Hello Hello: The Inspirational Guide to Pregnancy. Danielle Jai Watson

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      When referencing “healthy living”, I like to give it a more holistic totality. Making healthy choices during our start into and throughout the introduction into motherhood is inclusive of our eating habits, the environments in which we place ourselves, stress and anxiety levels, internal peace (or lack thereof), the amount of exercise we engage in and the types of vitamins or supplements we include in our day-to-day lives.

      First and foremost, it’s important that we make something very clear: during pregnancy you are NOT eating for two. It’s a great catch phrase, but it can play a trick on your mind. It gives the impression that you can eat whatever you want during pregnancy (which is extremely likely to impact weight gain and cause gestational diabetes — more on this later) and that those choices won’t have any lasting impacts on you or your child.

      During pregnancy, you are in fact what you eat — the same as it goes when you aren’t pregnant. Everything we eat during pregnancy has a direct effect on the pregnancy and our baby in utero. This has everything to do with the placenta (which you’ll learn more about in the next chapter). Not only do our food choices impact our body and our baby, but the amount in which we choose to partake does so as well.

      It’s important not to eat too much or too little during pregnancy. Eating too much of the wrong things (i.e. sugar intake) could potentially make it harder to lose the weight post- delivery — while simultaneously, eating too little during pregnancy (dieting, for example) can have tremendous negative effects on the baby’s overall development.

      Learning the benefits of healthier choices during pregnancy can help eliminate poor eating habits or extreme minimized eating, which is shown to deprive the baby of nutrients and impact brain development. Researching different medications, herbs and potential hazards for your body is an essential part of your pregnancy journey. While herbs like ginger, fenugreek or echinacea might prove beneficial for some moms, it may not for others. While you may enjoy raspberry leaf tea when you aren’t pregnant, it’s imperative to learn the dangers of drinking it early on in your pregnancy (it can stimulate uterine contractions, causing pre-term labor). While you may routinely take the litter box out before pregnancy, it’s essential that we do research to learn the dangers of exposing ourselves to those toxins.

      Strong health choices in regards to what we eatduring pregnancy, can also impact the manner in which our child thrives outside thewomb.

      Essentially, we teach our babies the best means of survival outside of the womb by the choices we make when they are inside the womb. This is an exciting feat! Herein lies the perfect opportunity to give our babies the best start we can muster up, their preparation to thrive outside of the womb. The best news of all is that wherever you are in your pregnancy journey, it’s never too late to make appropriate alterations to your eating habits. There are numerous sites online to assist women in their search for delicious and easy to produce meals during pregnancy. Eating protein rich foods, those low in sugar and staying hydrated will be essential for you and baby — and it’s possible with a little bit of research.

      At the end of the day, it’s never too early or too late to make adjustments should you deem it necessary to do so. Each body is different and everyone has varied needs for their specific situation. We all have a choice and it’s most important to follow one’s heart and do what works best for you and baby. There is no one-size-fits-all methodology for pregnancy and it can also vary among pregnancies for one person (each child is different and so is each pregnancy). Follow your gut and remember: the healthier your eating choices today, the easier it will become down the line to make those choices as well.

      Chapter 5