Expecting a new baby is a beautiful thing, but feeling your most beautiful self while pregnant can be a real struggle! The pearls and perils of pregnancy and motherhood spare no one – I’ll be expecting our third baby in January, but the familiarities I’ve now grown accustomed to only remind me how important it is to maintain both mental and physical health during this crucial period.
To be honest, the third time of pregnancy doesn’t always feel like a charm to me, but keeping on top of some things is definitely helping me along this journey. If you’re currently expecting, below are some simple tips that don’t always have to feel like a chore, but can help make a big difference in how you feel day to day. While it is great to be aware of your baseline health, remember that there are some aspects of pregnancy that can’t always be controlled. Not everyone will glow or gain less than 30 pounds! Go easy on yourself and only do what you feel comfortable with and under the supervision of your obstetrician.
Anemia and Iron Use
Many expectant mothers know that the folic acid in prenatal vitamins help to prevent certain birth defects of the baby’s brain and spinal cord. However, many of the nutrients found in prenatal vitamins benefit the mother, as well.
Iron, in particular, is incredibly important for expecting mothers as anemia is a very common – and yet underdiagnosed – problem during the perinatal and postpartum periods. Personally, it turns out that my cravings for orange juice and burgers are not a coincidence during all three of my pregnancies (as a side note, the vitamin C found in orange juice can help with iron absorption). I am always a little borderline anemic, and I require extra iron to carry out my childbearing duties.
This case is not unusual for the majority of women. Iron-deficiency anemia during pregnancy and the postpartum period affects about 2 million women (or close to half) of all expecting mothers per year. The reason is very simple. As we grow our babies, our red cell blood volume increases by about 20% to 30%. An extra 5 to 7mg of iron – to equal a total daily dose of 30mg of elemental iron – are required to help keep these cells healthy and functioning. Those that have been diagnosed with anemia from a blood test will require even more iron – up to 120mg per day.
Not all prenatal vitamins contain iron, although the majority of them do. Those that contain iron have around 17 to 28mg of iron per dose. It is important to supplement with iron via food consumption during and after pregnancy, as well. Iron found in meat is the best absorbed; however fortified cereals, spinach, lentil, tofu, and dark chocolate all contain high amounts of iron. Iron is best taken with vitamin C which helps to increase the body’s absorption. If you have any side effects, it is important to consult with your doctor or pharmacist about the different types of iron and dosages.
Medication Use
To say that medication use during pregnancy is tricky is an understatement. In a perfect world, expectant mothers wouldn’t have to experience aches or pains, illnesses, or any other condition that requires pharmaceutical intervention.
It a nutshell, it is best to know this: there is a handful of medications that are perfectly safe during pregnancy and another handful that are completely dangerous, but the vast majority of medications fall somewhere in between in a gray area that is sometimes hard for even professionals to judge. In most cases, it is not ethical to test medications in pregnant women in clinical trials, so most of the information we have comes from actual patients, animal testing, or theoretical situations. As such, a medication may be completely harmless for one woman, but cause a whole slew of problems for someone else.
The best advice I can offer is to try to minimize both over-the-counter and prescription medications as much as possible. Recreational drugs, as well smoking and vaping, should be completely off limits. Depending on your condition, you can discuss with your doctor about lowering doses, doing trials of discontinuation, or switching to a different medication that may be safer in pregnancy. For many conditions, some symptoms may be alleviated by non-drug therapy. Read as much as you can about what ails you and don’t be afraid to have candid discussions with your doctor.
Nutrition
During pregnancy, you may experience stages of repulsion to many food items to wanting to binge on absolutely everything in sight! While many of us can’t resist the occasional pizza, French fries, and doughnuts, it is important to remember that the baby eats what we eat. Don’t be afraid of gaining weight – in fact, it is our biological fate that our bodies will pack on what it needs in order to grow another human being. As mentioned before, our blood volume also increases up to 30% which accounts for some “puffiness” as well. A steady and slow weight gain is par for the course; just make sure to focus on food quality most of the time and getting enough water.
I’ve found that the most efficient ways to increase food and vegetable consumption are through fruit smoothies and with salads or smalls plates of vegetables either before or after dinner. If I drink a smoothie packed with a banana, baby spinach, berries, and almond milk plus a small plate of carrots and cucumbers before dinner, then I am more than set for the day regarding fruit and vegetable intake. Pregnant women need more iron, folic acid, calcium, and protein, so try and focus on these nutrients. You don’t need to count every milligram of nutrient per food you eat; just try to fill your refrigerator with fruits, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, eggs, quality meat, safe fish, and lowfat milk. Buy organically as much as you can, as well.
Experts recommend adding an additional 300 calories per day during pregnancy. This actually isn’t very much, considering a glass of milk or juice can be upwards of 150 calories. Just try to eat as well-balanced as you can, thoroughly enjoy the occasional indulgences, and get plenty of water.
Exercise
Depending on your base level of exercise, you may or may not be able to continue moderate to heavy regimens while pregnant. Regardless, some sort of movement is still necessary and very beneficial for your baby. My favorite exercises to do while pregnant are plain old walking and prenatal yoga.
You may have younger children at home or a full-time job (or both!) that make it hard to incorporate exercise into daily life. I am no stranger to this and have found that even on lower-key days, it is still sometimes very difficult to incorporate scheduled time for exercise by the time the house is straightened up, meals are prepared, and the children finally go to bed. Just do the best you can and try to incorporate activity into everyday life, like parking the car further away on errands, pulling the kids in a wagon around the block, or sneaking in twenty minute YouTube videos whenever you feel like you have twenty minutes. If you stay active like this during pregnancy, it may or may not make for an easier childbirth, but it will help with recovery and getting back to your natural weight afterwards.
Aches, pains, and round ligament or joint soreness affects nearly every woman during pregnancy. Our bodies are expanding, and we are also releasing different hormones to help with this. Even very active and healthy women are no strangers to these nuisances. I have found prenatal yoga and exercises that actually stretch the muscles (like Pilates) to very be effective remedies for aches and pains. Pregnant women can also soak in an Epsom salt bath to relieve muscle and joint pain. Epsom salt is not really salt, as it does not contain sodium chloride. Epsom salt does contain magnesium, a mineral which can help with swelling, aches, and even restless legs. The data regarding just how effective it is with these ailments is conflicting, but an Epsom salt bath nonetheless can really be a pregnant woman’s best friend.
Time for yourself and enjoyment
Pregnancy is a beautiful blessing, but sometimes the big picture can be overlooked as we hunker over a toilet or lie face down in exhaustion among a heap of toys. There is nothing more miraculous than a woman carrying a child, but pregnant women aren’t superwomen. It is important to take time for yourself and do the things you normally love to do. Schedule a prenatal massage, go on dates with your husband, splurge on a cute maternity dress, or just call it a day and snuggle up with a good book. You may not be able to keep up with the same demands and schedules as you did when you weren’t pregnant, but that is ok. Many people are forgiving with expectant moms, so enjoy it while you can!
You may be having a difficult pregnancy, or you may have experienced fertility struggles that constantly keep you on edge. You may have demands of life that cannot be changed, like other children at home, a job, or both. During these times, it is imperative to ask for help. Listen to your body and know when it’s had enough.
If you are reading this and expecting, congratulations and best wishes for a smooth, healthy pregnancy!
