Prenatal Nutrition: Top 5 Tips For Your Healthiest Pregnancy

Aug 5

Pregnancy can be such an exciting time, but it can also be a time full of unknowns, especially when it comes to nutrition.

You probably already know that "eating for two" is outdated nutrition advice, but beyond that, it can be hard to know what to prioritize to best nourish yourself and your growing baby and how to up your prenatal nutrition. You already have so much on your mind, from picking out the safest car seat to the perfect name for your little one, so take away some of the mental load of figuring out what to prioritize and start with these top 5 tips to optimize your nutrition when pregnant.

1. Add in nutrient-dense whole foods where possible

Your cravings may be running the show at certain times (midnight ice cream, anyone?), and it can be easy to start worrying about how it is impacting your health or whether you should try to cut these habits out.

Instead, try to focus on what you can add-in to provide important nutrients. If you feel you need that extra-cheesy pizza, think about eating a mixed green salad first. Or fill your bowl with fresh berries before adding your scoop of ice cream.

The more color the better, too! Adding in a variety of colorful foods like blueberries, butternut squash, broccoli and bell pepper throughout your day or week will easily up your micronutrient and polyphenol input.

If you work to prioritize adding nutrient-dense whole foods whenever possible, chances are you will end up eating much less of the less-wholesome options without any of the guilt or stress.

2. Support your gut microbiome

You've heard me say it before and I'll say it again—holistic wellness starts in the gut.

Your gut microbiome, or the diverse population of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms living in your digestive tract, is connected to so many processes in the body, impacting immunity, mood and hormone health, just to name a few.

The food you eat is the single biggest input that impacts your gut diversity, and a higher diversity of bacteria is associated with better health markers. Your microbiome effects not only your health, but if you deliver vaginally, it is the basis for your baby's microbiome as well.

To best support it, try to add in prebiotic foods like onions, asparagus and beans that feed your good gut bacteria, and fermented foods like kefir and sauerkraut that add in a beneficial bacteria and their metabolites.

Different bacteria thrive on different plants, so try to aim for variety throughout your week to boost the diversity of bacteria in your gut. And don't forget the spices! Adding flavor in the form of spices like coriander, cinnamon and cumin can have significant impacts on your microbiome including increasing bifidobacteria, the super important main colonizer of the infant microbiome.

3. Balance your blood sugar

This one is so important even for those who do not have gestational diabetes. You can add in all the best foods for optimal prenatal nutrition, but if you aren’t eating them in the right way to balance your blood sugar, you could run into issues.

Pregnancy naturally puts the body into a state of insulin resistance as a way to provide sufficient energy from glucose to your growing baby. However, when coupled with a diet that is not optimized to balance blood sugar, blood sugar can rise and fall rapidly, leading to short-term and long term consequences such as hypoglycemia and increased risk of Type II diabetes for baby.

To best balance blood sugar in pregnancy, try to eat small meals no more than three hours apart and always eat your carbohydrates with protein and healthy fat. This looks like toast with nut butter or a small piece of fruit with a handful of walnuts. This is especially important in the morning.

The order you eat food also impacts blood sugar, so eating your protein, fats and non-starchy veggies before carbohydrates can lead to less-pronounced blood sugar spikes.

Moderate exercise and stress management is also important for balancing blood sugars. One of the best ways to get this in is take a walk outside after a meal. This will not only provide a great exercise and help regulate post-meal blood sugar levels, but the regular exposure to nature and fresh air will do wonders for your mental well-being, helping to lower the stress hormone cortisol, which impacts insulin levels and blood sugar as well.

4. Choose the right prenatal

Focusing your prenatal nutrition efforts on adding in whole foods whenever possible will help provide key nutrients that help to grow your baby's organs, bones, and tissues. But even if you eat an incredibly nutrient dense diet, a prenatal vitamin is a key addition to your routine to ensure both you and your baby are getting everything needed.

The shelf is crowded and it can be hard to know which one to choose. The best prenatal is one that includes the key nutrients for mother and baby in the most bioavailable forms. Important ingredients include Vitamin A, B vitamins including B12 and Folate, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Choline, Iodine, Iron and Zinc. Look for a prenatal that includes methylated folate instead of folic acid because up to 60% of the population contains some form of a gene mutation that doesn't allow for optimal conversion of folic acid to the usable form methylfolate. This is also true for vitamin B12. This will typically read as L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (and methylcobalamin in the case of B12) on the label.

I love the Megafood Baby and Me 2 prenatal, which you can find at a discount in my supplement storefront here (This is not a sponsored post, I just love their products!)

Magnesium, calcium and DHA are also incredibly important nutrients, but often aren't found in sufficient quantities in prenatals, so getting these nutrients from your food or a separate supplement is key.

5. Stay hydrated

pregnant woman drinking to stay hydrated for healthiest pregnancy — photo credit: Cottonbro Studios

Many pregnant women find their blood pressure dips and they become lightheaded, likely due to the increasing blood volume to meet baby's needs. Staying hydrated is absolutely essential to maintain adequate fluid levels such as blood and amniotic fluid critical for your pregnancy.

You want to aim for 8-12 cups of water or non-sweetened beverages per day (e.g., tea, bone broth or naturally flavored sparkling water). But hydration isn't just about water. Having the right electrolyte balance is key. A pinch of salt to your water can increase hydration if you are often feeling lightheaded.

Some fear salt as it has been linked to high blood pressure; however, there is not sufficient evidence that limiting salt in pregnancy is helpful in reducing risk of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia. So feel free to season your food to taste with natural sources such as sea or himalayan salt.

Final Thoughts

Navigating pregnancy can feel like embarking on a grand adventure, full of both exhilarating highs and a few challenging twists. While the journey might seem overwhelming at times, especially when it comes to your diet, don’t worry—you're not alone! The good news is, by focusing on these top 5 prenatal nutrition tips, you’re not just fueling your body but also setting up a thriving start for your little one.

Remember, it’s not about perfection but rather about making thoughtful choices that help you feel your best. Adding nutrient-dense foods, supporting your gut, balancing blood sugar, choosing the right prenatal, and staying hydrated are all steps that will pave the way for a healthier pregnancy journey. And hey, don’t forget to savor the process and embrace those cravings with a sprinkle of healthy additions!

Now that you have these simple tweaks to your routine up your sleeve, you can rest easy knowing you are doing the absolute best for you and your baby. So yeah—go ahead and take that nap you were thinking about. You deserve it.

Interested in working together to optimize your pregnancy nutrition or prepare for postpartum? I’d love to support you! Book your 15-min complimentary consult here.

Allison Gregg MS, CNC

Certified Nutrition Consultant specifically trained in nutrition for fertility, pregnancy, postpartum and baby’s first 1000 days.

I also hold a Masters degree in biology with an emphasis in microbiology and have expertise in the gut microbiome, probiotics and food safety.

I started Flora & Fauna Nutrition to provide critical gut health and nutrition information to give babies the absolute best foundation and to help mothers not only recover—but thrive—to be able to feel their best for themselves, their families and their community.