Mom-To-Be Iya Villania Shares Her Secrets to a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy

TV host Iya Villania Iya is due to give birth to their first baby-- a baby boy!--any time now, but that has not stopped her from stayinga active, shopping inlcuded!

In fact, Smartparenting.com.ph bumped into Iya at the opening of the new Baby Company store at SM Megamall where she tells us the nursery is nearly finished for her baby boy (she and husband Drew Arellano have named the baby Antonio Primo). Iya says their co-sleeper has just arrived, and she and Drew have been practicing how it would be like when their little bundle of joy arrives. 

We love Iya's sunny, almost worry-free, disposition throughout her pregnancy. So we had to ask her what was her secret for a happy and healthy pregnancy? She says these preggy essentials things that really helped her better manage the ups and downs of pregnancy.

1. Pregnancy pillow

The mom-to-be says it has helped her get better sleep at night. "Because, you know, it kind of gets hard, especially when the baby starts to get heavy and just trying to find a position," Iya explains. She knows how important sleep is at this stage. "Once the baby is there, goodbye tulog!" she quips.

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2. Exercise

It's no secret that Iya has been exercising all throughout her pregnancy, something that has been part of her and Drew's lifestyle even before she got pregnant. "It helps to get into fitness prior to getting pregnant. And to be able to sustain it throughout the pregnancy has been really a big help for me, too," she says.

3. Belly support belt

Speaking of exercise, Iya wears a belly support belt now that her tummy is getting so big. Baby Primo is growing fast and getting heavier by the week. "If I have a full day, if I'm doing a lot of walking, if I'm going to be on my feet a lot, or if I'm working out, I just like to have that as an added support," she says.

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4. Green smoothies

"Kasi I'm not that big on greens, eh. I'm not that big on salads. Mas karne ako, so at least I get my meat from my ulam, but yung mga gulay, at least kahit papaano, kung wala dun sa ulam ko, meron ko dun sa green smoothie ko," Iya explains. She also feels that it has helped her deal with constipation, an issue preggy moms can certainly relate. Iya buys her green smoothies from Rawlicious.


5. Flats

Comfort trumps fashion, for the mom-to-be, and it turns out it has always been the case even if we always see her in heels. "I love heels, but I've never been comfortable in them to begin with. I only really wear them for work," she says. It's just a matter of pairing them with the right clothes.

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6. Nutrient supplements

Iya explains: "Like the folic acid, DHA, malunggay -- all those supplements have been very helpful kasi minsan when you don't get in all those nutrients, especially when you're buy nesting, you sometimes forget to eat. Or, sometimes you’re moody with what you want to eat but, of course, it's not about what you want to eat--it's about getting the right nutrient for the baby. At least, whatever you lack with the food intake, you can take in other ways."

While Iya has gotten pregnancy all figured out, she's still in the dark about how painful it is to give birth. "I'm anxious to know how painful [labor and childbirth] is going to be. I’m sure pag naramdaman ko na yung sakit, hindi na ako magiging anxious. Okay na alam ko na" she says. Iya hopes that when she goes into labor, her healthy pregnancy lifestyle would help her deliver Baby Primo safely.

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