Hello! Let's talk for a minute about protein in pregnancy. Why do you need so much? What does protein do? Protein is essential in building healthy muscles and the uterus is actually a muscle. When you are pregnant, you should be eating approximately 70 grams to 100 grams of protein a day. That's a lot of protein!
However, if you break it down into bite size pieces (literally), it is doable! A greek yogurt could be 14grams, a piece of toast may be 2-5 grams or a protein bagel 20 grams, a handful of nuts may be 20 grams, or some chia seeds added to applesauce or a smoothie could be another great source. Even eggs are a great source of protein. Eat meat or fish at least 3-5 times a week if your diet allows you to. Eating beans or bean dishes can also be a protein boost.
The benefits of eating lots of protein in pregancy are: a uterus that will function well, a potentially healier weight baby, a strong amniotic sac that surrounds your baby and protects from infection, and a better labor and recovery.
So though it may take effort, take the extra time to jot down how much protein you are eating daily. Then assess if you are getting at least 70 grams a day for you and your baby. Even an organic protein powder added to a smoothie is a quick boost during the day.
As an added hint, vary the types of protein that you eat. If you have peanut butter one day, try a sunflower or almond butter a different day. If you do dairy milk one day, you may try a goat milk or coconut or almond milk some other days of the week. The benefit of mixing up protein sources and food sources is that it is less likely that your baby will have food allergies if they are exposed to a variety of foods in utero instead of the same thing every day. Sometimes infants have food sensitivities to the very thing that you ate the most of during pregnancy.
Eating a varied diet that is rich in protein and vegetables is the best thing that you can do to lead to a wonderfully effective labor. Stay hydrated daily with at least half your body weight in ounces of water a day. You can do this! You are building a wonderful person and preparing for a great labor, delivery, and recovery!