From the moment of conception, your hormones will start working overtime. As they work their magic, they can bring on everything from breast tenderness and food cravings to constipation and fatigue, sometimes before you even know you’re pregnant. Here are three habits you can start now to create more ease during the early days.
1. Choose a prenatal vitamin you enjoy taking
Taking a quality prenatal vitamin every day is critical during pregnancy — and highly recommended in the months before you conceive. Since large capsules can be hard to swallow and keep down, you may find that gummies offer a great alternative for getting the essential nutrients you need.
SmartyPants makes a gummy prenatal vitamin that’s both great-tasting and fun to take, without any of the artificial stuff you don’t want. They supply over 15 nutrients in their premium forms, including sustainably sourced omega-3s and methylfolate (the form of folate your body prefers and can easily use). Since you’ll actually look forward to enjoying these gummies, you’re also more likely to remember them every day.
2. Develop a practice that helps you check in with your body
During pregnancy, your body will be giving you all kinds of clues about what it needs. But they may be different cues than what you’re usually used to, thanks to some prenatal hormonal shifts. To avoid inadvertently pushing past your limits, start making a habit of pausing throughout the day to truly listen to your body. For example, what type of nourishment does it need right now? Is rest in order, or would movement actually feel better?
The more you practice, the more natural these check-ins will become. If you could use some help prioritizing these check-ins, set a reminder on your phone. Taking this time for yourself will serve you well now and long after pregnancy.
3. Start building more rest into your schedule
Soon your body will be hard at work developing a tiny human! All that effort takes energy, so take some time to slow down, rest up, and offer yourself the nourishment and nutrients you need. Unfortunately, rest is a practice that many of us have not mastered. By starting to prioritize restful moments now, you’ll not only make the transition easier, but you’ll also support your body as you prepare to conceive.
A great prenatal vitamin will supply essential nutrients that benefit you too. For example, in addition to methylfolate to support brain and spinal cord development and vitamin K for healthy bones, SmartyPants gummies have B12 for energy, Vitamin D (in the preferred D3 form) for immunity, and much more. And with their adorable gumdrop shape and delicious fruit flavors, it just might be the most enjoyable way to care for yourself and prepare for pregnancy.
