Self care during pregnancy and in the fourth trimester
Self care during pregnancy isn't a luxury.
Have you ever had a time in your life when you were so worn out and burned out that you took a break for a while? Like, as in needing to call in sick for a few days....Or having such debilitating exhaustion or depression that you needed to take a disability leave of absence for a month or more?
I've heard many such life stories in my time as a therapist. I myself suffered from debilitating depression three times in my life, getting so overwhelmed and so depressed that I was physically ill...I know that self care is not a luxury. Listening to your body and to your inner self is important.
Pregnancy is a time of great physical and emotional change. Taking care of yourself is not a luxury, but a must!
There are many facets to self-care. You can care for your emotional well-being by:
managing your self-talk (very important!)
taking breaks
periodically moving and stretching
processing your emotions by journaling or with a friend
taking the step of talking to a therapist
practicing mindfulness
and yes, nutrition influences your emotions.
The new field of nutrition psychology acknowledge the intersection between mood and food. You can do your best to maintain good physical and mental health by eating a manageable, moderate diet. The Mayo Clinic has a comprehensive list of healthy food and choices here.
To supplement your nutrition during pregnancy and in the fourth trimester, making smoothies is a great healthy habit. Think of eating well as self-care. Eating a nutritionally dense diet supports your health on many levels. Smoothies are a great way to pack alot of nutrition into one tasty smoothie a day! Get creative in your choices and keep up your protein, vitamin and trace mineral intake that you and your baby need to maintain and grow! Some nutrient superstars are below:
Leafy greens such as spinach and kale are are high in fiber yet low in calories. They are nutrient superstars! Leafy greens contain vitamins A, C, and K. Leafy greens contain trace minerals including folate, iron and calcium. The trace minerals are very important for your own health and your baby's health. Anemia can be common during pregnancy and iron helps prevent anemia. Calcium builds bones. Folate prevents birth defects of the brain and spine. Leafy greens are low in calories and high in fiber.
Nuts and seeds are also excellent additions to a smoothie, as they are nutrients dense and nutrient superstars! Flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts all add depth to the flavor profile. Nuts and seeds are rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and other trace nutrients, such as Vitamin E, magnesium and calcium.
Coconut oil is a superstar because of its molecular constituents! Coconut oil can help the nursing mom and baby by increasing immunity. This is because organic virgin coconut oil consists of about 50% lauric acid. The only other place on earth that lauric acid is found naturally occurring in such a high percentage is in human breast-milk. Cow’s milk and goat’s milk contain about 3% lauric acid. Just by eating 3 tablespoons of coconut oil in one meal, a nursing mom increases the amount of lauric acid in her breastmilk threefold for 1-3 days. The greatest percentage increase is in the first 10 hours.
Below are just three smoothie recipes suitable for pregnancy and the fourth trimester.
If you'd like a free e-book with over 20 recipes for smoothies and teas for pregnancy and the fourth trimester, sign up here!
1. Berry Walnut Flax Seed Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 frozen banana
1/4 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1/2 cup plant milk (almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk)
Add some ice for some froth, if you prefer
Instructions:
Combine all of your prepared ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth
Add in more of your plant based milk to your liking
Enjoy your delicious smoothie!
2. Spinach Oatmeal smoothie
Ingredients:
1 cup spinach
1 banana
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1 cup plant milk, such as oat milk or almond milk
1/2 cup of cow or goat milk yogurt
1 tsp ground flax seeds
Instructions:
Combine your prepared ingredients in a blender; then blend them until you get a smooth mixture.
This might be a bit thick because of the cooked oatmeal. You can eat it like a bowl and add more future and nuts on top or you can thin the smoothie out as needed with your chosen plant milk.
Enjoy your delicious smoothie!
3. Cocoa banana peanut butter smoothie
Ingredients:
1 banana
1/2 cup plant milk (almond, oat milk or coconut milk) - your choice!
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp honey (optional)
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
Instructions:
Combine your prepared ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth
Add in more of your plant milk to your liking
Enjoy your delicious smoothie!
For a whole ebook of smoothies and teas to support your well-being during pregnancy, breastfeeding and the fourth trimester, download the Perinatal Smoothies and Teas: Self care for Pregnancy and the Fourth Trimester today!