Best Energy-Boosting Pregnancy Foods

Feeling too pooped these days to do much of anything? Of course you are — you're pregnant!

Even if you're still in the first trimester and may not yet be showing any evidence on the outside that you're busily building a baby, there's plenty going on inside — and it's all hard work, the hardest work your body has ever done.

To fuel the baby-making factory that's in operation 24/7, you're producing more blood, your heart rate is up, your metabolism is burning energy overtime (even when you're lying down) and you're using up more nutrients and water. All of this contributes to the pregnancy fatigue you're likely experiencing.

What's more, during the first trimester, your body's still in the process of manufacturing your baby's placenta (which won't be complete until the fourth month). It's not surprising that you're always fighting fatigue — and feeling like you're fighting a losing battle. Second-trimester fatigue is possible too, as well as in the third trimester as you grapple with pregnancy insomnia and your growing baby bump.

So what's an exhausted mom-to-be to do (other than crawl into bed at the first opportunity)?

While you can drink coffee during pregnancy (it's safe for pregnant women to consume up to 200 milligrams of caffeine a day), it's smart to avoid sugary energy drinks or heavily caffeinated snacks. The sugar and caffeine combo can cause a sharp rise in blood sugar — followed by a quick, deep plummet, leaving you even more tired than when you first took a sip.

For an energy lift that lasts, turn to high-quality, energy-boosting foods like the ones below. Bonus: Not only will these superfoods help deliver an energy boost, but they'll add nutritional value to your day.

Best energy-boosting foods during pregnancy

Here's the lowdown on foods that will give you a lift that lasts:

1. Protein-rich foods

Protein is essential during pregnancy, and it's also nature's ultimate pick-me-up. It provides you with the kind of energy that keeps you going — instead of leaving you flat in the middle of the day.

Better still, the amino acids in protein-rich foods will also aid in the development of your baby's rapidly reproducing cells. You need approximately 71 grams of it per day when you're expecting.

You can find healthy sources of protein in:

• Milk
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Lean meat
• Poultry
• Fish and seafood
• Tofu and soy products (soy pasta, edamame)
• Beans, lentils, split peas
• Quinoa
• Nuts and seeds
• Peanut butter

3. Complex carbohydrates

Has the word carb become a four letter one in your diet plan? Redefine it by choosing healthy complex carbohydrates that nourish your baby and fuel your energy needs.

Check out this list of healthy carb options that reads like the roster of a nutritional all-star team:

• Fresh fruits
• Dried and freeze-dried fruits
• Fresh vegetables
• Whole-grain breads, crackers and cereals
• Baked potatoes (with skins on)
• Dried beans and peas

3. Iron-rich foods

Fatigue, especially if it's really keeping you down, could be related to iron-deficiency anemia, especially as pregnancy progresses and the demands of blood making start to take their toll.

Making sure you get some iron-rich foods daily (as well as taking your prenatal vitamin) will keep your irons stores elevated and help pump up your energy level. You can find iron from these healthy sources:

• Iron-fortified cereals
• Dried fruit
• Spinach
• Canned sardines
• Eggs
• Lentils
• Soy products
• Lean red meat
• Cooked shellfish
• Cooked dried beans

Finally, make sure you're getting enough calories. When you're making a baby, you need an extra 300 to 500 calories a day (depending on the trimester you're in) to fuel his growth. Get less than that amount, and you'll undercut the energy needed to grow a baby — as well as the energy you need to get through your day.