News Ticker

5 Healthy Eating Tips for Moms-To-Be

Pregnancy is an exciting and overwhelming time, and often moms-to-be are inundated with advice from friends, family, and fellow moms about what they should and shouldn’t be eating. Though it is certainly well meaning, it can be difficult to narrow all that advice down to what you really need to know.

So, what should be your main areas of concern? Here are a few tips to set you on the right path:

Keep it simple. In your pregnancy, you have enough to worry about. You shouldn’t have to also constantly worry about what you’re eating. Parents.com agrees with that philosophy and helps out by providing five simple tips for eating healthy when you’re expecting:

Know what to avoid. When you’re pregnant, knowing what not to eat is almost as important as knowing what to eat. BabyCenter.com recommends avoiding sushi, alcohol, and soft cheeses.

And although mercury consumption is a concern, it’s important to note that you do not have to totally avoid eating fish while you’re pregnant. In fact, as KidsHealth.org explains, fish can be a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. The site lists salmon, shrimp, clams, pollock, catfish, and tilapia as fish that are low in mercury.

Have go-to “feel better” snacks. Morning sickness, diarrhea, and constipation are common for moms-to-be. To make recovery easier when you’re hit with one of these illnesses, find out what foods make you feel better.  WebMD.com provides recommendations for each. For example, crackers might work well when you have morning sickness while fruits and vegetables help with constipation.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/theogeo/

Beat cravings with healthy snacks. Chances are you’ll be hit with cravings at some point during your pregnancy. The UK’s National Health Service provides examples of healthy snacks that can help you satisfy your hunger while still getting the vitamins and nutrients you and your baby need.

Get a lot of iron. As Today.com explains, iron is vital when you’re pregnant—it helps maintain “normal oxygen supply to the baby, for normal development and growth, and for preventing premature delivery.” To get plenty of iron, the article advises that you work extra-lean meat, skinless chicken, and cooked dried beans and peas into your diet.

Don’t let food worries get you down while you’re expecting. By following these simple tips you can help you and your baby stay healthy and well throughout your pregnancy.

Wait! 🙂 Before you do anything else…spend 5 minutes looking through your refrigerator and pantry and decide on 5 items to never purchase again and 5 items to always purchase during your “big” grocery trips. For example, you might decide to never purchase Oreos again, but to always purchase blueberries.