Pregnant Women Need Twice As Much Of This Nutrient—Why Didn’t I Know About This?

I remember the day I found out I was pregnant with my first child. I had an appointment to get my hair colored that afternoon. I knew I could potentially be pregnant since we had just started trying, so I decided I should take a pregnancy test prior to going to the appointment since you're not supposed to get your hair colored during the first trimester. I hadn’t felt any symptoms yet, so was almost certain I was not pregnant.

I learned that I should avoid unpasteurized dairy, deli meat and undercooked meat, eggs and fish, and to limit my caffeine intake. I made the decision to follow the rules pretty strictly and even gave up my daily cup of coffee. I decided that even though doctors say a cup of coffee per day is totally fine, I figured I just didn't need it.

More than fixating on what I shouldn't be eating or doing, I wanted to know what I should be eating to ensure optimal health and nutrition for myself and my baby. I made sure my diet was rich in fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meat, organic chicken, wild-caught fish, lots of healthy fats like avocado, nuts and olive oil, and good carbohydrates.

I also did not obsess over the number on the scale. I knew that I was eating clean and healthy and that my body would do what it needed to do in order to have a healthy pregnancy. I learned to really tune into my body, eat mindfully and any time I felt truly hungry I ate whatever I was craving. But made sure it was REAL food—nothing artificial or processed.

Getting enough iron can prevent a condition of too few red blood cells that can make you feel tired—called iron deficiency anemia. I always had a good amount of energy prior to getting pregnant. But pregnancy totally wiped me out and I couldn't make it past 1 p.m. without needing to take a nap. This wasn't just a power nap. I would take a two-hour nap every day and still pass out no later than 10pm every night. I was so thankful that I worked from home at the time, so I was able to nap when needed. People told me the exhaustion would wear off after the first trimester, but that wasn't the case for me. I was still very tired and had no energy into the second trimester.