Sure you are pregnant, and sure you need more calories but only an additional 200-300 are needed in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Plus, these additional calories should be in the form of something healthy…not ice cream or French fries (no matter how much we’re craving them)!
Some of our best posts on nutrition:
What are you finding that your body is craving? Sugar, salt? A specific food?
Breathe and enjoy the blessings of a new life soon to be!
Meditation doesn’t have to be a long, involved process. It’s simply the art of slowing down, sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing for a few moments each day. It allows you to stay connected to your body and mind and lets you learn to listen to your body’s demands. No one else is listening to it, so do yourself a favor and just breathe a few times a day.
How to breathe? Try reverse pattern breathing.
Breathing is both a voluntary and involuntary action. Here, I’m going to teach you to focus your attention on your breath. Breathing in this manner requires focus to do it correctly. When you find your attention wandering, simply bring it back to the pattern.
This is not the style of breathing taught in Voice Coaching, nor will you find it in Yoga, Qi Gong or any other of the soft styles of movement. Each of those techniques has a specific outcome, to increase your lung capacity and to allow you to feel the breath and energy move along your body. Reverse Pattern breathing is only about focus.
Sit up straight for the moment, so you can really feel your body following the movements. The mantra, or phrasing you want to hold in your mind, is “In and up, out and down.” You’re going to breathe in, pulling your navel into your spine. And up, allowing your lungs to expand and fill with air.
PS – You can teach Reverse Pattern Breathing to anyone! It will help a toddler calm down during a temper tantrum, help you control your temper and response in an argument, and even keep you calm at the dentist.
This essential vitamin helps with bone and tooth development of the baby. Not into supplementing? Then, aim for milk fortified with vitamin D and take a couple walks a week to let the sun shine in.
According to the Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-d-pregnancy/MY00511) , it appears vitamin D contributes to improving pregnancy outcomes, such as decreasing the risk of pre-eclampsia, and improving length of gestation, birth weight, and infant bone mineralization. It also appears that sufficient vitamin D in early life may decrease the risk of health problems later in life such as schizophrenia, brain tumors, asthma, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes.
The FDA recently upgraded the recommended levels. Look for supplements that contain OVER the RDA. Vitamin D can’t hurt you OR the baby. It can only increase your happiness and feel good vibrations.
So, get out, open the sun roof while you’re driving, find ways to introduce sunlight to your life. Your baby will thank you for it.
Nutrition is the foundation of life. The RDA (recommended daily allowance) for carbohydrate during pregnancy is 175 grams per day, which accounts for both maternal and fetal glucose needs. RDA for protein is a minimum of 71 grams. So, drink water and more water.
The best approach for weight control and good health is to eat nutrient-dense foods from all major food groups. It is critical that pregnant women focus on health and nutrition and steer clear of less nutritious calorie-dense foods like junk-food and foods high in refined sugars. Eat nutrient-dense, not calorie-dense foods (example sweet potato vs. fries). Concentrate on eating a variety of foods in moderation. You are in complete control over the nutrients that your developing baby is getting, and by making the right health and nutritional decisions your baby will benefit for years to come.
Are you feeling unsure about which foods and how much to eat? Check out our previous post on 3 Fresh Fruits & Veggies.
Special Note: Drink extra fluids (water is best) throughout pregnancy to help you body keep up with blood volume increases. This reduces stretch marks!
If you missed it, don’t forget to catch up with the posts in this series:
Fresh fruits and vegetables are a very important part of a healthy pregnancy. They are full of fiber and essential nutrients, which make them an important part of any healthy diet – and should be kept in abundance in your kitchen while you are pregnant.
Fruits and vegetables are critical components of pregnancy nutrition that provide various vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber to aid digestion. Include 3-5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day. One of these servings should be a dark orange vegetable, and two should be of the dark leafy green vegetable variety.
For example:
The fiber content of fruits and vegetables provides a number of benefits, one is they keep your bowels moving. This helps prevent hemorrhoids and constipation, which are two common concerns during pregnancy.
Fruits are an important source of nutrients such as potassium and Vitamin C. Vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables, helps you absorb iron and promotes healthy gums for both you and your baby.
Be sure that your diet contains enough sources of the nutrients needed for healthy skin (especially vitamins C and E) – it’s going to be doing a lot of stretching over the next nine months! Last week we discussed the body’s need for calcium. Now, let’s focus on all the nutrients you and your baby need during this time.
Getting essential nutrients is very important for the health of you and your baby. According to the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ACOG) http://www.acog.org/, pregnant women should increase their usual servings of a variety of foods from five basic food groups to include the following:
A balanced diet is the best way to receive nutrients, but vitamin supplements can also be beneficial so make sure you take your prenatal vitamin. Read the rest of this entry »
Post written by Dr. Stacia D. Kelly. Follow her on twitter.
If you fear or avoid the dentist, now is the time to get over it. After all those years of braces and surgeries, I drag my feet about going. But, when I found out I was pregnant with our now 6 year old, I made that appointment and kept it.
You need to get a dental checkup early in your pregnancy to make sure your teeth and mouth are healthy. Half of all pregnant women experience tenderness, swelling and bleeding of their gums during pregnancy. While gingivitis is not harmful to you or your baby, the more advanced health problem, periodontal disease can affect the baby as well. Perio.org states “pregnant women with periodontal disease may be seven times more likely to have a baby that’s born too early and too small.”
If you are diagnosed with periodontal disease, not to worry! Your dentist will most likely recommend you come in for scaling and root planning. This is a process that removes the plaque and tartar from your teeth, and, removes the dangerous toxins called prostaglandin. As a bonus, any tenderness and swelling should be alleviated.
To avoid gingivitis and subsequently, periodontal disease, make sure you are practicing good dental hygiene. Some recommendations: Read the rest of this entry »
Post written by Corry L. Matthews.
What you eat before pregnancy is just as important as what you eat during pregnancy. During the three months wanting to get pregnant I began following all the rules for pregnancy, and I truly believe it helped me have the healthiest pregnancy possible. The most important and yet simplest ways to prepare is by staring your prenatal vitamin early. (Recommendation for a great prenatal – Once Daily Prenatal by Max Muscle Sports Nutrition).
Not even sure where to begin…take this simple 10 question quiz.
After taking this easy test you’ll be well aware of a few steps you can take to have the best and healthiest pregnancy possible.
What first?
Taking folic acid, a small tiny B-vitamin can help prevent specific neural tube defects, according to the March of Dimes. The neural tube is an embryonic structure that develops into the brain and spinal cord. Spina bifida, one of the two most common neural tube defects, is a condition in which there is exposure of part of the spinal cord and its coverings. The other is anencephaly, in which a large portion of the child’s brain is missing. Protecting your baby from these serious defects is simple – take 400 mg of folic acid daily during your child-bearing age. Once you are pregnant the need for folic acid doubles! No worries, your prenatal vitamin will have plenty of it! For more on folic acid check out one of the following links:
by Angel J. Miller, MSN, CNM
Breastfeeding is the natural way to feed your baby and also benefits your health, but the decision to breastfeed is up to you. This information below explains the benefits of breastfeeding so you can make an informed decision about how to feed your baby.
Breast milk: the best food for your baby!
Breast milk provides all the nutrition your baby needs – it contains the right amount of nutrients for your baby to grow.
Breast milk is always available – as soon as your baby is born, a hormone is released by your body, signaling the breasts to produce milk. The more your baby feeds, the more milk your breasts produce.
Breast milk is convenient – it is always at the right temperature and does not require measuring or special preparation.
Breast milk is economical — breast milk is natural and free! Plus, you don’t need to buy formula, extra bottles or other feeding supplies for your baby.
Breastfeeding is safe for the environment — breast milk does not require packaging and doesn’t waste paper, glass, tin, plastic, rubber or silicon. The production of breast milk does not require the use of environmental resources.
Breastfeeding provides comfort to your baby — by holding your baby close to your skin, you provide warmth to your baby, as well as create a bond between you and your baby that no one else can replace. Read the rest of this entry »
Corry Matthews is dedicated to helping other women be more than just ‘Mom.’
THERE IS A NEW generation of moms out there. If you look around you’ll start seeing them everywhere. Gone are the days of being so focused on the kids and the spouse that they lose touch with themselves. Usher in an era of the fit, healthy, active and engaged mother. These moms carve out time to go for a walk or hit the gym. They’re carrying water bottles, fresh wholesome snacks, and can be found skirting the outer edges of the grocery store. Corry Matthews, fit mom and Max Muscle franchisee, is passionate about helping moms get in shape. She runs several businesses, trains clients, has the distinct honor of being the Prenatal/Postnatal Specialist for Gold’s Gym International and has crafted a unique program to help those moms get fit called “The Mommy Boot Camp.”
To read the full article, click here, or pick up a copy of the MaxMuscle Magazine at your local store.
PS – Don’t forget! MaxMuscle Manassas is hosting a Mommy Walk on Saturday, May 8th at 10am. All Moms recieve 20% off on Saturday and Sunday (for Mother’s Day weekend.)
Come check it out. Fully clothed please!
