Being pregnant is a truly magical time. Feeling your baby move and kick as they grow steadily inside of you is absolutely the most amazing feeling ever! While growing a baby is truly a miracle, the effects on the mom’s body can sometimes be less than desirable. From nausea, sleeplessness, headaches, and back pain, all of which can come and go throughout the entirety of the nine months. Having recently been pregnant myself, I am all too familiar with these oh so unpleasant symptoms.
It’s easy to fall into the convenience of doing what is easy in the moment like eating unhealthy foods or taking painkillers for back pain. In the long run, however, if you take the time to eat well, connect with your baby, relieve stress, and keep your spine healthy you will have a much happier pregnancy.
Here are my five tips to a happier and healthier pregnancy:
- Eat plenty of organic fruits and vegetables. Eat the rainbow as they say (not skittles… those don’t count.) Eating lots of fruits and vegetables of all colors helps to ensure that you and your baby get all of the nutrients that you need. Yes, I am including YOU in this too! When people talk about nutrition during pregnancy they always talk about the baby. But it is incredibly important that you eat well in order to keep your energy high and reduce the chance of having diet related complications such as gestational diabetes or high blood pressure.
- Talk or sing to your baby. Deepening your bond with your baby by talking or singing to them will help you to have that pregnancy glow that everyone talks about. The bond between a mother and her unborn child is incredibly special and the joy that you feel will radiate out of you.
- Make walking a priority. I know it can sometimes be hard to feel the motivation to get moving, especially when you feel HUGE! But it can really help battle some of the most frustrating pregnancy symptoms. Believe it or not, it will give you a boost of energy from the endorphins, the vitamin D will help boost your immune system (because the last thing you want to do when you are pregnant is get sick), and it will help to minimize the swelling in your feet and ankles.
- Take time to yourself every day. Trust me when I say that as soon as your baby gets here, time to yourself will become nonexistent. Take 5-10 minutes, at a minimum, per day to be alone and do a guided meditation. YouTube has amazing meditations that can help you with whatever is overwhelming you in the moment. There’s a seemingly infinite amount of guided meditations for having a healthy pregnancy, easy labor, and for general relaxation. A relaxed mama is a happy mama!
- Get your spine checked by a chiropractor. All of the above tips are wonderful, but if you are battling back pain or headaches due to your constantly changing body, all of your daily tasks become so much harder. I know I am biased because I am a chiropractor – but I really don’t know how I would have made it through my pregnancy without getting adjusted every few weeks. Relieving the pain helped me to feel ready to take on whatever my body or my baby could throw at me.
If you are pregnant and are struggling with back pain, please don’t hesitate to call me and schedule a 15-minute complimentary consultation. I would be happy to tell you if there is anything I can do to help alleviate your pain and help your body function at a better level. It is never too early or too late in your pregnancy to get checked!
Dr. Kristin Moore, DC is a prenatal and pediatric chiropractor at Align Healing Center in Danville, CA. She offers a complimentary 15-minute consultation to the readers of ALIVE magazine. Call Dr. Kristin at (925) 362-8283 to schedule your appointment.
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