By Jodi Holland, RD
There is nothing more motivating than the desire to nurture and protect the health of your child. Pregnancy is the beginning of this unconditional relationship to do and be your best, including eating well and planning for regular activity.
At Pure Nutrition Consulting, we know that healthy pregnancies lead to healthy babies. Here are our Top 5 Nutrition Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy:
- Aim for a healthy weight gain
Weight gain is a normal part of pregnancy and is needed for your baby’s growth and development. Women who gain within the recommended range for their body size experience better pregnancy outcomes.
Find your recommended range here.
The following tips are great ways to help you manage and meet your pregnancy weight gain recommendation.
- Eat regularly throughout the day.
Your baby is growing 24 hours a day. When you eat every 3-4 hours during the day you not only meet your baby’s needs, you also:
- Provide yourself with a source of energy throughout day.
- Keep your blood sugar levels stable.
- Help to prevent nutrient-poor food cravings.
- Minimize digestive problems.
Start with breakfast every day and add a snack if your meals will be more than 5 hours apart.
- Create a balanced plate.
A healthy meal contains a variety of foods including:
- Carbohydrates like fruit, vegetables, grains, milk products and legumes,
- Protein from milk products or meat and meat alternatives,
- Fats from vegetable oils, avocado, fish, nuts and seeds,
- and an array of other micronutrients to meet your needs.
To create a balanced plate fill ½ with vegetables, ¼ with protein and ¼ with a starch such as a whole grain or starchy vegetable like yams or squash.
Balanced Plate: Aim for this at Lunch and Supper
Choose high fibre starches most often and connect with us to learn how to reduce the glycemic load of your meal. This is a great way to get the nutrients you need while controlling your weight and blood sugars, which can affect the rate in which your baby is growing.
- Know what nutrients you need.
In addition to your prenatal multivitamin, it’s important to include foods that contain the following nutrients:
- Folate
- Iron
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Omega-3 fats
Connect with us to see how easy it is to incorporate these nutrients into your meals.
- Plan ahead!
Planning your meals and snacks ahead of time can:
- Help you eat healthy.
- Save you money with fewer trips to the store or eating out.
- Save you time and stress as you always know what’s for dinner.
Connect with us for our Top 5 Tips for Meal Planning!
It’s also important to plan ahead for activity. Schedule it into your calendar or make it a habit to go for a walk after meals. This will also help manage your weight, control your blood sugars and keep you strong for your pregnancy, labour and delivery.
Looking for more information? We offer a Prenatal Nutrition Package to support you and your baby’s nutritional needs!