When you first learn you’re having a baby, you probably immediately begin to question your diet and wonder what to eat when pregnant. Healthy nutrition is crucial during all stages of pregnancy, but the steps you take during your first trimester help to prepare yourself for the rest of your pregnancy.
Also, over the first three months, you will likely cut back on bad habits, such as drinking caffeine. You may also experience morning sickness during this part of your pregnancy. In this article, we will discuss what foods to eat while pregnant, particularly during this first trimester.
Setting the Stage for Your Pregnancy
In a way, you are setting the stage for your pregnancy by the choices you make during these first three months. But this does not mean you should immediately and completely change your entire lifestyle. Doing so could cause intense stress to yourself and your baby, which is something you should avoid throughout pregnancy. Implement these changes slowly but surely for the best effect.
For example, you can begin buying only organic produce at the supermarket, and then move on to organic dairy products and eggs during the next month. As long as you are moving in the right direction—buying organic products—then you are taking the necessary steps to keep you and your baby healthy.
Going Off Caffeine
You may be tempted to go off caffeine cold-turkey when you find that you are pregnant, but this is a bad idea. Detoxing from caffeine, particularly if you enjoy several cups of coffee or tea per day, can make you quite sick. Instead, try stepping down your consumption over time.
Most physicians agree you can enjoy 150mg of caffeine per day, which is the equivalent of one cup of coffee or two cups of black tea.
Begin stepping down to meet this mark, and then, if you choose to, you can switch to green teas and perhaps white or herbal teas.
Handling Morning Sickness
If you are experiencing morning sickness, it’s imperative to stay nourished and hydrated. Making a tea by boiling slices of ginger in water can help. You can also make a chicken soup out of chicken, Celtic sea salt, water, garlic, parsley, and black pepper. Add ginger slices and sip on this broth slowly throughout the day.
Though many women feel that crackers are the only foods that can abate nausea, you should try to ingest protein. That’s why the chicken soup is so helpful. Alternatively, you can try a handful of raw nuts, such as almonds or cashews. If you must have crackers, try rice crackers, which are easier on your digestion than wheat crackers.
Drinking Enough Water
If you are suffering from morning sickness, drinking enough water is crucial to keeping you from dehydration. You should be drinking at least half your weight in water every day. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should be drinking 70 ounces of water. Symptoms of dehydration include: dark or scanty urine, dizziness, headache, weakness, dry skin, and chapped lips.
Dehydration during the first trimester is a particular concern because it can mean you don’t have enough amniotic fluid to cushion the baby in your uterus. It can also cause health problems for you as well. If you are concerned that you are becoming dehydrated, call your OB/GYN or visit your local emergency room immediately.
These first three months, you have the opportunity to take care of your health and make your pregnancy easier on yourself and your baby by making the right choices. Simply by reading this article, you’ve taken an important step in the right direction. Begin implementing these changes step by step today.