After miscarrying our first baby back in September, Marc & I mutually agreed that we wanted to keep our pregnancy under wraps for as long as possible this time around. And despite being over-the-moon that we conceived again so quickly, we've been on tenterhooks since the moment we found out we were pregnant again. Experiencing a miscarriage was completely traumatic for us both, but thankfully, we are now 21 weeks pregnant with our beautiful little rainbow baby.
And guess what? I've got a proper baby bump! My bump didn't begin to show at all until the 17th week or so, but now, it's there for all to see...which is crazy and amazing all at the same time. But I'll be honest, as much as I am embracing my ever-changing body, I am still very mindful of what I eat and how much I move.
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| Baby Mitchell is due on 2nd August - and we're delighted to be having a beautiful little boy! |
I’ve always been very conscious of how I look, and I’ve always been very open and honest about my difficult relationship with food. As a teenager, I was completely obsessed with my weight and I would deny myself anything that I felt could make me fat or gain a few pounds. Fortunately, as I’ve moved into adulthood and I’ve learned more about health & nutrition, I now have a much healthier relationship with food and with my body, which is a good job, as I now have no choice but to accept that my figure is indeed going to change.
The only thing that I am conscious of at this point is that I don’t want to gain an unnecessary amount of weight, just because I am pregnant. Instead, I want to gain weight slowly, steadily and most importantly of all, healthily. Sure, there have been days (and will continue to be days, I’m sure) when I want to indulge on jaffa cakes and other sweet treats, but ultimately, I’m determined to maintain a balanced diet and healthy weight - which is an aim I no doubt share with a lot of other expectant mothers.
So, how do you maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy? And how do you stay slim during pregnancy? I’m going to talk about this in this blog post.
Avoid Refined Sugar
We’re constantly being reminded about the fact that sugar is the enemy, but when your pregnant body is craving sweets, chocolate and ice cream, that ‘enemy’ is sometimes the only thing that feels like a friend. My cravings with this pregnancy haven’t been extreme, but some days, I just haven’t been able to resist my need for chocolate - which does make me worry a little about the baby’s health, and my own. Naturally, I don’t want my baby to develop some kind of sugar addiction, and equally, I don’t want to be piling on the pounds for no good reason.
So, with this in mind, I’ve been attempting to curb my craving for all things sweet by substituting naughty treats like Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and Cadbury’s Chocolate Buttons for natural alternatives like red grapes and strawberries. And so far, it’s working pretty well. As a proper treat, I’ll chop up strawberries and serve will natural greek yoghurt, honey and flaked almonds. This perfect pud instantly cures my hunger & satisfies my sweet tooth at the same time. Winner!
Another great way to keep the calories at bay is to make your own refined sugar-free treats in advance. You can make all sorts of delicious cakes and bakes using absolutely zero sugar these days - you just need some good recipes to hand.
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| Double chocolate chip cookies |
Get Plenty of Gentle Exercise
Heavy lifting and over-strenuous physical activity is obviously a huge no-no in pregnancy, but gentle exercise is good for both you and your little baby, so don’t be afraid to stretch your legs and get outside for a bit.
After falling pregnant just a month after miscarrying, I was adamant that I’d do nothing but sit back and relax for the full term of my second pregnancy, but having done plenty of research on this, I now know that this isn’t necessary. In fact, by sitting down constantly, all you’re actually doing is contributing to a sore, squashed back, and getting unfit. Exercise during pregnancy is perfectly healthy, so be sure to enjoy nice walks out with friends, family and the dog - and maybe even look into some pregnancy-safe yoga workouts.
Focus On Maintaining a Well-Balanced Diet
Like most other pregnant women, my first trimester has attracted me to ‘beige foods’ - bread and pasta etc. And whilst there’s no shame at all in giving in to those needs, attempting to incorporate fruits, vegetables and protein from lean meat & fish will most certainly benefit you and your baby. I’ve found that some things I used to enjoy, I just can’t stomach in the same way at the moment, but there are still plenty of healthy foods that I do enjoy, so I make a conscious effort to incorporate these into my daily diet.
Drink Water - And Lots Of It!
Glugging on H20 is super important even when you aren’t pregnant, but when you are expecting a little one, it’s even more vital that you stay hydrated, so be sure to keep drinking water!
A lot of the time, we mistake being thirsty for being hungry, so if you ensure that you’re completely hydrated whilst pregnant, you’ll be able to know definitely when you are/aren’t hungry. This should help prevent you from overeating, which in return, will make for a much healthier pregnancy. There’s nothing wrong with gaining weight during pregnancy - everyone is different - but this shouldn’t be to the detriment of your own health.
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| Water with mint & lime |
As I’ve already said, it’s so important to remember that as individuals, our bodies respond differently to being pregnant, and whilst some people spring back into shape after having their little one, for others, this can take a very long time a lot of commitment. Ultimately, there is no right and wrong way to be pregnant, and if you really want something, then you should have it! The purpose of this blog post is simply to share some top tips on how you can maintain a healthy weight in spite of being pregnant.
I really hope you all enjoyed this post & wish you all a very healthy and happy pregnancy.
Lots of love,
Grace x
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