With today’s announcement of a royal baby due in Spring, expectant mothers will be left wondering how the Duchess of Sussex will maintain her busy schedule whilst remaining happy and healthy. It has been said that the Duchess and her husband are elated about the news and are very excited to welcome their first child into the world. Although some of the Duchess’ friends have used a gender test Australia service to discover their baby’s gender, it’s rumored that the gender of the royal baby will be a surprise. Pregnancy is a personal journey and no 2 are the same. For most soon-to-be mums, it can be both exciting and daunting, from working out the benefits you’re entitled to, to making sure you’re maintaining a healthy lifestyle for you and your baby, there’s a lot to consider. Many other celebs will head off to the best babymoon destinations for some r&r before the baby is born, but the Duchess does not seem to be taking her foot off the peddle.
According to CABA’s expert Nutritionists at The Natural Alternative, the key to a healthy pregnancy is simple; eat a varied, but healthy diet. Additionally, a lot of mums turn to sites like Fit Healthy Momma’s website to ensure that they keep fit whilst pregnant too. Maintaining exercise and a healthy diet is not only good for the mum to be, but also for the baby too.
No to nausea
Whilst we’re yet to see whether Meghan will suffer from morning sickness, it was well documented that Kate suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum – severe morning sickness – which is usually worse between 8 and 12 weeks. In fact, up to 85% of pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and it can leave you feeling hungry and wanting to eat more regularly. But that doesn’t mean you can eat for 2. For many, the nausea is worse when blood sugar levels are low, so try grazing on a healthy snack every 2 hours.
A quick and easy favourite is bircher muesli (recipe below) which can be made in bulk and kept in the fridge. Other snacks include;
· Ginger – some women swear by using ginger to ward off sickness. Try ginger tea, ginger ale or ginger biscuits
· Natural yogurt with a piece fruit
· Healthy cereal (e.g. Lizi’s granola)
· Houmous with raw vegetables (carrots, celery, peppers)
Energy boosters
It’s common for women to feel extremely tired, particularly in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. Getting rest where you can, being even more organised and planning ahead will help, especially when it comes to meal times. Batch cooking can be a real-life saver when the last thing you want to do is cook.
Here’s some tips to improve your energy:
Iron
Towards the end of a pregnancy, many women will become iron deficient and anaemic. Foods high in iron include; red meat (it’s recommended to eat red meat up to twice a week), green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, rocket), dried apricots and nuts.
Some foods are known to reduce the absorption of iron. Known as phytates, these include black tea and grains found in bread, rice and pasta. Try to consume these away from high iron foods. It can also help to take an iron supplement with vitamin C to further enhance the absorption of iron. Some iron supplements can also make you constipated so stay well hydrated.
Vitamin B12
If you’re vegetarian then B12 should be taken daily. B12 is involved in red blood cell formation and when this is reduced you may feel more fatigued.
Healthy baby
As well as a healthy diet, many expectant mums also turn to prenatal supplements to improve their chances of producing a healthy baby; but knowing what to take and why can be a minefield. Here’s an essential list:
Folic acid
It’s the 1st vitamin most people think about when pregnant. Taking 400mcg of folic acid daily up until at least the 12th week of pregnancy is advised by the NHS. Folic acid can help to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects including spina bifida.
Vitamin D
A relatively new entry into the pregnancy recommendations but nonetheless an important vitamin to take. Nutritionists would love to say you can get all your vitamin D from the sun but let’s face it, in the UK the sun doesn’t shine often enough.
Government guidelines recommend taking 10mcg of vitamin D per day. This ‘sunshine vitamin’ allows calcium to be absorbed into your bones. You can find vitamin D in oily fish and eggs but topping up by taking extra supplements is recommended.
Calcium
Essential for the growing of bones and teeth, adding milk, yogurt and certain cheeses into your diet is essential when expecting. Cottage cheese, mozzarella, feta, cream cheese, paneer, ricotta are all OK to eat during pregnancy. Calcium can also be found in green leafy vegetables, tofu, dairy alternative drinks that are fortified, tahini (used to make houmous) and certain fish (tinned salmon, sardines). If you struggle to eat any of these foods, your doctor or a health nurse may suggest introducing calcium powder into your diet to ensure you get enough calcium.
Omega-3
It’s not on the government list of things you should take, but there are some interesting studies relating to omega-3 (fish/flaxseed oil) and baby brain development. Watch out for the cheaper fish oil as the filtration process to remove heavy metals may not be as effective.
It can be a daunting feeling, worrying whether you’re feeding your body and baby the right foods, so take a daily pregnancy supplement – that way you’re covering all bases.
Alternatively, check out this article from Maureen Lamburn, mum of 3 and real life business owner, on how to juggle work and family.
Bircher muesli
50g rolled porridge oats
1tbsp flaxseed / handful of mixed nuts (chopped)
1tbsp chia seeds
1tbsp dried fruit
1 apple (grated)
½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
½ tsp nutmeg (optional)
120ml milk or dairy alternative (almond/oat/coconut)
Method: Combine and mix all ingredients in an air tight container and leave in fridge overnight. Add/subtract milk according to the preferred consistency.
