Eating Well When You’re Expecting

into a ready to snuggle baby, your baby. Thanks to mother Nature's also awesome autopilot, your body's already got your baby's back and those ten perfect fingers and toes, and that fast developing brain and those precious peepers and button knows Still, how's this for an assist? You get to contribute to your baby's amazing transformation at least three times a day, five or more if you're adding snacks. Just

by eating healthy foods sounds like a heavy lift. Not really eating well when you're expecting isn't that different from eating well any other time in your life? Well, what if you're too green to look at a salad, never mind eat one, or feeling the burn by your second bite of anything, or you're a vegan, or you've hated milk since you were a little kid. How will you ever score all the baby friendly nutrients that you'll need.

Not to worry. We know you have a lot on your plate, So today we're going to serve up everything you need to know about eating well when you're expecting. No matter how you like to eat, and no matter what is eating, you hungry for more. Let's get started. I'm here with Emma. Hey mom, Hi, I'm hungry. How about you? I'm hungry for more? Yes, so you are a notoriously picky eater, but little known fact, you are actually pickier as an adult than you were as a

little kid. For instance, you used to eat fish us you see shrimp. Really, you used to eat a lot more food than you eat now. So I'm basically like the opposite of how it's supposed to be. Right. Normally kids are picky and then as adults they have this like amazing palette. That's not how it works with me. My poor husband, It's like he's got three children he has to feed. It's so true. But Sebby's a better

eater than you are. He is so How did that picky eating style affect your eating while you were pregnant. I think for me, I was hoping that maybe my taste would change when I was pregnant. They just didn't. I just got more aversions. Yeah, it was a little bit rough because there are certain things that you should be eating. You can't just snack on muffins all day, which I would have done if I could. I didn't want beef with the first one. The second one, I

didn't want chicken. I needed to get proteins, so I ended up you. You showed me these pastas that were made of chickpeas, and that's how I got protein a lot for a lot of my second premancy, and they really saved me. See, I come in handy once in a while. You really do. Thank you, mom. Sebby thanks you too for his brain growth because of the chickpie pasta. So you had a really hard time with your prenatal vitamins,

I remember, especially with Lennox. Yeah, with Lennox, I actually used pre Mama, which you put in a shake, But with Sebby, I couldn't stomach it. So my doctor prescribed me prenate Pixie, which I would take at night, and that was really helpful. The Pixie one is less aggravating to your stomach and nausea. It was, it was good. I liked it. Plus it's a super cute pixie and it's tiny. It's not like a horse pill that had to like gag down. So yeah, it really worked for me.

Most moms have some problem at some point with their prenatal, especially if it's a horse pill, so for sure check with your doctor and see if there's a better alternative. You know, there are a lot. There are a lot of over the counter ones. There are a lot that

you can get by prescription. There are powders, there are gummies also, but you want to make sure that you clear whatever you're taking with your doctor or your midwife because not all supplements are created equal, and there's some nutrients that are super super important to get, of course fully, but there are others as well, and not every formula will include everything on that list, so check it out.

If you're having a lot of trouble with nausea, then a supplement that contains some ginger might help also be six yes, And the other thing is you should always take your prenatal at night. Lesson learned. If you take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, oh man, that is not going to end well. I thought I was going to die when I did that. I was like, this is I've never felt like this

in my entire life if a nightmare. So at least if you take it, you know, with dinner, then you have a lot more food to help ease your your stomach troubles. I think with the iron that really set me off. Oh yeah, well, for sure, with iron, it can be constipating, it can generate nausea, and there are prenatals that come without iron. You can take iron separately if you end up needing it, so that's another discussion to have with your doctor. There are slow release iron

couplements that are me a lot easier to handle. Fear. Tell me that's what I actually take on a regular basis, Lofi. Yeah, no, that's that's really good. Now. You have so many followers on Instagram, more than me, I should point out. So what do you hear from other moms about their diet concerns while they're expecting? I think, honestly, you know, in this day and age, people are just out there living

their best life. I think it's more like indulge now, and that's pretty much how they're going to do it. Some moms I hear, like, you know, they're super like regulated what they're eating and then they work out constantly. There's just so many different moms out there. But the thing that people really share on social is like the fun aspect, like look at me eating this brownie Sunday. I'm pregnant. Yea, so that's the that's more what I see.

But you don't know what's happening behind closed doors. Yes, you can only imagine if the brownie Sunday is in public, what is going on behind the closed doors, right, I mean probably behind at home, they're probably eating salads. But no one's going to post that because that's not like a pregnancy adventure. Eating a cake for lunch or breakfast is more of like a pregnancy taboo kind of thing. Yeah. Well, you know how many diet trends. They've always been diet trends,

even when I was pregnant. But everything that's old is new again. So back when I was pregnant, a lot of people were on the Atkins diet, right, and now the keyto diet both are low car neither one is really pregnancy appropriate. Let's take a quick break, and when we come back, I'm answering your biggest questions about eating well when you're expecting. Okay, mom, how do you eat well when you always feel like you're to throw up

or you are always throwing up? You know, it isn't easy feeling green, But of course it's super common when you're pregnant, especially in the first timester Emma, I know you were a little green. I was one of the lucky ones. I just I just said a few passing kind of queasy moments, and I had some really serious food aversions, like to chicken. But at least seventy of moms experience so called morning sickness, and there is no textbook definition since some moms they just feel nauseous, the

nausea won't quit. Others throw up once in a while, Others throw up all the time. And the most extreme kind of of morning sickness isn't really morning signals at all. It's a complication called hyperremesis, and in that case, you can't keep anything down at all. Some moms don't throw up, but they wished they could, just so they could ease

that queasy feeling. Yeah, sound sound familiar, Emma. Yes. The only thing that's for sure is that the joker who named it morning sickness clearly never had morning sickness, because obviously a man I'm gonna I'm gonna go with man I could be totally wrong, that could be a sexist thing to say, but sorry, I'll take one for the team. I'll be the sexiest one. It's it. Hardly ever, ever, ever,

is limited to the morning. It's usually seven sickness, and it's no joke, and it makes eating anything you know, never mind eating anything healthy, really really challenging. But here's the good news. The first trimester when most moms suffer the worst of morning sickness, which actually medical experts call it n v P or nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. But the first timester is not a time of high

demand in terms of nutrients. That's when your baby is literally the size of a baby bean, and you know, even a teeny little lentil and what you eat doesn't matter as much as it's going to matter later on. Staying hydrated and eating foods that make you feel better, that's what it's all about. And I mean whatever gets you through the day and gets you through the night, that's okay. Even if it's the same food over and over and over again. Yeah, you hear about variety is

such a nutritious way to eat. I don't care about variety if you're feeling sick. If it's the same food over and over again, that is fine. And hopefully it's something that has some nutrients attached, like a lot of mom's crave melon or oranges or even you know, dry cold cereal. Yep. But whatever it is, as long as it's safe to eat, go for it. If all you can swallow the saltines, consider, you know, trying to find

some whole grain saltines, but don't push your luck. If you're on survival mode, you can definitely make up for the nutrientslator and the calories too. In the green meantime, don't even think about serving yourself broccoli or kale unless that's what you're craving. Unlikely, but it could happen. Every mom is different. Now. I have a couple of tricks to try. My favorite is become the smoothie Queen. Pack

your freezer with frozen banana, frozen mango, berries, peaches. You can blend it all up with almond milk or with yogurt or with regular milk, whatever you can best handle, and bingo, you've got a meal that you can sip instead of having to eat if eating is hard for you. And the ice your cold, the better, since in general, cold foods are easier to handle when you're queasy because they don't have any smell, and smell is something that's super offensive to queasy pregnant moms. I mean, did a

lot of smoothies, right? A lot of smoothies? Yeah, a lot of smoothies. It's a great way to pack in nutrients without making yourself sick. And foods like mango are an excellent substitute for green foods like kale because it's got the vitamin A, it's got the vitamin C. So you're you're ready to rock and roll. Ginger. I don't think you're a phantom of but ginger can be super soothing, and so can anything sour. So a lot of moms like to suck on lemons or limes or grape fruit.

So you know what they say, when life gives you morning sickness, make lemonade, right, you see, for me sour made me gaggy. I don't know, maybe I was like, everybody's different, everyone's different, everybody's different. I'm probably the best way to eat anyway, when you're expecting it is definitely the best way to eat when you're in the throes

of throwing up and having nausea. And that's the six meal solution a k a. Grazing instead of mind to four sound three squares a day, which you're never going to get down, never mind keep down, just graze on five or six mini meals or snacks. The idea is to keep your tummy just a little bit filled all the time, because when it's running on empty, your gastric juices that your stomach is producing have nothing to feast on but you and your stomach lining can make you

feel sicker. So eat early before you get out of bed in the morning, have some snacks by your bedside so you can have a nibble before you get up, Eat often, you know, throughout the day and late also, so have a bedtime snack that will hopefully contain some complex carbs and protein. And that's a combination that can minimize morning sickness. If you can do a little cheese with your crackers. Awesome. If you can add a little

almond butter to your banana smoothie, fabulous. Keep snacks with you wherever you go, in the car, at your desk, in your bag. Nothing that's gonna stink, of course, nothing that's going to make a stink. A couple of my favorites are freeze dried fruit and freeze dried cheese. One brand is Moon Cheese. Definitely, there are other brands out there that is not going to spoil in a hot car, and it's not going to stink up your office, like for instance, a ripe banana that you leave in your

destroyer that would that would make a stink. I wouldn't recommend that. I used to love it just sucking on packets of nut butter, peanut butter, oh yeah, nuts nuts. So that was really helpful because anytime, like you, you stay full throughout the whole day, and you're gonna feel a little better. I think whenever that any sort of like hunger creeps in, it's gonna turn to nausea central exactly. And you know, in in the short term, fluids are

way more important than solids in the first time. Ester, so don't push foods that you can't stand, but do push the fluids. Water. Coconut water can be a actually soothing almond milk. Fruit that has a high water content, like say watermelon that's water and icy cold. It's definitely a pregnant crowd pleaser. Okay, so what about heartburn? That's not fun. I know I was queen of heartburn with both pregnancies, and ironically I had one bald baby and

one hairy baby. So that's an old wives tale. First of all, nobody does heartburn like a pregnant woman. I mean, I once again, I escaped it. Don't be a hater, Emma, don't be a hater. Of course you did, you unicorn. But it's actually true what they say about heartburn and hair. I mean, it's not a sure thing, but research has shown a connection between moms who have heartburn and babies born with a lot of hair. Doesn't always go that way. Lennox was bald till he was one, and then Seby

was born with like a twope of hair. I did have two cue balls, and I did not have heartburn. So you can thank your hormones for heartburn. Of course, the same hormones that relax. Other muscles in your body also relax, those in your digestive track, including the esophageal sphincer, which typically keeps food and gastric juices in your stomach where they belong. And when it's relaxed, all that yucky stuff backs up and you feel the burn and you taste that acidity reflux. I can taste it right now,

just thinking about it. You know what your triggers are, Emma, you know what they are. Yes, don't pull them like spicy foods or greasy foods. Clearly, nothing that combines spicy and creasy like pepperoni pizza. That would be bad. Of course, if you crave it, have it, you'll just pay later. Eating sitting straight up at the table rather than slouched over on the sofa and staying as upper right as your pregnant body is going to allow you too after you eat is going to help a lot, because obviously,

if you're slouched over, everything backs up more easily. And eating slowly, not gobbling up your food even if you're super hungry and nothing heavy before bed, when you're definitely going to feel the burn the most, and propping yourself up in bed is going to help with that too, And it should go without saying by now, but I will say it the six meal solution because gut bombs are going to give you heartburn ammunition for sure. My best heartburn trick is ice cold almond milk. You just

simple little after meal and before bed. Moms, I know swear by vanilla almond milk, so give it a try, especially icy cold. And beyond that, there's always the toms and roll its that you popped like candy, Elma, did you that? Of course I I popped toms like candy, yes, And of course those are a constipating yes, yes. And I was queen of pregnancy constipation. You're the queen of a lot of things, I really am, whereas my crown um. And speaking of constipation, what should pregnant moms eat when

they are constipated? So consippation definitely comes with the pregnant territory. Mother nature actually has the best intentions, always sure she does. She's got the best intentions when she slows down your digestive tracks. So slowing food down allows your body to absorb more nutans and that's a plus for baby, but it happens to be a minus for you, because when things are slowed down, you end up constipated and bloated

and miserable and gassy. First of all, what you shouldn't eat, which is anything that can clog you up, white bread, white rice, anything sugary processed foods in general. What you should eat you probably know this, but whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds. You know, those fiber filled foods. Kiwi are a lot cuter than prunes, and many people are surprised to find out they were as effective as any dried fruit in keeping things moving. So

those cute little kiwi's, crack one open and beans. If you can handle the gas, then pass the beans. And and then of course wash it all down with lots of fluids, because it's the fluids to keep all those high fiber foods moving along. And what about fatigue, mood swings, and headaches. I had all of those, all of the above. I'm gonna make it super easy here with the one solution that covers all those symptoms and more. You guess it.

It's the six meal solution, which you're if we are already doing, if you're a queasy mama, or if you're having heartburn, because it's going to help with that. But eating small amounts of protein and complex carbs all day will keep your blood sugar on an even keel, and that will give you more energy, fewer headaches, and might even help moderate those mood swings. And that bedtime snack will help you sleep better and help avoid that pregnancy insomnia.

On the flip side, though, a king sized candy bar or carmel macchiato would seem the logical solution to fatigue and headaches, plus what could make you happier. Those quick sugar fixes can actually send your blood sugar soaring and then after the sore comes to crash and that can bring your energy and your mood down along with it, with the potential for a headache too. And of course, if you quit caffeine cold turkey, you will get headaches.

So remember the mom mantra of moderation. Two cups a day is fine and if you cut back, definitely cut back gradually. Yeah. I learned a valuable lesson there when I cut out coffee and my headaches came with running in. Yeah, and that's the good news. You don't have to cut it out. You just have to cut down if you have a big habit two cups of days. Good. Well, I had a huge habit and I got pregnant with Sebastian, and all of a sudden I wanted nothing to do with coffee. It was a really it was It was

a really hard time for me. Okay, okay, And now the question that every mom has. Everybody says, you're eating for two. So does that mean you take everything you normally eat and just double it? Yeah, if only, well, you are eating for two, but one of the two of you is teeny teeny tiny, So yeah, Fortunately for you, if you're feeling too sick to eat a lot, and unfortunately if pregnancy has made you twice as hungry, you're

not literally eating for two of you. And that means you don't have to double up what you normally eat, not even close in the first timester you really don't need more than a hundred calories per day on top of what you normally eat. And you can actually get away with your if you have to, because you're very sick and you can't eat even if you're hungry. So, for perspective, a hundred calories about one of those tiny snack bags of almonds or maybe a cup of yogurts,

So it's not that much. Not exactly the all access past to Ben and Jerry's you might have been hoping for, though no one's going to stand between you and a scoop of chunky monkey, least of all me. By the second trimester and into the third, you're gonna need more calories, but really really only about three hundred calories are more

extra per day above what you normally eat. Where you spend those extra calories, of course, is your business, and I'm certainly not going to micromanage them, but if you can, it's smart to cash in on nutrients in whatever form that you find them palatable, especially as baby grows. It's

a really super smart strategy. We'll get to waking in another episode, but just keep in mind that gaining too much weight when you're pregnant, or eating a lot of unhealthy foods can increase your risks of, say, gestational diabetes and other complications. You can't always prevent those wrist no matter how will you eat, but certainly if you end up with gestational diabetes, micromanaging what you eat is going

to become a reality. So there's something there's something in that grilled chicken salad for you too, And if you're expecting twins, you'll need to double up on the extra calories. So you're going to go as high as six hundred extra calories per day three per baby above what you normally eat. And you'll probably double up also on the heartburn and I and indigestion for sure. So definitely eat those extra calories in small amounts, especially as you're growing.

Uterus crowds out your digestive tract, which is going to happen even with one baby, but definitely toys as fast with two. Double the fun. Yes, what about when your favorite food group is sugar? Hey, look, I get it, I get it. This isn't about deprivation, and eating well should never be about deprivation, but especially not when you're doing the heavy lifting of pregnancy, because that's just not fair. Sugar calories are essentially empty calories. That's just a reality.

So to keep your weake in within the guidelines that your doctor or midwife gives you while getting the nutrients that a healthy pregnancy needs, it is a smart strategy to limit the sugar calories that you eat. But that's if you can limit them, and if limiting sugar is an option for you, and you know yourself. For some moms, it's just it's really hard to curb the sweet tooth once it's chomping on a single brownie and suddenly the

whole train makes all gone. And if you can stop that a mini Snickers, that's no big deal, or even too mini snickers, but if one or two leads to the whole bag over time, that could become a big deal. So you know your limits and whether you can tempt temptation on a regular basis. By the way, here's some actual good news, and that's the dark chocolate is a very healthy pregnancy food. The darker the better because it contains more nutrients, but it also because it's lower in sugar.

It might even keep your blood pressure in check and definitely boost your mood. Like, who can't be happy when you got dark chocolate around, right? Some research, in fact, suggests the babies of moms who eat dark chocolate in the third trimester end up crying less and sleeping better. Happy mom, happy baby. Here's your excuse to eat some dark chocolate when you're pregnant. I actually still eat it. That's my habit that I kept from pregnancy. I still

eat my dark chocolate and it's a good habit to mend. Yeah, not mad. When we come back, it's time for help me, Heidi. And now it's time for help me, Heidi. We're all answer you're pressing pregnancy and parenting questions. No holds barred, no filter allowed, t am I, no such thing. We're all moms here or dad's. Chances are if you have this question, other parents have it too. You are not alone. Motherhood is the ultimate sisterhood, and we're here to help

a sister out Emma who needs help today. So this comes from a listener who says, so over the years, I've tried a lot of different diets to keep my weight under control. Lately, I've dabbled in raw and paleo and have also gone vegan. Now that I'm magnant, I'm wondering if I should stay on something lower carb, higher protein. I don't want to end up gaining too much weight, but I do want to eat well for my baby.

So it doesn't get a lot of buzz, but really the best way to eat at any time in your life, especially when you're expecting, is the balance way, maybe it's boring something your mother might tell you to eat if your mother were me, but optimally suited for supplying all the nutrients that you and your baby need. So you probably know the drill whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies,

little fat, dairy, lean protein, healthy fats. But let's drill down on the different kinds of diets that you've dabbled in and are wondering about. So low carb encompasses a lot of diet trends with different degrees of carb deprivation. None of them are super healthy for pregnancy, since carbs aren't the enemy. They're actually awesome sources of vitamins and

mineral and fiber that pregnant moms need. That is, if you choose the right kind of carb, the complex kind of carb, you can easily skip refined carbs all that white stuff and eat well better still in fact, so don't be carb phobic, just be carb selective. Now, Gluten free if you have siliac disease is a must, and it's important if you have a sensitivity to gluten. But think twice, once for you and once for your baby. If you're thinking of giving up gluten because you just

think it's healthier because it's not. Without whole grains, it's hard to get the nutrients you'll need to eat well. Keto takes low carb to a new low, and it actually eliminates nearly all carbs, including fruits, whole grains, and some vegetables which are all mom and baby friendly foods that do your pregnant body good. Without the carbs, what happens is your body runs out of its preferred energy source and then starts burning fat, and that's a state

called ketosis. Thus keto that might be your objective at other times in your life, but not when you're pregnant and weight loss isn't wise. Another downside to ketosis is that ketones are produced when your body burns fat, and those keytones can be passed into the placenta. And there's not a lot of research, but there's some to show that it's not a good thing when that happens. So

I probably say curb your keto enthusiasm for now. Now, paleo goes back to our cave mom routes, when meat ruled and foraging was limited to whatever grew on bushes and trees. There are some paleo pluses like avoiding refined grains, which the diet specifies that you do, cutting out sugar and processed foods. But before you go all hunter gatherer during pregnancy, there's some potential risk to For one thing, a super high protein diet isn't recommended when you're expecting.

You should actually take a Goldilocks approach to protein. Not too much, not too little, About three servings per day is just right, and a serving being like a quarter pound burger or four ounces of chicken. Now, paleo eaters can also come up short in nutrients that are found

in grains and in fiber. A modified paleo diet which allows for some whole grains and beans but keeps meat eating moderate, is a good compromise and another positive takeaway from paleo that you can feel free to take into pregnancy. Eat more nuts and seeds. Those are sources of healthy fats. Now onto raw diets. Raw veggies and fresh fruits are definitely pregnancy friendly foods, but going all raw all the time is could be a raw deal when you're expecting.

Some vitamins and minerals are only absorbed when they're cooked. Plus raw foods can be sometimes contaminated with bacteria that would otherwise be killed during cooking or during pasteurization. Some foods were made to be cooked when you're baking a baby bun. Speaking of veggies, vegetarians of all varieties can have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies just as healthy, possibly even healthier than meat eaters, depending on the kind of

meat you otherwise would eat. Veggie diets are usually high in vitamins and minerals and fiber, and if you eat eggs and d airy, you're not going to miss out on protein and calcium. Vegan takes a little more effort. You'll just need to make sure you cash in on high protein lake ooms like beans and tofu and grains, and talk to your doctor or midwife about taking supplements. Definitely need BE twelve if you're vegan, because it's only found in animal proteins, and you probably also need calcium

and iron and vitamin D two. By the way, bean pastas like Emma enjoys like Bonza are amazing sources of protein that are completely meat free, and they're also super nutritious. Maybe you're lactose intolerant or you're just not a milk fan, but you've heard them. Milk is a must when you're building baby bones. Not so. Calcium comes in all kinds of packages, from yogurt to cheese and red meat. A lot of moms think it's a must eat it isn't.

It does have more iron. But any source of protein is a good source when you're expecting, from chicken to turkey, shrimp to fish, So you can definitely be a piskytarian if you wish to. Just don't go fish for swordfish, shark, or any other fish that's high in mercury. And you know all about the don't eat the sushi eggs. Eggs are a great source of protein. You can choose omega three eggs if you can, because there are a great

source of healthy fats. The same goes for grass fed beef and pasture raised chicken if you can find them and afford them, because unlike grand fed, they are packed with Omega three fatty acids. While we're on the subject of fat and fatty acids, a very low fat diet isn't pregnancy appropriate either, not only because a low fat diet is often used to lose weight, and you're not supposed to lose weight when you're pregnant. But because they're

called essential fatty acids for a reason, they're essential. Your body needs some fat to build a baby and to build up supplies for breastfeeding, you're gonna need to lay down some fat. And plus a little fat makes nutrients and vegetables more absorbable. So, for instance, if you choose a fat fee dressing, that means a less nutritious salad. So little fat in your salad dressing is actually a good thing. So you know, this is just the tip of the iceberg, or I guess I should say the

iceberg lattice. And for the record, you should probably offer a remainer or rugle in your salad anyway, because iceberg doesn't come with any nutrients, or at least you can you can toss some shredded carrot and cabbage into your iceberg. But clearly just the tip of the iceberg. There's so much to talk about when it comes to eating when you're expecting. Actually, there's enough to fill a book and it's a good thing that I just wrote one and

it's out now. Eating well when you're expecting. Everything you need to know about eating well, no matter what you like to eat, and no matter what is eating you? And plus it has about I think a hundred and seventy five recipes and they're all easy, quick to prepare, because really, who wants to stand on swollen dogs to make dinner for you and your puppy? Right? Emma, I mean I don't, okay, even when I'm not pregnant. Done and done, baby love a baby love. I need you,

Oh hell, I need you. Thanks for listening. Remember, I'm always here for you. What to Expect is always here for you, who are all in this together. For more on what you heard on today's episode, visit what to Expect dot com slash podcast. You can also check out What to Expect when You're Expecting, What to Expect the First Year, and the What to Expect app. And we want to hear from you. Connect with us on our

community message board or on our social media. You can find me at Heidi Murkoff and Emma at Emma Being w t E and of course at What to Expect. Baby Love is performed by Riley Beider. What to Expect is a production of I Heart Radio. From more shows from I heart Radio, check out the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. In my Arms, what on s stain Nija nieda baby baby aspects