The Best Foods To Eat During Pregnancy - Guest Post from Zoe (UK)

Now that there are two mouths to feed and 300 extra calories a day in sight, it’s important to follow a healthy, balanced diet for both you and your baby. Those extra calories need to provide your baby with the nutrients it needs to keep developing and growing, and to put him or her in good stead for a healthy lifestyle. As well as eating well whilst pregnant, it’s important to get plenty of sleep before your little bundle arrives, and ensure your sleep is spent on a mattress that is firm, yet soft enough to accommodate your new curves. Also, continue with your regular exercise regime until you feel comfortable. Here we give you a varied list of “power foods” that will ensure you have a healthier, smoother pregnancy.

1. Leafy, green vegetables – a nutritional hero in your pregnancy diet, eat vegetables like cabbage, broccoli and spinach to provide you and your baby with a good intake of fibre, folic acid, vitamin C and calcium.
2. Yoghurt – yoghurt works great as a midday snack, and greek yoghurt with your favourite fruit is even better. Jam-packed with protein, calcium, potassium and folic acid, you can pick up a yoghurt at your nearest supermarket and eat on-the-go for mummies to be with busy lifestyles. Equally, blend with your favourite fruit to make smoothies. Yoghurts can also prevent stomach upsets and yeast infections due to all the “active cultures”, better known as good bacteria, so it gets a double thumbs up.
3. Porridge – a delicious way to get your fibre and iron intake, porridge is a great breakfast to start your day. Add blueberries and apples for a fruity twist, or banana and cinnamon for a bit more of a kick. Or just choose your favourite fruits and get making your own varieties!
4. Wholemeal bread, potatoes and rice – these make up a big part of your daily intake of calories, so go for wholemeal bread for toast and sandwiches, because wholemeal and wholegrain contain loads more vitamins, fibre and omega 3.
5. Avocados – this superfruit is packed full of vitamins, like B6, which can help with morning sickness, and plenty of folic acid, so it’s a great food to eat when you’re pregnant. Try avocado on salads, or spread on wholemeal toast for a great breakfast or snack.
6. Beans – a great source of protein for both you and baby, choose from a wide range. Our favourite is the edamame bean, as they are a yummy way of getting your intake of protein, calcium, folic acid and vitamins. They can be cooked with soups, casseroles and pastas or eaten on-the-go as a healthy snack.
7. Red peppers – containing lots of vitamins A, C and B6, red peppers and your favourite dip are another great snack to take around with you during the day. You can also chop them up and throw them into pasta dishes and stir-fries, or into your sandwiches and salads.
8. Kiwi – another superfruit to add to your pregnancy diet. Kiwis have just as much vitamin C as an orange, so it’s a great way to boost your C-vit intake, and keep your baby healthy and strong. Kiwis are also packed with folic acid and antioxidants to make you and your baby stronger at attacking viruses.

Zoe is an avid blogger and experienced freelance writer, and loves to share her knowledge through content on the internet. Zoe is currently writing on behalf of bed superstore Archers Sleep Centre.

A Life of Purpose – Inspiring Guest Post from Cancer Survivor and Real Mom, Heather Von St. James

Written by Guest Blogger Heather Von St. James

When you learn you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, everything changes. Most people never expect to receive such a diagnosis, especially at the age of 36 and having just given birth 3 ½ months prior of your first child.

On Nov. 21, 2005, I was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. 

There is nothing worse than hearing “You Have Cancer” during what it is perhaps supposed to be one of the best times of your life. 

Following my diagnosis, I basically felt as though I had two options: give up or curse God and wallow in self-pity screaming “Why Me God!?”

I also had another option: Face the cancer head on.

And that’s what I did. 

So, I decided to toss on those rose-colored glasses and do what any new mother would do: Fight with everything she had so she can watch her little girl grow up. Unfortunately, cancer is like a double-edged sword and anyone else who has been through it will say the same thing. 

While it can be the most devastating news you’ve ever heard, there are still some positives that come out of it as well. My life has now changed for the better because of having gone through cancer. This is simply because I decided I wasn’t going to be one of the victims. Instead, I chose to look at a terrible situation in a different light. It helped take the fear away and I vowed I would help others who were diagnosed with it as well. For whatever the reason, I decided to find the positives of the situation and was sent to see the world’s leading specialist for the disease. The doctor gave me hope.

I learned I was going to have my tumor removed on Groundhogs Day 2006. With that said, I decided to name my tumor Punxatawny Phil and renamed Groundhogs Day, Lungleavin Day. 

Today, we have a party every February and celebrate Lungleavin Day. 

Had it not been for my cancer diagnosis, I would’ve never gotten to know some of the amazing people I’ve met. They are among the strongest and toughest I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. These people are committed to raising awareness about the disease, which affects so many. From wives to husbands to sons and daughters; all of us know someone who has been affected by cancer is some way, shape or form.

Now my life is filled with more purpose than it has ever been and with that, I want to continue to do what I can to bring the same hope I felt to others.

Heather Von St. James is a guest blogger for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance.

Guest Bloggers, Causes We Believe In, Recipes, Mommy Advice and Humor... and Wine in 2012

We have a lot of exciting things coming your way in 2012.  We have a remarkable new direction in our book (wine lovers stay tuned).  Of course, we will keep posting our Anti-Chicken Fingers Movement recipes twice each week.  Our MomAhas! on Facebook and Twitter will keep you filled in on mommy tips- helpful and sometimes a bit sarcastic.  And be sure to look out for a MomAha! app for your phone in late Spring/early Summer.  Of course, we will be reporting to you monthly on our donations to Children’sMiracle Network Hospitals and National Children’s Advocacy Center.  All this in addition to our stories of mommyhood! 

In this new year, we want to be the voice of real moms…not just through our own experiences which we know you relate to; but through your experiences-battles and triumphs included!  Trina and I are excited to announce we will be regularly posting stories from featured guest bloggers.  So when Heather Von St. James contacted us with her inspiring story a few days ago, we couldn’t wait any longer to get moving on this! 

When her daughter Lily was just 3 ½ months old, Heather was diagnosed with Mesothelioma; a type of cancer that kills 90-95% of those who have it.  Today, six years later, she is cancer free and sharing her courageous story with other moms.  She is a source of hope and  inspiration to Trina and I-we know you will gain something from her story, along with a few laughs from this witty Minnesota mom.

Please check out Heather’s blog, and sign up to follow our blog to be one of the first to know when she posts on ours (also, we will donate $1 per new blog follower to the charities we support)!  If you have a story or experience to share with our readers, please e-mail us (see contact page).

Happy New Year, Mommies!