One of my favorite parts of my job is that I get a front-row seat to thousands of conversations about pregnancy habits.
Not the polished Instagram version.
The real one.
The one where a mom sits down in my office, sighs a little, and says,
“Can I ask you something that might be a dumb question?”
(For the record…there are almost never dumb questions.)
Last week, I realized I’d had almost the exact same conversation with four different women.
Not about back pain.
Or breech babies.
Not even about labor.
It was this quiet feeling that somehow they were already behind.
One mom told me,
“I feel like I should already know all of this.”
Another said,
“I’m almost halfway through pregnancy and I feel like I haven’t done enough to prepare.”
And honestly?
I don’t think that’s their fault.
Pregnancy has become a really long list of things not to do.
Don’t eat this.
Don’t sleep like that.
Skip the extra coffee.
Don’t Google your symptoms at 2 a.m.
(…that last one is nearly impossible.)
But very few people hand you a list of things to start doing.
The habits that help you feel stronger.
Plus, the routines that make pregnancy feel less overwhelming.
The little choices that quietly prepare your body for birth months before you ever pack a hospital bag.
If you were sitting in my office today, here’s exactly what we’d talk about.
1. Give Yourself 30 Minutes to Move
One of the things I wish we talked about more is how incredible the pregnant body actually is.
Every single week it’s adapting.
Your ribs are changing.
Your breathing changes.
So does your posture.
Your pelvis changes.
Your ligaments become more mobile.
And your center of gravity slowly moves forward.
Your body is constantly saying,
“Okay…we’re doing something new now. Let me figure this out.”
Movement is one of the simplest pregnancy habits you can build, and one of the best ways to support that process.
In a dream world, I’d love for every pregnant woman to carve out about 30 intentional minutes each day for movement.
Not because you’re trying to stay “small”. (I once saw a pinterest post about about how to have a “belly only” pregnancy and I about lost my mind.)
Not because pregnancy is the time to chase personal records.
Because your body deserves the chance to move well.
That might look completely different depending on the season you’re in.
Some days it might be strength training.
Other days it’s stretching.
Some days it’s breathing exercises on your living room floor while your toddler climbs all over you.
(It still counts.)
Then, if you can, sprinkle a few short walks into your day.
Ten minutes after breakfast.
Around the block after lunch.
Holding your partner’s hand after dinner.
Those little walks do more than burn calories.
They help circulation.
Reduce stiffness.
Give your hips a break from sitting.
And honestly…sometimes they just help clear your mind.
If you’re wondering where to start, this is exactly why I created my free 7-Day Pregnancy Stretch Challenge.
It’s about ten minutes each day and includes the movements I find myself teaching over and over again in clinic.
Start there.
Then let it grow into your own movement practice.
2. Flip Your Prenatal Bottle Over
Can I tell you something funny?
I think pregnant women spend more time researching strollers than prenatal vitamins.
And I get it.
Strollers are more fun. (& def cuter)
But every once in a while, I want you to actually flip your prenatal bottle over and look at the ingredients.
While you’re reading the label, I’d also look for things like choline, DHA, iodine and vitamin D.
One prenatal I’ve personally been loving lately is Needed because I appreciate the formulation, but there isn’t one perfect prenatal for everyone.
The goal isn’t finding the “best” prenatal.
It’s understanding why you’re taking the one you are. (If you want a list of ones I like and have used over my pregnancies, click here)
3. Start Preparing for Birth Before Birth Feels Close
Can I tell you something I almost never hear?
“I started learning about birth too early.”
What I hear is the opposite.
“I can’t believe I’m already 34 weeks.”
“There’s so much I don’t even know to ask.”
“I feel like everyone else knows more than I do.”
Friend…
There is no prize for waiting.
Birth preparation isn’t about becoming obsessive.
It’s about becoming familiar.
Read one chapter.
Listen to one podcast episode.
Watch one birth education video.
Ask one good question at your next appointment.
That’s enough.
One of my favorite things to do on a quiet Saturday morning is sit on the couch with a cup of coffee and a good pregnancy or birth book.
Not because I’m studying for a test.
Because I genuinely love learning, and I think birth becomes a lot less intimidating when we understand what’s happening instead of fearing what might happen.
And if you like learning in smaller pieces, that’s exactly why I created my trimester workbooks.
I wanted to create the resource I wish every newly pregnant woman had for building better pregnancy habits.
4. Romanticize Hydration
Okay…
Maybe “romanticize” is a strong word.
But hear me out.
One of my favorite little morning rituals is filling my giant water bottle before the rest of the house really gets going.
I’ll usually throw one of my favorite electrolyte packets into that first bottle.
Not because I think every drink needs electrolytes.
Just because it makes staying hydrated easier.
And honestly?
If something tastes better, I’m simply more likely to drink it.
Pregnancy increases your body’s need for fluids in so many ways.
Blood volume.
Amniotic fluid.
Circulation.
Temperature regulation.
Sometimes headaches, fatigue or those annoying Braxton Hicks contractions become a gentle reminder that your body might just need a little more water.
I’ve shared my favorite electrolyte options over on my LTK because I get asked about them all the time.
They’re the ones I actually keep in my pantry.
Not just the ones that look pretty online.
5. Come to Appointments With Questions
This might be my biggest encouragement.
Don’t spend your entire pregnancy trying to be the “easy patient.”
You deserve to understand what’s happening in your own body.
Your OB.
Your midwife.
Or your chiropractor.
Your pelvic floor therapist.
They’re on your team.
Use them.
One question often leads to five others.
That’s okay.
Some of my favorites are:
What options do I have?
Would you recommend this if it were your wife or daughter?
Is there anything I can start doing now that Future Me will thank me for?
I love that last one.
Because that’s really what pregnancy is.
A thousand tiny investments your future self gets to enjoy.
Before You Go: Keep Building These Pregnancy Habits
If this article feels like a deep breath…
That’s exactly how I hope all of my content feels.
Less fear.
More confidence.
Less pressure to do everything perfectly.
More trust in the incredible body God designed.
So don’t try to start all five pregnancy habits tomorrow.
Choose one.
Go for a walk after dinner.
Read one chapter.
Fill your water bottle.
Stretch for ten minutes.
Ask one better question.
Little things become big things when you do them consistently.
And if you’d like me to walk alongside you a little more…
❤️ Start with my free 7-Day Pregnancy Stretch Challenge.
📚 Browse my favorite pregnancy books on LTK.
✨ Explore my trimester workbooks when you’re ready for a deeper guide.
I’m really glad you’re here as you build these pregnancy habits.
xo, Dr. Abby
