Finding out your pregnant can bring on a whirlwind of emotions—excitement, nerves, and everything in between. At some point in your sea of thoughts you might stop and think: How do I care for my body now? What should I eat? What vitamins do I need to take? Should I continue going to the gym? That's where we come in to help.
We teamed up with our friends at HATCH for a crash course in nutrition and fitness for pregnancy and brought in Registered Dietitian + Perelel Panel Expert, Stephanie Lauri, RD, CLEC, and mom and pre + postnatal exercise specialist, Laura Varney for a conversation on nourishing your body for pregnancy. Moderated by integrative dietitian and Hatch ambassador, Abby Cannon, we’ll explore the proper nutrition and supplementation for conception through each phase of pregnancy.
Read our three top takeaways below.
1. Eat the Rainbow
Not sure what to reach for when hunger strikes? Lauri centers us with the simple phrase, "eat the rainbow" to using as a guiding light when navigating prenatal nutrition.
"Focus on adding in all different colors of fruits, vegetables and foods in your diet to get a whole host of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants," she says.
"Some of my favorite foods throughout pregnancy are eggs, salmon, pumpkin seeds, bone broth and leafy greens."
Expert Tip: Eat your eggs with yolk when possible for an extra boost of DHA.
Of course, your nutritional needs are higher when growing human life so supplementing even the healthiest of diets with a prenatal vitamin tailored to your exact trimester covers your baseline nutrition. Even better? Lauri suggests starting with supplementation when you first start trying to conceive covers you through the first early weeks of pregnancy.
Grocery List:
- egg
- salmon
- pumpkin seeds
- bone broth
- leafy greens
2. Layer in Daily Movement
Working in movement and exercise should still be part of your routine while pregnant, unless directed otherwise by your healthcare provider. But don't put added pressure on yourself to stick to the high-intensity workouts you may have been doing pre-pregnancy.
"Movement is always better than no movement," explains Varney. "If you're not doing your regular high-impact workout—that's okay."
Instead, incorporating slow movement like daily walks or pelvic-floor exercises still go a long way.
"You have to be patient with yourself. Even if it's just a 30, 45 minute walk, even that is better than no movement at all."
3. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
"Increase your energy and potentially combat nausea with this Hydration Mocktail."
The Recipe: Hydration + Anti-Nausea Mocktail
Ingredients:
- 1 C coconut water
- 1 half lemon or lime juice
- Large pinch of salt
Still feeling plagued with nausea in your first trimester? Lauri advises: "Nausea can be totally individual bc we all have different triggers. If you're able to recognize what's triggering you, that's helpful." In general, she explains, combat nausea with "small meals, more frequently."
"Drink water in between your meals instead of together. And make sure you're eating balanced meals as it's thought that blood sugar instability is linked to nausea."
Class is in Session: Pregnancy Nutrition + Fitness 101
Be sure to complement your healthy diet with the 1st Trimester Prenatal Pack complete with targeted nutrients formulated for the unique needs of the 1st trimester. Plus, get more tips for pregnancy from the experts who know best.
This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and we recommend that you always consult with your healthcare provider. To the extent that this article features the advice of physicians or medical practitioners, the views expressed are the views of the cited expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Perelel.