Key Nutrition for Pregnant Equestrians

As a health coach, I am continually amazed at the diets of equestrian athletes. Many still subsist on fast food, skipped meals, and sugary drinks. All this despite the fact that they are, in fact, athletes, and should be fueling as such.

Horseback riding can burn upwards of 450 calories per hour. Throughout our days of walking, grooming, saddling, feeding, riding, etc we often work every major muscle group and get some decent zone 2 cardio.

We also know that pregnancy is an extremely high demand time nutritionally. In almost all cases of restricted nutrients, your body will serve your baby first, even if it means taking from your precious body to do so.

That’s why diet and vitamins are SO important for any healthy pregnancy, but especially for the pregnant athlete. Before we go on, I must remind you to please defer to your doctor’s advice about all things health and nutrition. However, here are some key things to consider when feeding a pregnant athlete (such as yourself):

1. Eating for Two?

   You’ve heard it a million times, but is it really true? Calorically speaking, no. You have no increased caloric need during your first trimester, and only about 400-600 extra calories needed during your second and third trimesters. Nutritionally, however, your baby and body both need extra nutrients during this time to grow healthfully. So focusing on nourishing, nutrient dense foods is key to a thriving pregnancy, healthy birth, and quick postpartum recovery.

2. What if you’re too nauseous?

   During your first trimester especially you may find you are just too nauseous to eat a nourishing diet. That’s okay. Just do your best. Try to eat bland but healthy things like nuts, cut raw fruits and veggies, whole grains, or bone broth (if you’re up to it you can drink it plain, or in soups). I know it’s tempting to live on ginger ale and butter noodles (trust me I had my share of those days), but do your best to balance that with foods rich in nutrition.

3. Prenatal Vitamins

   A prenatal vitamin is essential to make sure you meet your basic nutritional needs throughout pregnancy and postpartum, as well as if you plan to breastfeed. Look for one that is food based for best bioavailability, and has folate, vitamin D, calcium, and choline at a minimum. You’ll want to take an iron and B vitamin separately, as iron will inhibit the absorption of calcium. You’ll also want to take a DHA/EPA supplement, like a high quality fish oil, collagen with plenty of all of the types (I, II, III, IV, V, and VI all serve different roles in the body and uterus specifically), and a probiotic to help minimize your chances of Strep b. I also took grass fed beef liver pills daily to help meet my iron and choline needs as a primarily vegetarian pregnant person.

4. Other nourishing things

   In addition to all of this, there are a few other nourishing foods that can be extremely helpful during pregnancy. These include:

   1. Eggs with yolks

   2. Liver (if you can stomach it)

   3. Tart cherry juice (to help you sleep)

   4. Coconut water (electrolytes to help with muscle cramps)

   5. Dates (especially late in the third trimester to help with a speedy and effective labor)

   6. NORA tea (ask your doctor first, but this is a uterine and blood tonic that can help with a healthy third trimester and effective labor)

I realize this can feel like a lot to digest, literally, but there is never a more important time to strive for nourishing foods than now. Giving your baby the building blocks they need for a body they will live in for a lifetime, and giving your body the nourishment it needs to be a home for that baby, recovery quickly postpartum, and be an athlete all throughout shouldn’t be something to compromise on.

If you want help creating an in depth diet plan for your pregnancy and postpartum journey, reach out! I’d love to work with you.