You got the positive test, yay! But what do you do now? 

First, find an OB or midwife that supports your values and honors your wishes as a pregnant momma. A provider that truly listens to you and walks alongside you during your pregnancy is invaluable. 

From there, it’s all about taking care of you AND baby! Let’s just get this out now–you are NOT to be eating for two. That is a myth and leads to more harm than good. Focus on whole, nutrient dense foods. Everything you put in your mouth, baby gets too.

So, think about how you want your baby to start their little life. And by eating a rainbow of colors, avoiding processed foods and inflammatory oils, toxins sprayed on foods (buy organic anytime you can), refusing to eat out of plastic containers (especially when heated)–are all  easy ways to help your child immensely.

The OB I trained with always said–“babies only need water, protein, and oxygen.” So, focus on getting enough protein, drinking plenty of water with minerals and electrolytes, and breathing (please don’t stop this one ;), and you’re doing great! 

Now odds are you might not feel so great the first trimester. So, eating healthy can be more of a challenge. Even on those hard days, aim to make small choices with big impact. Example, have a couple spoonfuls of ice cream, not the entire tub. Eat the chocolate square, not the entire bar. If you can’t stand the smell or thought of protein, opt for our high quality protein shakes instead! Blend in some fruits and veggies and that’s a much better option than binging on carbs. 

Continue to focus on sleep. You need the rest and so does your body. Getting adequate sleep is a must during pregnancy. And once the third trimester hits, you might have issues getting comfortable at night so enjoy the sleep now (and before you have a hungry newborn all night long.)

Move. And ideally, daily. This doesn’t have to be a fancy workout program, although that is safe to continue if you were doing it before you got pregnant. But do something daily to move. The studies on the impact of exercise and the resulting health of you and baby are pretty incredible! Go for a walk. Do some prenatal yoga. Lift weights, light ones if this is new to you. Bike rides. Or even simple stretching. 

Make sure the appropriate blood tests are run to evaluate how your thyroid and hormones are functioning early on. This is a really important step! Miscarriages can sometimes be avoided thanks to a simple tweak of your thyroid or other hormones. Thyroid hormone needs go up 30% in pregnancy alone! 

Be sure you continue to have bowel movements! We don’t want those toxins to accumulate. Magnesium needs in pregnancy goes up drastically! So if you aren’t taking it, start. And if you are, increase your dose! This will also prevent headaches/migraines, ease muscle aches, keep you calm, and support your placenta. 

Take a high quality prenatal–one WITHOUT folic acid. Please check your labels. We have yet to find an OTC prenatal with the correct form. We carry a couple options at our office that we all have used personally and with our patients with great success! We have additional supplements I’d highly recommend–one being a phospholipid complex. This protects your cell membranes that you are giving to baby, eases nausea, and studies show it can prevent neurologic issues in baby! Omegas are also important, along with choline to help brain development. We also have safe alternatives for headaches/pain versus tylenol. Give us a call at 308-390-2663 or stop in to learn more!

Don’t forget to get excited! Your body has a big task by growing and nurturing that sweet baby. Honor it. Show it some love and appreciation. Continue positive thinking and visualize your child growing and thriving. Practice stress reducing techniques like box breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, cold showers, grounding, and more to help balance your nervous system, which in turn directly impacts the HPA axis of baby. 

We LOVE our pregnant mommas and babies around here. So if you’re curious to learn more, please reach out. We’d be happy to set up a time to chat!