Early Bird Tip: Nutrition

Nutrition is something that I talk a lot about in my childbirth classes. I love to teach about birth and I love to learn and share about nutrition too. Lots of people have varying views on what good nutrition entails and if you read 10 articles from trustworthy nutrition experts you’ll still get lots of conflicting advice! So, what’s really good nutrition during pregnancy?

1. Eat plenty of protein. Consistently, daily. Throughout your pregnancy and even beyond while nursing. It’s very important for many reasons. I teach my students to aim for at least 80-100 grams per day.

2. Hydrate. Drink plenty of water and other things are certainly fine too. Caffeine in moderation is usually the guideline when pregnant.

3. Eggs are a super important foundational food. They are chock full of good protein, fat and the vital brain feeding cholesterol.

4. Avoid non-nutritive foods (processed, sugar, fried etc). Try to focus on whole foods. . . meaning anything close to its original state. Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, meats, dairy or whole grains.

5. Variety is essential for getting micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals). The more colors and different types of foods you include in your diet, the more likely you’ll get all the micro-nutrients you and baby need.

Focus on the big picture and don’t get crazy over the little details. Try to make consistent good choices. Find areas where you’d like to improve and make small changes that you can stick to long-term.