How to eat healthy foods while you’re pregnant [Partner]

If you’re wondering what to eat while you’re pregnant — or even foods that can help you get pregnant — Traci Martin-Robinson, DNP, CNM, CLC has the answers. She’s worked with Baby+Company for almost a year as a certified nurse-midwife.

If you’re wondering what a CNM does: They’re skilled with at least two degrees, one in nursing and one in midwifery. They have a nursing background before pursuing midwifery school, while some pursue further degrees in research.

In this interview, Martin-Robinson tells us the ins and outs of healthy eating for pregnancy and fertility.

CharlotteFive: How can nutrition and the foods you eat help prepare you physically for pregnancy, labor, and birth?

Traci Martin-Robinson: I cannot stress enough the importance nutrition places on pregnancy, wellness, and overall health! At Baby+Company, we highly recommend certain foods with high nutritional value to prevent complications in pregnancy. Being physically, nutritionally, and mentally ready for pregnancy can impact the whole journey. Maintaining well balanced food choices can prevent complications such as diabetes and hypertension in pregnancy.

It even has effects on the big day. Labor is similar to running a marathon, so knowing proper food choices before labor is habit forming and will tend to increase the chance of you making similar choices in labor. At the birth center, we provide maternity care to women with low-risk pregnancy, and we encourage our moms to eat throughout labor to help fuel your body.

C5: For early pregnancy, what do you encourage people to eat? What do you discourage people from eating?

TMR: I highly recommend focusing on high protein, high iron, and high folate nutrition.

High protein diets are the foundation of building your little human as the amino acids in the protein help that growth. Definitely keep this especially in mind, first trimester moms-to-be.

Foods high in iron can also prevent anemia (which some people experience as feeling tired all the time) and improve oxygen delivery to your baby.

Folate in its whole form is even better than the recommended folic acid supplement. We recommend this in pregnancy because there is evidence that it helps prevent spinal cord and brain defects. Foods with high folate, iron, and protein also play a huge role in stabilizing blood sugar, repairing muscle tissue and red blood cells. As you can tell, nutrition and the foods you eat while pregnant can have a big impact!

For what to steer clear of, we recommend avoiding foods that aren’t cooked properly, like raw fish or undercooked meat because they can harvest harmful bacteria. You should also avoid fish with high levels of mercury, such as swordfish.

C5: How does nutrition and what you put into your body affect you when you are trying to conceive? Any foods you recommend to support fertility?

TMR: Some foods that can help fertility are nuts, seeds, green vegetables, legumes, eggs and fish, and most importantly, lots of water. Many of these help with ovulation and prepare cervical mucus for fertilization. Avoid alcohol, processed foods, and acidic foods, as theses make a not-so-great environment for fertilization.

If you like to eat local, there’s lots of options around that have great ingredients. Some of my favorites to go to for fresh meals are Luna’s Living Kitchen, Fern, Earl’s Grocery, Laurel Market, Crisp, Panera, Viva Chicken and Sabor. We’re huge Sabor fans at Baby+Company.

C5: What does Baby+Company do to help women and moms-to-be prepare physically with nutrition?

TMR: For women in our care, we spend a good amount of one-on-one time at every appointment reviewing your food choices, water intake, and plans for improving them if needed. We also do what is called a diet log around 16-18 weeks of pregnancy where together we track what you eat for a few days and then review it to suggest continuing your meal plans or changing them.

For all women, those in our care and those looking for more education in preparing, we offer a Nutrition Workshop and classes every month taught by our education team (who are also nurses!). It’s free, and during the workshop you learn how food relates to fertility and pregnancy health, nutritional support for wellness, what foods to shop, among other things. Our childbirth education classes and postpartum new moms group also discuss meal prepping, planning and food options to support nutrition in all stages of motherhood.

C5: What’s a go-to recipe for someone early in pregnancy to prepare?

One of my favorite easy snacks are protein balls made with almond butter, a few chocolate chips, flaxseed, and other nutritional seeds. There are great recipes online and on the Baby+Company blog. In general, it’s good to focus on fruits and vegetables in recipes, but having meals mostly consisting of vegetables is a good place to start. I usually say 80% veggies, 20% fruits since fruits still have natural sugar. Multiple colors on your plate will let you know it is a good choice! Also, meal prepping can save so much time in pregnancy and postpartum as a new mom – it can be a game changer.

If you’d like to learn more about pregnancy nutrition, check out Baby+Company’s monthly Nutrition Workshops. The next one is Wednesday, April 26 at 6 p.m.

More information: Baby+Company, 131 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28207. (704) 750-5535.  For more information or to schedule your complimentary tour or appointment with Baby+Company, visit their website.

About Baby+Company: Baby+Company is a national network of birth centers providing well woman and maternity care with certified nurse-midwives. In Charlotte, Baby+Company collaborates with Novant Health. They have an outstanding relationship with the hospital system which creates seamless, safe options for women in the birth center and hospital setting. To learn more, visit their website or call 980-321-9014. 

This story was originally published April 23, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "How to eat healthy foods while you’re pregnant [Partner]."