Real health tips for real people
Iron is a very important trace mineral because it is found in every cell of the body and essential to the development and growth of babies. However, an iron deficiency is a common problem for many women during pregnancy.
Iron requirements can more than double in order to help build new red blood cells for both mom and baby. Unfortunately, pregnant or lactating women, infants and vegetarians are among those most at risk for having low iron.
Exactly one year ago today I found out that I was pregnant. As I’ve shared, my pregnancy came as a bit of a surprise to me. Not feeling as though I was mommy material, in combination with the never ending “what if” thoughts and all the changes that were suddenly happening to my body shot my stress levels off the chart.
When I found out I was pregnant I was in school full time, working full time and one week later my grandmother passed away. Needless to say I was faced with a lot of emotions and was having trouble trying to cope. Was I actually ready to have a baby? How do you know if you are ready to be a mom?
When I found out I was pregnant I had the great idea that I would start a blog to write about my pregnancy and my adventures into motherhood focusing on holistic health. The problem was, as I shared in my “first” post, I never truly felt like I was mom material.
When I was pregnant and scared sh*tless complete strangers would come up to me and ask, when I was due, if I knew if it was going to be a girl or boy and if it was my first. Whenever I said “yes it’s my first” they ALL got this look in their eyes and smile on their face, as if they knew a secret that I didn’t. Now I know the secret.
I have never been the type of person that looks forward all week to sleeping in on the weekend or been one to take regular naps. Then I became pregnant and sleep somehow became my favourite pass time.
In fact, it’s so bad that my new idea of a fun Friday night is being in bed by 8:00. Feeling fatigued or even extremely exhausted is totally normal and experienced by most at some point during (or throughout) pregnancy. A combination of hormonal changes, the emotional ups and downs we face and the massive amount of energy that goes into building our baby often leaves even the most energetic needing a bit more sleep than usual. So what can you do to make your slumber more successful?
We all know exercise is a great way to stay fit and healthy during pregnancy and as I mentioned here I have found that it drastically helped me cope with my nausea and moodiness throughout my pregnancy. I also know how easy it is to make “excuses” or talk yourself out of going to the gym or engaging is some form of exercise when there are days it’s a struggle to get out of bed.