Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Pregnancy Through the Holidays

From Halloween to New Year’s Eve festivities, we are all bombarded by unhealthy temptations during the holiday seasons. Over-sized portions, too many meats and overly seasoned sides, and a variety of decadent desserts all combine to undermine even the strictest diets. If you’re like me, you’ll probably be attending more than one banquet celebration and the sometimes overwhelming expectations to eat a little of everything offered by friends and family.

Of course, you’ve got a new reason to pay extra attention to your diet this winter. Among the many suggestions for a healthy pregnancy and delivery, a well-planned diet sits at the top of the list. Whether you are due during the holidays or currently trying to conceive, mitigating the damage of holiday feasts is a top priority. A healthy pregnancy starts with a growing awareness of your body and education!

Growth of Self-Awareness

Upon learning of my pregnancy, I had a desire to learn as much as possible. From swaddling to understanding cord blood options, there was enough I had to think about before even considering my health.  Whatever you currently do to stay in good health, an increased understanding of best pregnancy practices will spur anyone toward adoption of a better lifestyle. Pregnancy classes for exercise and alternative pain management are a must! Not only will you learn safe and effective exercise techniques and meditative practices, you’ll also gain friends who are dedicated to having a healthy pregnancy.

For me, Lamaze and yoga for pregnancy helped immensely. I invited friends from these classes to our holiday feast, and enjoyed the satisfaction of eating the healthy dishes they brought as well as whipping up a couple of my own! The most important part of self-awareness is the realization of the true effect of certain foods on your health. Some will make you nauseous or sit too heavy in the stomach, and you’ll learn to recognize this feeling and avoid these foods in the future.

Healthy Diet Guidelines

Even with this growth in awareness over everything you put in your body, it still helps to have some general rules on a pregnancy diet during the holidays. Memorize these for an easy reference and healthier baby!

1.  Reduce your intake of processed carbohydrates. Whole grains provide a lasting energy source while processed carbohydrates cause blood sugar spikes and crashes. Choose low glycemic sugars for sweetness, or stick with an herbal sweetener like Stevia.

2.  Reduce gluten and dairy in the diet. Among food allergies, gluten and dairy are the most common. You may become newly sensitive to them during pregnancy.

3.  Processed foods contain a variety of artificial ingredients, and they are usually full of empty calories. Choose organic foods for snacks, such as nuts, fruits and dehydrated vegetables! Organic labels let you completely avoid the risks of GMOs and pesticide residues.

4.  Stay away from over-the-counter medicines as much as possible! Alternative remedies are generally much safer and just as effective. Do your research and discuss any alternative remedies with your healthcare provider.

A list of dietary tips could go on for days, so general guidelines really come in handy. Listen to your body for the best advice! Increased awareness of the way different foods make you feel will come with education and dedication to an exercise program for your baby’s health.

Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26.

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