Ten Tips for Wellness for the Pregnant Mom

“Becoming a mama is the best reason you’ll ever have to take care of you.” 

Recently, we talked about our best mental health tips for the postpartum mama, but wellness as a mother truly begins in pregnancy. Prioritizing self-care is crucial for tackling the challenges and demands of motherhood. Creating rituals that focus on taking care of you during your pregnancy will establish habits that will continue throughout motherhood, and set a great example for your kids, too.

Here are Our Ten Best Tips to Prioritize Your Wellness During Pregnancy:

1. Strive for a Healthy Diet: Eat balanced meals that are rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats to support both physical and mental health, ensuring you get essential nutrients.

2. Add in Physical Activity: Discuss safe and recommended exercises for pregnant women with your healthcare provider, such as walking, swimming, prenatal yoga, or low-impact aerobics, to promote physical fitness and overall well-being. Low impact exercise can still have myriad benefits for you!

3. Get Adequate Sleep: It can be hard to sleep when you're dealing with your changing body, heartburn, aches and pains, and the other physical challenges pregnancy creates. However, it's important to strive to get enough sleep whenever possible, grabbing a nap during the day where you can or going to bed 30 minutes earlier. Avoiding screen time for an hour before bed will help you wind down more for sleep.

4. Stay Hydrated: It's crucial as a pregnant mama to stay hydrated. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day to support proper digestion, circulation, and overall health.

5. Manage Stress Levels: Focus on managing your stress during pregnancy through activities like meditation, prenatal yoga, deep breathing exercises, mindfulness practices, and seeking emotional support.

6. Stick to Regular Prenatal Checkups: It's crucial to regularly attend your prenatal appointments with healthcare providers to monitor the baby's growth, address any concerns, and ensure a healthy pregnancy.

7. Read Up on Your Pregnancy: Educating yourself about about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting through books, online resources, childbirth classes, and discussions with healthcare professionals will help you feel more prepared and less stressed about the transformation you are about to go through.

8. Avoid Harmful Substances: Avoiding the obvious toxins like smoking and alcohol are well known, but you also want to make sure that everything going in or on your body is safe for you and your baby! Make skincare, cleaning product, and food choices that have the health of mom and baby at the forefront. 

9. Self-Care Practices: Prioritize self-care activities that bring you joy and relaxation, even if they are brief moments during the day. And important - put them on your calendar! This should not be running errands, but rather actual events that fill your cup. Self-care practices such as massage, warm baths, gentle stretching, and pampering activities help promote relaxation, relieve physical discomfort, and boost mood.

10. Build A Strong Support System: Surround yourself with a strong support network, including family, friends, and mental health professionals, to share the emotional journey. Don't wait until you are struggling! Create a plan as soon as you can.

Above all - don't forget to give yourself grace. Adjusting to the changes motherhood brings takes time, and it's okay not to have everything figured out immediately. You aren't perfect, and no one expects you to be. Keep your focus on the main goal: a mentally well you while you grow that beautiful baby! 

* Remember to consult with your healthcare provider for personalized advice based on your individual needs.