It’s no surprise that many people experience low energy levels during pregnancy, especially in the first and third trimesters. Changes in hormone levels, blood volume, morning sickness and poor sleep can all contribute to fatigue and exhaustion. Any emotional stress and anxiety during pregnancy can also drain your energy.

Nutrition can play an important role in increasing your energy levels during pregnancy, and is luckily a variable you can have some control over. Here are four nutrition tips you can implement to boost your energy during pregnancy:

Add Protein to All Your Meals

Pregnancy can be a challenging time for eating balanced meals, especially if you are experiencing morning sickness such as nausea and vomiting. You may find yourself grabbing carbohydrate-rich foods such as crackers, pasta, bread or chips to help ease your discomfort. While these foods provide your body with energy and temporary relief from nausea, they can also lead to high blood sugars. Fluctuations in blood sugars, especially when they rise, then rapidly fall can lead to low energy and fatigue. The key is to create balanced meals where you are pairing a protein and fat with your carbohydrate. For example, add a cheese stick or hard-boiled egg with crackers. Protein helps balance your blood sugar, resulting in steady energy throughout the day. Other protein sources include Greek yogurt, nuts, eggs, cheese, meat, chicken, fish and tofu.

Choose a Quality Prenatal Vitamin

Most pregnant women take a prenatal vitamin during pregnancy, however the type of prenatal supplement is important. Choosing a high-quality prenatal vitamin can help increase your energy levels by making sure you are getting the optimal amount of nutrients your body needs in the most active bioavailable form. This means the body can use these forms of nutrients efficiently. Look for a prenatal that contains the active forms folate, vitamin D3 and methylcobalamin. A high-quality prenatal can include up to eight pills a day to ensure you are getting the correct amounts of nutrients required for pregnancy. Remember, a prenatal vitamin is meant to supplement a healthy diet and fill in any nutritional gaps. Therefore, it’s still important to continue eating balanced meals.

Hydrate with Mineral Drinks

Minerals are nutrients found in food that act as the body’s “spark plugs,” helping your body function properly and produce energy. A lack of essential minerals can contribute to fatigue, low energy and brain fog. Stress on the body, such as pregnancy, can deplete the levels of important minerals so it’s vital to replenish them. Specific minerals to focus on are sodium, magnesium and potassium as these minerals, known as electrolytes, play a direct role in creating energy. These minerals can be found in foods such as bananas, coconut and pumpkin seeds. However, it can be challenging to get enough of these minerals from food alone. Mineral mocktails are drinks that focus on these minerals and can be a great way to help get enough minerals in your body and stay hydrated. A simple mineral drink is 1/2-cup coconut water, a squeeze of orange juice and 1/8 teaspoon salt. You can also buy electrolyte drinks but make sure they don’t contain added sugar.

Don’t Skip Meals

Following a regular eating schedule can help with stabilizing energy levels. Skipping meals or having long stretches between meals can create low blood sugars, which results in fatigue, low energy, irritability and nausea. Having a meal or snack every three to four hours can help stabilize blood sugars, which means more energy throughout the day. Planning out meals for the week can help you be prepared for each day and will help you avoid skipping meals or grabbing an unhealthy snack from the pantry.

Other factors that can help with energy levels are getting enough rest, moving your body and daily exposure to sunlight. It’s also important to run bloodwork for iron, thyroid, blood sugars and vitamin D levels as they can also play a fole. Always consult with your obstetrician if you have any concerns.

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