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The Bradley Method‘s nutrition program recommends that pregnant women need 80-100 grams of protein every single day during their pregnancy. The benefits of increasing your protein intake are many, but especially to help ensure a healthy, full-term pregnancy, and baby. If you feed your body right, chances are better that your body will work exactly the way God meant it to during labor-efficient, effective contractions, leading to the healthy and safe birth of your baby.

1.  Keep raw almonds handy-in your desk, in your purse, in your car. 1 Oz. of raw almonds, or approximately 20-30 almonds, gives you 6 grams of protein. Since you only need 300 extra calories a day while you’re pregnant, you might want to be careful about over doing it. An ounce of almonds has about 160 calories. You can nibble a few here and there throughout the day.

2.  Start your days while you’re pregnant with a protein shake. There are many protein powders on the market and my favorite is whey protein. But if you’re allergic to dairy, you’ll want to try rice, soy, or some hemp protein powder. Here are some  recipes to try:

Whey protein shake

(Designer Whey, MRM< or other brands)

2 scoops protein powder

1 cup milk

4-6 ice cubes

Put all ingredients in a blender. 18 grams of protein per scoop.


Chocolate Banana Shake 

½ of a frozen banana (approximately)

2-3 ice cubes

¾ cup of milk or milk substitute

1 tablespoon of baking chocolate (unsweetened powder form)

1 scoop of Life Time Vanilla flavored Plant Protein. 22 grams protein per scoop

In a blender, blend banana, ice, and milk.  Once well blended, add chocolate and protein.  More or less milk may be needed.

Strawberry Shake

¼ cup frozen pineapple

½ cup frozen strawberries

2-3 ice cubes

¾ cup of milk or milk substitute

1 scoop of Life Time Vanilla flavored Plant Protein 

In a blender, blend pineapple, strawberries, ice and milk.  Once well blended, add protein.  More or less milk may be needed, depending on the desired consistency.

3.  “Beans, beans, good for the heart, the more you eat,…” well you know this one. Not only are they good for the heart, but they are low in calories, and high in protein. Every cell  during your pregnancy is formed from protein- baby, bones, uterus, blood, amniotic fluid-everything! One cup of beans has about 12-14 grams of protein. So start adding beans to soups and stews. Add hummus to your sandwiches. Just spread it onto the bread instead of mayonnaise. Throw some kidney or garbonzo beans on to your salads. Your pregnant body will thank you.

4.  Whole grains give  you fiber and protein.  When you’re pregnant, the old digestive tract doesn’t work the way it does when you are not pregnant. So, adding whole grains can help regulate your digestion. Some suggestions are Quinoa, which has 18 grams of protein in one cup. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Read labels and look for whole grains. Stop eating white rice and switch to brown rice only. Or if that’s too drastic cook half brown, half white rice.

5.  Keep a food diary by downloading apps from Myfitnesspal.com, calorieking.com, or live strong.com

Now get busy! Your baby is counting on you to provide all the nourishment he/she news to grow up healthy and strong!

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