Food for Thought: Pregnancy Nutrition

Moms to be tend to obsess over the foods that are traditionally off limits during pregnancy. (See you in nine months, sushi.) But focusing on the many healthy choices that are fair game is equally important—and a lot more fun.

FitBump’s Wellness Central at the New York Baby Show (May 16 to 17; Pier 92) is here to help, offering a variety of nutrition experts leading discussions on healthy recipes, time-saving kitchen tips and the ins and outs of eating well during pregnancy. Here are a few highlights to look out for.

Maximum Nutrition

The founders of EMBODY Wellness Co., a wellness and lifestyle concierge, know how to help pregnant women and new moms alike make smart nutritional decisions. From how to take a nutrient-dense approach to eating to retooling not-so-wholesome cravings with healthy, delicious swaps, EMBODY offers advice you can use. As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. And making sound choices about what you put on your plate during pregnancy can help increase energy, decrease stress and maintain a healthy weight in a natural, nurtured way. Fat can be your friend, but knowing which types of fats to incorporate into your diet can be tricky. Holistic health coach Jennifer Mielke will talk about how to add the right ones to your meals during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Snack Time

We love snacks. But keeping between-meal noshes nourishing isn’t always easy. The first step? Knowing what goes into your favorite bite. Harvest Snaps, a crunchy vegetable snack, comes in snapea (made from 70 percent peas) and lentil (made from 65 percent lentils) and offers six different flavors. The crisps are baked not fried and are high in fiber and protein, gluten free and minimally produced.

Oatmeal functions as a solid snack option, too. My Oatmeal takes the breakfast staple to a new level, allowing its customers to produce customized blends of oats in a wide variety of flavors and combinations.

Juice can be a particularly difficult choice to navigate. Many OBGYNs discourage the consumption of raw, unpasteurized juices during pregnancy. (Harmful bacteria like E. coli can cause problems and be passed to a developing fetus.) Bundle Organics specializes in juices made specifically for pregnant women, pasteurized and fortified with nutrients needed most during pregnancy (folic acid, vitamin D, calcium, iron).

And on the supplement front, SmartyPants, a brand of gummy vitamins for adults and kids, is set to debut a prenatal vitamin.

Bonus: Breathing Right

Paying attention to what goes into your body during pregnancy doesn’t stop with food and drink. Air Angel—a mobile air sanitizer and purifier that uses a technology originally developed by NASA—reduces odors, eradicates germs, viruses, allergens and other problem-causing particles and is virtually maintenance free. Perfect for nurseries, bedrooms, playrooms and more, the pint-size product is worth a look.

For the complete Wellness Central lineup, click here.