6 Tips for Having a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy

You found out you’re pregnant! Congratulations! You might be thinking about all the exciting things in your future, along with everything you need to do to prepare for your little one.

Having helped hundreds of couples during their pregnancy, birth, and postpartum periods, I have some tips to help you care for yourself during pregnancy and prepare for your baby’s arrival. Here we go!

How to Have a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy

Growing a baby is a big job, and these simple, supportive tips can help you feel healthier, more comfortable, and more confident throughout your pregnancy.

1. Eat a Balanced Diet

A balanced diet helps provide the nutrients you and your growing baby need.⁷

Many women hear that once you’re pregnant, you are now “eating for two.” This phrase is often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean you should eat enough food to feed two people. Instead, focus on getting the nutrients you and your baby need through a variety of foods, including vegetables, fruit, whole grains, protein foods, and dairy or suitable alternatives.⁷

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the first trimester generally does not require extra calories.⁴ Typical needs increase by about 340 calories per day in the second trimester and about 450 calories per day in the third trimester.⁴

Your needs may differ, so speak with your doctor or midwife about what is best for you and your baby.⁴

Okay, don’t think I’m the diet police over here! Everybody who knows me knows that I LOVE sweets and am all about celebrating this time in your life. There can still be room for some ice cream or truffle fries (yum!) alongside the foods that help meet your nutritional needs.⁷

Pregnancy hormones can make it harder for your body to regulate blood sugar. There are several risk factors for gestational diabetes, and developing it doesn’t mean you ate too many sweets.¹ When blood sugar is not well controlled, a baby may grow larger than expected, which can increase the chance of birth complications.¹

Cephalopelvic disproportion means a baby’s head or body cannot fit through the mother’s pelvis.² Your care team can discuss concerns about your baby’s growth and what they may mean for birth.

Take a daily prenatal vitamin, and ask your doctor or midwife which one fits your needs.⁷

Helpful resources:

• The 25 Best Foods To Eat While Pregnant
• Healthy and Delicious First Trimester Recipes
• Healthy and Nutritious Second Trimester Recipes
• Healthy and High Energy Third Trimester Recipes
• 22 Pregnancy Snacks to Keep in Your Purse
• Decoding Pregnancy Cravings and What They Mean

2. Exercise

Talk with your doctor or midwife about exercise during your pregnancy. If you have the go-ahead to be active, movement can help with some common discomforts.^5,6 Benefits include:

• It can improve circulation and help reduce swelling and constipation.⁵
• It can help ease back pain during pregnancy.⁶

Through my work with numerous women during their pregnancies, I have seen that women who exercise more frequently experience fewer complaints of discomfort throughout their pregnancy than those who do not exercise. That does not mean exercise guarantees an easier or faster birth. Follow your care team’s guidance about what activity is appropriate for you.

Walking and swimming are options to discuss with your care team.⁵ Drink plenty of water, and avoid strenuous exercise in hot weather.¹⁰

3. Rest Your Body and Mind

Your body is working hard. Give yourself permission to rest.

Don’t feel guilty about needing a nap during the day or taking a rest. I know this can be hard when you’re working, but on the weekends, do your best!

Growing a baby is hard work and requires more rest!

4. Pamper Yourself

Taking time for your comfort matters, too.

Your body is growing, and things are moving around to make room for your baby. Some services that I recommend to my clients are prenatal massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic care.

Ask your doctor or midwife whether any of these approaches are appropriate for your symptoms, and choose a qualified practitioner with experience caring for pregnant clients.⁸ Massage may help you cope with pain during labor, though the research is limited.³

If your budget is tight and you’re worried you can’t sign up for these services, ask your partner to give you a well-deserved massage. Check with your care team first about any precautions.⁸ This can also give you and your partner a chance to practice the touch and pressure you find comfortable before labor.

Related: How and Why Your Body Changes During Pregnancy

5. Learn About Your Birth Options

The great Diana Korte and Roberta Scaer (authors of A Good Birth, A Safe Birth) said, “If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any.” That is so true. This is your body, your baby, your pregnancy, and YOUR baby’s birth. You deserve to understand your options and have a say in your care, even when plans need to change.

There are so many different childbirth classes that you can take:

• Lamaze
• ICEA
• SOAR Birth Course (my childbirth class!)
• The Bradley Method
• Hypnobabies
• Hypnobirthing
• Birth Boot Camp
• Birthing from Within

Choose a class that fits your needs and helps you and your partner prepare for the big day! Knowing what to expect can make it less scary and intimidating, which can help alleviate many of those anxious and nervous feelings.

6. Listen to Your Body and Speak Up

Your concerns deserve to be heard.

I’m sure you have already received some unsolicited advice from almost everyone by now. They will tell you what they think you should and shouldn’t do, sometimes before you’ve even asked! Advice from friends and family can be helpful, but what may have been beneficial for them may not work for you. Remember that. Give yourself room to decide which suggestions fit your life, and bring health questions to your doctor or midwife.

If something feels wrong, contact your care team. Seek immediate medical care for urgent warning signs such as chest pain, trouble breathing, a severe headache that won’t go away, or your baby moving less than usual.⁹

Pregnancy looks different for everyone. You don’t have to feel happy every day or do everything perfectly. I hope these tips help you make time for yourself as you get ready to meet your little one.