What I Prioritized During Pregnancy – Everything You Need to Know

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Sharing what I prioritized during pregnancy to feel my best. This includes everything from nutrition, to movement, to courses I purchased and apps I downloaded.

It seems like just yesterday we found out we were pregnant. It’s crazy how fast time goes!

Pregnancy truly is a beautiful journey, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with it’s own unique challenges. My biggest challenge was mental. My body was changing in ways I never experienced, clothes were no longer fitting, and I was unable to do all the activities I once enjoyed (i.e. hiking, snowboarding, and enjoying my favorite drink on occasion). Below is what I prioritized during pregnancy to ensure I continued to show up as my best self.

Nutrition

As a dietitian, I’ve spent over a decade studying what foods to consume to promote proper health. Through trial and error, it’s taken me 10 years of being on my own health journey to determine what recipes help me feel my best. These recipes not only focus on balancing the three macronutrients, they’re also easy and quick to make without sacrificing flavor.

To simplify the confusion around nutrition, I created Eat Well, my first nutrition focused book that dives deep into a variety of concepts that will set you up for success for fertility health, pregnancy, and feeding a growing family. I discuss both the science and importance of consuming all three macronutrients, significance of adequate hydration, and tips and tricks to simplify meal planning during those busy weeks. Eat Well provides the tools needed to build the foundation of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

Physical Movement

Daily movement has always been a big part of my day as I’ve always been in sports. Sticking with my workout plan was a non-negotiable. Not only did this help me feel my best as my body began to change, movement helped me to release any fear, anxiety, and stress surrounding pregnancy. In the first trimester, I continued with my regular weight training program. But as I headed into the second and third trimester, I focused more on low-impact movements and breath work. This helped to mentally prepare for a quick labor as a first time mom.

Time Spent Outdoors

Sticking to my daily routine and getting outside helped to keep me sane. I prioritized getting outside for a nightly walk with Klark. This allowed me to get my steps in for the day, while de-stressing from the busy workdays. During my evening walks, I focused on breath work, practiced gratitude and prayed. These walks were good for the soul – something I plan to continue postpartum.

Relaxation

Relaxation techniques were helpful to positively cope with the drastic changes of pregnancy. Listening to music, cooking and baking, getting outside for fresh air and sunshine, writing, watching my favorite movies, following my skincare routine, and focusing on adequate sleep were all ways that helped me to relax on a day-to-day basis.

Quality Time with Loved Ones

Spending quality time with loved ones was crucial for me. Not only because quality time is my love language, but because this helped me to truly soak up the beauty of pregnancy. Kraig and I made it a priority to have a date night each week, talking about our future goals and plans, while enjoying the life stage we were currently in. I also focused on spending time with girl friends, which helped boost my self-esteem and kept my sense of belonging.

Education

When I found out I was pregnant, I purchased the Mama Natural Birth Course, which I highly recommend. This course reviews what you can expect with both pregnancy and birth, answering many questions you may have while also providing resources to ease the process of both. By educating myself on how the birthing process works, this allowed me to be mentally prepared for labor as I better understood what my body was doing. I also loved the weekly check ins with the Baby Center app, which gave me weekly updates on Karter’s growth, and the symptoms I may be experiencing each week of pregnancy.

I hope you enjoyed my blog post on what I prioritized during pregnancy! If you have any questions, or want to share what you prioritzed during your pregnancy to feel your best, please comment below. I’d love to hear from you!😊