As you are just beginning your pregnancy journey, you may be excited and overwhelmed at times. There are so many things you want to make sure you are doing. Like taking prenatal vitamins, exercising, checking in with your doctor, etc. However, there are also a lot of things you need to be careful to avoid. This can be certain foods, drinks, and just normal activities that were fine for you, but are not safe for your growing baby.
With all that information, it can be challenging to figure out how to stay healthy with your eating routine. Though I can’t claim to have all the answers, I do have some knowledge about great foods to eat during your pregnancy. And not just throughout your whole pregnancy, but particularly for your first trimester. If you are wondering what to eat in your first trimester, you have come to the right place.
General Eating Habits During Pregnancy
Before you were pregnant, you may have had eating routines or habits that you stuck with weekly. Get ready for those to change. Here are some eating habits you are going to need to add to your mealtimes to have a healthy pregnancy.
Eat Slower
Especially when we are hungry, there is a tendency to gobble up our food as quickly as possible. And sometimes, if we are at work or just in a hurry, we can eat quickly out of necessity. Now that you are pregnant, you may be dealing with various degrees of morning sickness and an upset stomach. Eating slowly with smaller portions will help to calm your nausea. There may be days where you are just grazing, and don’t sit down for a traditional big meal.
More Calories
Yay, more eating! But, you may be surprised by how many extra calories you actually need to be consuming a day when you’re pregnant. It can be easy to get into the habit of just eating what you want, whenever you want because you are growing another human inside of you. You will pay for this logic after having the baby. Doctors recommend only eating an extra 300-500 calories per day to get proper nutrition for both you and the baby.
Get on a Nutritional Plan
If I haven’t covered it enough already, you are going to need more food and nutrients during your pregnancy. It’s important that you consult your doctor about certain vitamins, and foods you should be eating. They will be able to give you a much more comprehensive plan than our article.
What To Eat During Your First Trimester
Now, this is not a comprehensive list, but these are some great foods that will help to provide you with the proper nutrients during the start of your pregnancy.
Spinach
Spinach is one of those foods that is just known for its healthy qualities. Spinach has been recognized, outside of pregnancy, to help increase your mood, digestive health, and mental health status. However, for pregnancy, spinach is a great food to eat because it is high in folic acid. Folic acid helps your baby’s neural tube to form during the first month of your pregnancy. Try eating spinach salads, or just adding a few leaves to your favorite smoothie or sandwich.
Nuts
This food is known to be high in protein. And pregnant women need protein. This will significantly help you to reach your goal of eating an extra 60 grams of protein each day in a way that won’t leave you feeling too full or bloated. Try packing some trail mix or a bag of nuts in your lunch, or just have it on your desk at work to snack on throughout the day.
Eggs
Eggs are a pretty excellent food group in my opinion. Eggs will help you to reach your protein goal, but they are also high in calcium and vitamin D, which are both great for helping your baby form bones. So, it might be a good idea to start substituting that cereal for an omelet.
Broccoli
I know this might not be your favorite vegetable, but it will help you to get a good amount of iron in your system. Iron helps to form red blood cells in your baby during your first trimester. Try adding cheese, cream cheese, or rice with your broccoli to make it easier to eat. Try it both steamed and raw.
Yogurt
This is great news for most of my ladies out there who like to eat yogurt, but don’t quite enjoy what it does to their hips and waistline. Yogurt will help to replenish your body with calcium and vitamin D, which can sometimes be taken if your baby isn’t getting enough nutrients from the foods you are eating.
Chicken
This easy to incorporate food will help you to oxygenate and create red blood cells. This should be easy to add a couple of times of week to some of your favorite meals. With many people moving away from red meat, there is a plethora of chicken recipes and meals for you to choose from online.
Sweet Potatoes
This food is high in beta-carotene, which produces vitamin A. This is essential for your baby’s growth, especially in differentiating their cells and tissues. Sweet potatoes also contain a high amount of fiber, which will help your digestive system and blood sugar during this stage of your pregnancy.
Whole Grains
Not only will this help you to meet your new calorie requirement, but whole grains contain vitamins and nutrients that pregnant women normally have a hard time getting. These include B-vitamins, fiber, and magnesium. You can easily include whole grain by switching your bread or eating quinoa, oats, and rice.
Dried Fruit
This easy to snack on item is a great one to incorporate at the start of your pregnancy. This is because one piece of dried fruit actually contains the same amount of nutrients as a piece of fresh fruit. Some of the main nutrients dried fruit includes are potassium, folate, iron, and plant compounds. Be careful to not eat in too much excess, but this snack is great to eat in recommended servings.
As you can see, there are so many great food options out there for women in their first trimester. Have fun trying new recipes, snacks, and new eating habits. I hope that these foods can help your first trimester to go smoothly. Have any other fun pregnancy food suggestions? Let us know in the comments below!
