Pregnancy - Helpful Tips During Your First Trimester

This post came as a bit of a surprise. The base of it was actually an email to one of the partners at the firm in which I work. She asked me for some tips to help a family member who's going through early stages of pregnancy, and understandably wanted to keep it a secret from her friends during the first trimester when things can always go awry. Imagining myself back in my early months of pregnancy, my husband and I were faced with a similar predicament - because you can't really tell anyone, how do you go about getting solid advice?

So here's a quick run down of some tips my husband and I collected during our first few months of pregnancy, which continue to be the basis of my health and nutrition routine throughout my pregnancy. 

There are so many applications available these days, but these two are the only ones I use regularly:

• Pregnancy + : Great app for daily articles that speak to what you should be feeling around that time, weekly updates on the formation of your baby, visual references to see what your baby looks like at various stages, and even a name database!
• My Pregnancy by BabyCenter: I personally find this one a bit more confusing than Pregnancy +, so the only thing I use it for is the Forums feature - connecting with other moms, asking questions, etc. 
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• Midwife - Unlike an OB, midwives offer 6 weeks of post-partum support, and cater to you specifically. They're with you every step of the way, and really offer personal, helpful advice (sometimes you can feel like a number with standard doctors, or that they're always in a hurry). They're also free! However, they can book up pretty quick, so definitely start looking for midwives in your area ASAP. My husband and I were put on 6 different midwife association waiting lists and had to wait a month before we got in to the one that was in our area. 
• Naturopath - If you have coverage available, I'd definitely recommend seeing a Naturopath to help you with nutrition and a personalized supplementation plan. Many standard doctors are only versed in chemical medicine, and may not always recommend the best for you in terms of nutrition. For example, most doctors will say that you HAVE to take a calcium supplement, but standard calcium supplements (and milk) can actually leach calcium OUT of your bones. A Naturopath can help give advice on what foods you can each instead or what types and brands of supplements are actually bioavailable and easy for your body to assimilate.
   

• Prenatal Multivitamin - You must take enough Folic Acid, especially in your first trimester. My Naturopath recommended this brand, which I take. Some women report that the large rush of vitamins in a prenatal multi contributes to nausea, but this one splits the dose into 3 capsules/day, which evenly distributes the nutrients and ensures you don't get too much at once. It's also bio-available and created by Naturopaths. 
• Fish Oil/Omega 3/DHA - Helps with brain formation for your baby. Also great for mommy and "brain fog" during pregnancy. I take this one - and throw it in with my morning protein shake. 
• Vitamin D3 - very essential for the absorption of calcium, and is also the "happy" vitamin. Some women experience depression during pregnancy, and vitamin D can help balance the body a bit more... it's termed the "sunshine vitamin" since it's the same vitamin you get from spending time out in the sun, and is really great to take with the oncoming colder, darker, winter months approaching. I take vitamin D drops - just 1 drop/day.
• Probiotics - make sure you're replenishing your good gut bacteria regularly. Also great for keeping you "regular" during this time (constipation can come and go throughout your entire pregnancy). 
• Vegan Protein Powder - This is optional, but I personally love having it around, especially when you need a natural, healthy protein boost. I use the Garden of Life Raw Protein Powder because it's created from raw, sprouted grains and legumes and has added probiotics. It's a little chalky though, and if you're not used to protein powders, can be difficult to swallow. I take it every morning and just mix 1 full scoop with 1.5 cups of water and 1 serving of my Nutrasea Omega 3 Oil and down it before eating my steel cut oats breakfast. Sunwarrior makes another great option. 
   

• Standard foods to avoid while pregnant: raw meat and eggs, processed meat (nitrates and nitrites are linked to cancer), alcohol, coffee/large amounts of caffeine, raw sprouts (alfalfa especially), and I personally avoid all dairy because of the hormones (I'm also eating less meat, and more legumes/vegetarian protein sources instead). 
• Leafy greens and juicing - Definitely try to juice or make a green smoothie/shake every day if you're able. I blend a simple spinach, kale, and spring salad mix with lemon juice, hemp hearts, and 1 fruit in my Vitamix every day. 
• Don't eat too many carrots or take Vitamin A supplements. Too much vitamin A can adversely affect your pregnancy/baby. 
• Be wary of drinking certain herbal teas. Some herbs, when taken internally, may adversely affect your pregnancy. Read up on any herbs you're curious about beforehand. I've been sticking to mint, ginger, cinnamon, and lemon teas, which are all safe. 
• Raw nuts and seeds - great quick and filling snack when you need it. Almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc, are all great options. Try to avoid peanuts and peanut butter... peanuts aren't really nuts, but legumes, and when picked are often stored in huge piles that develop mold. Manufacturers then just roast them all as they are (with mold)... I honestly think it's one of the reasons why there are so many peanut allergies. 
• Natural granola bars - MadeGood is a great natural choice that's available at Costco. I keep them around at work for when I need a more filling snack. 
• Lots of fruit and easy veggies to snack on (but limit the carrots) - just fill your fridge with these. It'll help prevent you from reaching for chips or processed sweets.
• If you're craving salty, sour snacks - just take some salad, toss in a bunch of pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and toss with olive oil, lemon juice, and however much pink Himalayan sea salt you want, and go nuts. Or take out the salad and just have the nuts with the salt and dressing... really good and satisfying. Unlike reg. salt, Himalayan sea salt is full of essential minerals and nutrients your body needs. 

Remember, it's all about quality, not quantity when it comes to food, and every BODY is different! Just do what makes sense to you, and take it easy. Reading up on too many books or information and sticking to specific rules can not only be stressful, but they may not work for you! The human body is an amazing thing, with various genetic differences, blood types, hormone ratios, etc, making all of us very different from the person sitting next to us. 

In any life situation, just do your best, and enjoy the ride!

Keep on Thriving!
 Teenna