Craving sweets? Get ready for a girl. Are you carrying low? It’s a boy. There are plenty of other old wives’ tales about predicting a baby’s gender, but none of them appear to be backed up by science.
While many gender-predicting theories are myths, they’re not entirely fiction. A recent study from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center suggests that a pregnant woman’s body does respond differently based on the gender of the baby. However, it’s not happening in ways you might realize.
In the study, 80 women were followed throughout their pregnancies. Scientists monitored the levels of immune markers called cytokines in their blood and immune cells exposed to bacteria in a lab. Cytokines were then examined based on the baby’s gender.
Amanda Mitchell, principal investigator of the study, shares that, “While women didn’t exhibit differences in blood cytokine levels based on fetal sex, we did find that the immune cells of women carrying female fetuses produced more pro-inflammatory cytokines when exposed to bacteria.”
So what does that mean? When a pregnant woman expecting a girl has her immune system challenged, her body will show a higher inflammatory response than women carrying boys.
Inflammation is essential to healing when it comes to your immune system, and it’s a normal pregnancy symptom. However, too much inflammation can worsen symptoms of medical conditions, from eczema to asthma. The team at Ohio State believes this may be why moms of girls often have more severe symptoms, but more research is needed.
“This research helps women and their obstetricians recognize that fetal sex is one factor that may impact how a woman’s body responds to everyday immune challenges and can lead to further research into how differences in immune function may affect how a woman responds to different viruses, infections or chronic health conditions (such as asthma), including whether these responses affect the health of the fetus,” Mitchell says.
Amanda Mitchell warns moms-to-be not to just try to boost their immune system, sharing that “it’s problematic to have too little or too great of an immune response.” To support a healthy immune system, make sure to eat leafy greens, exercise, and make time to meditate. And, of course, it’s always important to check with your doctor before you make any changes to your routine or diet.
Another study, published in Brain, Behaviour and Immunity, suggests there may be different changes in a woman’s body depending on which gender she is carrying. According to the study, the baby’s gender is linked to its mother’s immune response. Researchers found that women carrying girls have a heightened immune response to challenges their body faces compared to women pregnant with boys. They suggested the resulting inflammation could play a role in food cravings, morning sickness, and explain why some conditions like allergies or asthma may worsen in pregnancy
It is important to remember every pregnancy, regardless of the baby’s gender, is unique for every woman. Pregnancy symptoms and the experience of pregnancy as a whole can vary significantly. Always make sure to discuss your pregnancy concerns with a trusted healthcare professional.
Author Archive for Pregnancy Help Online
Why do I still look like I’m pregnant?
How long will it take for my belly to go back to normal?
Does the mom pooch ever go away?
What can I do to make my belly get flatter?
Countless women have asked questions like these as they move through the weeks postpartum. Even after they deliver, most women still have a round, squishy midsection. Are you wondering how to get rid of your postpartum belly? We’re sharing a new mom weight-loss timeline along with tips for shedding the extra pounds quickly and safely.
The timeline to lose baby weight is different for every woman and depends on a few factors, including whether you’re breastfeeding, how much weight you gained during pregnancy, your diet, and how much exercise you get. It will take time for your body – especially your belly – to recover from pregnancy fully. Envision your abdomen like a balloon, slowly inflating as your baby grows. Giving birth will not pop the balloon; it just starts a slow leak. But try not to worry – it’s a steady one.
When your baby is born, your hormones will shift, causing your uterus to contract and shrink back to its pre-pregnancy size. It will take around six to eight weeks for your uterus to return to normal size.
The extra pounds you put on to nourish your baby in utero will start burning off, especially if you’re nursing and/or exercising. But it’s going to take at least a few weeks for you to notice results.
How long will it take for my belly to go back to normal?
For most women, it takes months to get rid of the “mom pooch.” For some, it never goes away completely.
Try to be patient; it took nine months for your abdomen to stretch to provide space for a full-term baby. So, it makes sense that it will take at least that long to tighten back up.
How quickly this transition happens will depend mostly on how much weight you gained during pregnancy, your standard body size, how active you are, and your genes. Women who exercised regularly during pregnancy, gained less than 30 pounds, and breastfeed are more likely to slim down quickly.
If you’re not breastfeeding, you’ll need to watch what you’re eating to lose pregnancy weight. This is because you need fewer calories now that you’re not pregnant.
What can I do to make my belly get flatter?
According to the ACOG, if you keep healthy eating habits, you’ll be close to your normal weight within a few months of giving birth. Another way to help you lose the baby weight is to fit in time for some exercise.
Having a healthy, balanced diet is also important. As long as you’re eating enough calories to ensure you get the necessary vitamins and minerals for healthy skin and weight loss/maintenance, and you include a little fitness each day, you’re good.
In the early months after childbirth, breastfeeding will help. If you breastfeed, your body will burn extra calories to make milk. As a result, you should lose pregnancy weight more quickly. Nursing also brings about contractions that help shrink the uterus.
Exercise also helps. Whether it’s a postpartum yoga class or a stroll around the block, physical activity will tone your stomach muscles and burn calories. An exercise regimen that includes cardio and ab workouts can work wonders. But before starting any exercise routine, make sure to check with your doctor. The general advice from physicians and midwives is to wait six to eight weeks before getting into a fitness routine.
At the end of the day, every woman is going to lose the baby weight at her own pace!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on November 29, 2017, and has since been updated.
Pregnancy is full of weird aches and pains, from morning sickness and nausea to fatigue and bloating. Unfortunately, leg cramps (otherwise known as Charley horses) are no exception.
Leg cramps can come out of nowhere, or even wake you up in the middle of the night. Here’s why you might be experiencing leg cramps, what you can do to soothe your pain, and how to reduce the chances you’ll have to deal with them again in the future.
Are Leg Cramps During Pregnancy Normal?
Yes, nearly 50% of all women endure leg cramps during pregnancy at some point, according to the American Pregnancy Association, and they tend to come up at night.
Even though many moms-to-be have leg cramps, the level of discomfort can vary, from annoying to outright crippling. Leg cramps can cause women to lose sleep, which affects their work capacity and well-being.
What Causes Leg Cramps During Pregnancy?
While you can actually face them at any point during your pregnancy, leg cramps are more common in the second and third trimesters. The cause, however, is unclear. Some experts say that leg cramps happen due to a build-up of lactic and pyruvic acid, causing your muscles to involuntarily contract and leading to painful cramps. Pregnancy weight gain can also increase your risk of cramping since it puts more work on your legs than when you’re not pregnant.
Also, since you’re at a higher risk of becoming dehydrated when you’re pregnant, this is also a factor in leg cramps during pregnancy. If your body doesn’t have enough water or sodium, your muscles can contract and provoke that cramping feeling.
At-Home Treatments for Leg Cramps During Pregnancy
You’re probably wondering what you can do when that familiar pain strikes. Here are a few easy ways to help ease your leg cramps:
- Walk it out. Movement can help work it out, but this can be a little tricky if you’re having an intense cramp.
- Flex your foot when you feel the cramp coming on. Point your toes up as far as you can bring them. To do this, you might envision trying to bring your toes to your shin. Then, hold this position until the cramp calms down.
- Stretch, then elevate your leg. Try these steps after you flex your foot to help move things along.
- Massage the cramp. Rubbing the effected muscle can help relieve the tension and cramping.
Call your doctor if you’re having any of these symptoms along with leg cramps during pregnancy:
- Incessant throbbing in one leg
- Redness in your leg
- Leg swelling
- Your leg is warm to the touch
These could be a sign of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that develops within a deep vein in your legs. That DVT can travel and cause a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that travels up to your lungs and blocks a portion of them. This is a life-threatening emergency, so call your doctor right away.
How to Avoid Leg Cramps During Pregnancy
While leg cramps are very common during pregnancy, here are a few things you can do to lower your chances of having them:
- Stay active. Moving around by taking a quick walk can help work out the acids that can build up in your leg muscles.
- Stretch your calves. Stretching them out a few times a day can help relieve tension in this area which can lead to cramping.
- Before bed, take a warm shower or bath. Doing so can help soothe and relax your muscles. Add Epsom salt to your bath for an extra boost in muscle soothing.
- Drink plenty of water. You probably already know that making sure to drink enough water is important during pregnancy. Staying hydrated can also help lower your risk of cramping.
If you suffer from leg cramps regularly, make sure to talk to your doctor. They should be able to help guide you on the next steps.
If you’ve missed a period, you might be wondering, “Am I pregnant?!” The only way to know for sure is by taking a pregnancy test. The early signs of pregnancy tend to show up around the time you’ve missed a period. For some women, pregnancy symptoms show up a week or two before or after their missed period.
If you start to feel some of the early pregnancy symptoms listed below and you haven’t gotten your period, you may be pregnant.
5 Common Pregnancy Symptoms
The 5 most typical early signs of pregnancy include:
- A missed period.
If a week or more has passed without the start of your period, you might be pregnant. If your cycle is pretty regular and you now have missed your period, you may decide to do a pregnancy test before noticing other symptoms. However, if you’re not regular or you’re not keeping track of your cycle, symptoms like nausea and breast tenderness may signal that you’re pregnant before you realize you didn’t get your period.
- Sore breasts.
One common early pregnancy symptom is sensitive, swollen breasts caused by rising hormones levels in your body. The swelling and soreness may feel like an exaggerated version of how your breasts feel just before you get your period. As your body adjusts to these changing hormones, your discomfort will probably decrease after a few weeks.
- Nausea and/or vomiting.
Pregnancy-related nausea (with or without vomiting) can be a problem morning, noon, or night, making the term “morning sickness” misleading! Some women start having morning sickness about a month or two after conception. But, some pregnant women feel nauseous earlier, as early as two weeks. A few lucky ones never experience it.
Most women with nausea or morning sickness feel complete relief by the start of the second trimester. It takes another month or so for the queasiness to ease up for most other women.
- Needing to pee all the time.
You might find that you need to pee more often than usual. Shortly after you get pregnant, hormonal changes prompt a chain of events that raise the blood flow rate through your kidneys. This causes your bladder to fill up more quickly, so you need to pee more often.
Frequent urination will probably continue (and even intensify) as you progress through your pregnancy. This is because your blood volume rises dramatically during pregnancy, leading to extra fluid being processed and ending up in your bladder. The problem is intensified as your growing baby puts more pressure on your bladder.
- Exhaustion.
Fatigue is another common early pregnancy symptom. No one knows for sure what causes early pregnancy fatigue. Rapidly increasing levels of the hormone progesterone may be adding to your sleepiness. Of course, morning sickness and having to pee often during the night can add to your fatigue, too.
You should start to feel more energetic after entering your second trimester. However, fatigue usually returns late in pregnancy because you’re carrying a lot more weight. Plus, the common discomforts of pregnancy tend to make it more challenging to get a good night’s sleep.
Other Signs of Pregnancy
Some lesser-known symptoms of pregnancy that you might experience are:
- Moodiness. Mood swings, weepiness, and being really emotional in early pregnancy is caused by the surge of hormones in your body.
- Light spotting. For some women, a bit of light spotting is one of the first signs they’re pregnant. This is called “implantation bleeding,” and it happens about 10-14 days after conception when the fertilized egg adheres to the lining of the uterus. This bleeding happens about the time of a period.
- Cramps. Some pregnant women feel mild uterine cramping early on.
- Constipation. A pregnant woman’s digestive system can slow down, once again due to hormonal changes.
- Food sensitivities. If you’re pregnant, you might get grossed out by certain foods, and your sense of taste might change.
- Stuffy nose. Rising levels of hormones and blood production may cause your nose to swell, dry out and bleed easily, causing you to get a stuffy or runny nose.
Am I Pregnant?
Unfortunately, lots of these symptoms aren’t unique to pregnancy. Some of the signs may mean you’re getting sick or that you’re about to start your period. And, some pregnant women don’t experience any of these symptoms.
If you’ve experienced a missed period and have some of the above symptoms, take a home pregnancy test. If you get a positive pregnancy test, make an appointment with your doctor right away. The earlier your pregnancy is confirmed, the earlier you can start prenatal care.
Early Pregnancy Symptoms and Unplanned Pregnancy? Help Is Available
If you are experiencing early pregnancy symptoms and unplanned pregnancy, resources are available to help you. You can always contact Lifetime Adoption, even if you do not know what you want to do. You can still have access to helpful resources and emotional support during this difficult time. They also have an online pregnancy due date calculator you can use, at www.LifetimeAdoption.com.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on September 6, 2017, and has since been updated.
When you first found you’re pregnant, you probably had about a million thoughts going through your mind. One such thought might be, “What am I going to wear for the next nine months?” Preparing for a baby can sometimes mean creating the longest shopping list of your life. So, having to also shop for yourself can really put a ding in your bank account balance. Plus, you’ll only wear maternity clothes for a short time.
The good news is, there are many ways you can save money when outfitting for your growing pregnant body. Who knows, you might even find that you enjoy shopping for cute maternity clothes on a budget. With these six tips, you can save money on maternity clothes AND look great during your pregnancy:
1. Get thrifty
Thrift stores, Goodwill, and Salvation Army stores can have lots of great maternity clothes; you just have to have the patience to search through everything. Thrift stores have tons of gently used maternity clothes marked down an incredible amount from their original price! Moms who are done having children are usually so eager to get rid of their maternity clothes that they list them at very low prices.
2. Plan ahead
While every woman’s body and pregnancy are different, it’s possible that you won’t need maternity clothes until your second trimester. You may not even really rely on maternity clothes until the third. So until then, you might find that you don’t need to shop for “maternity” clothing. Tunics, dresses, and leggings may fit all the way up until you deliver!
3. Get a “belly band”
You can keep wearing your pre-pregnancy jeans and pants by using a belly band. A belly band is a piece of stretchy fabric that fits over your un-zipped pre-pregnancy pants. Check out Belly Bandit’s 2-in-1 Maternity Band, which works with your body to give you a double dose of support and comfort.
4. Borrow
Do you have a friend or family members who’s about your size and recently had a baby? You might ask if you can borrow her maternity clothes for a few months. If your friend is done having children, they may give you the clothes to keep.
If they want the clothes back for future pregnancies, you could add a few new pieces and pass the stash back and forth as you both need them. If there’s no one you can borrow from, check out the website Mine for Nine, which lets you borrow or buy maternity clothes.
5. Shop at maternity “outlets” online
Lots of maternity stores (such as Motherhood Maternity) also have online outlets where you can find special deals and sales. If there’s a Motherhood Maternity store near you, you could even go in to try stuff on, then order it online on sale!
6. Use Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay
Don’t forget to browse online thrift shops, like Poshmark and Facebook Marketplace. Look through online “clothing lots” to find groupings of maternity clothes that work for you. eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Poshmark are all great places to find moms who are selling all of their maternity clothes for a set price. Try bartering with them on the price; this will help you save lots of money.
You have just found out you are pregnant, and now you wonder what is going on with this baby inside. How fast is she growing? What does she look like? What does she feel? The answers to all of these questions may be surprising. So let’s take a look at the week-by-week development of a fetus.
Week 1 and 2: The beginning of the first week is when you will ovulate. In these first two weeks, your egg will be fertilized, and then the fertilized egg will travel down your fallopian tube. The cells of the zygote are multiplying at an amazing rate. You probably will not know you are pregnant during week one or two and will most likely not notice any symptoms, although you may be a little more tired than usual.
Week 3: Now, your zygote is attaching to your uterine wall. It’s organizing into cells in the middle that will become the embryo and cells on the outside that will form the placenta. This is how your baby will receive nourishment throughout the rest of your pregnancy.
Week 4: During week four, the zygote will become an embryo. Typically the embryo will have 46 chromosomes, half from the mother and half from the father. These chromosomes already have the baby’s sex and physical characteristics programmed in. The baby is now in an amniotic sac that will provide oxygen and nourishment for the baby’s growth. This may be the first week you get an idea you might be pregnant as you may miss your period by the end of the week.
Week 5: Your embryo is now going through some very rapid changes. The embryo is now three layers, the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm. The ectoderm is the top layer and will form the spinal cord, brain, and nerves from the neural tube, and this layer will also include the hair, tooth enamel, and skin. The mesoderm is responsible for the muscles, bones, and the tiny heart. The endoderm or third layer starts to form the liver, pancreas, lungs, intestines, and urinary system.
Week 6: This is a big week for your embryo. Your baby’s spinal cord and brain are developing rapidly, and her tiny heart starts to beat this week. You can see buds where the arms and legs are forming, and the embryo is in the shape of a “C” right now. Most women begin to suffer from morning sickness when they’re around six weeks pregnant, and it can last for weeks or months.
Week 7: Now, your baby’s arms and legs have gone from buds to paddles as they form. You can also see the nostrils and ears begin to form. Along with these changes, the retinas of his eyes are starting to form. Not only that, but your little one’s brain is developing fast, with brain cells increasing at the rate of about 100 cells per minute.
Week 8: Toes and fingers start to show during week eight, and her face starts to take shape. The top lip, nose, and eyelids are becoming visible, and nerves are spreading throughout the body. The embryo is even making some small movements at this point.
Week 9: Your baby is now about an inch long and is looking like a tiny, tiny baby. If you get an ultrasound now, the embryo will look like a tiny baby…with a huge head! Week 9 also brings about the growth of tooth buds which will start to harden in the following weeks and connect to the jaw bone.
Week 10: Congratulations… at the end of this week, your embryo graduates to a fetus. Your baby is about the size of a walnut. Her organs such as the kidneys, liver, lungs, and intestines have formed and are working.
Week 11: You may not be able to feel it yet, but your fetus is now moving around a lot in there, stretching her arms and legs and kicking. She is even starting to practice swallowing and has grown to the size of a lime.
Check out this video to get a closer look at fetal development week-by-week!
Week 12: Your fetus can now curl her fingers and toes and is starting to make sucking motions. She is also growing fuzzy hair on her body, and her vocal cords are forming along with her taste buds. She has now grown to the size of a small apple.
Week 13: One thing that makes us all unique is our fingerprints, and during week 13, your baby will develop her very own individual fingerprints. The fetus is now about three inches long, and her ribs are developing.
Week 14: Your baby now has expressions. She can frown, squint and even suck her thumb. Her bones are getting harder, and she is developing her sense of taste and smell.
Week 15: In the past couple of weeks, your baby has grown another inch and is now the size of a grapefruit. She has hair follicles developing and is growing hair on her head and eyebrows.
Week 16: Don’t forget to sing and talk to your baby because she can hear sounds now! Week 16 also brings about the possibility of finding out if you are having a boy or girl through an ultrasound. At about five inches from head to butt now, she is growing fast.
Week 17: Can you believe toenails are starting to form on your little one now, and she can move her eyes slowly? She has grown another half inch and is beginning to store the fat she needs to start putting on some weight.
Week 18: This week, you may notice that your baby responds to your movements. When you get up and move around, she may notice and start moving around as well, kicking and doing somersaults. Lanugo, a fine hair, is beginning to cover her skin. She is now about the size of a mango.
Week 19: At this point, vernix, a waxy protective coating, forms on the baby to protect her delicate skin. She is getting more control over her movements and weighs in at about nine ounces. Her height from head to bottom is about six and a half inches now.
Week 20: You are officially halfway there. Your baby is now the size of a small melon, and her fingernails are growing. With an ultrasound, you can see some of her facial features at this point.
Week 21: Weighing in about 12 ounces now, your baby weighs roughly the same as a can of soup. She is about eight and a half inches long, and you may even feel her hiccupping now and then.
Week 22: If you could see your baby now, she would look like a tiny, little, wrinkly baby. Her eyes are fully developed but still fused shut, and her eyebrows are growing in. Her hearing is also improving by the day.
Week 23: By 23 weeks, your baby is growing and is continuing to develop. She can start to hear sounds from outside, and you may feel a reaction to a big noise. She will also be more aware of your movements. You may notice when you are more active, she is more active.
Week 24: Coming in at about one and a half pounds and about nine inches from head to rump, your baby and her lungs are working hard to develop. She is long and skinny right now, but that will change in the upcoming weeks.
Week 25: Your baby is spending a lot of time sleeping now and is going to start storing needed fat. She is now about the size of a small melon.
Week 26: This week, your baby will start producing melanin that gives her skin color. Her lungs are also beginning to produce surfactant, which will let her lungs inflate when it is time to breathe.
Week 27: Your baby’s eyes now open and close. She can even notice light if you hold a flashlight up against your stomach. She’s also putting on weight now and is probably up to about two pounds. Week 27 marks the end of your second trimester.
Week 28: Your third trimester is here! Your baby’s brain is growing rapidly, now adding billions of nerve cells. From now until your baby is born, her brain will triple in size.
Week 29: Your baby is now working on hardening those bones, so she needs a lot of calcium. From head to toe, she is now about 15 inches long and will weigh approximately two and a half pounds.
Week 30: Now, your baby is starting to produce her own red blood cells that help transport oxygen. The lanugo that began forming at week 18 is now going to start shedding. She is now about the size of a head of lettuce.
Week 31: Your baby will start getting more active and plumping up to get ready for her entrance. She is about 16 inches long now and nearly three and a half pounds.
Week 32: Hair and nails are growing in now, and her bones are getting harder. Her skull will remain somewhat soft and will not completely harden until she is about two years old.
Week 33: Your baby starts looking less wrinkly about now as she starts to store fat. Things are also getting snug in there, so she will be doing fewer somersaults and will be limited to kicking and squirming.
Week 34: Your baby may move to a head-down position this week, getting ready for birth. Her main goal now is putting on weight so that she can maintain body temperature when she is born.
Week 35: Can you believe your baby is probably about five and a half pounds and about 18 ½ inches long. She is growing fast, and you may notice she now has sleeping patterns.
Week 36: This week, your baby is just focused on growing. The lanugo and vernix that were created to protect delicate skin are almost completely gone now, and she prepares for birth.
Week 37: This week, your baby’s brain and lungs continue to develop. She is now about 19 ½ inches long and about six and a half pounds.
Week 38: Your baby’s organs are almost fully developed now, and she is preparing to meet you.
Week 39: You are almost there! Your baby is considered full-term at this point and will be ready to be delivered any time now.
Week 40: This should be the week to greet your newborn. Your baby is ready!
Pregnancy is a journey that every woman experiences in her own way. These are general guides on how a baby develops, but they too experience the journey in their own way.
Becoming a mom is a major life event, and some women feel unable or unequipped to raise a child for a variety of reasons. An unexpected pregnancy can come when a woman doesn’t have the resources to care for a child. Some of these women find adoption to be the best choice for both themselves and their baby.
If you’re thinking about adoption, know that Lifetime Adoption is available 24/7 to provide support and answer your questions. Just call or text Lifetime at 1-800-923-6784.
As if there is not enough to worry about when you are pregnant, now there is the question of whether or not to get the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s a very personal decision, and it is important to get your information from reliable sources. If you are looking online for information, look at the source. Don’t rely on what your neighbor’s aunt said about it.
Make sure you talk to your doctor or health care provider about the benefits and risks to you personally. They can explain if you have any additional risk factors that need to be considered. While it is true that there have been no formal studies on the effect of the vaccine on pregnant women, they have been started. The results will take some time.
There are some facts that we do know.
Risk of COVID-19 Infection During Pregnancy
According to the Mayo Clinic, the risk of becoming very ill from the coronavirus is increased when you are pregnant. This is a danger to both you and your baby as it can result in premature birth and increased risk for C-sections.
If you have additional health issues such as diabetes, the risk is increased. You will want to think about this as well as what your living and working situation is. Do you always wear a mask and practice physical distancing? Is there a higher risk you will be exposed to the virus? You need to consider these factors.
Info About the COVID Vaccine for Pregnant Women
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that none of the COVID vaccines use live viruses, so you cannot get COVID from the vaccine.
- The vaccine will not affect your genes or DNA.
- The CDC is currently tracking pregnant women who have received the vaccine, and so far, no safety concerns have been seen.
- No long-term studies have been completed.
At the end of the day, you need to think about the information you have found and consider your own health status. Using this, you can then decide for yourself whether to get the vaccine or not. There are risk factors on both sides.
We know that COVID-19 is a dangerous and unpredictable illness, and we know that we don’t have all the studies we would like to have on the impact of the virus on pregnant women and their babies. It is important to note that they are not seeing any issues so far in the studies currently being done. The CDC does currently lean towards recommending the vaccine because the risk of COVID-19 on the mother and baby seems higher than the unknown risk of the vaccine.
Gather what you know, talk to your doctor and then make an informed decision. You can then feel comfortable with the choice you make.
Growing a baby is tiring work! That’s why it is necessary to keep your body fueled and hydrated with healthy food. Eating right, combined with plenty of sleep, will keep you energized and ready to face the day.
To avoid feeling hunger pangs and irritability, keep these pregnancy-safe foods in stock and nearby for you to snack on. You’ll not only be eating healthy, but you can make simple meals for the entire week without blowing your budget.
A healthy pregnancy means eating a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some of the items we list below work well for snacking between meals, too!
You can make surprisingly easy, delicious meals with simple ingredients, such as chicken thighs (for chicken tenders), black beans, whole wheat pitas, olive oil, coconut milk, and so much more. To help prepare your food easily, think about buying a slow cooker, such as an Instant Pot.
Here are 6 surprisingly easy-to-prepare, deliciously healthy foods for pregnant women:
1. Yogurt
Getting enough calcium during pregnancy is vital so that your baby has the right amount of calcium for growing bones. Calcium intake will also help with your muscle, bone, and nerve functions. Yogurt is one of the best choices for increasing your calcium intake. It is also rich in active cultures, which helps with overall gut health.
Go for plain yogurt, because added sugars can be harmful if eaten in excess. Top it off with crunchy granola, a drizzle of honey, or fresh fruit, such as berries or bananas.
2. Nuts
Snacks are a pregnant woman’s best friend! Snacking throughout the day will keep your energy levels up and keep your morning sickness in check. Nuts are a small but powerful option for snacking.
They’re healthy and convenient to take with you everywhere you go. Just put some in a Ziplock inside your purse, and you’re good to go! Nuts are a good source of fiber and protein, helping you feel full longer. They are also rich in magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids. Unsalted almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pistachios, and peanuts are great choices.
3. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a quick and easy breakfast option that’s packed with health benefits. Oats are full of B vitamins, zinc, and iron, which help keep you energized.
Oatmeal also has lots of fiber, which will help with your energy levels. Meaning, it will stick with you throughout your morning, helping ward off those hunger pangs.
4. Lean Meat
If you don’t have time to fix a full meal when you’re on the run, that’s OK. Meat can be prepared ahead of time for a quick snack or meal.
Lean meats are one of the best foods to eat during pregnancy. They’re high in iron and rich in protein, both of which are important for you and your baby’s health.
Try cuts such as lean beef sirloin or ground beef with less than 15% fat. Chicken or turkey can be wonderful options, too. Add it to a soup, with a salad, or into your favorite noodle dish.
If you know you’ve got a busy day ahead, you could prep the meat or the whole meal ahead of time and pack it up for leftovers later. Easy!
5. Fruits and Vegetables
We all know how important fresh fruits and vegetables are to health. But this is especially true while you’re pregnant. Grab a baggie or Tupperware and load up some of these veggies and fruits:
- Carrots: rich in carotene, which is important for eye health, both for the baby and for you
- Edamame: full of protein, calcium, folate, and iron
- Kale: high in vitamins A, E, K, as well as fiber
- Red bell peppers and mangoes: rich in vitamins A and C
6. Water
And last but certainly not least, drink plenty of water during the day. Water can carry the precious nutrients from the foods you eat to the cells throughout your body.
If you don’t stay hydrated, you’ll probably feel more exhausted and tired than usual. Water replenishes your fluid supply, and it can even help reduce your chance of developing UTIs.
In addition to the easy-to-prepare foods for pregnant women listed above, also make sure to take your prenatal vitamins and minerals. And try to eat other foods, such as sweet potatoes, dried fruits (again, watch out for excess or added sugars), leafy greens, brown rice, low-fat dairy products, and healthy fats.
You probably already know this, but pregnant women need to make sure to get enough folic acid and the right amount of iron. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects. During pregnancy, you need to double the amount of iron you get, because your body needs it to make more blood to supply oxygen to your baby.
Always make sure to consult your doctor about the proper diet for you and your baby. Your doctor can help keep you on track, so you don’t have blood sugar spikes and crashes, morning sickness, and unnecessary weight gain.
Taking care of yourself and the baby you are growing is important. Making time to hydrate and to eat will make a big difference in how you feel!
So you’re expecting baby number two? Congrats! You may think that you know what will happen to your body between now and that final push.
But not so fast: the reality is, you might not feel the same this pregnancy. Actually, there are a few ways that a second pregnancy differs from a first one physiologically. Find out what’s in store over the next few months, so you can avoid any surprises:
1. Some symptoms might be less noticeable. This time around, you might notice that common pregnancy woes like aversions to certain foods seem less severe. Plus, you might feel more relaxed and less worried, too, since you’ve already been there, done that, and lived to tell about it.
2. You’ll probably “feel” pregnant sooner. Most women who have already had a baby are already familiar with the early symptoms of pregnancy, so they’re more likely to recognize them. With that said, the symptoms might differ from the last time. For example, you might have more or less urinary frequency or more or less morning sickness.
3. You may “show” sooner. Since your first pregnancy stretched your abdominal and uterine muscles, they’ll inevitably be looser this time around. Since they won’t hold things in quite as tightly, your bump will likely show much sooner than it did the first time.
4. You might notice your baby moving sooner. During your first pregnancy, you might have dismissed those strange, fluttery, bubbly feelings were just gas. Now that you’ve experienced pregnancy, you know what to expect and will realize when your baby is moving. Around month 4 of this pregnancy, you’re more likely to be aware of your baby kicking (instead of month 5 for first-timers).
5. You might carry lower. Since your uterine muscles aren’t as firm as they once were, and baby number two is likely to be larger than your firstborn, you may carry lower this time. Carrying lower could potentially result in more back pain and other pregnancy aches.
6. Your labor might be shorter. There’s some good news about how long you might be in the delivery room. While the second phase of labor for a first-time mom can last two to three hours or longer, for second-timers, it may take half that much time.
Also, pushing your baby out tends to be quicker the second pregnancy around, too. Why? Your cervix is more flexible now, so dilation and effacement usually happen more quickly. Also, your cervix and vaginal tissue are more pliant the second time around, so they submit to the pressure of the baby’s head more easily. In other words, your baby is more apt to “pop right out!”
7. Breastfeeding might be easier. Since you’ve done this before, you now have a better idea of what to do. A surprising reason breastfeeding is easier is that your body is physically primed to lactate, according to this study. Changes in your mammary glands make them ready to deliver milk more quickly the second time.
The journey of pregnancy is one of life’s most incredible gifts but can also be stressful and overwhelming. Preparing for the unknown during the first nine months can seem a bit daunting, especially if you are new parents. Finding ways to alleviate the stress of pregnancy will allow you to enjoy this unique time with your partner.
If you are looking for ways to better plan for your newborn without a lot of extra hassle and pressure, here are 4 tips that will help you and your partner have a more stress-free pregnancy.
1. Easy budget planning: Planning the baby budget can be overwhelming with unexpected expenses and expensive purchases. Using these baby budget templates will help you plan out your finances by trimester, so by your third trimester, you’ll feel like you’re in good financial standing.
Using a budget template will give you a clearer picture of what you need to be saving during the next nine months, as well as allow you to track your current spending habits to see where you can move things around to help increase your baby budget.
2. Treat yourself: Nothing is better than getting pampered when you’re pregnant. Treat yourself and your partner to a quick babymoon getaway or plan a relaxing spa day.
If you have a tight budget, you can always bring the spa into your home. If you are looking for some daily pampering, try essential oil and salt baths to help relax your mind and body.
3. Declutter your home: Although this can be a stressful activity, cleaning out your home can help to declutter your mind. Pick a room every couple of weeks to go through and clean. Having a clean, neat home before delivery is important as your cleaning schedule may be flipped upside down once you bring your newborn baby home.
4. Remember to exercise: One of the easiest ways to help relieve stress is exercising. Going on a daily walk around the neighborhood or at the local park can be quite enjoyable, especially if you have friends to join. Going for a walk can also act as a reset period from any of your daily stressors.
As special as the first nine months are, staying calm and relaxed through it all will help make your journey smoother. If you’re looking for more pregnancy tips that will help you on your journey, check out these 10 pregnancy hacks for a more stress-free pregnancy.