quick clicks

pregnancy today articles

pregnancy today q&a

message boards

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Nutritional Nesting

Stocking the Postpartum Pantry

By Jennifer C. Martinkus

Easing back into a regular exercise plan and following a balanced diet is the surest way to regain and maintain your pre-pregnancy shape, permitting yourself to pack away those dreaded maternity clothes. Resorting to an extreme diet, particularly without exercising, may allow you to lose weight quickly, but the pounds are bound to return. If you do plan to breastfeed, it's particularly important to remember that your body will need more, rather than fewer, calories – as many as 500 calories more each day than were required prior to pregnancy (keep in mind that even during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, your body only needed an additional 300 calories each day).

With a bit of planning, you can dedicate your nesting urges to ensuring that you're prepared to nourish your body postpartum and provide your family with delicious, healthful foods. The nutritional nesting focus should center on stocking up on foods low in sugar and unhealthful fats and high in nutrients and fiber. It may be tempting to fall back on convenience foods, but remember that packaged, prepared foods are typical culprits when it comes to high quantities of sugar and unhealthful fats. Use our checklist to stock up on some nutritional nesting basics.

• Fill a cupboard with nuts, nut butters, dried fruits and whole-grain crackers for snacks. Add a selection of nutritious, well-balanced meal replacement bars (such as Luna Bars or Oasis Bars) for those days when you need an extra snack or simply don't have time to eat a full mid-day meal. Nuts and nut butters provide a wealth of healthful fats and can be a valuable art of a balanced diet, particularly when selecting nuts that are dry-roasted and nut butters that are low in sugar. If possible, look for dried fruits without added sugar as well. Stay away from cookies, chips and other prepared snacks high in sugar and unhealthful fats (such as trans fatty acids found in products made with hydrogenated oils).

Want to see more?

• The Need to Nest: Exploring the Nesting Instinct When Expecting
• Mangia! Cooking Authentic Italian
• Home Cooking: 9 Easy Ways to Make Fixing Meals at Home Doable
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!