You are what you eat.  Well this is true for your unborn baby.  What you eat is what your baby will eat. Now more than ever it is so important to get the proper nutrition.  You may want to eat for two but put the breaks on and remember you only need an extra 300-500 calories a day for your growing baby.  You may want to throw caution to the wind and indulge in everything you NEVER eat but your pregnancy is NOT the time for careless eating.  Did you know that poor food choices can mean unnecessary pounds for you and leave your baby malnourished?

Here are 10 Tips for eating right During your pregnancy.

1.)Don't Skip Breakfast:  You've been asleep for several hours, which means you haven't given your body or your baby fuel in a lengthy period of time.  Your baby needs the nutrients and so do you.  Aim for  a combination of whole grain carbohydrates, healthy fats and lean protein.  A good example would be: An Egg, a piece of whole wheat toast with a little bit of butter and a glass of milk.

2.)Eat 5-6 Small Meals A Day:  As your belly grows you will get full faster and off of less food.  So you will need to eat more often to get enough calories for you and your growing baby.  Try eating 3 small meals and 2 snacks.

3.)Eat a Variety of Foods: During pregnancy you may have times where you can only stomach a few things or where you are only craving 1 type of food.  This is normal and cant really be avoided, but when you are feeling good try to eat a variety of foods.  Chicken, fish and lean red meat as well as many different fruits and veggies.  This will help you get ALL of the vitamins and minerals that you and the baby need. 

4.)Avoid The Unsafe Foods: This one shouldn't be to hard as long as you know what the unsafe foods are.  Raw fish is a nono, also avoid fish high in mercury like swordfish, tile-fish, and albacore tuna.  Deli meet should be heated (until it steams) and you should also avoid any unpasturized food.

5.)Water Water Water: Its very important to stay hydrated when you are pregnancy.  Dehydration can cause preterm labor.  Carry a bottle of water with you at all times,  If you are exercising try to have 6-8oz of water for every 15 min of exercise that you do.

6.)Don't Diet:  Weight gain during pregnancy is inevitable. This is not the time to cut calories.  All though you don't want to overindulge, restricting calories is not good either. An average weight gain should be between 25 and 35 pounds.

7.)Get Your Fiber:  Eating fiber is important to "keep things moving" during pregnancy.  Progesterone relaxes your stomach muscles, slowing digestion, fiber helps to start things flowing again.  Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

8.)Get Your Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium which is very important for women ingeneral but even more so during pregnancy.  The baby needs calcium for it's growing bones, if you're not getting enough the baby will take it from your bones.  This can lead to osteoporosis for mom later on.  Good sources of vitamin D include dairy, prenatal vitamins and the sun.

9.)Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Babies born to moms who ate plenty of Omega-3 Fatty Acids during there third trimester have better visual, cognitive and moor development compared to those born to moms who didn't eat enough Omega-3s.

Salmon, flax seeds and walnuts are excellent food sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
 
10.)Don't Eat Empty Calories:  Desert is ok during pregnancy and of course there will be times when you are CRAVING the junk but remember everything in moderation.

Stick to these 10 Tips and you and your baby will be on track to a healthy life together.  Best of luck on your journey.

Pregnancyis all about the belly bump.  So dont' leave it out when you exercise.  Here are the 5 best ab moves for the expectant mom.  These moves keep your tummy tight during pregnancy and give you a head start to regaining your abs post-pregnancy. 

Move 1: The Standing Crunch
To do the standing Crunch start, in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart, draw your bellybutton into your spine, tuck your pelvis slightly and bring the fingertips to your ears.

Crunch forward and squeeze your abdominal muscles (just like you would do if you were lying on your back) Try doing 15-20 at a time.

Move 2: The Standing Bicycle
To do the standing bicycle, take the same position listed in the standing crunch.  As you crunch forward lift your right knee toward your chest and twist so that your left elbow comes to the right knee. 

Replace the foot and return to the starting position, then raise the left knee and twist to bring the right elbow toward the left knee.  Repeat 10-20 times

*Here is the youtube link to see me demonstrate how to do the standing crunch and the bicycle crunch.
http://www.youtube.com/user/modernmom#p/u/38/lejuCLDqfW4

Move 3: Standing Toe Touches
Start in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart, bellybutton pulled in to your spine and your pelvis slight tucked under you.  Raise both arms straight above your head.

Bend foreword at your waist letting your chest and arms come forward, as you bend raise your right leg straight up in front of you. Return your leg to the ground and bring your arms back up in the air. Repeat lifting the left leg.  Alternate 10-20 times.

Move 4: The Plank
To do a plank start on your hands and knees.  Put your forearms on the ground directly below your shoulders, raise up onto your toes so that your body is in a long flat line.  Be sure to draw your bellybutton into your spine and squeeze your booty at the same time.  Hold the position for 10-60 seconds. 

If you have any discomfort in your lower back you can do this with your knees on the ground. 

*Here is the link to ModernMom on youtube where you can see Brooke and I demonstrate how to do a plank.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz0oFaVGuh4

Move 5: Sitting abdominal Crunch
To do a sitting abdominal crunch, sit on a comfortable, soft service, start with both knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.  Place your hands directly behind you with your fingertips facing your booty.  Extend your right leg out straight, and draw in your abdominal muscles.

Crunch forward and bend your right knee bringing it into your chest. Then lean back slightly and extend the right leg back out in front of you.  Again, crunch forward and pull the knee in, then return to the starting position.  Repeat 10-20 times with each leg.

*Here is a link to watch me demonstrate a sitting abdominal crunch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcezafqXLVo

All off these abdominal exercises are safe to do throughout your ENTIRE pregnancy.  They will keep your abdominal muscles strong and assist you during delivery.  It will also make your recovery a little easier. 

Please make sure you have your doctors consent before beginning this or any other exercise program.

Finding out you're pregnant is probably one of the most exciting and scary moments of your life.  Whether you have been trying or it is a total surprise, your whole world is about to be turned up-side-down.  Starting with your body.

Before you know it morning sickness will set in, your desire to eat large amounts of carbs will be overwhelming and the exhaustion that you feel will probably be like nothing you have ever felt before.  With all of these changes happening your motivation to workout may go right out the window.

Now is not the time to lose that focus that got you to the gym every day.  We all know how exercise benefits us personally but what a lot of us don't know is how exercise benefits your growing baby. 

3 reasons to exercise that benefit your baby more than you.

1. Exercising a minimum of 3 times per week at a moderate intensity enhances fetoplacental growth.  That mean the placenta grows faster so more blood and nutrients can cross the placenta to your growing baby.  This faster growth rate means baby's born to exercising moms have a higher birth weight.

2.Babies born to exercising mothers have higher APGAR Scores. The APGAR score is a test done at 1 and 5 minutes after birth to determine if there are any immediate problems with the infant.  The areas tested are...
           -Activity (muscle tone)
           -Pulse (heart rate)
           -Grimace (Response stimulation or Reflex irritability
           -Appearance (skin tone)
           -Respiration (breathing)
The scale ranges from 0-2, 7-10 being normal, 4-7 may require additional medical care and below 3 necessitates immediate medical attention.

3.Studies show babies born to exercising mothers are more relaxed during labor and adapt more readily to life on the outside....enough said.

You can start with something as easy as taking a brisk walk in the early stages of pregnancy and work your way up to other activities as your energy improves and the nausea fades away.  Either way you will feel good and be proud that you did something for you and your baby.

Our mental state is just as important to our overall health as our physical state.  As a mom it's hard to find time to take care of yourself, and even harder if you are a FIRST-TIME mom.  Start practicing now and make a habit of taking just 15 minutes a day to relax your mind as well as your body. 

Here are a few ideas:
-Power Nap

-Sit quietly and practice your breathing before you go to bed

-Get up 15 minutes earlier than the rest of the house and enjoy a hot cup of tea in the quiet.

-Soak your feet in a warm foot scrub while listening to relaxing music

-Go for a walk alone, and without your phone:)

These are just a few examples, you can do whatever is relaxing for YOU!  This is going to rejuvenate you on those long days, it will help you to find patience when you think you have none left.  Taking time for you will allow you to be a better wife, a better mom, a better employee or employer.  When we feel good it shows in everything we do.  When the stress takes over it's almost impossible to give anything your best.

Share your favorite relaxation ideas with us.