Nutrition for your Bump and Baby: How Protein Supports You Both
- Jo
- Nov 3
- 7 min read
When it comes to pregnancy nutrition I know all to well how hard this can be with the dreaded nausea and vomiting! I suffered with this for my entire first two pregnancies and it was a very welcome relief to finally master the art of nourishing my body well after becoming a pregnancy/postnatal exercise specialist prior to my third pregnancy. By the time my third pregnancy came along I knew a lot more about how to really care for my body and it was such a better experience. From having more energy each day and nausea and vomiting subsiding during my second trimester to feeling so much stronger and more functional within my rapidly changing body, even with having to keep up with the demands of my two pre-schoolers.
Not only did intentional nourishment make a big difference, but adding targeted pregnancy exercise to my days regularly also helped too!
Optimal nutritional intake is an essential component to leading a healthy lifestyle. Pregnancy is even more of a reason to ensure you are nourishing your body with a variety of high quality healthy foods to support optimal growth and development of your baby and also yourself. If you are stronger and healthier physically, you are going to feel healthier psychologically, sleep better, think better and feel better overall.
Yes, it can also be a difficult time to ensure you get adequate nutrition especially if you are struggling with food aversions like I did, so if this is the case do the best you can. Think baby steps and eventually that fog of no end in sight will subside, I’ll guide you with some inspiration and options below.
Throughout this article you'll learn more about:
Simple nutrition habits for Pregnancy
Don’t worry there’s definitely not going to be any ‘counting calories’, I’m definitely not that type of trainer or Mum, instead I like to suggest developing healthy nutritional habits to ensure your body is the healthiest it can be for your developing baby. Think of a habit as a practise that you can add to something you already do each day like:
Having a glass of water when you get up in the morning, little sips at a time, even flavour it with a squeeze of lemon or frozen berries and prioritising protein intake with most meals or snacks.
Other nutrition habits could include:
Eating slowly
Chewing each mouthful well to help your stomach process food more easily
Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied.
Have a craving? Especially relevant if it is a sweet ‘treat/less healthy option’ consider having a nourishing protein/fruit or vege portion first then still have your treat, when paired with these other nutrition habits you will overall be healthier as you have included some essential nutrients, even if it's just a small amount.
Small habits lead to big wins, think of building a house, each brick stacked up leads to one big house. These can be game changing for a healthy relationship with food and feeling more energised in pregnancy.
Let's dive into focusing more on protein for your bump and baby.
What is protein?
Protein is one of the essential food groups essential for building, maintaining and repairing tissues throughout your body. Protein helps build and maintain muscle and helps to regulate just about everything that goes on within the cells in your body. When proteins are digested, they break down into amino acids. While there are hundreds of amino acids in our body, we only require 20 of them. Our bodies produce most amino acids, but nine must be obtained from food sources, food suggestions coming up soon.
Our body needs a constant supply of protein to rebuild and recover and as you can imagine during pregnancy when you are literally growing and nurturing another human being, it is even more important than ever.
We literally can’t live without it!
Collagen is also a protein, it is fiber- like essential for producing connective tissue to help these tissues maintain strength and elasticity - I’m sure you can understand why that might be helpful for pregnancy, with all the changes occurring to your body, stretching, posture, ligaments and more! You can get a great pregnancy/postnatal and breastfeeding safe and friendly combo powder here; Protein Boost from Aglow.
Why protein is essential for your bump and baby
During pregnancy you should take into consideration that you need enough protein to both maintain your own tissue, growth and repair but also enough to support the building blocks for the healthy growth and development of your baby. Instead of thinking “I’m eating for two”... flip the script and go with “I’m nourishing my body for the two (or more) of us”. What you eat directly impacts the health of your baby too.
Your second and third trimesters are particularly important for prioritising your protein intake as these are the periods of more rapid growth of your baby.
Other benefits of protein throughout pregnancy include:
Boosts satiety/feeling of fullness; after eating protein it is likely you will notice you feel fuller and more sustained for longer. Although, eating small meals/snacks often may be better for managing symptoms too, take note of what works for you…this is likely to change regularly though!
Supports glowing skin, hair and nails; collagen, keratin, and elastin (all proteins) are the building blocks of healthy skin, shiny hair, and strong nails, these all need support during pregnancy, I’m sure you have noticed the changes, hello stretch marks!
Gut health and immunity; protein supports the production of enzymes and antibodies, helping digestion and immunity, from morning sickness and indigestion to managing/curbing illness your pregnant body will thank you for choosing protein!
Helps stabilise blood sugar levels and supports management of nausea and vomiting throughout pregnancy. If you are struggling with this, try a protein smoothie with aglow protein powder or your preferred and most easily tolerated protein source (ideas below).
Never force yourself to eat something if it doesn’t feel achievable for you at the time. Having a variety of options available/prepped can help to keep your nourishment optimal.
If you’re looking for other ways to give your mind and body a boost, exercise is the next best thing after rest. Keeping your body strong, supported and stable to comfortably and confidently manage the changes and increased weight throughout the rest of your pregnancy will be helpful too. A good balance of movement and nutrition will make a big difference in your energy and function (unless you have a high risk pregnancy where exercise is contraindicated - check with your doctor/LMC). I know it can be hard to know what types of exercise is safe and effective during pregnancy, pop over to check out some suggestions here. Not only will exercise help keep your body feel strong and boost your energy levels, it will also help with preparing your body for an easier birth experience and recovery.
Options for sources of protein and portion size guidance
As I’ve said I know all to well how challenging it can be to be inspired to nourish your body well when struggling with the dreaded morning sickness and food aversions, especially protein. Consider adding a protein powder can be a more tolerable, convenient and portable option. Of course the next concern is going to be …is it safe for pregnancy, and that’s where the lovely Aglow products come in!
Let’s talk about how much you are aiming for…don’t worry, like I said previously I’m not the type of person to be diving into calorie counting, in fact as a busy Mum, nurse and business owner guiding Mum with their health, strength and function I like to keep it as simple as possible and what better way to do that is to give you a simple measuring guide…something you have with you at all times, your hands. You can simply use parts of your hands as a guide for how much protein is ideal, for protein you could aim to eat at least one palm size and thickness serving with each meal and half a serving with snacks, or maybe you might prefer to space it out with 5-6 smaller snacks each day. Check out this 'handy guide'
Foods containing protein sources include:
Meat (caution: don’t eat raw or undercooked meat/hotdogs/luncheon unless heated until steaming hot just prior to consuming)
Eggs (caution: again don’t eat unless well cooked)
Fish (caution: ensure fish is cook, avoid sushi and smoked salmon and fish high in mercury)
Nuts,
Plant based: Beans/legumes/tofu/lentils
Milk,
Cheese (caution; avoid unpasteurised/raw dairy),
Yoghurt or
Protein/collagen supplements - these can be especially helpful if you are struggling to tolerate other sources of protein due to nausea/vomiting.
Nuts and seeds also contain protein and are great sources of healthy fats too.
To support optimal absorption of your protein sources, pair your foods with some nourishing carbs like a piece of fruit, this helps to open up your cells.
For me in my third pregnancy, getting that protein smoothie in each morning was an absolute game changer to how my nausea and energy levels played out for the rest of each day.
While I’ve covered a lot of options here, I would like to remind you these are all simply recommendations to support you to nourish your body as well as your babies. I recognise this might be challenging to meet if you are suffering from food aversions and/or nausea and vomiting, ultimately simply do your best, choose achievable options and consider small portions often. Try adding a little more protein to your days, let us know the difference it made?
Disclaimer: Always consult your midwife, GP, or dietitian before adding supplements or making major dietary changes during pregnancy" and maybe while collagen is safe for most pregnant women, it’s technically a “supplemental protein source” — not a complete protein — as it lacks all nine essential amino acids, might be better phrased as: Collagen is a great additional protein source, but aim to include other complete proteins (like eggs, dairy, meat, or legumes) as well.
Comments