Clarke Stephanie - Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook

Major congratulations are in order! Youve just scored an amazing new gig as the CEO of a new start-up. This will likely be in addition to one or more existing jobslet the multitasking begin! Your new assignment involves your body taking on the exciting forty-week challenge of growing the next generation of (insert your last name here). Whether its your first or fifth baby, this will without a doubt be an experience like no other. And while there will be many magical moments, like any job worth having, there will be aspects that will come in the form of some not-so-magical side effects. Were talking about nausea, cankles, and constipation, to name a few. All the while youll be tasked with something very importanteating right to nourish you and your baby in the best way possible.

On that note, we introduce you to the Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook , organized by common pregnancy symptoms. Like any other cookbook, these chapters are filled with recipesdelicious recipes. But unlike any other cookbook, these recipes all contain ingredients that deliver the nutrients your body needs to combat the most common pregnancy discomforts while nourishing baby in the healthiest way possible. Its an eat-to-beat way of looking at your meals and snacks. As a crazy-powerful (or is that crazy, powerful?) CEO, these nutrients are your employees. And while the tone of this book doesnt take itself too seriously, we take your needs very seriously. So you can laugh while you whip up truly healing meals.

These recipes are free of overly processed ingredients and filled with whole foods. This means that when eating these meals youll be avoiding an excess of processed carbs, too much added sugar and sodium, and fewer icky additives, all of which can impact your (and your babys) health, as well as how you feel in the short and long term. Clean eating is a term that is thrown around all the time but has, until this cookbook, never been applied to pregnancy. And you dont have to special-order obscure, ridiculously expensive ingredients to make these meals. We had you in mind when we created them and we respect your time and your bank account while also believing that you deserve the most delicious, nutritious, healing food. Think of these recipes as a reflection of youthey multitask, they get a whole lot accomplished, and they have great taste.

Last but not least, these recipes can be used for years and years after your pregnancy, so we hope they become favorites for your entire family. Someday that little poppy seed-, or kiwi-, or cantaloupe-size human inside of you might just make you Mothers Day breakfast from this book.

Be healthy. Be happy.

Written with love,

Stephanie Clarke, MS, RD and Willow Jarosh, MS, RD

Pregnancy is the perfect time to say sayonara to not-so-stellar eating habits. Focus on these, and youll be feeding you and baby right.

. Dont skip: Eat consistent meals throughout the day. Dont skip meals or wait more than 4 to 5 hours without eating anything. This will also help keep your energy levels more consistently high, and keep nausea at bay.

. Rise and dine: Eat breakfast. Baby is growing around the clock, so skipping breakfast means baby is missing important growing materials. Having a hard time with nausea? Visit chapter 1 for recipes to help you squeeze in some nutrition when all you feel like eating are saltines. In general, try a cold fruit smoothie like the , or anything that doesnt make your stomach cringe. It doesnt have to be traditional breakfast food.

. Stay well hydrated: This is one of the things that will make a huge difference in how you feel during pregnancy. Daily adequate water intake is important for vital body functions such as digestion, circulation, regularity, nutrient absorption, and much more. Water is essential to help transport nutrients through your blood to your baby. Proper hydration can prevent pregnancy-related symptoms such as constipation and hemorrhoids, excessive leg swelling caused by water retention, leg cramps, and dry skin. How much water do you need? Start with at least 8 cups per day (64 ounces) and add an additional 1 cup of water for every 1 hour of light activity. Then give yourself the urine-color test. If your urine is light to clear, youre doing well staying hydrated. If its a dark yellow to brown (like apple juice) you need to drink more water.