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Your entire life changes the moment you find out you’re pregnant. While the change can be exhilarating, it can also be overwhelming for first-time parents. When tasks at a job or school seem monumental, it helps to break them down into manageable steps. In the same way, although you can’t foresee all the twists and turns of your pregnancy, having a to-do list for expecting parents can help you cut back on stress.

The Importance of Having a To-Do List for Expecting Parents — *This is a guest post and all opinions are those of the author. This post may also contain affiliate and/or paid links. Rest assured that I only work with companies and individuals that I trust. While some of those companies and individuals may work in the medical field, this post is not intended to be a substitution for medical advice. Always speak to your doctor if you have concerns about your mental or physical health.

Switch up Your Diet

What you put into your body will impact your baby’s health, so it’s good to reconsider what you eat from the moment you find out you’re pregnant. For instance, you should start avoiding undercooked foods, unwashed vegetables, and alcohol and start stocking up on nutrient-rich foods. Some go-to pregnancy foods include:

- Dairy
- Lean meats
- Sweet potatoes
- Cooked Eggs
- Dark, leafy vegetables and other iron-rich foods

Along with that, do your research to find alternatives to medications you shouldn’t take while pregnant. You’ll especially want to research medications that target morning sickness and other pregnancy symptoms.

8 Pregnancy Diet Tips for Growing a Healthy Baby — .

Start a Log

Documenting your journey should be first on the to-do list for expecting parents. Your symptoms will change throughout your pregnancy, from morning sickness to body aches to swelling in your ankles or hands. While these are perfectly normal, it’s good to keep track of your symptoms throughout your pregnancy. This way, if something does occur that is out of the ordinary, you will be able to pinpoint exactly when the symptoms started. Along with that, writing them down helps relieve some of the mental stress of your physical symptoms.

Prepare for Parental Leave

As a parent, you are entitled to a parental leave of at least four weeks in the U.S. For some, the idea of taking so much time off work can be stressful, so start planning your leave well in advance. Make sure to add this to the to-do list for expecting parents. Research your company’s policies, then talk to your employees or coworkers about what your leave will look like. If you delegate tasks for your absence, the transition will be smoother, and you will be able to focus more on your time with your baby.

How to Make a Postpartum Plan for a Smooth Recovery — .

Set up the Nursery

You don’t want to put off setting up your nursery for too long. The further into your pregnancy you get, the harder it will be to offer help with the design process, and paint VOCs can linger in the air for weeks. You don’t have to overthink the nursery’s design. Start practical by making sure your crib bedding is safe and babyproofing any cabinets. Then look at the decor. If you’re waiting to hear about the baby’s gender, you can focus on a gender-neutral theme or color scheme.

Pro Tip: Stock up on diapers! On the fence about whether to use cloth or disposables? Consider using eco-friendly bamboo diapers and wipes from EcoPea. They’re the best of both worlds.

Breathe

Perhaps the most important item on the to-do list for expecting parents is to simply relax. As much as you want to make sure everything is perfect for your new baby, you also need to be intentional about taking time to rest. A well-rested parent is better for the baby, after all. And as you relax, remind yourself that ticking every box off a new parent to-do list doesn’t determine whether you’re a good mother or father. You do.

Author Bio

Christina Duron is a writer living in the Chicagoland area. Her passion for writing and mental health help create thought provoking and engaging pieces and hopes to use them to empower mothers and women to embrace the beauty of motherhood.

When you are pregnant, what you eat is the main source of nutrients for your baby. The pregnancy diet should always be a well balanced and healthy diet. A pregnant woman needs to eat a wide range of healthy foods in order to provide the baby with all the nutrients needed for its development. Check out some of these pregnancy diet tips that will help both mom and baby to stay healthy.

Legumes Are Your Best Friends

Legumes include foods like chickpeas, beans, peas, peanuts and all of those. Legumes are one of the best plant-based sources of protein, iron, calcium and fiber, which are all the nutrients that your body needs while pregnant. They also have folate, that is one of the essentials for women who are in the first trimester.

Don’t Forget About Omega-3

One of the best ways that you can provide your baby and body with enough omega-3 fatty acids is by eating fish like salmon. It is rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids, and it has so many other different benefits. Omega-3s are found in a lot of seafood, and they are of great help when it comes to building your baby’s brain and eyes.

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Eat A Lot Of Greens

No surprise here that we have been told to eat a lot of greens like broccoli, spinach and kale. That is because they include so many amazing things like calcium, iron, folate, potassium and vitamin C, K and A. Greens should also be a big part of your pregnancy diet because they detoxify your body and prepare it for growing a baby.

Sweet Potatoes Are Good For You

Sweet potatoes are not only super delicious, they are also rich in beta carotene. You can also cook potatoes in so many ways. What people don’t know is that beta carotene is a plant compound that is transformed into vitamin A. This vitamin is essential to your baby’s development.

Snack On Some Berries

Barriers are a great way to get water, healthy carbs, vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants into your body. Another thing about berries is that they have low glycemic index value which means that it won’t cause any spikes in blood sugar. And that is why it makes them such great snacks. But the most important thing when you are eating fruits is to ensure that they are organic. That is why organic fruits delivery will save your day as you can order all kinds of fruit from the comfort of your home.

Eat A lot Of Avocados

What a lot of people don’t know is that avocados contain a log of monounsaturated fatty acids. These fats are what it makes avocados so rich. They are also high in vitamins K, E, C and B as well as fiber. Because they are a great source of healthy fats and potassium, they are one of the best food choices for the pregnancy diet.

Drink Plenty Of Water

We all have to make sure we are hydrated, especially when you are pregnant. During your pregnancy, the blood volume will increase by about 45 per cent. Your body will keep your baby hydrated, and if you don’t watch your hydration, you can make both yourself and your baby dehydrated. Morning sickness can cause an excess of dehydration, so drinking extra water is an important part of the pregnancy diet.

Make Sure That You Eat Enough Whole Grains

Whole grains are full of vitamins, fiber and different plant components. There are so many different ones you can eat from wheat berries, oats, brown rice etc. They are so much better than eating white rice and pasta. Another thing that makes them amazing is that some things like oats and quinoa contain protein.

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Because your baby is growing, it needs to get all those good nutrients, which is why you need to have a well-rounded pregnancy diet. There is a whole world of delicious yet healthy foods that will help you and your baby stay super healthy.

Author bio:

Alison Pearson is an interior design student. She is a writer and designer, but her ultimate passion is fitness and health. She is also a bibliophile and her favorite book is “The Sound and the Fury” by William Faulkner.

Follow her on Twitter.