10 self-care tips during pregnancy

With so many books, blogs and “do’s and don’ts” of pregnancy, it can feel daunting to keep a checklist of how to best care for you and your baby. Whether you’re a first time mom or this is your second (or third) BE PATIENT with yourself while you learn, grow and change through pregnancy – every body, experience, and journey is unique to its own. Our bodies are smart and capable…I couldn’t believe how much faster my body changed with #2 – it knew exactly what to do.

Compared to my first I was more attuned to what my body needed, and felt more at peace with the MANY transformations we experience as moms. My pregnancy with Indie was starkly different than Navy — unrelenting morning sickness that persisted till week 34, indigestion that led to vomiting and many sleepless nights, congestion (hi Afrin), annddd something very new…bulging varicose veins in my legs and groin. Painful.. YES! All this compounded while doing my best to chase and entertain my toddler and keeping my head above water at work. Wow. The new found appreciation for mommas of multiples is REAL.

Staying healthy, managing my symptoms, and resting when I had the chance was my main focus. I tried different vitamins, supplements, foods and almost every anti-nausea trick in the book to find the best wellness routine for me. Sharing all my tips and tricks below that I found most beneficial!!

Working Out

Moving your body is so important during pregnancy, so work out regularly even when you don't feel you have the energy - push through even just for 10 minutes of movement :) Be sure to adapt and modify workouts as you progress and your body changes. You’ll likely become more limited in what you can do.

Eating Well

If you experience indigestion but be sure to avoid offensive foods that cause further indigestion including:

• Spicy foods
• Acidic foods
• Tomatoes
• Pineapple
• Citrus fruits
• Chocolate (you can eat this in moderation)
• Foods with a lot of garlic or onion
• Fried and fatty foods
• Carbonated drinks

If you’re experiencing nausea, here are a few things to eat in an effort to curb it:

• Anything and everything ginger (mints, gum, ginger snaps, ginger ale, and ginger tea)
• Crackers, crackers, and more crackers
• Small, frequent meals

Folic acid is essential for the baby's development so it's also really important to eat folate-rich foods during pregnancy. Some foods to add to your diet include:

• Fortified cereals
• Asparagus
• Lentils
• Broccoli
• Leafy greens
• Chickpeas and kidney beans

Also, it's ok to say YES to pregnancy cravings =)

Staying Hydrated

HYDRATION..the key to pregnancy as well as breastfeeding. The benefits are never-ending - flushes out toxins and waste, forms amniotic fluid, reduces swelling, increases energy, decreases risk of UTIs and other uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms, helps with digestion, and the list could go ON. Make it a priority to drink 8-10 glasses of water (at least) while pregnant.

It seems there is a tea for every pregnancy symptom so I try a few and find what works for you:

• Ginger tea - reduces nausea
• Raspberry red leaf tea - boosts overall uterine health
• Peppermint tea - eases headaches and reduces vomiting
• Lemon Balm tea - helps relieve irritability and insomnia

Daily Supplements

I’ve taken Seed synbiotic for about a year and a half to maintain a healthy gut. It’s pregnancy safe and also great to take while breastfeeding. Other benefits I’ve noticed with Seed…

• More energy
• Less bloating
• Improved gut health
• Clearer skin

Prenatal Vitamins

Perelel prenatal vitamins are dosed dependent on your trimester, which put me at ease knowing I was getting exactly the nutrients I needed for me and the baby throughout my pregnancy. Perelel also makes a postnatal multi-vitamin pack available so I’ll continue to take these while breastfeeding.