10 Ways to Increase your Energy Naturally

Have you felt that afternoon or mid-morning lack of energy? Do you reach for something sweet or caffeinated to give you a jolt? That's right, we all know it. As good as they taste, those sweets and caffeinated foods/beverages give you a cheap thrill of energy then they drain you the rest of the day. Here are 10 ways to increase you energy without sugar or caffeine from my days at Integrative Nutrition (amended for you moms):

1) Reduce or eliminate caffeine: The ups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and blood sugar ups and downs, making mood swings more frequent. If you need something to get you going in the morning try some hot lemon water, a decaf or herbal tea or a weak coffee/tea until you adjust.

2) Drink water: Most Americans are chronically dehydrated. Pregnancy and breastfeeding requires you to consume even more water. Before you go to sugar or caffeine, have a glass of water and wait a few minutes to see what happens. Caution: Soft drinks are now America’s number one source of added sugar. Are you having trouble remembering to drink water? Buy yourself a reusable glass or stainless steel water bottle that makes it convenient and fun.

3) Eat dark leafy green vegetables: Green is associated with spring, the time of renewal and refreshing, vital energy. Greens are full of vitamins and nutrients and great for improving circulation, lifting the spirit, purifying the blood and strengthening the immune system. Broccoli, collards, bok choy, kale, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, arugula and dandelion greens are some of the many to choose from.

4) Use gentle sweets: Avoid sugar and chemicalized artificial sweeteners. Use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar and liquid stevia. Also eat sweet vegetables such as yams, carrots and beets especially at lunch.

5) Get physical activity: Start with simple activities, like walking or yoga—start with 10 minutes a day and increase. Make this a standard part of your day. Simple exercises like walking and stretching can be done long before a post-partum mom gets the "okay" from her caregiver to do heavier exercise. Park or get off the train a few extra blocks from your office. Walk the kids to school instead of driving. Do family yoga in the evening.

6) Get more sleep, rest and relaxation: When you are tired or stressed your body will crave energy. Is pregnancy discomfort keeping you up? Do you have a baby waking every few hours for a feeding? As much as possible, go to sleep early and gently mold your baby's sleeping habits to allow for more restful nights. If you need down-time during the day, find a way to make it happen. Hire help if needed.

7) Evaluate the amount of animal food you eat: Eating too much meat, dairy, chicken and eggs can lead to low energy. So can eating too little! Experiment. Respect your body’s individuality.

8) Take time for yourself: Find activities that restore your energy, such as a walk, a bath, a museum, a movie or whatever you enjoy, and schedule a weekly date with yourself to do these things!

9) Get in touch with your spirituality: We are spiritual beings in a physical world. Find ways to get in touch with your spiritual side, be it meditating, dancing, drawing, church, temple or being in nature.

10) Get rid of relationships that drain you: People can drain you of your energy. It doesn’t mean that they are bad, but it is good to notice who drains you and why. See if you can transform those relationships by communicating and setting boundaries, or end the relationship.

Online references

So now that you have some in-person mother's groups to join (most have great online communities too), here are some great online only references:

• Mothering.com -- This used to be a wonderful magazine that is now out of print but has great online forums and blog postings.
• DrMomma.org (Peaceful Parenting) -- There are inspirational stories and great resources here from prenatal care to birth and parenting.
• Kellymom.com -- While you are bookmarking sites, this is also a must.  It helps get you ready to breastfeed, helps you get started breastfeeding, breastfeeding troubleshooting and excellent charts of medication harm levels while breastfeeding (PLEASE check these charts no matter what your doctor says.  I know way too many nursing moms that had a traditional doctor try to prescribe a medication that affects the baby and the doctor only offered a safer alternative after the mother informed her doctor).

Leave a comment if you know of other good ones so we can grow this list!  If you are unsure of how to leave a comment or tried in the past without success, see the updated post on How to Leave a Comment.

Eating for two

Image: kratuanoiy
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As you know, I do not believe that you should double your consumption (eating for "two") while pregnant but you should be aware that you are eating for "two" living beings that have nutritional needs.

Eating habits are a very sensitive topic since there are so many food sensitivities and dietary styles.  My professional experience and personal experiences have meshed into these viewpoints.

You are eating for the sole purpose of nourishment and you will not feel satisfied if you are eating foods that your body does not want. That is why you can eat a whole pint of ice cream or a whole bag of chips and feel sick but not satisfied.  It is important to be aware of how balanced your daily foods are and to know if your body is telling you that you are missing something.

Protecting your Own Health

The woman's body is made to take care of the baby first.  So if the mother is not consuming her nutritional needs during pregnancy, the body will take it from other parts of her such as her hair or her teeth.  The body will also hold back nourishing the baby in these areas too.  Mothers who were undernourished during pregnancy especially the first trimester (or had pregnancies too close together) often experience tooth issues after pregnancy or have children who have tooth decay at a very young age. This is important stuff and just popping your prenatal vitamins does not ensure proper nourishment!

Cravings

Food cravings are a wonderful clue.  Our body often gives us a craving when it is missing a nutrient.  The craving usually says "I need something now!" and we often misinterpret that to mean "I really need the  jelly donut that I just saw." During a time of craving, it is good to take a step back and deconstruct why you are having it. Are you thirsty? Are your meals and snacks well rounded enough? Are your fruits and vegetables filled with varying colors (especially dark green)? Are you getting enough protein? Are you getting enough whole grains (not from "whole grain flour" but the real whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, millet, etc.)? Are you getting enough healthy fats (raw olive oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter, etc.)?

Deconstructing your craving can be complicated and I suggest that if you are having regular cravings that you write down everything that you eat daily and try to work out a pattern from day to day.  Maybe you need to change up your breakfast (add some veggies or protein) or add some sweet vegetables to your lunch (beets and carrots are great with dark greens).  When you stop having cravings then you know that your body is in balance.

I have deconstructed many times and now I often crave kale if I am lacking my dark greens.  When I accidentally have not had fruit my mind cannot stop thinking about gummy bears (oh how I love you little guys!).

Nutrient Dense Foods

Calories are not just calories when it comes to being pregnant.  Your body needs certain nutrients in their most wholesome form so you can absorb them best.  This means that it is best to get your serving for fruit from a piece of fruit and not from juice (that lacks active enzymes, fiber, and nutrients). Your body has no need for soda or flavored waters that are filled with chemicals.

Traditionally most cultures had special foods for pregnant women.  They were given the liver, the fatty pieces of meat, bone broths and nutrient dense grains such as quinoa.  If you follow a traditional diet, you will know that these foods are staples for pregnant women. Dr. Weston A. Price discovered almost a hundred years ago that people who still follow these traditional diets while pregnant and while children are young, have the best health and perfect teeth.

I do believe that some people find their optional health while being vegetarians or vegans and that some people find that their dietary needs change during different stages of their lives. Yes, there are plenty of healthy vegetarians and vegans that have healthy babies but you must be careful to make sure that you are eating enough nutrients. I have also met some vegans who attribute their child's growth delays and teeth decay to their lack of nutrient while pregnant. People of all dietary types can fall into the junk food trap of eating protein bars, processed foods (including processed soy), too few fresh fruits and vegetables, and not enough or the wrong types of fats.  Take a step back and look at what you are really eating.

Don't Forget the What to Eat List!

Here.

Wow, I could write a book just on prenatal nutrition so I will just stop this post here :)

Finding time to be in shape

So pregnant mamas are supposed to exercise daily to keep themselves and their baby healthy.  This is great on a good day but in reality, most pregnant women spend time in one part of their pregnancy or another feeling uncomfortable, sick or exhausted.  So how can you find time to be in shape?

You can continue the type of exercise that you were doing pre pregnancy if your body is used to it. Your body will tell you if it is too much for you. I have seen pregnant mamas jogging and that is great for them (but not me!).  Swimming is great during pregnancy but I have not had access to anything other than the baby pool while watching my other kids. When I am not pregnant, I usually find yoga to either be too hard or a bore.  During all three of my pregnancies I found prenatal yoga to be healing. My first two pregnancies in NYC, Melissa Feldman made me laugh and love going to class.  I connected with fellow pregnant mamas who I shared a very special time with and learned a wealth of knowledge.  After giving birth we had weekly playgroups (sometimes for happy hour) and later a babysitting coop with each other for support.  This was priceless BUT the most priceless part is that no one in Melissa's class EVER had back pain or other pregnancy ailments. Women were at class up until the end even if they were overdue. There was a magical feeling as I would walk out of class that made me feel like my body was in perfect alinement and that I was in perfect harmony with my body image and with my beautiful baby.

On a daily basis, I recommend making exercise part of your lifestyle.  Walking has been the perfect fit for me because it takes no extra equipment and can be done anytime. For me living urban has kept me walking wether it be for groceries, up and down endless subway stairs, walking the kids to preschool or the park. For those of you who have a harder time adding walking into life, there are a lot of things that you can do like park (or get off the train) farther away and walk a longer distance.  You can go for a 20 minute speed walk on your lunch break, visit a local park or enjoy a prenatal salsa dancing DVD at home. Those prenatal yoga DVDs bored me because they were too easy.

Whatever you do, try to have movement everyday.

Removing toxins from your beauty routine

As you know, I took my journey to removing beauty toxins in baby steps starting with what I use most: moisturizer. I now have more and more skin to cover with moisturizer and it all gets absorbed through my skin into my bloodstream which passes nutrients (and toxins!) to my baby.

What can you not live without?

My lips have always been pale and I like to tint them. Most of my lip color enters my mouth which seems like a gross place for traditional lipsticks filled with lead and other nasty chemicals. I found that I like Hemp Organics lipstick but it is rather pricey to have collection of colors. I use it sometimes but not often because my older daughters are always going through my purse and I don't want them wasting this lipstick! Instead I discovered that my local target has a lot of  rather natural tinted lip glosses/balms that really perk my lips up. Then I discovered that I could order them cheaper online at Vitacost (disclosure: we both get a referral bonus if you buy using this link) or through my Holistic Mom's Network Frontier buying club. When my girls put a little on they do not end up looking like a clown.

I have also found that I look better with less makeup and my skin seems happier!  The expensive makeup items that I own last much longer (often several years) because only a small amount does the trick.

Before I buy a product, I check it at the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database to see how toxic it is.  This goes for shampoo, soap, makeup, nail polish, sunblock, moisturizers, and etc. Every now and then they do not have a new product in the database so I look up the individual ingredients and see what they say about the ingredients.

Removing toxins from your cleaning routine

image: www.care2.org

It is widely published that pregnant women should stay clear of cleaning products so the chemicals released into the air and put on the skin do not harm the unborn child.  Most women shout for joy and gladly hand over the task of housekeeping to their partners.  That it what I did when I was pregnant with my oldest child.  But I was on that holistic mission and learning more and more about why I didn't even want my husband exposed to those toxins. It was really hard for me to part with Mr. Scrubbing Bubbles and his effortless bathtub cleaning. This whole holistic journey was a lot for me so I needed to start with baby steps.

I started by replacing the most used products with products that were safer.  The first item that I changed was the dish soap since my hands were in it all day long.  After a long experimentation period, my beloved Dawn was replaced with Seventh Generation dish soap.

I was blown away by the price differences of everything.  It seemed that many of the green cleaners were at least 2-4 times the cost of the chemical cleaners.  So I attended a friend's DIY Green Cleaning workshop and started making my own recipes that surprisingly worked great.  I used the recipes from Care2.org to make my own green cleaning kit with supplies that I mostly already had.  I have also learned some great cleaning tips over time such as a damp microfiber cloth is great for dusting and that my wood furniture only needs to be oiled (with a natural oil) once a year!  My hard floors are cleaned with a steam mop that cleans with only water and the cloths go in the washing machine to be reused for years so there is no waste.  Dryer balls make my clothes soft without coating them with chemicals and last for several years.  Vinegar, baking soda, and Dr. Bronner's castille soap are the main cleaning items in my cleaning bin and I love it!  Keeping my bathroom ventilated while showering with "air-in" and "air-out" prevents mold (for example an open window and the fan -- or -- an open door and the fan).

For the cleaning products that I do buy, I like to support companies that are green because they know that it is best for the environment and the next generation.  That is why I don't buy brands such as Clorox Green Works and I suggest that you don't either.  Stick to the wholesome companies like Seventh Generation, Earth Friendly Products, BioKleen, Ecover, etc.

The best part of green cleaning is that our kids mimic us. When they see us do something they want to do it to.  I have no issues handing one of my older kids a rag to help me clean because I know that I am not exposing them to any extra chemicals that can disrupt their immune system or behavior.

Why should I have a midwife if I am not a hippie?

Here is the stereotype:
Back in the old days, women used midwives and almost always gave birth at home (true).  Then modern medicine came along in the 20th century and doctors provided a supposedly healthier way of giving birth in hospitals. Now we are in the 21st century and only crazy hippies would use a midwife so they could give birth at home without medical support.  THIS IS SO WRONG!  GET THIS OUT OF YOUR HEAD NOW!


Don't get too comfy with your OB.
One of the most common things that I hear from women is that they love their pre-pregnancy OBGYN so they stick with that care provider because they feel comfortable.  Or they know one friend who just gave birth with an OB so they use that doctor.  Although this makes sense to these moms, I challenge all of you pregnant moms to look at the data and hear the birth stories of women on both sides of the caregiving spectrum.


Lower your chances of a cesarean by using a midwife!
The World Health Organization says that the cesarean rate should not be higher than 10-15% while most hospitals with OBs in my area are close to 40%. The national U.S. cesarean section rate was 4.5% and near this optimal range in 1965 when it was first measured (Taffel et al. 1987).  Here is a link with some reasons why the cesarean levels have risen so drastically.  Here is a link where a study showed midwives having a 3-4% cesarean rate with women of a normal health.


There are also a lot of statistics that any sort of medication (even painkillers like an epidural) during labor greatly increases the mother's chance of having a cesarean and that the medication is transferred to the baby.  These medications also cause the women's body to not react as it normally would and often causes a snowball effect of needing more intervention.  The movie The Business of Being Born is a great visual example of this.  It is a must see movie for pregnancy couples.  I forced my husband to watch it and he was so thankful at the end of the movie that he had watched it!


If you are curious what your state's cesarean rate is, go to www.cesareanrates.com.  The site also lists your state's hospitals that allow vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Midwives and doctors can do VBAC deliveries but not all doctors are trained and practiced in doing them so you may need to do some research if that is the route that you want to take.


What is a midwife?
Midwives are trained nurses that have furthered their education in midwifery. They deliver babies in hospitals, specialized birthing centers with medical backup or at your home (known as a "home birth") with a backup plan to transfer you to a hospital if needed.  Midwives listen to your body and if your body shows signs of trouble then they get you the medical help that you need. Midwives are also more versed with natural birthing positions, and working with the woman's specific body to allow for the baby to come naturally and with minimal discomfort. There are many great reads about midwives including Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.  This is a must read for all pregnant moms.


My story
I have had one birth with an OB and one birth with a midwife.  My first birth was with an OB because the hospital was "convenient", rated the #1 maternity ward in NYC yet only had OBs.  In hindsight those were the worst reasons to choose an OB. By the time in my pregnancy that I realized my decision, I was too nervous to change caregivers (again, not a great reason).  Thankfully I had a doula who was fantastic and was the only reason why I was able to have the birth that I wanted.  My second birth was with a midwife. I fell in love with my midwife at first meeting.  She truly cared and understood how my body was working.  She perfectly predicted every detail about how my birth would be and made it incredible.  There was no question in my mind that my third birth would be with a midwife.  This time I am with a practice of midwives in a new state and I am extremely happy with their level of care and involvement.


I will be writing more about doulas and sharing birth stories in the coming weeks so keep following and thank you for all the great support that I have been receiving for this blog!

Lubrication

Get your mind out of the gutter, I am not talking about THAT kind of lubrication!  I am talking about your skin!

If you take care of your body during pregnancy, you can look awesome afterwards! I believe that the female body comes in all shapes and sizes so don't get me wrong.  I also believe that women should be proud of their bodies and if that means showing off some skin then why not (it must be my European blood talking).

During pregnancy, your skin is stretching and making amazing (seemingly strange) changes. Many women find that their skin never goes back to its original state although it can.  Maybe the skin is extra stretched or it has stretch marks from the skin stretching too fast.

There are four factors that cause the women's skin to change:

1. Genetics -- The good news here is that more and more each day, it is being proven that we can change our genetics by diet and lifestyle!  So don't blame genetics too much as you stuff you face during pregnancy!
2. Hydration -- Your skin is mostly water and is unable to become more elastic if you are not staying hydrated.  During pregnancy, you require more hydration and water is the best source.  If you don't care for water, try adding a splash of juice, a slice of lemon, a slice of cucumber, or some ice cubes. I find that when I get in a water rut, buying a new water bottle energizes me to drink more.
3. Foods -- Your body needs to be getting enough vitamins and healthy fats to help your body grow as nature intended it to. Try to eat as many whole and unprocessed foods as possible.
4. Lubrication -- You must prepare your skin on the inside (though food and drinks) and on the outside (lubrication) for its stretching.  The weather and clothing cause our skin to loose a lot of moisture that can be kept within the skin by lubricating or shall I say moisturizing. You should moisturize your breasts, belly, waist, lower back, hips and thighs (if you think you need it) in the morning and evening.  Your body will absorb all of the moisturizer so make sure that it is natural and something that you would want to put inside your body.  Would you eat it?  Everything on your skin gets absorbed into your bloodstream and your bloodstream feeds your baby.  I have had great success with coconut oil (especially after a shower) and a stick of pure cocoa butter (this is great for a quick application because it melts as soon as it hits your skin).  There are some great products out there but the really good natural ones are expensive and the cheap ones contain things such as mineral oil (clogs pores and is made from petroleum), alcohol (dries out your skin in the long term), and chemical smells that I would rather not put on my skin. Before you buy a commercial product check to see how safe it is at The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database. Pure coconut oil and pure cocoa butter are natural and very inexpensive.  Continue to moisturize until well after your baby is born.

Surviving pregnancy brain

Have you ever heard of pregnancy brain? It is a real thing that happens to us pregnant ladies. Our minds are filled with thoughts of juggling family, work, chore, bills, and our cute unborn baby while our body has extra hormones raging through us. Maybe you go grocery shopping and forget to buy half the things on your list or you blurt out "Tigers love to tug on purple ducks" as you walk past the duck pond. 


You can control this pregnancy brain by making new and realistic expectations of yourself and staying focused on one thing at a time. That way, you can complete one area of your life and be present in your current area. How can you do that report at work if you mind is still thinking about those dirty dishes that you left at home and how you will have to juggle 10 things when you get home from work. Write down what you have to do to get it off your mind then go back to work and put your full attention at your work.  Take breaks and go for walks as often as you can. Of course resting as much as possible also helps so listen to your body.

Morning sickness cures

Some women get it and and some don't.  Some women get physically sick and others have nausea.  Some women have it all day and some just have it in the morning.  Here are some things that I learned to help morning sickness:

• Keep your toilet clean.  There is nothing worse than puking into a dirty toilet!
• Stay in bed for 10 minutes after you wake up without moving.  Eat a few saltines or other bland and simple crackers (depending on what your stomach allows) that you keep on your nightstand.  If I did this in the morning, I usually would not have to vomit and would have less nausea throughout the day. This was really hard for me this third time around because I often have older kids crying for me in the morning and they keep eating all of my crackers!
• Eat small simple meals.  Basic carbs worked best for me and I snuck in some hidden protein, fruit and veggies to make sure that I was staying balanced.  I never feel like cooking in the first trimester so I find easy foods that nourish and make me feel better. Homemade bone broth and quinoa felt very medicinal and healing for me and are traditional foods for pregnant women to eat since they are very nutrient dense and easy to digest.  Even if you are sick or don't feel like eating it is very important to get even a small amount of food based nutrition in your body to prevent later issues in your pregnancy and digestive, tooth decay, or developmental issues in your children after birth.
• Sip liquids.  Water may not feel good on your uneasy stomach so consider ginger tea or something else that feels good to you.  I recommend to stay away from ginger ale soda because it has high fructose corn syrup in it (or equally as bad artificial sweeteners if it is a diet soda) as well as carbonation that causes an acidic imbalance in your body.
• Acupuncture and acupressure are really great for helping nausea.  Professionals can do wonders or you can get a quick fix acupressure "motion sickness" wrist band at your local pharmacy.
• Although women with morning sickness feel like curling up in a hidden ball, exercise actually helps!  If you are tight on time, go for a walk around the block at lunch, walk somewhere that you would normally drive (or take the train), or get off the train (or park your car) a little farther away than usual.
• Some women get an acidic or metallic taste in their month during the first trimester.  This has happened to me and it is not nice!  It is believed to be caused when your body becomes too acidic from consuming a higher level of simple carbs and sugars than usual.  Since only simple carbs and bone broth taste good to me during the first trimester, I try to be mindful of keeping my diet as balanced as possible to avoid making it too acidic (which can later lead to more health issues).
• Find your sickness trigger.  It could be a smell or something that you ate the day before.  I gagged on post-nasal drip that seems to come from nowhere during my first trimesters.  Then I did some reading and experimenting to find that cutting out dairy (although I am much better with non-pasteurized/homogenized dairy or goats milk) and eggs made the drip dry out. This was very hard with this third baby because I had older kids eating dairy and I am the one who kept eating their extra pieces of cheese and mindlessly cooking with dairy. I also learned that my body is better able to absorb the calcium and vitamins in dark leafy greens so that was a better calcium option for me.
• There are two things that I don't leave home without in the first trimester: sour hard candy and a plastic bag.  Imagine standing on a train and you have to puke!  Thankfully throwing in a hard candy, makes that feeling almost always go away for me.  Try to get a hard candy that is minimally sweetened with a natural sweetener and no artificial dyes.  I tell my older kids that this is "mama medicine" so they don't demand candy all day.  Flush your mouth with water (or better yet brush your teeth) after the candy so the sugar does not hang out in your mouth and give you that acidic feeling or try to decay your teeth.
• Chills and dizziness also occur for some women in the first trimester.  Twice I was standing in an overpacked train and had to sit on the floor quickly with my head down and that instantly made me feel better.  I have no idea why but this time around, I got chills so I layered up and sipped tea.

The good news is that most (but not all) women feel completely different from 12 weeks onward! Did you  notice that my blog started when I was in the second trimester :)

What works for you?  How is your morning sickness?

Tracking your weight gain

I highly recommend that you track your weight gain for your entire pregnancy.  I am normally not a fan of weight tracking but rather being happy in your body.  Pregnancy is my exception.  The reason is that caregivers really know what they are talking about when they advise you about how much you should gain (some people are advised to lose weight).  The reason is that there is a magic number range*.  If you gain more than this amount then you are gaining more than the baby needs and it is pure weight that you will have to lose later.  If you gain the recommended amount (25-35 pounds for a single baby normal BMI) then you will have very little weight to loose after pregnancy.  PREGNANCY IS NOT A TIME TO EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT AND NOT WORRY ABOUT WEIGHT GAIN!  You need to eat nutrient dense foods that your body will use to nourish the baby and not store as extra fat.  At the same time, part of the recommended weight gain incorporates your body's need to add an extra layer to protect the baby.  So if you are gaining your recommended weight gain, eating healthy and exercising then you should see your body as beautifully building a home for your baby no matter what shape your body decides to look like in the mirror.  Women who struggle with this self image, should seek professional help so they do not accidentally put the health of their baby at risk or hurt their own mental wellbeing.

There are some online weight trackers but I was never fond of them.  I have always liked printing out a chart and putting it on the inside of my closet door.  Then every week at the same time of day on my weigh-in day (do NOT weigh yourself daily), I mark my weight on it.  This is the pre-made chart that I use.  These are the general weight recommendations. I would love to hear if anyone found a good App or website that produces the same chart while showing you your healthy weight gain range.

*Every woman's body is different and reacts uniquely to pregnancy.  Although most baby's require a general weight gain, there are of course exceptions.  Some women have such horrible morning sickness in the first trimester that they are not able to gain weight.  These women have to be especially careful with their nutritional intake because the baby could be stealing nutrients from their bodies, especially the bones and teeth. These babies are more at risk for having digestive and teeth issues later in life. There are ways to prevent this mineral loss through using the eating method from Cure Tooth Decay. This is a great book for anyone requiring any sort of dental work (even healing your own cavities!) as well as those who are worried about causing tooth issues during their pregnancy.

Announcing your pregnancy

Who knows that you are pregnant?  Before you should decide to tell anyone that you are pregnant, there are a few things for you to think about.  There are two main reasons why it is suggested to wait until your second trimester to announce your pregnancy to the public.

Testing for problems
If you choose to do any tests to check that the baby is healthy, you will need to think what you would do if the test results show potential issues.  Yes, all of these tests are optional even though many caregivers forget to tell their patients that.  Personally, I have not had any sort of blood test or the down syndrome ultrasound done on my pregnancies because I had already thought through that I would not terminate the pregnancy if there was an issue.  Other moms want the test results so they can prepare themselves if there is an issue.  This is something to really think about.  I know other moms who have waited until their test results came back okay before announcing the pregnancy.

Miscarriage
Most women that I know never thought that a miscarriage would happen to them.  Well over half (perhaps 3/4) of my mom friends have miscarried at least one pregnancy.  This is a high number and I am not sure if there is something in the New York City water (well now the New Jersey water), all of the pollutants in our modern lives, or if it is that these women have chosen to have children at an older age than a generation ago.  The published percentages of pregnancies that end in miscarriage differ greatly since no one really knows how many early pregnancies there are.  Most caregivers do not see pregnant clients until they are 10 weeks.  My first pregnancy (meaning that my current pregnancy is really my 4th!) ended in an early miscarriage at 7 weeks.  I had known that I was pregnant for 3.5 weeks and I felt like screaming it to the world.  It felt like I had been pregnant forever and I was so excited.  Thankfully it was only my parents, brother and sister-in-law that knew.  When I miscarried I wanted to crawl into a hole of my grief.  Thankfully no one at work knew so I was able to go there and submerge myself in a lot of work and busyness.  Then I went home and cried... for months.  Even a year later, I would be overwhelmed with grief at the thought of my miscarriage.  And now with my (technically 4th) pregnancy, I did not get excited right away and I still did not want anyone except my parents and some close friends to know until I was 14 weeks and in the second trimester.  I wish you all luck and wish that no woman (or man) has to grieve a miscarriage or any baby loss.

You are pregnant!

Congratulations if you are pregnant.  From the day you find out that you are pregnant, life changes.  There is a whole list of things that you are not supposed to eat and if it is not your first pregnancy then you will probably feel your body changing immediately.  Below is my top list of what needs to change and some useful tips on what to do/use.


Prenatal Vitamins made from Whole-Foods
These are more than just multi-vitamins and it is best to start taking them before conception.  They are higher in folic acid and often contain omega-3s or other useful ingredients to pregnancy.  Most vitamins are made from synthetic chemical isolates that are hard for the body to identify and absorb properly.  There are a few brands like New Chapter and Nature's Plus Source of Life that make the vitamins using whole-foods so the phytonutrients appear in the vitamin the way your body is used to seeing nutrients in food.  You and the baby will better absorb your nutrients and you do not have to worry about chemicals.  All whole-food vitamins require 2+ pills to be taken per day; there is no such thing as a one-a-day whole-food vitamin.


Other Medications
I find it useful to have references at my finger-tips for when I am under the weather or if something comes up.  The Whole Pregnancy Handbook has a decent list of alternatives.  This is where I learned 5 years ago that my seasonal allergies that I had since childhood were triggered by dairy (later I found it to be from pasteurized dairy). Especially in my first trimester, I get heavy mucus unless I avoid dairy.  For medications, I go to Kellymom.com although this website is geared for breastfeeding moms, it has very helpful information.


Avoiding Foods That You Want
By now, you have found the lists of foods that should be avoided during pregnancy.  I find these lists to be extreme and they ignore some unlisted and often obvious exceptions:

1. Avoid all nitrates because they are proven dangerous to the baby.  These are found in most deli meats, bacon, sausages (including hot dogs) and ham.  If you crave them then go to your natural store and buy some without nitrates. These meats are sold in sealed packages so you don't have to worry about them being contaminated with those unhygienic deli counter bacteria like listeria.
2. My husband is famous for bringing home brie without thinking that it is on the "soft cheeses not to eat" list.  If we bought it fresh from a farmer, I would trust it but we don't.  So when it tempts me in the refrigerator I find ways to enjoy it heated like in a toasted brie and arugula sandwich.
3. Egg yolks are healthiest when they are uncooked yet pregnant women are supposed to avoid raw egg yolks.  I found the exceptions!  Salmonella is on the outside of the eggshell so if you wash the egg first then you can do anything that you want.  Soft boiled eggs are not a risk.  Salmonella is mainly a factory farming problem so if you can buy your eggs from a reputable farmer who has free range chickens, then you should not have any worries.
4. In America NO alcohol is considered good for a pregnant woman while other countries such as France are fine with a pregnant woman having a glass of wine with dinner.  I am just throwing this out there... Personally alcohol tastes gross to me while I am pregnant except for a few sips of beer now and then.
5. Why does this list not have sugar on it?  Sugar is just empty calories and pregnant women need to have calories with high nutritional value.  So if you crave something sweet, figure out why you are having a craving (because cravings tell us that our bodies are lacking something that we did not eat earlier in the day) and try to pacify yourself with fruit or something with nutrients. I will write a blog on nutrition in the near future.
6. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and zero calorie sweeteners are far worse than sugar. They trick our digestive system in unnatural ways that lead to future digestive and blood-sugar issues.  Zero-calories sweeteners either contain carcinogenic chemicals or are made using such chemicals. These are not chemicals that you want going to your baby.
7. They also forgot to have artificial food coloring on this list.  Countries such as Germany have banned them due to their adverse health affects. You will know them on the ingredient list because they have numbers after them like Red #40.
8. BPA has been removed from plastic baby bottles because of the known negative effects to babies and children yet it is still in the liners of most canned foods, store receipts, plastic containers and dental sealants.  It is proven to increase hyperactivity, depression and more in girls who were exposed to BPA in the fetus according to Harvard School of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. BPA is transferred from the mother to fetus through the umbilical cord so why expose yourself to it?  Don't. Try to cook from scratch and not use canned foods or stick to brands that are BPA free. I gave up buying any cans in 2011 and found it much easier than I thought it would be.  

Kegals
If you don't already know what these are, read this and start doing them everyday.  If you do them daily (somewhere between 50 and 100) then you will have a strong pelvic floor that does not make you run to the bathroom every 5 minutes in you last months.  Continue these daily well after giving birth.  For some reason doctors and midwives often don't talk about kegals but they are so important!


Lesson your EMFs
Electromagnetic Forces (EMFs) are getting more and more attention.  These are everywhere in our society so it is hard to avoid them but we can lesson them around ourselves and not put them directly up against our baby.  Avoid heated mattress pads, hot blankets, heated car seats, cell phones close to you (use speaker phone at a distance), laptops on your laps (oops I was just doing this!), etc. Note that some of these things cause extra heat and are supposed to be avoided due to their high levels of heat near the baby (like avoiding hot tubs while pregnant).


What would you make sure that people start doing from day one of pregnancy?