I will never forget how connected to my body I felt with each pregnancy. The cravings for nutrients, sleep and extra calories balanced out against my desire to nurture, nest and send love and energy to the little human inside. It’s always yin and yang, somehow, and the abundance of what I was receiving helped the balance output I was expending.

It is vital during pregnancy to care for both the mind and body. Sleep should be increased and embraced, calories increased by 300-500 per day, and clothing sizes will invariably widen so as not constrict your beautiful growing body. Smile.

Vitamins and minerals should also be abundant. In addition to needing 600IU of Vitamin D and 150 – 220 micrograms of iodine daily, calcium intake should hold steady at a solid 1000mg per day. Shockingly, most prenatal vitamins contain only 20-30% of the calcium you need daily. Worse? 68% of typical non-pregnant women are calcium deficient. We shouldn’t even think about carrying these habits into pregnancy. Why? A growing baby needs the calcium to build a healthy heart, as well as teeth, bones, muscles and nerves. If a pregnant woman doesn’t provide enough calcium from her own diet, the calcium needed by baby is pulled from her bones, which puts her own bone health at risk later in life.

Apologies if I have scared you, but there is a (delicious) solution! One Viactiv Calcium Soft Chew comes in caramel and chocolate-flavored chews that contain half a pregnant woman’s daily dose of calcium. They are small and delicious (I had to talk myself out of eating more than two), and are individually wrapped so easy to keep in the glove box or the new designer purse you bought yourself when you found out you are expecting. Or maybe that was just me. Two Viactiv chews per day sets you up with the perfect amount of calcium! #BumpUpYourCalcium

I just phoned a pharmacist friend to wish her happy birthday and told her I was writing this article. Squealing, she forgot about her birthday, and started telling me about osteoporosis and how she recommends Viactiv to every pregnant woman she meets. She’s not alone in her love of the product – In a survey² of 1,000 OB/GYNs, 7 out of 10 recommend calcium supplements and, of those who do, 9 out of 10 recommend Viactiv. I have smart friends.

Viactiv is available at major retailers nationwide including Rite Aid, CVS, BJs Wholesale Club, Target, and Walmart, as well as supermarkets nationwide.

Pregnancy is both a time of giving, but also taking. If you can do both with abundance your body, and baby, will thrive.

Disclosure: This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation that contains affiliate links. I received Viactiv products for my own personal use. All opinions, text and experiences are my own. And I totally love the product!

**OB/GYN survey data was gathered by BrandPerx on behalf of Viactiv, surveying over 1,000 participating OB/GYN’s across the country during the month of July 2015.

** Please talk with your doctor before taking any supplements. This post is not intended to address or diagnose any medical conditions. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation on behalf of Viactiv that contains affiliate links. I received Viactiv products for my own personal use. This post is not intended to address or diagnose any medical conditions. All opinions, text and experiences are my own. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please speak with your healthcare provider regarding any medical concerns.