What's a Mama to Eat?

 Eating nutritiously in pregnancy is essential.  Many mamas, they know they could make some improvements, but get overwhelmed.  With so many popular diets, it’s hard to even figure out where to begin.  You may feel that you are pretty healthy already, just unsure of how to determine if you are getting enough of the good stuff.  If there is room for improvement in your daily habits, where to even start with better foods?  It’s not about spending more money or spending all day in the kitchen.  It is about eating more plant-based whole foods and protein.  Many experts say that our brains and gut systems developed as a result of eating mostly animal proteins.  It is possible for you to remain healthy on a vegetarian or vegan diet, too, though the latter does require several supplements to get all the nutrients you and your growing baby need. 

All that goes to say this: stop buying boxes of prepackaged foods.  They are loaded with salt (many MSG), refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and other preservatives and fillers that our bodies were not designed to break down into useful fuel.  Shop the edges—produce, meat, and refrigerator sections.  We all know those lovely displays of junk food impulse buys strategically placed around the more healthy choices.  Go to the farmer’s market.  I often go to the market under the bridge in Biloxi on Tuesday and Thursday until 2pm and the one in the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce parking lot on Saturdays until 2pm.  

For all of this, you do not have to spend more.  Prepackaged goods are expensive and so are grain products without the critical nutrients found in fresh, whole foods!  Set a weekly grocery budget and do the best you can.  I think you’ll be surprised how far it goes when you stop buying the majority of your food in boxes, jars, bags, and cans.  Herbs are expensive to buy in the store.  They grow great in pots, though and are an affordable way to add loads of flavor and nutrition without salt-loaded processed seasonings.  Fresh vegetables, fruits, dried beans, and unsalted nuts and seeds have far more nutrients than bread.  Period.  If your fruits and veggies start getting overripe, throw them in the blender with some almond or coconut milk and make a smoothie.  They are delicious.  You won’t even notice the spinach, but you’ll be getting all the benefits of eating it. 

Be open-minded.  Try new things.  Go to the store with a meal plan for the next few days.  Going to the store or market (yes, there are booths of sweets and treats at the farmer’s markets) pregnant, hungry, and without a plan is often disastrous.  Just like you plan a baby registry for what you’ll need once this baby arrives, plan for nutrition—the best you can do every day.  Plan to eat healthy fats, colorful raw or steamed vegetables, fresh fruit, less dairy, more protein.  You will be giving your baby what he or she needs to thrive now.

Here are our simplified nutrition tips:

1         Eat lots and lots of fruits and vegetables—at least 2 cups of each every day.
2.       Make sure you get plenty of protein from a wide variety of sources.  Aim for 75-100 grams of protein    each day. 
3.       Stay hydrated—that means water maybe with citrus or mint for flavor, no artificially sweetened flavor packets added. 
4.       Limit all processed foods to special treats. This includes anything that you purchase that has ingredients added before you buy it. 
5.       Give up sodas, diet and otherwise.  There is too much evidence linking even moderate soda consumption to both depression and high blood pressure.  We don’t want you to experience either of those.

After you have incorporated these tips into your life, seek our more information.  You can contact us for more resources.  Our students and doula clients may also borrow books from our library.  We are also building a list of links to healthful recipes.  We'd love to add your favorites to it!

I am *not* a nutritionist.  If any of these suggestions conflict with your care provider’s suggestions, default to your provider or go to them with questions.  Request a consultation with a nutritionist specifically for your pregnancy.  This is something I think every pregnant woman should do, even the most healthy and fit.  You never know what you are lacking, and no prenatal vitamin makes up for poor eating habits.