Week 30

Baby's Development This Week:

-  Muscles and lungs are maturing

-  Bones are hardening

-  Head is growing bigger to accomodate growing brain

What to add to your menu this week:

-  Protein

-  Calcium

Focus this week on your protein intake at breakfast. Not only will eating protein at breakfast help you feel more satisfied, but it will help stave off cravings. Your baby's developing muscles will need extra protein, as well as your hard-working muscles that are adapting to the increasing weight of your body.

Here are some ideas from the article "Protein-Packed Breakfast Ideas":

Peanut Butter

“Breakfast not only jumpstarts the metabolism but also counts as the most important meal of the day,” says Marianne Bellino, certified holistic health counselor and founder of Beyond Nutrition Balanced Solutions. “Eating a well-balanced (protein, unsaturated fats, complex carbs) breakfast is the way to go if you want to feel fuller, metabolize sugars and carbs more quickly, burn extra calories, reach and maintain your ideal weight, be fit, focused and energized, and feel great.” You know those little sandwiches you make for your kids -- pb and j with the crusts cut off? Well, peanuts really pack a punch. A little bit of peanut protein will go a long way toward satisfying your morning hunger and keep you going strong.

Ricotta Cheese

If you thought ricotta is only for heavy Italian pasta dishes at dinnertime, think again -- and this time, think breakfast. Bellino explains, “Lowfat ricotta is a natural source of whey protein. Add your favorite natural sweetener and unsweetened nut muesli.” In fact, ricotta is made from whey, so it packs a protein punch.

Yogurt

Cereals, bagels, muffins, oh my! Quick fixins such as pastries and donuts taste good, but as Bellino says, they’ll leave you feeling lethargic and hungry. Instead, try plain Greek yogurt (i.e., FAGE 0 percent has no fat and 17g protein and is low in carbs.) “Add some berries and naturally sweetened granola or almonds,” Bellino suggests.

Cottage Cheese

Want a delicious breakfast that’s just as fast to throw together as a bowl of cereal or frozen waffles? Think lowfat cottage cheese. Bellino, who specializes in coaching individuals and corporations on wellness and health, recommends adding fruit and treats, too: “Add some semisweet dark chocolate chips!"

Oats

Here's a breakfast so delicious, you'll think you're still asleep and dreaming: A bowl of rolled or steel-cut oats with a scoop of unflavored whey protein. Whey is a mixture of globular proteins that are isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a byproduct of cheese production. If you want to sweeten things up, add berries and agave nectar or your favorite natural sweetener.

Omelet

(or even good old scrambled eggs!)

In the time it would take you to toast a bagel and smother it with cream cheese, you can create a hearty, healthful omelet. Bellino recommends using whole eggs or just egg whites with sautéed veggies."Fill the middle with extra goodies like beans, salsa and chicken or lox," she adds.

Breakfast Sandwich

With savory sausage, eggs and cheese on a flaky croissant, a Jimmy Dean sandwich is the quick, easy and delicious way to start your day and fight the morning fade.

Smoothie

Did anyone say "par-tay"? That's what a smoothie concoction of fresh fruit with a scoop of whey protein or nut butter feels like in the morning. Health counselor Bellino reminds us, “If you are not ready to pull away from your carb-rich breakfast, then start the transition by choosing complex carbs and simply adding a handful of almonds/walnuts, nut butters, whey protein, etc. to your morning ritual.”