Wait, now I have to eat what? Vitamins,.. exercise, and what are amino acids?  These are just a few things I’ve encountered as a new wife of a fitness trainer and a new mother of a “Jenna”, or as others may refer to as my 4 month old, who both drive me crazy.
 
It’s funny how after you get the family of your dreams, time slips through your fingers like melting ice-cream. So quite naturally, keeping up with your routine is basically a race.  To explain this in better detail, its best to go to the beginning.
 
It was a joke I wanted to play on my fiancé one night before going out for drinks. “I’ll just teach him a lesson on readiness” I told myself.  If he wants to get married we have to be READY!  But I was the one in shock as the little red line appeared more and more resolute.  “I’m pregnant” I mumbled to him over the phone.  “No you’re not he said in disbelief.  After a doctor visit my whole world turned into a cluster of cells.
 
“What do I need to do? What do I need to eat? Why am I nauseous?  Of course I had a ton of questions and so did my fiancé at the time.  “Eat healthy and get plenty of rest” was the doctor’s orders.  But what was healthy?  I took about 2 weeks and devised a meal plan for myself based on the essential nutrients I wanted to provide for my baby and myself.
 


 
Protein, Iron, DHA and Good Fats.  That was my mantra while my body without warning began to crave pickle juice and roast beef while suddenly rejecting bologna and burgers.  A good consistent diet was the only way I was going to be able to responsibly manage the growth of the little one inside me.
 
My favorite breakfast was oatmeal and vanilla Greek yogurt for fiber and a healthy dose of good fats. Lunch would consist of tuna with lemon juice, and grapes and finally, I made myself eat plenty of spinach, collard greens and kale along with grilled chicken and baked fish for iron and protein.
 
Let’s face it. Those prenatal pills are great, but they will make you feel sick after about a week.  It’s my opinion that the natural consumption of a variety of foods is the best way for your body to break down nutrients.  Every ultrasound was healthy and every heartbeat was vibrant.
 
When Jenna was born, the doctor’s told me she was very alert and her brain development was exceptional.  I decided to keep things going while breast feeding since it was ideal to continue prenatal pills as well.    In fact, most of these foods I had to consume in larger quantities in order to keep up with the demands.
 
The first 3 months of life, while you are with baby, you will need to make sure you give him or her the best start you can.  Everything is still in such a fragile state and your baby is so brand new to the elements of the world.  And remember to enjoy. 0-3 months goes by in a flash.
 
Live Healthy one day at a time.