6 Habits for a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy

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healthy pregnancyYou’re pregnant. Now what?! I think most of us go into pregnancy wanting to be healthy, fit, and happy. But then reality sets in and we are nauseous, exhausted, and can barely stomach food.

Instead of throwing in the towel because maybe your first trimester wasn’t the healthiest start now. There’s never going to be a good time to start making healthy habits. Don’t wait until after baby is born or even longer.

healthy pregnancy

I’m sharing these simple habits to help you have a happy and healthy pregnancy. It all begins with being consistent and creating healthy habits. If you are in the camp right now of feeling super sick, give yourself grace and determine to start making better habits when it (hopefully) passes.

If you are feeling good, or in your second or third trimester, I encourage you to start these habits now. I promise, you will be so happy you did! Recovery will be easier and you’ll already have a head start after baby arrives.

6 Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

1. Eat Whole Foods

Now more than ever nutrition is important. What we eat, baby eats. I know this one can be hard, especially if you are feeling nauseous and/or have food aversions. My first trimester (I’m currently 25 weeks) was horrible. I could barely stomach anything and it was all about survival mode.

Do your best. Choose whole foods when you do feel better. Or at least choose healthier swaps when you can. And don’t let it carry over into other trimesters when you do start feeling better. That’s when bad habits really form and it’s harder to let go of them after baby arrives.

Aim for a well-balanced diet that’s full of healthy fats, protein, healthy carbs, fruits, and lots of vegetables.

healthy pregnancy

2. Stay Active

Exercise is important, whether you are pregnant or not. It will keep your energy levels up and help you recover faster after delivery. If you were exercising before getting pregnant you can continue doing your normal routine. If you weren’t, start walking and make it a habit now so it will continue after baby is born (when you are cleared by your doctor, of course). Listen to your body. If you need to, slow down or take an extra day of rest but don’t get out of the routine of exercise.

healthy pregnancy tips3. Rest

During pregnancy, our bodies need a lot more rest. Our bodies are growing a human, and undergoing a lot of changes. It’s natural to feel tired, especially if you have other little ones to chase after. Allow some time each day to rest, even if it’s a 10 minute break. I know this is hard, we are busy moms. But it’s so important to rest during the day!

Sleep is another important part of a healthy pregnancy. You may require more sleep now and that’s perfectly normal. I’ve been allowing myself to get as much sleep as I can a night. I think partly because I know what is coming after baby arrives, aka sleepless nights.

4. Choose Quality Supplements

I can’t express how important this is. Not all vitamins are created equally. It’s so important to choose a quality prenatal vitamin that is not full of processed junk or dyes. I personally love and use New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Multivitamin. It’s organic, non-GMO, no sugar added, and free from synthetic fillers. Plus, it doesn’t upset my stomach and can be taken without food. Be sure to grab a quality prenatal for your healthy pregnancy.

Probiotics are another essential supplement during pregnancy (and even if you aren’t). Our healthy starts in our gut and most of our guts aren’t healthy due to overly processed foods, dyes, and junk that is put in our food. A probiotic will also ensure that baby gets lots of good bacteria so they can have a healthy start when they arrive.

5. Mindset is key

Give yourself grace. As women, we tend to want to do it all. No, pregnancy is not an illness or a disease, but it’s perfectly okay to take a step or two back, relax, and use this time to soak up all the beautiful changes going on inside our bodies.

Choose to focus on the good that is going on with your body and not the bad. Easier said than done, I know. A positive mindset is so important when you’re expecting.

6. Start Now

If you aren’t practicing these healthy habits, I encourage you to start now, wherever you are in your pregnancy journey. Choose one healthy habit to focus on and once that’s done consistently add on another healthy habit. This will keep you from feeling overwhelmed and you’re much more likely to stick with it too. 

healthy pregnancy

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