8 Healthy Daily Habits To Adopt During Pregnancy

You already know that you should work out, eat a healthy diet, and drink plenty of water, whether you’re pregnant or not. But, now that you’re focused on caring for yourself and your baby-to-be, you’re probably wondering what other healthy daily habits are important.

After all, you’re growing a brand-new human inside your body. That’s an incredibly important undertaking, and it’s only natural that you’d want to be a bit more careful with your lifestyle.

Here are eight easy daily habits to adopt during pregnancy for more energy, less stress, fewer aches and pains, and a healthier pregnancy all around. 

Take a prenatal vitamin.

Sticking to a healthy diet every day is tough, especially when you’re dealing with hormone-induced nausea, food aversions, and cravings. And, when you’re pregnant, your body needs even more nutrition than ever, so taking a daily vitamin is a no-brainer.

But, one of the first things you’ll notice about prenatal vitamins is that they tend to be huge, they taste bad, and they usually have a nauseating smell. On top of that, they can leave you feeling nauseous. Understandably, adopting this daily habit can be a challenge for many moms-to-be. 

If this is a problem for you, opt for prenatal vitamin gummies. They come in organic, natural formulas that actually taste and smell good, so they’re much easier to get down than traditional pills. They’re also easier on your stomach and more readily absorbed than synthetic formulas.

If you’re likely to forget taking your vitamins each day, set an alarm on your phone to remind you. You can also keep them on your nightstand or keep a few in your purse so you’re more inclined to remember to take them. 

Get your omega-3s.

Omega-3 fatty acids are super important at all stages of life for reducing inflammation and supporting heart and brain health. But during pregnancy and while you’re breastfeeding, they’re also crucial for your baby’s brain, nervous system, and eye development.

In fact, optimal levels of the fatty acid DHA in infancy are also crucial for the development of motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Not only that, but DHA during pregnancy can also support your mental and emotional health.

Growing babies can’t produce their own DHA, so it has to come from momma through the placenta and eventually in breast milk or formula. Unfortunately, the best dietary source of DHA is fatty fish. That’s not something many of us eat every day- especially when we’re dealing with pregnancy-related nausea and food aversions.

Some experts also believe that high levels of heavy metals like mercury in fish can be dangerous during pregnancy. So, your best bet for keeping your DHA levels up is to make sure that it’s part of your daily prenatal vitamin formula.

Switch to healthier drinks.

Opting for mocktails instead of cocktails is a great start but cutting back on the caffeine and sugar is also a good move during pregnancy. That’s because they’re both diuretics, which means they can be dehydrating. 

Not only that, but diuretics can flush important nutrients like calcium through your system before they’re absorbed. That’s the last thing you want when you’re pregnant!

You don’t have to stick to just plain water though. Feel free to jazz things up with fruit juice or go for sparkling water when you’re craving something fizzy. Pregnancy safe herbal teas and vegetable juice are also great options.

Make time for R&R.

Growing a baby is hard work. In essence, you are your baby’s life support system, and that puts a lot of extra demand on your body. Throw in the raging hormones that sap your energy and it’s not surprising you feel drained.

That’s why making time for rest and relaxation every day is so important. Prioritizing downtime will give you some relief from early pregnancy nausea, help keep your blood pressure low, reduce headaches, and prevent back pain as your baby bump grows.

So, learn to listen to your body and take a break when you need one. That could mean taking a longer lunch break or an extra break in the afternoon on workdays- or sneaking in a nap on the weekends. Adopting this daily habit can really make a difference in your comfort level throughout your pregnancy.

Snack smarter.

Eating healthy meals is essential, but how you snack during pregnancy is important, too. Smart snacking between meals will keep your blood sugar more stable, reduce nausea, and allow you to get even more nutrition into your body for yourself and your growing baby.

Get into the habit of stocking healthy snacks in your purse, desk, fridge, and pantry. That way, you won’t be tempted to grab a candy bar or bag of chips when you’re ravenously hungry. 

Snacks that will be the most satisfying and energizing have a combination of protein and carbs. Some smart options for on-the-go include yogurt with granola, whole-grain crackers with cheese, or nuts and dried fruit.

Pare down your to-do list.

Having too many things on your to-do list is like taking the fast track to Stress-Ville. And that’s not good for you or your growing baby. 

Now’s the time to pare down your to-do list by prioritizing what’s really important with what can be put on the back burner until after your baby is born. Tackle the important tasks, like tidying the house… but let bigger projects sit for now.

And make time every day for something that takes your stress level down a notch. Go get a mani-pedi, do some yoga, write in a journal, or read a book. It will give you something to look forward to and force you to simply chill out.

Swim.

Getting in the water is a great idea during pregnancy that moms-to-be often overlook. As your baby bump grows, exercise becomes increasingly difficult. But swimming is an excellent form of low impact exercise that takes all the stress off your joints and muscles for a little while.

A water workout can be super refreshing and help to relieve body aches and pains while boosting your circulation. But in all honesty, the best part of swimming while you’re pregnant is that weightless feeling you get when you’re in the water!

Do your Kegels.

We’ve all been told that Kegel exercises are important for keeping the pelvic floor muscles strong. Unfortunately, most of us don’t make a habit of doing them, but we really should. And, it turns out that daily Kegels are especially important during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. 

It’s no surprise that vaginal delivery puts your pelvic floor muscles under incredible stress and strain. But pregnancy itself can also result in weakened pelvic floor muscles due to the extra pressure, even without a vaginal delivery.

So, why is this such a big deal? Well, weakened pelvic floor muscles can affect things like bowel and bladder control, pelvic organ support, sexual function, and even lower back support. So, yeah, those daily Kegels are important.

To do a proper Kegel during pregnancy, inhale a deep breath into your belly while relaxing your abdomen and pelvic floor. Then, exhale and imagine wrapping your lower abdominal muscles to hug your baby close as you simultaneously lift your pelvic floor.

The Takeaway.

Making these simple lifestyle changes early on in your pregnancy can make a real difference in how you feel. They will also nurture your growing baby and get him or her off to the best start possible. And, let’s be honest… every mom-to-be could use more energy, less stress, and fewer aches and pains in their daily life!