You are beginning the joyful yet anxious journey to motherhood ñ you recently discovered that you are pregnant. Excellent prenatal nutrition is the best foundation for creating a holistically healthy baby. Follow the guidelines below for your own health and your baby’s optimal development ñ and encourage your husband to get on the healthy eating bandwagon as well!

FIRST TRIMESTER

1) Check with your obstetrician and pharmacist about all prescription medicines and over-the-counter medications that you are taking. Many prescription and over-the-counter medications should be avoided throughout the duration of your pregnancy.

2) Eliminate your consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, and recreational drugs.

3) Seek to eliminate, or at least dramatically reduce, your consumption of caffeine from all sources ñ coffee, tea, soda, chocolate and energy drinks.

4) Find a quality prenatal multi-vitamin/multi-mineral and take one every day.

5) Increase your daily intake of the following nutrients:

a) B Vitamins, especially:

• Folic Acid
• Biotin
• Choline
• B12 (take a supplement if you are a vegetarian)

Nutritional Sources of B Vitamins:
whole grains, salad greens, legumes, whole grain cereals, brown rice, soy beans

b) DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid important for baby’s cognitive development)
*Take a DHA supplement.
*Note: Although fish is a good source of DHA, there are many legitimate concerns about fish containing mercury and other toxins.

c) Vitamin D
Natural Sources of Vitamin D:
sunlight ñ 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure/day; fortified dairy products

6) Be careful to stay hydrated. Drink six to eight refreshing glasses of water per day.

7) If you are suffering with nausea or have a reduced appetite, then make it your goal to eat smaller amounts of food on a more regular basis ñ such as six mini-meals instead of the traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner.

SECOND TRIMESTER

***Add 200 to 300 extra calories to your daily diet.***

1) Be careful to eat a healthy, balanced diet filled with fruit and vegetables to receive the vitamins and minerals your baby needs.

2) While adding the extra 200 to 300 calories, consider eating a mid-afternoon snack or a small snack before bedtime.

3) Ensure that you are getting adequate amounts of protein to support your baby’s muscle and organ growth. Eat plant protein (especially for vegetarians) and healthy low-fat animal protein.

4) Regulate your portion sizes to minimize your risk of gestational diabetes.

THIRD TRIMESTER

1) As your infant grows, your blood volumes increases, which means that your body requires more iron.

2) Healthy Iron Sources:
seeds, beans, rice, wheat bran, blackstrap molasses, apples, bananas, leafy greens

3) Increase iron absorption by combining iron-rich foods with foods containing Vitamin C, including: broccoli, kale, carrots, sweet potatoes, oranges, tomatoes

4) Concentrate on receiving ample supply of the following nutrients:

a) Calcium
Nutritional Sources of Calcium:
dairy products, tofu, fortified rice and soy milks, beans, molasses, seeds, cooked greens, dried figs

b) Zinc
Nutritional Sources of Zinc:
nuts, seeds, beans, dairy products, spinach, fortified cereals

You and your husband are delighted that you are pregnant. You both wish to do whatever you can to ensure that you have a holistically healthy, happy baby. Here you will find some guidelines for each trimester of your pregnancy.

FIRST TRIMESTER (Weeks One through Thirteen)

1) Take a quality prenatal multi-vitamin/ multi-mineral every day. Make sure that you receive extra folic acid during this period.
2) Make your first appointments with your obstetrician. Have your husband accompany you to your appointments, especially to your first ultrasound when you will be able to see the first image of your growing baby.
3) Consult with your obstetrician and decide where you would like to give birth. Options include a hospital, birthing center, or home birth (extra supports are required).
4) Eat a healthy, balanced diet, based on fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains. Concentrate on eating foods high in folic acid and iron.
5) Drink at a minimum eight glasses of fresh water every day.
6) Exercise often, ideally every day for thirty to forty-five minutes. Consider fun and low-impact cardiovascular exercise such as walking and swimming. Think also about doing muscular training and stretching exercises, such as yoga or Pilates.
7) Eliminate or drastically lower your caffeine intake.
8) Limit or eliminate your intake of fish, especially ones high in mercury like tuna.
9) Avoid coloring your hair throughout your pregnancy.
10) Take a nap whenever you feel tired. Listen to your body’s signals.
11) Read several quality pregnancy books. Share your new knowledge with your husband.
12) Consider writing a pregnancy blog or a pregnancy journal to record this special time.

SECOND TRIMESTER (Weeks Fourteen through Twenty-Six)

1) Continue to attend your obstetrician appointments. Bring your husband along.
2) Persevere with your healthy pregnancy diet.
3) Continue with your cardiovascular exercise and stretching/ strength training.
4) Treat yourself to several professional messages with a registered massage therapist.
5) Purchase a pregnancy body pillow to help you sleep more comfortably.
6) Take parenting and childbirth classes with your husband.
7) Research childcare options for after your return to work (unless you plan on being a stay-at-home mom).
8) Enjoy purchasing maternity clothes. Find clothes that flatter your special pregnancy figure.
9) Begin to shop for your baby’s nursery furniture and decorations.
10) Buy a baby name book and start brainstorming names with your husband.

THIRD TRIMESTER (Weeks Twenty-Seven through Forty)

1) Choose your pediatrician. Ask for recommendations from family and friends.
2) Continue attending your obstetrician appointments with your husband.
3) Tour the hospital or birthing center where you will be delivering your baby.
4) Prepare your baby’s clothes and linens in advance. Wash your baby’s clothes and linens with a gentle baby detergent.
5) Arrange for the care of your older children or pets if applicable.
6) Prepare your baby’s nursery.
7) Pack your suitcase for your hospital stay.
8) Try to relax and practice deep breathing.
9) Enjoy the remainder of your pregnancy with your husband and family.

You and your husband have made an important and life-changing decision – you both feel ready for the next adventure in your marriage – parenthood! As you dream about becoming a mommy and daddy, there are a variety of simple steps that you can take to help you become pregnant naturally. Follow these guidelines to help you conceive your child.

1) Follow a healthy prenatal nutrition plan. Eat plenty fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat and plant-based protein.

2) Avoid all diets. While you are trying to conceive your child, your body needs as many nutrients as it can get. Many diets are unhealthy at any time of life, especially during pre-conception and pregnancy. Dieting can lead to nutritional deficiencies, which is a cause of infertility.

3) Maintain a healthy body weight. If you are underweight, then it is extremely important that you gain the weight necessary to put you into a healthy weight range. Ask your family doctor for guidance if you need to gain weight. Mothers who are underweight often give birth to underweight babies. Being born underweight can lead to many health problems in infancy.

4) Avoid emotional eating. Trying to get pregnant is often a very emotional and turbulent time for a wife and husband. It typically takes multiple attempts before a woman gets pregnant. Emotional eating ñ eating out of fear, anger, loneliness or stress ñ is unhealthy for your body and unhealthy for your self-esteem. Instead, find positive outlets for your stress and anxiety. Maintain open and honest communication with your husband.

5) Be patient. It can take upwards of twelve months to conceive a child naturally. Stress and anxiety are primary factors in fertility problems, so the more peaceful and relaxed you are as a couple, the easier it should be to conceive a baby.

6) Turn to your husband for support, nurturance, and comfort. View this period as a process that takes time and energy. Utilize this time in your relationship to grow closer together. Ask your husband to massage you on a regular basis, as massage releases relaxing hormones that help you feel calm and refreshed. Try to find humor in day-to-day life together.

7) In order to help you and your husband become more fertile, both take extra nutritional supplements, including the following vitamins:
a) Vitamin C
b) Selenium
c) Vitamin E
d) Zinc
e) Manganese
f) Vitamin A
g) Vitamin B complex

8) Avoid all alcohol (both you and your partner). Alcohol reduces sperm count in men and may prevent the implantation of the fertilized egg in women.

9) Avoid hot tubs, saunas, and vigorous exercise, as they may cause changes in ovulation and reduced sperm count.

10) Avoid smoking (both you and your partner). Avoid being around second-hand smoke.

11) Minimize or eliminate your consumption of caffeine.

12) Develop better stress management skills. Begin with simple deep breathing. Deep breathing will increase the oxygen to your brain and help reduce your anxiety and nervousness.