Eating for Two

So, this is mostly for Annie, cuz she asked what I've been eating this pregnancy and how much of it... and I do have to admit that I have been much better educated on proper pregnancy nutrition through the Hypnobabies class and the Group Prenatal class we participated in...
so, I'll try to give an idea of what my nutrition has been like this time around...

First off, I didn't start receiving this great info until after I'd already struggled through the 1st trimester, which was pretty stinkin' hard on me. I was nauseous alot, and threw up quite a bit, to only still feel nauseous more. So, I didnt get to put these great things into application until late in the 2nd trimester. But, I do know that Ginger or Peppermint herbal tea helped at the beginning, and always having something in my stomach, and just eating whatever was appealing, cuz alot of it wasn't anymore. But calories are more important at the beginning. So even if all I felt like was a chocolate shake and fries, that was something. I also did still eat quite alot of fruits and vegetables. I went through a phase where I had a half turkey sandwich with a spinach, fruit, nut veggie salad every day for lunch. Then I went through another phase where I had a pickle, tomato, cucumber, lettuce sandwich every day for lunch with chocolate ovaltine. Anyways, that was the beginning of this pregnancy for me in a nut shell.
As I learned more, and once I started getting further into the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, I realized how much more I needed to pay attention to what I was taking in. Particularly, I have focused on PROTEIN, CALCIUM, WATER, IRON, and FIBER.

The iron was more of a personal thing, since I have battled a deficiency of it late in this pregnancy. I first tried just a traditional tablet supplement. And my iron levels were still decreasing, which means my body was not absorbing it. So then I started taking a liquid supplement called Floradix, I also take along with that Liquid Chlorophyll. Both have helped me maintain my iron levels. I do still try and get some red meats in my diet too, but its hard to get enough only that way. I also found another product that is a whole food capsule called Ferrofood, to boost my iron levels. It is basically a bunch of different kinds of liver in a capsule. I thought it was funny when I started reading the ingredients, because Dad had suggested I try and get some liver in my diet, which was an idea I was not too fond of. But essentially thats what I'm getting without having to eat chew and taste all those different kinds of liver. So yeah!

The fiber was also a little more personal to help with the constipation I get later in pregnancy as well as the constipating effects of the increase of iron. To get more fiber, I have loved my whole grain breads, oatmeal, all sorts of dried fruits, etc. Also, I get really bad heartburn later in pregnancy, and so this time I tried more diet things to remedy that than taking an expensive medication like Prilosec which I took with Dallin for like 3 months. This time I have focused on eating smaller more frequent meals, and drinking chocolate almond milk or taking papaya enzymes to ease the heartburn. These options are way better on your body than the antacids that deplete your body of the stomach acids that are needed to break down and absorb the protein and calcium that you need from your food.

I also, just recently have started learning about and using essential oils. A drop of peppermint oil in a glass of water also helps my digestion and heartburn alot. I also like a drop of lemon or wild orange oil in water to cleanse and refreshen my body and mood.

The increase in protein has been more of a change for me too. I am supposed to have at least 75-80 grams every day. With just two eggs and 4 glasses of milk a day, I get half way there. Eating 2 eggs/day wasn't very natural for me, but has become quite easy now, since I really like Egg Salad sandwiches for lunch and Poached Eggs for breakfast. So, I just have to remember to do one of those each day. And the milk drinking is not hard at all, except for not drinking it in conjunction with the iron supplements since the calcium inhibits the absorption of the iron. For about 2 weeks, I actually tracked everything I was eating and how much protein intake I was getting and I was doing great at an average of 90 grams a day. Other ways I was getting that are from Chicken breasts, green leafy veggie salads, whole grain breads, whole fruits and peanut butter, other veggies, beans, and nuts. Another benefit of eating lots of eggs that I found to be interesting is that it helps strengthen your membranes, which keeps your waters intact longer, which lessens the effects of the contractions or pressure waves during birthing. Some people seem anxious for their "water to break," but its actually better for it to stay intact longer to act as a cushion for the baby and pressure of the contractions. So, yeah, for eggs! I also found a nutrition bar that I like alot as a snack during the day, they are called Luna Bars, a whole nutrition bar for women. They each have about 9 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and significant amounts of calcium, folic acid, vitamin D, vitamin C, and many other good organic ingredients for our bodies. My favorite flavor has been white chocolate macadamia!

As far as calcium goes, I don't really have any trouble with that, cuz I love milk, cheese, yogurts, and icecream! I often snack on cheese or greek yogurt or milk with ovaltine in it between meals. And I love icrecream in many different flavors! Vitamin D also helps with the absorption of calcium, and since its hard to get out in the sun enough during the winter, I have been taking a Vitamin D supplement every morning with my Prenatals. Oh also, I've found that drinking a small glass of almond milk, which has more calcium than regular milk, and eating half a banana a little before bed help me with the leg cramps I would get during the night. The extra calcium and potassium knock those out!

The last thing is WATER, WATER, WATER! This has been a little harder too. I had to buy a 2 liter bottle to track how much I was getting and to help motivate me by carrying it around with me all the time. Typically I choose milk or juice over water, except when I'm exercising, but I have really been working hard on drinking lots more water throughout the day. I keep bottles handy in the car now. And I have also discovered some good things to add to water that help me enjoy it more, like Emergen-C, or half juice/half water, or a drop of lemon or orange, or chocolate protein powder, or coconut water. I have been aiming for 4 liters a day! And on the days, I go to water aerobics or yoga I try to increase that a bit too.

Several other random things I have been doing...Drinking red raspberry leaf herbal tea and taking evening primrose oil capsules. The red raspberry leaf helps tone the uterus and the evening primrose oil helps soften and "ripen" the cervix. I also have been drinking cranberry juice to help ward off a UTI, this has been helpful since Emmy has been kicking and putting alot of pressure on my bladder. She has been sitting very low throughout the majority of this pregnancy, and I have been on the verge of a UTI, but haven't gotten one yet. So yeah for cranberry juice, and lots of water too! I am also fairly particular about avoiding artificial sweetners, like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharine, which are not natural substances for our bodies or babies to break down and can even potentially be toxic. Most anything nowadays that claims to be "Zero," is off the list in my book... I say yeah for real sugar!

Anyways, thats the "gest" of my diet during this pregnancy! Staying healthy and feeling empowered by good nutrition choices for my body have really helped me feel alot more prepared and confident for this birthing time. That time is comin' soon...WoOt! wOoT! :)