7 Foods to Eat During Pregnancy

I am now in the second trimester of pregnancy and feeling a lot better. My energy is mostly back, food aversions are gone and for the moment, pregnancy hormones are under control. The main two things that I want to note about food are that I am eating so, so much right now- I am constantly hungry and that I have the biggest food cravings.

With Adalyn, I didn't have any specific cravings- I just enjoyed pizza and lemonade quite a bit but nothing like now. I have to have Sour Skittles, Rueben sandwiches, beef barley soup, etc. It is so crazy and like nothing I have experienced. When I get a craving, I cannot get that food out of my head until I have it. It's kind of fun!

Chia seeds are little nutritional powerhouses packed with omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fiber. I add them to my oatmeal daily. One of the main reasons that I eat them is because they are packed with omega-3s. This is so important for baby's brain development. This part is not 100% scientific but I had a lot of omega-3 when I was pregnant with my daughter and breastfeeding and she is very smart and advanced in many areas and therefore, I am doing the same for this baby. Can't hurt!

Yogurt is rich in calcium and protein. I choose Greek yogurt because it tastes better to me and has more protein than regular yogurt. Many days, I have this as a snack mid-morning.

Leafy greens are packed with nutrients and I often try to incorporate them into a meal. Greens are rich in many vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamins C and K. They also contain folate which is super important for pregnant women to protect against neural tube defects in babies- one of the main reasons women are supposed to take a prenatal supplement.

It is apple season after all! I love fruit and make sure to eat quite a bit of it each day. My dad's farm has been awesome this year with apples and I eat at least two a day. Apples are fiber rich which is important for pregnant women to keep things regular. Most fruit is pretty fiber rich so if you are not the biggest fan of apples, eat whatever kind of fruit you like.

Eggs are a natural source of vitamin D which helps to build strong bones. They are also rich in protein and fats. With both of my pregnancies, in the first trimester, I craved eggs like crazy. My sweet husband made me egg sandwiches for breakfast everyday one week because that is all that sounded good. I wonder if it was my body craving certain nutrients that made me want it both pregnancies so badly in the beginning?

I love beans! Kidney beans in chili, garbanzo beans in a salad and black beans in Mexican food. Beans are rich in protein, fiber and iron- all important nutrients for pregnant women.

Whole grains are often fortified with folic acid and iron and are rich in fiber. They are a smarter choice than their refined counterparts. I buy whole grain bread, oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, etc.

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