Have you ever bought so many bags of chili lime rolled tortilla chips at once that the Trader Joe’s cashier couldn’t help but ask what was going on?
“I know this looks crazy,” I said, “but I’m pregnant, and these are all feel like eating right now.”
If you don’t know the exact snack I’m talking about, I’ll link them here. During my second pregnancy, these spicy chips became my evening obsession for several weeks straight. I indulged until my tongue was raw from the spice.
As a dietitian, maybe it sounds surprising that I’d polish off half a bag of chips in one sitting. But if I’ve learned anything from my two pregnancies, it’s to listen to your body (and baby) and roll with it—within reason, of course. And my second baby knew what she wanted!
In this blog, we’re taking a break from research and recommendations to get personal. I’ll share how my pregnancies shaped me as a mom, the lessons I learned along the way, and how those experiences transformed how I approach prenatal nutrition for the women I work with.
How I Got Here
When I had my first baby I quit my job. At the time, I was working in an outpatient clinic providing nutrition counseling, but the thought of leaving my new baby every day was unbearable.
That’s when I decided to take a leap of faith and start my private practice, which eventually grew into the Mindful Mama Nutrition Company.
A Pull Toward Prenatal Nutrition
During my undergraduate program, I took a course called Nutrition Through the Lifecycle. This class covered the nutritional needs of people at every stage of life, from infancy to old age.
Even back then, I felt a deep pull toward prenatal nutrition and pediatric care—it fascinated me how nutrition could shape the earliest stages of life.
After graduating I worked in the pediatric department of an outpatient clinic, where I provided nutrition counseling and education. I worked with a variety of concerns, from helping babies who weren’t gaining weight to supporting breastfeeding mothers to working with teenagers facing eating disorders.
I also had the opportunity to meet with many expecting moms. At this clinic, every pregnant patient had an appointment with a dietitian at their first prenatal visit. I loved these consults because I loved working with moms and babies.
Beyond the Textbook
When I first started working with pregnant women, I was fresh out of school and approached nutrition with a very by-the-book mindset.
I would teach expecting moms about the key vitamins and minerals they needed, emphasize the importance of taking prenatal vitamins, encourage proper hydration, and suggest snacks that paired a protein source with other nutrients.
To be clear, I still prioritize these fundamentals in my work today—but back then, something about my approach didn’t sit quite right with me. I was beginning to notice gaps in the standard prenatal nutrition advice I was sharing, especially as I started working toward my Intuitive Eating certification.
One Size Does Not Fit All
In the beginning, everything felt very black and white: You should gain this much weight based on your BMI. You should eat this many extra calories in this trimester. You should limit the sugar you consume during pregnancy.
It was a strict, one-size-fits-all approach to prenatal nutrition. And it wasn’t resonating with the women I was working with. Because every pregnant woman is unique, her approach to nutrition, and overall health, should be as well.
I began shifting my approach while still working at this job, moving away from rigid, by-the-book advice and leaning into a more intuitive and flexible perspective. But it wasn’t until I experienced pregnancy myself that everything truly clicked. Pregnancy is SO much more individualized than I had ever realized.
Hanger is Real and Dangerous
I was so hungry during my first pregnancy. No matter what I ate for lunch at work, I was absolutely starving by 2pm. That’s when I instituted my afternoon PB&J routine. Every day, like clockwork, I’d grab a peanut butter and jelly sandwich between 2 and 3 PM to keep the hunger at bay.
I also started to get up in the middle of the night to have a snack. I guess this was just a good way to prepare for having a newborn (spoiler: I would still be starving all the time from nursing).
But this extreme hunger (and the mood swings if not dealt with) were definitely not something I’d ever read about in a textbook.
Get Creative With the Cravings & Aversions
I craved pickles (classic, I know) with both pregnancies. I craved fruit, the aforementioned Trader Joe’s chili lime tortilla chip rolls, and also found myself baking a key lime pie from scratch a couple of times.
And I hated vegetables. I think there was a solid two months there in my second pregnancy where I didn’t eat any vegetables other than baby carrots. I had to get creative; what I lacked in vegetables I had to make up for in fruit.
Water Isn’t Always Enough, Apparently
I was doing all the right things as far as hydration went. I was drinking over a gallon of water a day during the second half of my second pregnancy, and yet I was still dealing with symptoms like swelling and a TON of braxton-hicks contractions, especially when I was walking or moving around.
You’d think it may have occurred to me earlier, what with my background and all, but it wasn’t until I complained about the contractions to my doula (whose blog I’ll link here– she’s wonderful!) that she suggested trying to add in electrolytes. And it made a world of difference.
I didn’t stop drinking water, but rather I began to incorporate additional homemade electrolyte drinks with things like mineral mocktails (aka, adrenal cocktails) and coconut water each day. Almost immediately I could tell the difference.
While I feel dumb about not realizing this solution earlier, I’m actually grateful for the experience. It taught me firsthand how impactful electrolytes can be during pregnancy, and now I make sure to advocate for them with other moms.
No Two Pregnancies Are Alike
My two pregnancies were different not only as far as symptoms and cravings and such went, but also in how I approached prenatal nutrition.
I Chilled Out
With my second pregnancy I gave myself permission to loosen up (as many second time moms do).
I wasn’t as consumed by the fear of doing everything perfectly or terrified of things like accidentally getting listeria. I let go of the pressure to follow every single rule to the letter and embraced a more balanced approach to food and exercise.
Being Active Looked Different
During my first pregnancy, I was able to continue running regularly until 21 weeks. But with my second, I had to stop at 7 weeks due to round ligament pain. While I wasn’t as focused on intentional workouts the second time around, I was more active overall.
With my babies only 21 months apart, I spent my days chasing after a toddler rather than sitting at a desk. I did make sure to walk at least 30 minutes most days during my second pregnancy, and that kept me feeling good for the most part.
I Prepared For Birth Differently
The ways I ate to prepare for labor and delivery were similar for both pregnancies. I ate dates, drank red raspberry leaf tea, and used some homeopathic remedies each time.
However, my first delivery ended in a scary emergency c-section, and my second baby was a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). Because of this, I prepared for labor more intentionally the second time around.
I incorporated hypnobirthing techniques and had acupuncture sessions, which I do believe made a difference in how my labor progressed.
Just like with nutrition or other aspects of health, every pregnancy is different. What works for one person may not work for another. Discovering this through my own experiences has strengthened my belief that intuition is often the best guide for many aspects of health and wellness.
You Can Have a Flexible Framework
As I learned with both pregnancies, you have to really tune into what your body is telling you to respond in the best way possible.
Black and White Rules vs. Listening to My Body
Experiencing these things for myself really hammered this in for me.
If I had relied on something like calorie counting to guide my eating, it would’ve left me starving and hangry on many days, while forcing myself to eat on others. If I had pushed past what I felt was my exercise limit just to meet recommendations, I might have ended up with an injury.
t’s crucial to listen to what your body is saying. It’s easy to tune it out and go on autopilot, but if you’re conscious and listen closely, it will tell you exactly what it needs. You know the old adage, “If you listen when your body whispers, it won’t have to yell?” Yes, that applies here.
Intuitive Eating Wins
I’ve been practicing intuitive eating for years, but it was interesting to see it directly apply in pregnancy. While some cravings don’t necessarily signal anything specific, others may point to nutrients your body needs during pregnancy.
For example, I craved burgers a lot during both pregnancies, possibly because my body was seeking iron. I also craved fruit, which might have been for the vitamin C and folate. While some of this is just speculation, I believe the body is incredibly intelligent, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s truth to these cravings.
Impact on Prenatal Nutrition Philosophy
This emphasis on individualizing your nutrition approach during pregnancy is what led me to create the Mindful Mama Nutrition Company.
I came to the realization that the best way to support expecting moms is to offer a flexible framework, allowing them to adjust and tailor their nutrition to what they need each day. Because, as we know, needs can vary day to day—and that’s completely normal when you’re in tune with your body.
What I Would/Will Do Differently Next Time
If I’m blessed with another baby in the future, I will approach the next pregnancy with compassion for my body and all it’s doing. I will focus on balance over perfection, and do my best to listen to and trust the signals my body sends.
While pregnancy is a unique time in life, many of these principles can also extend into postpartum and beyond. Slowing down to listen to your body and responding with care is always beneficial—and pregnancy provides a perfect opportunity to implement these practices.