My healthy pregnancy addictions

Being pregnant when you already have a child to look after is a very different ball game to first time around. There’s no time to Google each stage of pregnancy, for starters. I also find it really tricky to squeeze in the same amount of exercise I did when pregnant with Frog – mainly due to work and mum duties taking up every spare minute of my day. But there are a few things helping me to feel pretty good at the moment. It’s fair to say these are my healthy pregnancy addictions. 

I discovered Vita Coco water via the Instagram feed of everyone’s favourite midwife, Clemmy from the blog Gas and Air. Clemmy had posted a picture of a carton of Vita Coco and said it had just helped her get through a 12 hour midwife shift. She then told me she recommends her ladies include it in their hospital bag, to stay hydrated through labour. That was all the persuasion I needed.

I’ve been struggling to drink enough since pretty much the day I did that wee on the glorified stick. Although I was thirsty, water didn’t seem to be cutting it. My health checks all showed I was (am) healthy, so I just assumed I needed to drink more than I was doing. Vita Coco has genuinely helped me up my fluid intake and it gives me a little energy boost when I get my afternoon slump.

I’m going to admit something – I’m not a fan of food fads. I’m all for food, but when it seems everyone with a beard and a checked shirt is eating it, I can’t help but be suspicious and assume it’s just some trendy, over-priced hipster fad. So I surprised myself with my sudden interest in Chia seeds.

I’d seen lots of talk of Chia on Twitter (I blame Ruth from Let Her Eat Clean) and was curious to know what the fuss was about. A quick Google told me it’s packed full of nutrients, with omega-3, vitamins, protein and antioxidants making it an ideal addition to a pregnant lady’s diet.

This is where I got lucky – The Chia Company recently sent me a sample of Chia seeds to try out and I loved them. They give added crunch when sprinkled on top of sweet potato wedges, offer a health boost to a bowl of bran flakes, fruit and yoghurt and are so easy to use it’s like having a secret bomb of goodness you can add to your food.

When I was a kid my nickname (among many) was “Fruit Bat”. I’ve always loved fruit and this time of year is my absolute favourite when it comes to fresh, juicy fruit that’s in season. Strawberries become less of an expensive indulgence when they’re picked fresh from the garden. To me, eating sweet succulent strawberries brings me more pleasure than gorging on a family sized bar of Dairy Milk. And I am rather partial to Dairy Milk.

I was lucky enough when pregnant with Frog not to suffer from too much swelling. This baby, however, is more than making up for it. I’ve already had to take off my rings and wear them on a necklace instead. The puffy fingers complement the puffy feet perfectly.

I jumped on the bandwagon and bought a pair of white Birkenstocks a month or so ago and have pretty much lived in them since. This is where I need to thank Erica from Modern Mum Must-Have (a mate from our collaborative blog The Motherhood) for helping me see the Birkenstock light. They’re comfy, hide the increasing fatness of my feet and look good with nearly all my summer maternity outfits.

With a child in cast at the moment pampering has taken a bit of a back seat. It’s all I can do to brush my hair in the morning, let alone paint my nails. However, before the broken leg incident I was managing to have at least a couple of bubble baths every week and regularly sported pretty nails. It’s amazing how such a small thing can boost your mood.

I was sent some Essie nail varnish in Fashion’s Playground and Bobbing for Baubles by new site Nailpolish.co.uk. Although neither colour withstood more than a couple of days of mum-duty battering (one of those days included an afternoon at the beach), the colours were vibrant, stylish and looked great until they eventually chipped.

All I need now is a spa weekend and a foot massage to make my list complete. Seeing as I’m only 25 weeks pregnant, there’s still time.

Did you come across any surprising products or foods that helped you through your pregnancy?