourth trimester nutrition (aka postpartum):
Yes, there is a fourth trimester, and it is often forgotten. Once baby is born, the focus is all on them, with not much left for the new mother. Regardless of the birth experience, mom’s body needs to heal and hormones need to adjust. If you choose to breastfeed, you will need to eat even more calories and drink more water than you did when you were pregnant.
Continuing with balanced meals and including plenty of protein at each, will support the healing process. The best thing you can do for yourself, or get some help with, is to prepare as many freezer meals as possible for those first few weeks postpartum. This is a time to focus on less cooking, more self care, sleep, and bonding with your baby as you both get to know each other, and you transition into motherhood.
Welcome to this wonderful journey that is motherhood.
