Pregnancy can be a crazy time in your life where all of a sudden you question everything you think, do, and eat! I mentioned this in my first trimester post but you’d assume that when you find out you’re pregnant for the first time you’ll be so happy, without a care in the world. While I was happy, I was also extremely nervous and scared. I didn’t want anything to go wrong! I became so focused on taking care of myself and the baby in hopes of having a healthy and viable pregnancy. Today I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve been doing throughout my pregnancy, and even before I got pregnant, for both my own health and that of the baby’s.

Taking Care of Yourself and Baby During Pregnancy

I’m sure you all know, but the number one thing you should be doing if you’re thinking about getting pregnant is taking a good prenatal vitamin. I personally started taking mine over a year before Matthew and I even started trying. I have some friends that start taking their prenatals as soon as they get married, and others as soon as they are in those child-bearing years. Do whatever is preferable to you, but know that you should be taking a good prenatal vitamin as soon as you’re ready for a baby. Many people don’t find out that they’re pregnant for a month, or more, after their last missed period, so that’s a lot of time where you and your growing baby would really be benefiting from all those nutrients.

I did a bunch of research online about prenatal vitamins and also asked my closest friends. I feel like the mamas in my life know best! The one that was consistently recommended to me was the New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Multivitamin. They take a sustainable, whole-food approach to vitamins and feature organic vegetables, fruits, and non-GMO ingredients, including organic cabbage, organic raspberries, and organic blueberries. Plus, the vitamins are gentle enough to take on an empty stomach. One of my closest friends said that she tried a handful of prenatals and this was the one that didn’t make her sick. Since my stomach can often get sensitive from vitamins, this sealed the deal for me! I bought mine on Amazon, but you can also get them from Whole Foods!

Another thing that one of my friends told me to do throughout my pregnancy was take walks. Going on evening walks with Matthew and Ginger has been my favorite way to decompress from the day and keep my stress levels down. Stress is not good for the baby, so it’s important to keep that at bay. Usually I get really stressed out about work but since becoming pregnant, I’ve done a good job at focusing on what really matters: the health of the baby. It’s funny, and slightly terrible, how it’s often easier to do things for other people than for yourself!

While walking has been a great stress reliever, I’ve also been taking prenatal yoga. I started prenatal yoga classes when I was only 11 weeks along. I wasn’t even showing, but I was feeling like I needed to start getting a little bit of exercise and in a safe setting. I didn’t want to twist or do a wrong move that would hurt the baby. I’ve been taking prenatal yoga classes almost every Monday and Friday since February and it’s been something I’ve really looked forward to. Not only do I get a great workout, but I also get to connect with a wonderful community of pregnant mamas. I’ve made some friends and have had a safe place to talk about pregnancy, labor, and baby issues and concerns. I hope that in future pregnancies I’m still able to make time for prenatal yoga classes!

One of the biggest changes in pregnancy is adjusting your diet. There are several things pregnant women are told not to eat, from lunch meat to raw fish to frozen yogurt. As a pescaterian {someone who eats fish, but not meat}, I was really concerned with making sure I was getting enough protein and iron in my diet. I’ve been menu planning at the beginning of the week, including lots of eggs, leafy greens, legumes and whole grains into our meals. I also make sure to stock up on healthy snacks! While usually I’ll reach for cookies in the afternoon, I’ve been better about eating nuts and raw veggies. Also, the fact that my New Chapter Prenatal has vitamins and minerals to support me during pregnancy, including SuperFood Sprouts like Kale, Broccoli and Cauliflower is a huge plus!* Even if I have a day of indulgence {ahem my birthday!}, I know I’m still getting some good nutrients to the baby.

I was actually really excited when New Chapter reached out to me since I’d been using their products for so long. They told me about their Perfect Postnatal Multivitamin which I am now definitely planning on taking after pregnancy and birth. It’s specifically formulated to support new and nursing moms, which I think will be really beneficial.* Since I’m planning on breastfeeding, I love that the multivitamin contains the recommended nutrients for breast milk and lactation support, like Vitamin B6, Iodine from Kelp, and Vitamin D3.* I know I probably won’t be as focused on meal planning {that will be Matthew’s job!}, so having these postnatal vitamins will be so helpful!

If any of you have been pregnant, I’d love to know more about what you did to help during pregnancy. How would you recommend taking care of yourself and baby during pregnancy? Were there any books or classes you took and would recommend? I still have a few months to go so I definitely want to make sure I’m doing everything I can!

xox

DISCLOSURE: Thank you New Chapter for partnering with me on this post! All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own. I love working with products that I already use and love!

* please note these statements haven’t been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

photos by Valorie Darling