Want to know what you should be eating during your ninth month of pregnancy? In this blog we’re going to chat about how your dietary and activity requirements change throughout your ninth month of pregnancy – especially now that your bub is nearly on it’s way!

Your body:

Now that your baby is the size of a watermelon, she is full term and ready to be delivered. As your baby has now ‘dropped’ into the birth canal, you should find that you are able to breathe more easily as there is less pressure on your lungs, but more pressure on your bowels, bladder and thighs.

During this final month you are, unfortunately, likely to be extremely tired as your baby’s position can be very uncomfortable to sleep. Being physically active can help you to sleep more soundly, so don’t give up.

Nutrition:

You may not have much of an appetite, especially if you are constipated, but it’s important to keep up your small, regular meals. You and your baby need the nutrients. Missing out on protein slows your metabolic rate, so ensure to include your two and a half to three  serves of dairy and two to four serves of meat or meat alternatives (poultry, fish, nuts, eggs, legumes) each day.

Omega 3 fatty acids are really important during this month as your baby’s brain is still growing, so include omega 3 rich fish in your diet two or three times each week. Check out my video on which fish are fish to eat during pregnancy.  If you’re not eating your fish requirements, I’d highly recommend taking omega 3 capsules, even if you’re eating plant-based sources of omega 3, like flaxseeds and chia.

You will probably also need your pregnancy multivitamin right up to the birth, particularly for iron as your iron requirements are so much higher than usual with the increased amount of blood you are carrying.

Exercise:

In month 9, many women experience an urge to ‘nest’ – to clean the house and make it beautiful for the arrival of their little one. Cleaning can be great exercise, but keep the tasks small and manageable. Don’t try rearranging an entire room, lifting heavy furniture or painting. Instead, stick to smaller tasks like gardening, cleaning out the pantry or reorganising your wardrobe. Getting down on all fours to clean the floor or pick up toys is beneficial to help get your baby into position for labour.

You might feel that your body gets much sorer at this point, and that you are shuffling more than walking. Just do what you can. A mid-afternoon nap can make the world of difference to your energy levels if you can score one.

Let me assure you that many women DO exercise right up to their delivery day, so unless you’ve had some significant medical issues along the way, you can too. Your recovery after labour will be a gazillion times faster if you are fit and strong.

If you haven’t done-so already, make sure you download my free pregnancy meal plan that I’ve created for you here.  It’s better late than never to focus on having a healthy pregnancy diet, so do everything that you can, to optimise your diet during your last few weeks of pregnancy.