I’ve been thinking about the drastic differences in my health between my two pregnancies and decided to share a few of the thing that I believe really helped make a difference! Some are pretty basic, but I’m including them because they are important! Caring for your body, mind and soul is so important in any season but when you’ve been gifted the responsibility of growing an actual person – well, maybe even more so then! So, here are 5 changes I made for a healthier pregnancy!
I was in tune with my body.
When I was pregnant with my first, Logan, I was young and surprised. He was our greatest unplanned gift, but that really affected my entire pregnancy! I was terrified, unprepared, and really didn’t know alot about my own body. Self-awareness was not something I had ever really worked on.
This pregnancy, I felt like an entirely different human. Mentally, emotionally and spiritually I had grown and changed, which I’ll get into in a moment. Physically, I had worked very hard to lose the weight from my first (I gained almost 80 pounds) and was almost to my goal. I had chosen to try the cyclical keto diet and intermittant fasting, and it was working for me. I honestly had never felt better! I am not a doctor, and every person is different (and there are many versions of Keto, some very unhealthy), but my husband and I both feel much more in tune with what our bodies need when we are following this way of eating and living. Because I had been practicing listening to my body and determining what it was asking for, entering the hormonal craziness of pregnancy was a much different experience this time! I could tell what I needed to eat and when, instead of just eating non-stop. I didn’t have any cravings and I had much more energy (after that first killer trimester, of course)!
I cut the crap.
I was a newlywed when we first got pregnant and we did not eat well. I ate a lot of sugar and processed foods and had a very unhealthy relationship with eating. I was a stress eater, a reward-myself eater, and yet would also go through phases where I wouldn’t eat enough. I really had no idea how to fuel my body well.
This second pregnancy, I had learned alot about eating to fuel my body.It goes along with the way of eating I chose (keto), but works no matter what healthy lifestyle you choose. Cut out the crap! I cut out dairy (because it’s an inflammatory for me) and rarely eat sugar or processed foods. I’m very conscious about how many grains I’m eating because they typically make me feel bloated and less energized. Because we follow a cyclical plan, I still have a treat on the weekends and typically consume more carbs/grains then as well. It has worked really well and I do not feel deprived in any way. This really helped during pregnancy because I was able to play around with what foods made me feel good and what did not. If I really wanted a cookie, I had one on the weekend rather than eating an entire package because I wasn’t craving sugar. The only thing I did struggle with was that all my body wanted and could tolerate in the first trimester was carbs because of how sick I was. BUT, because I was in tune with my body I just listened and literally every carb craving left the day the nausea left. Crazy!
I moved my body.
I was much more intentional this second time about moving my body – exercising in some way, shape or form. Workout videos and accountability groups, lifting weights, walking with my son – whatever I could do to keep moving. I worked out some during my first pregnancy but once I started to gain weight I kind of gave up, and not only did that make me gain more weight but it also contributed to my lack of energy and negative mood. I know that I feel better when I move, so I think that making sure I did more of that during my second pregnancy helped me manage my hormones much better, as well as increased my energy levels!
I drank plenty of water.
This one seems pretty basic, but it’s so important! Over the years, my husband has dubbed me a fish because I need a lot of water. And when I don’t get enough, I get a little crazy! (He says it’s important to “water down the crazy.” 😄 ) Obviously, water is important when you’re not pregnant but it’s even more so when you are! As I’ve learned to listen to my body, I’ve noticed that the amount of water I’ve had also affects my hormones and my mood so I try really hard to drink at least 100oz a day.
I paid very close attention to my mental, emotional and spiritual health.
My verse for most of this pregnancy was 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.” God really spoke to my heart and continuously reminded me that His Spirit dwells with me and that where the Spirit is there freedom! Freedom from fear, specifically. I felt empowered this pregnancy because I really claimed His power. Another verse that really stuck with me is 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” Each time I’d start to feel anxious, I’d quote this verse as a reminder that I am fully covered and filled with the love of Christ, and that love leaves no room for fear! The last phrase of 2 Timothy 1:7 is powerful to me as well – “sound mind.” The Spirit is not about chaos, but gives us access to peace and clarity when we fix our minds on Jesus rather than our circumstances or fears.
This was the framework that I filtered my emotional and mental health through, and I made sure to check in regularly and to pay attention to triggers and warning signs. Mental health is so important all the time, but I think even more so when we are growing a little human.
By changing my mindset and focusing on listening to what my body was telling me, I really believe I was able to have a much healthier pregnancy overall!
- I was able to tell what was affecting me
- I was able to tell when my hormones were spiking/trying to be in control
- I was able to maintain healthy weight gain
- I was able to manage my mental health much better
- I was able to battle the fear and lies thrown at me by the enemy
- I didn’t “feel crazy” like I had with my first
Like I said, this was just my experience. Everyone and every pregnancy is different, but I do think that learning to listen to your body’s cues is a universal lesson we can all work on!
I’d love to hear what you did for yourself during pregnancy! Comment below or on my latest instagram post and let me know!