About Ketones

Ketones are made by your body if your body is having to access stored fat for nutrition. Using stored fat means that your diet isn't providing enough carbohydrates for sugar (energy) and so your body is looking to other sources: the fat you already have stored up. The first time I hear this, I think, "Great! I've got some extra stored fat that I would love to burn up." And when you're not pregnant, that may be fine. But when you are pregnant, forcing your own body to use stored fat instead of providing it with fuel also means that your little baby is having to use its own stored fat (or protein) rather because it's not getting the fuel it needs, either. And for a tiny, developing body, using stored fat is not a good thing.

Note: High ketone levels can also be an indication that your body can't properly process sugar; you may have hypoglycemia or diabetes. If you already know your have hypoglycemia, be sure your practitioner knows as well. Your ketone levels should be carefully monitored throughout your pregnancy.

How to Stay Fueled

The simple answer to keeping my body from having high ketone levels is to eat enough. During my first pregnancy, I didn't have high ketone levels. I think I ate constantly, and having enough food was never a problem. But this is my third pregnancy; I have two children under three years old, and stopping to fix myself a snack is a lot more difficult than it used to be. If you have children already in your care, a full-time job, a work-from-home job, or just a hectic life like many of us, eating often enough and adequately enough can be a challenge. Here are some ideas that have helped me.

• Prepare plenty of snacks ahead of time. This is the key for me. If I don't have something quick, easy, and good to eat, I don't always have a moment to fix it. So use a night or a weekend to prepare the kind of foods you like to eat, for meals and snacks. Make a big batch of chicken salad, hummus, or bean dip. Prep vegetables and fruits. Freeze some filled crescent rolls.

• Keep good snacks in the car. Running errands has got to be the deadliest enemy of good eating. I either am tempted to run through the nearest fast food place to get a fix, or just try to make it until I get home. Neither option is great, so I've taken to keeping a food stash in my car. Try keeping a box of granola bars, a bag of trail mix, or some nuts and raisins in your car. Always carry a bottle of water with you, and you can have a quick, healthy snack whenever you need one.

• Set a timer. I get busy throughout the day and simply forget to stop and eat. So figure out how often you need to eat (about every 2 hours is good for me) and set a timer. When you hear that timer ring, go get your already prepped snack and take a ten-minute break to put your feet up and enjoy a snack, knowing that you are taking care of your body and your baby.

• Don't think a snack has to be a "snack." Don't get stuck in a snack rut by reverting to "traditional" snack foods like chips, candy, popcorn, and otherwise unhealthy and unfilling snack options. Anything can be a snack: leftovers, half a sandwich, a piece of fruit and some cottage cheese, a pita filled with tuna salad, a breakfast bar. Eat what you like, and quit worrying about making it fit in the right food category.

• Try to have a regular daily routine. The more regular and routine your days are, the easier it will be to plan, prepare ahead, and remember to eat often enough. Make out a simple daily schedule, including food breaks, and stick to it. Your life will be simpler and saner and you will be much better at getting the nutrition you need.

• Don't worry about gaining weight. After I take a shower and glance down at the enormity of my thighs, butt, hips, or belly, the last thing I really want to do is go eat. But I'm getting over it. Why? Because I love this baby, and taking care of the baby is more important than having a svelte and slim body. I can work on gaining that back once the baby is born; in the meantime, I can work on having healthy snacks around and making sure I eat plenty of them. That's my priority right now.

• Try a variety of snacks. If you just don't want to eat, get something new. Get out of your food rut. Browse a cookbook or a great food website for ideas. Spend an afternoon cooking. Browse a gourmet grocery store. Try some new and different things; pregnancy is a great time for food experimentation. You may find yourself loving food that you never wanted to eat before.

Listen to your body. Eat when you're hungry. Stop when you're full. Don't try to "finish up this one last thing." Give yourself a break, and take care of your body and your baby. Taking ten minutes now to refuel will make you feel better for the rest of the day.

Annie Mueller writes about life with (almost) 3-under-3 at SisterWisdom.com .

Image Credit: Fruit picture courtesy of Sister72 ; Pregnant Profile courtesy of mahalie ; Avocado image courtesy of Darwin Bell.