I’ve been So Dedicated to my Pregnancy and Nutrition, but how do I Healthily Prepare for After the Baby Arrives?

You are beginning to round out your pregnancy term, in more ways than one, and your due date is rapidly approaching. Now is the time to pat yourself on the back for being dedicated to a healthy pregnancy and nutrition plan.

However, you may be beginning to realiz that the journey has just begun. Those habits that you developed need to carry on into the first years of your child’s life and beyond.

However having a newborn and being pregnant are two different stages of life, each offering their own struggles and rewards. So once your baby is here, you will need to have already established a few habits that will keep you happy, healthy and sane in those first few months of parenthood.

Common Mistakes that First Time Moms Make

1. Don’t Ask For Help

One of the most common mistakes that first-time moms make is to try and do it all themselves. Before baby was born, maybe you didn’t need help getting your life organized and took pride in your ability to manage your household without a hitch.

But once that bundle arrives you may find that your pre-baby strengths have been replaced with lack of sleep and disinterest in anything other than eating and caring for your baby. Hormonal changes may make you feel overwhelmed or even depressed.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help! There will be people in your life that understand what you are going through, let those family and friends lend a helping hand.

2. Overdo It, Too Soon

The recommended wait period for a new mother’s body to recover from the delivery and to adjust to the new demands of motherhood, is six weeks. This means that you need to take it easy–literally.

For those type A personalities, it is so hard to simply be at home, relishing in the new life you’ve made and falling into that rhythm. But these six weeks will fly by fast so enjoy them.

3. Try to be Martha Stewart Mommy

Erase those images from your mind that you will be whipping up beautiful three course meals for your new family a few days after delivery. Instead stock your freezer with frozen meals, solicit help from friends, and order in take-out when you can. This is not the time to try to rival Martha Stewart! Just relax and everything will be fine.

I’m Afraid of Not Losing the Baby Weight: What is the Best Food for Pregnant Women to Gain the Right Amount?

It is a common worry, wondering what to eat while pregnant so that you don’t gain too much weight during pregnancy. But gaining too much doesn’t just make it harder for you to shed the excess once your baby is born. Eating the wrong food for pregnant women can also result in gestational diabetes, difficult labors, and of course unwanted weight gain.

Gain Weight Girl! Your Pregnancy Diet Includes Eating More

So how do you keep yourself on track? The good news is that pregnant women must and should gain weight! This is the first time in your life that you should be happy to see the numbers on the scale steadily rising. So don’t ever approach your pregnancy diet as a “diet,” but instead as a well calculated eating process that enables you and your baby to grow together.

Set Your Sights High: What to Eat When Pregnant for that 20-35lb Gaining Goal

If you are of normal weight when you become pregnant, then it is recommended that you gain anywhere from 20-30 pounds over the course of your pregnancy. This weight shouldn’t be put on through processed junk food or sugary treats- so even though you shouldn’t be dieting in the ordinary sense of the word, you should be choosing to eat foods that will help and not harm your growing baby.

1.    Be very aware of how much sugar you take in everyday. Especially the hidden sugars found in fruit juices and condiments like ketchup and jam. Sometimes, even though you may not be eating candy or cookies, you will be taking in too much sugar throughout the day.

2.    Don’t rely on heavily processed carbohydrates for your pregnancy diet’s “bread and butter”. Protein is one of the most important food sources that you can give your growing baby, so don’t fall into the trap of eating too many “wheat” products that are also packed with sugar and offer no fiber.

3.    Give in to your snack attacks! It is perfectly fine to snack throughout the day to keep your hunger steady and to regulate spikes in your blood sugar, but make sure those snacks are wholesome fruits, or veggies with hummus. Skip on the pretzels or chips, and instead nosh on something that will fill you up and keep you satisfied until your next meal.