Pregnant women need to take special care of their health and nutrition needs so that both they and their babies can be at their healthiest. Focusing on healthy foods, taking vitamins, eating and drinking frequently, and practicing regular exercise can help your baby to grow and help you to feel amazing throughout your pregnancy.

Eat Nutritious Foods
Your body may tell you that it’s craving pickles and ice cream, but it’s best to stick to healthy foods while you are growing a baby. Fruits and veggies have amazing vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant content, all of which can help to encourage healthy growth in your baby. Foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids can encourage healthy brain growth, but be sure to talk to your doctor about consuming omega-3 rich fish because of their potential for containing mercury. Increase your protein levels by adding yogurts, nut butters, beans, and additional meats to your meal plans.

Take a Prenatal Vitamin
Your baby needs so many nutrients as it grows, and it can be difficult for you to eat all of the vitamins and minerals it needs every day. You can avoid worrying about whether your baby is getting the proper nutrition by taking a prenatal vitamin every day. Talk to your doctor about what vitamin is best for you, and ask about ways to make taking the vitamin easy on your stomach.

Eat More Frequently
As your pregnancy advances, you are going to need extra nutrition and fuel to keep yourself and your baby healthy. Your body can interpret this by making you feel like you are always hungry, but you can actually make those painful cravings calmer by eating meals more frequently. Instead of trying to fit everything in to 3 meals a day, allow yourself 5 to 6 well-balanced meals each day.

Stay Hydrated
Just like your food intake, your water intake needs to increase. You should drink a minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of water each day. The added fluids will help to keep your baby well hydrated, make your skin more elastic, and even increase your pregnancy glow.

Continue to Exercise
Exercise during pregnancy is essential for your overall health and for your baby’s. In addition to exercise’s normal benefits of stress reduction and improved wellbeing, exercising during pregnancy can help you to build the muscles you need to support your growing frame, it can help to make the delivery process easier on your body, and it can help to make the return to your pre-pregnancy body quicker and less difficult. Talk to your doctor about your exercise plans to make sure they are good for you and for your baby.