No, I’m not pregnant now. But I was a little over two years ago. And as soon as my good news was confirmed I was determined to research and understand whatever I could to have a peaceful, natural pregnancy and birth.
The first thing I did was research my prenatal vitamins. My OBGYN gave me about 10 boxes of vitamins to sample and I took one look on the back of each box and sure enough, there were dyes, preservatives and synthetics in EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.
So I headed to the Health Food Store. I committed to Garden of Life’s MyKind Organics for the following 2.5 years (up until I stopped breastfeeding about a month ago). They cost $50 a month, and I took 3 a day, one with every meal. I am a firm believer that the horse pills that are made with synthetic ingredients that you get on your drugstore shelf are responsible for a lot of the stomach discomfort women experience during pregnancy. These guys are food based and super gentle on your tummy.
I also upped my fish oil intake 2-3x what is was before. My preferred choice is New Chapter’s Wholemega. Realizing that the brands that were labelled for moms actually had less mg per softgel than the others, I stuck with a brand recommended by the “expert” at Whole Foods and my midwives.
I switched to working with midwives around 20 weeks of my pregnancy. I did not want to deliver my baby in a hospital if I could avoid it. Although it may sound crazy or risky, I believed strongly that if other women around the world had the choice and were delivering their babies in their bathtubs at home or in birth centers, why couldn’t I?
I increased my healthy fat and protein intake, like crazy! I know it may not be for everyone, but from the information I gained from my midwives, Hypnobabies training, and tuning into my body, I knew I needed more protein. I prefer a (mostly) plant-based diet for myself and clients, however, this was only temporary. So I ate eggs, some fish (of course googling which fish were safe during pregnancy every single time we ate out), organic chicken or grass fed beef nearly every day. Avocados and chia seeds were already a staple for sure.
What did I eliminate? In addition to the traditional recommendations like raw cheeses, alcohol, caffeine and sushi, I made sure to stay away from all cold cuts, processed foods, fast foods, and I REALLY watched my sugar intake. I had this crazy idea in my head that if I ate too much sugar I would get gestational diabetes, so I limited myself to about 1-2 cookies a day.
I also walked. And walked and walked. I walked an average of one hour per day for 6 days a week during my pregnancy. Something was telling my system that regular weight bearing exercises and cardio were not going to work for me (I was having a very high number of braxton hicks contractions for the majority of my pregnancy) and I wanted to keep the peace instead of push myself. It was the best way to keep my little one in position and give me the fresh air and movement I craved.
And I meditated. With the help of my Hypnobabies tracks, homework and Naam Yoga Meditations, I made sure to meditate several times a week to envision a healthy, happy birth exactly as I had dreamed. Of course I needed to nap a lot too, so these went hand in hand.
There’s an overwhelming amount of information out there about pregnancy and birth. I trusted my gut and focused on the books, advice and information shared with me from those I trusted the most. Make sure to always consult with your midwife or OB if you have questions about your pregnancy or baby.
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