As a homebirth midwife in private practice, I am lucky enough to work with some of the healthiest pregnant women around! Fortunately, or unfortunately (depending on if you are the pregnant woman in question or not!), healthy women carry their babes to term and often beyond; so, I am often faced with questions of how to induce labor.

I am not surprised to see many of my pregnant clients still pregnant at 10 days past the “due date,” and hardly ever see a baby arrive before the earliest date we have.

I don’t believe in pharmaceutical ways to induce labor- (meaning Cytotec, other cervical ripening drugs, and/or Pitocin) unless there is a serious need to get that baby born–which is pretty rare.

But, because of the legal boundaries we have as midwives (labor must begin before 42 weeks) and also because many women are excited and anxious to “get things moving” when they are well past their “due date,” I have compiled this list of ideas that MAY help induce labor in a more natural way. (Remember that these are suggestions and tools that have worked for others; the truth is, babies come when they are ready, and when not ready, the whole list used at once will probably prove ineffective!)

Please also consider the inaccuracy of dating a pregnancy with ultrasound. Many a baby has been “kicked out” only to discover that the baby was actually early and that is why labor was not beginning or progressing. In most cases, the body knows best!

The first thing to understand when wanting to induce labor is how the cervix prepares. The cervix is the bottom of the uterus and is the part that must thin AND open in order for the baby to be born.

The part people get most excited about is the opening, or the dilation of the cervix.

Many an anxious first-time mom wants to know how dilated she is at 40 weeks, because that is what everybody else wants to know so they can “predict” when she will actually go into labor. The truth is, most first-time moms at 40 weeks are hardly dilated at all, and that is OK.

Because first, the cervix must thin and soften. It can’t open very much without doing these things first. So, in other words, there is no sense doing anything really aggressive to start contractions (in my opinion) if the cervix is not “ripe” (meaning soft and thin and ready to begin labor contractions). If the cervix is not ripe, “induction” must be begun by ripening.

The following are ways to do this:

• Evening primrose oil, by mouth, 1500 mg per day
• Evening primrose oil, inserted vaginally, a capsule per day
• Intercourse with orgasm and semen release into the vagina
• Homeopathic regime of caulophyllum, cimicifuga beginning at 38 weeks gestation
• Herbal preparations that thin the cervix and tone the uterus
• Use of certain essential oils that prepare the body for labor

* There has been some scientific data to support the use of fish oil supplements in contributing to post date pregnancies (those that go past the due date).

Once the cervix is ripe, there are some other ideas to get things going and to help induce labor.

The following is a list of things to try:

• Homeopathics
• Herbs
• Sex (yes, that again!)
• Acupuncture
• Chiropractic adjustment
• Reflexology
• Essential oils
• Spicy foods
• Walking
• A vaginal exam done by your caregiver in which the amniotic sac is (gently) separated from the cervix (called “stripping the membranes”)
• Have a talk with baby, investigate own fears about labor…and relax as much as possible!

In my experience, all of the above DO work and have worked for at least one woman. If I had to narrow it down to my “favorite,” I would choose the acupuncture/acupressure route. The reason being that Chinese medicine really works to balance the body; therefore making this tool for inducing labor the most “natural” and potentially beneficial for your entire body.

To get more information about natural ways to induce labor using acupressure, take a look at this downloadable guide: Maternity Acupressure Guide: Easier, Shorter And Safer Birth.

Related Articles:

1. Signs of Labor
2. Due Date Calculator: Alternatives to Ultrasound
3. Labor Pain: Do You Need It?

The Pregnancy Miracle^TM manual will serve many women, in a multitude of situations.

It is not only for women encountering differing degrees of “infertility”–can you find yourself in one of the many descriptions below? I could name a handful of women I know right this minute that would benefit from AND enjoy this book.

Are you/have you:

• desiring to become pregnant any time soon?
• experiencing any kind of “female” reproductive or hormonal issue?
• having any trouble getting pregnant? Think you are “too old?”
• wanting to be in optimum health during your childbearing years?
• had a miscarriage or preterm birth?
• interested in learning more about your body, and fertility in particular?
• a midwife, healer or other professional that works in women’s health?

I absolutely promise that not only is this manual easy to read, but its core focus is music to my alternative health ears. The author offers great advice–listen to your body, keep your own fertility charts and be empowered and in charge about what comes next.

She educates and inspires the reader to correct any health imbalances, from detailed information on fasting and cleansing, to intricate details of chinese medicine that will appeal to those that like to self-treat (‘it’s also just as easy to get an idea of what your imbalance might be, and then go see a good acupuncturist to confirm and treat.)

Creating this crucial balance in the body can solve not only fertility problems, but menstrual and hormonal problems as well. Seemingly unrelated issues, like preterm birth are also discussed, and I was pleased to see that as we tend to think it is “different” than infertility because there is already a baby! But, as she explains (and as I agree), women that experience preterm births are often just as imbalanced as those that experience infertility and miscarriage. That was fascinating to me, to consider preterm birth as a variation of infertility. At first it sounds strange, but if you read about Chinese Medicine and how the different body systems are affected (in pregnancy, infertility, etc.), you will understand how one imbalance can create a multitude of problems.

Titled Pregnancy Miracle^TM, this book is truly for any woman in her childbearing years. As a veteran “patient” of Chinese medicine, I can personally attest to the amazing improvement I have experienced receiving acupuncture. Most of my experience comes from the postpartum period (although I do get acupuncture when I am pregnant). It is my firm and hints belief that EVERY woman who has ever been pregnant needs to get her body back on track this way! A good acupuncturist is amazingly deft at linking all kinds of seemingly unrelated symptoms or complaints–and in the postpartum, I usually find myself with quite a few! Headaches, appetite, strange bleeding–my amazing acupuncturist sees these symptoms, of mine among others, as a spleen deficiency. Why spend the time and money to correct it? Well, I feel better, I sleep better and my hormones line up very quickly. A spleen deficiency, according to my acupuncturist, is not just common after birth but almost typical.

Neglecting to rebalance in this way could cause hormonal issues and even miscarriage-as the spleen is the organ to “hold the baby.” This is all to say that balancing in all the ways this author recommends is not optional–but vital!

Two particular points of encouragement and interest that are discussed are age and fertility and some new fertility technology. Anyone deemed “old” by the medical world will find solace in this text; Chinese medicine, in particular, does not site “old age” as a fertility deterrent! Again, it is all about balance. The older a woman is, the more likely it is that her hormones are a bit off, therefore causing problems with the reproductive system. At the very least, those women just beginning to struggle with infertility (and definitely those getting ready to conceive) need to read this book and get cracking.

Secondly, the information that was new to me (as a midwife that deals with these issues regularly!) was absolutely fascinating! Did you know that, besides your cyclical ovulation each month, there is another opportunity for conception, based on the lunar cycle? I am a fertility awareness nut and I was pleased to have this other method of fertility awareness be news to me! In addition, the author does discuss technologies such as spit tests for detecting ovulation and newer tools like the home sperm test.

If you are planning on becoming pregnant or are actually trying, you must read this book. And in the case of running into any problems “achieving”, you must read this. It will empower you, give you hope AND plenty of information and ideas to research and implement.

Do NOT think your average fertility doc is going to know or spend time on any of the possible solutions; they just aren’t in the mindset of Western medicine. For example, do you know what supplements may hinder or help fertility? Every woman owes it to herself to take charge of this process. This book will give you the tools and encouragement to do so.

However, this manual is NOT for women that desire an easier fix (if it really can be seen as “easier”) by the Western medicine world. Putting the plan of balancing the body and educating the mind into action requires commitment and fortitude. Simply said, Pregnancy Miracle^TM is for women wanting to accept responsibility for and participate in their healthcare, their overall wellness, and of course, their fertility.

Click the button below to hear the author’s story and to read the stories of Pregnancy Miracle^TM babies…

Related Articles:

1. Take Responsibility for Your Pregnancy
2. What the Medical World Hopes You Won’t Read About Premature Birth
3. Zaida Baby- What Pregnancy is Really About

With all the technological tools out there to help a woman get pregnant, it seems we have forgotten that our bodies have the necessary tools to be our own ovulation calculators! Learning about how the body works, and how exactly pregnancy can be achieved (besides the obvious:) takes some education and may not be as “quick” as using an ovulation predictor or calculator. But the rewards of understanding your cycle, and in particular, ovulation, can be very rewarding and help you become successful in getting pregnant.

The first step is to have a basic understanding of the menstrual cycle. A normal, healthy woman that is not on birth control will have a period between every 28-34 days. This means that from the first day of one period to the first day of the next period takes about 28-34 days, depending on the woman. There are 2 parts to the cycle; simply put, there is the weeks before ovulation and the weeks after. It is only possible to get pregnant if ovulation actually occurs; if there is no egg being released, there is no chance of pregnancy. The most fertile time is in the few days preceeding ovulation. Once the egg has been released and ovulation has occurred, it is no longer possible to achieve pregnancy in that cycle. So, we are talking about narrowing down those few important days where the body is primed and ready to receive sperm for the egg! With an average 28 day cycle, it would be assumed that ovulation happens right in the middle of that; so, at about day 14 of the cycle. However, women are not all the same, and our bodies are not calculators. So, regardless of the cycle length, the exact day of ovulation can vary. Some women ovulate as early as day 9 of their cycle; others not until day 20. The key is to understand and be able to track the signs leading up to ovulation, so that no matter when it happens, you have a sense of about when it is to occur.

There are a few tools you can learn about and use to figure out when you generally ovulate. Learning this information about your body pays itself back every month; it’s true that ovulation can vary from cycle to cycle but a good understanding of your patterns will make it that much easier to see what’s going on in your body.

The first tool, and one I have used with the most success is observing and charting cervical fluid. It is amazing how our bodies provide us with everything we need! Let’s start at the beginning of the cycle, when the bleeding occurs. The bleeding goes on for an average of 5 days; right after that ends it is time to begin observing the fluid that comes out of your vagina. The fluid is really coming down from your cervix, but you will see it vaginally especially after using the toilet, or even just on your underwear. There usually isn’t too much fluid to report right after the period ends; although, again, there are women that ovulate immediately after the bleeding ends, and so yet another reason to pay attention to what you see! Most women experience no fluid, or maybe a scant, sticky kind of fluid. As the days of the cycle increase and get closer to ovulation, the fluid changes from maybe scant and sticky to thicker and a bit wetter, resembling lotion for some. There is some variation in the fluid preceding ovulation, but the key is to really be noticing and in tune when the fluid does make a shift to being “pre-ovulatory.” In order for sperm to be able to survive in the vagina and make it to the egg, there needs to be some nourishment and a good home for the sperm to live in. The fluid, at every other time during the cycle except ovulation, is pretty unfriendly to sperm. But, around ovulation time, the fluid produced by the cervix is copious and stretchy and can keep the sperm alive for up to 5 days before ovulation even happens. This is why it is key to observe the fluid- a lot of clear, stretchy, “egg white” fluid means that you are entering your fertile phase and will likely release an egg soon. Again, this happens about mid-cycle (but not always), and most women have about 3 days of egg white fluid, although some have as many as 5 or as few as 1. The best time to observe this fluid is on the toilet paper after having a bowel movement. This seems to bring it down from the cervix, and if you are paying attention (and producing this fertile quality fluid) then there may be a lot to see! The clear, stretchy fluid can resemble what can often come out of your nose; but rest assured that this is a wonderful, healthy sign that likely means an egg is coming! Sometimes the fluid can be blood streaked, which some say is a great sign of fertility. For as long as you observe this fluid, you are considered fertile. Once the egg has been released and ovulation has occured, the fluid will quickly dry up. This may leave you with no fluid, or back to fluid that is dry, tacky or gummy.

As you observe your fluid over the course of a few cycles, you will get to know your own patterns and what is normal for you. You will basically become your own ovulation calculator.

The only caveat is that sometimes, an egg is not released at all during a cycle (called an “anovulatory cycle”). So, the only way to be 100% sure that ovulation has come, and gone, is tracking your basal body temperature.

Here’s the difference:

Charting fluid lets you be aware of when ovulation is approaching, and about when your fertile days are. Charting your daily, waking temperature only tells you when ovulation has passed. By the time your temperature reflects a “change” (more on that in a minute), ovulation has already happened and the fertile time has now passed.

Basal body temperature is your temperature when the body is at rest. There are lots of “rules” about how to take it. Most sources say to be consistent about the time of morning you take it, and to take it after at least 4 consecutive hours of sleep. These are helpful rules to follow, especially when you are beginning to chart. However, as a breastfeeding mother for almost 8 straight years now, it is often difficult to get those consecutive hours of sleep! I have found that, for me, the temperature is largely unaffected by the “rules”. However, I am aware of my lows (before ovulation) and my highs (post ovulation) and I find that those ranges are not affected too much. Anyway, the idea is to take your temperature daily and write it down. You will notice that the pre-ovulatory temps are in a certain range, usually low 97s. By the time the temp has changed ranges (post ovulatory can be high 97s-99), ovulation has happened. So, the key is to do this for a few cycles and see what cycle day your last low temp range reading is. That is likely the day ovulation occurred, as by the next day it is in the high range and reflective of the egg having been released already.

Last, but certainly not least, are the symptoms (or “secondary signs”) that are individual to each woman in regards to impending ovulation. Not every woman experiences these, but I do think that the more in tune you are with your body, the more you will start to notice. As with the signs above, be sure to write it down! A headache on cycle day 12, for example, may seem meaningless. But you may be able to see a pattern from month to month that helps you determine where you are in the cycle and what those hormones are up to.

Personally, I could not miss ovulation if I tried, and I would probably not need to chart anything other than the pre-ovulatory pain I get. “Pain” is actually a pretty strong word; it’s more like a sore muscle ache kind of feeling in my lower pelvis, at about where my ovaries are. It sticks around for about 4-5 days, increasing in intensity as the fluid becomes more fertile; and then disappears the moment I do ovulate and the fluid dries up. Some women experience a shooting kind of pain when the egg is actually released, some have sore breasts. There are lots of individual signs, that when paid attention to, can be immensely helpful. With all these clues, who needs an ovulation calculator?

Of course, some women may choose not to take the time to really learn what’s going on in their cycles and become their own ovulation calculator.

Poor timing is only one of the challenges when you’re trying to conceive. For a more indepth look at some of the other challenges, take a look at Pregnancy Miracle by Lisa Olson.

Related Articles:

1. Due Date Calculator: Alternatives to Ultrasound

What are Kegels?

Kegel exercises are named after the doctor who devised them to help women strengthen the muscles of their pelvic floor. Strengthening and toning the muscles of the pelvic floor help with maintaining control of the urine and bowels, especially after the baby is born. These muscles can be damaged and stretched during pregnancy and birth if they are not exercised, leading to incontinence and a decrease in the enjoyment of sex.

How do I find this muscle, and how do I exercise it?

The easiest way to find the muscles of your pelvic floor is to try and stop and start the flow of urine while peeing. Ideally, this muscle alone should be isolated and you should try not to clench the muscles of your thighs or legs when exercising your pelvic floor. Once you find the muscle, don’t flex it while urinating as this can cause a UTI.

Another way to find this muscle is to grip the penis during intercourse.
Once you find the muscle, you want to practice drawing it up inside of you. This may be difficult at first. Try tightening layer by layer, going up, and then releasing floor by floor, like an elevator going down. You can do this several times, repeating the cycle a few times a day. Like any muscle, you will want to start off slow and gradually increase repetitions so that you are able to do a few hundred a day.

Many women devise a certain time of day to do these-it can be whenever you are in the car and reach a stoplight, or at commercial breaks when you are watching TV. It’s the exercise that no one knows you are doing!

There is also exercise equipment available for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. Vaginal weights, or cones, can be purchased. The weights are small, plastic cones with stainless steel weights inside of them. Starting with the smallest weight, you insert the cone and see if your pelvic floor muscles can hold onto it. As your muscles get stronger, you progress to heavier weights.

The “Kegelmaster for Women” is another device on the market that provides resistance for the pelvic floor when practicing Kegels. It is marketed as an incontinence/greater sex life tool but the site also has some information about pelvic organ prolapse, which is helpful.

How do Kegels help with pregnancy and birth?

During pregnancy, strong muscles can prevent the leaking of urine, especially as the baby gets bigger and heavier. Because the muscles include those of the anus, hemorrhoids can also be prevented.
A well-exercised pelvic floor will keep things from moving around as the baby comes through the birth canal and the vagina. On the way out, the baby passes your rectum, your urethra and will stretch your vagina and perineum to the max. A strong pelvic floor will avoid any of these passing points to become overstretched or damaged as the baby is being born.

The pelvic floor muscles also help push the baby out. Practicing bulging these muscles out (don’t push just bulge though!) can help you identify what muscles you will use when you need to push your baby out.

How will Kegels help my sex life?

Anybody can benefit from doing Kegels regularly, but a woman who has just given birth may need them the most if her vagina feels stretched out. Ideally, Kegels allow you to have a tighter “grip” during sex because the walls of the vagina are strengthened. This can improve sexual satisfaction for both men and women.

Sources:

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/physrecovery/1154885.html

Frye, Anne. Holistic Midwifery Vol. 1 (264-65)

http://www.kegel-exercise.com/vaginal_cones.html

No related posts.

Does using technology render our intuition useless?

This is a thought that flashes through my mind quite regularly. I only work with women choosing homebirth, and for what it’s worth, most of them are choosing ultrasound.

I find it to be a hard situation; for me, that is.

I support the use of ultrasound when it is for a real reason… and wanting to find out the sex of the baby is not a “real” reason to me, although I understand the rationale.

But, I want the women I work with to be educated and make their own choices, whatever the choices may be. Even if they go against what I would personally do.

That said, most women I work with do choose to get an ultrasound. But it has yet to be chosen for a diagnostic reason (i.e. something seems not quite right with baby, pregnancy, etc.).

How does this change or affect the course of empowerment that comes with pregnancy and birth?

Maternal Intuition – the sense that starts to develop as soon as we become mothers, which is as soon as we become pregnant.

It’s my goal to draw this sense out of some women, encourage it in others.

But often times, I am faced with the fact that in some instances, the mother does not want to fully take advantage of this skill that we all have, hiding somewhere.

Or she doesn’t realize that in choosing ultrasound, she could wind up shortchanging herself. Our pre-ultrasound meetings are exciting and somewhat mysterious as we wonder about this little being together.

For the few that do not choose ultrasound, we continue in this way for months, with the excitement really building up to the birth. Truthfully, it has it’s share of ups and downs–this “not knowing.”

For some women it is really simple, and the trust they have in their bodies and their babies is overwhelming. Other women worry from time to time, is the baby “normal” or is the baby developing OK?

Ultrasound puts an end to these normal fears that all women have, by offering the (sometimes false) reassurance that pregnancy and birth are predictable and what you see is what you get. Ultrasound not only tells us who this baby is way too soon but disengages the mama in a certain way.

Technology offers the reassurance but takes away the journey that maybe the mama needs to go on to continue her transformation. It deprives her, in most cases, of having to truly connect with herself and her baby to reassure herself, or to be truly worried.

I wholeheartedly believe that a woman who uses her intuitive sense WILL KNOW that either everything is fine, or that something is not fine.

I experienced this phenomenon personally in the last few months during my fourth pregnancy. This baby was “different,” that I knew, but exactly how was a mystery.

There were several times during the pregnancy that I was tempted to sneak a peek, and make sure that the baby was “OK”. Each and every time I struggled with this decision, I learned a valuable lesson and strengthened my inner sense.

I faced all kinds of issues within myself–my feelings and thoughts about something being wrong with the baby, if the baby were to be really sick or not make it through labor.

Each and every thought I had was real to me, and I had to process all the scenarios I could be faced with. And each and every time I had to get calm, get centered and talk with my baby. To talk with myself about my fears and how in birth, life and death, there are no guarantees.

Sometimes it took longer than others, but each time I used my intuitive sense as a mother I was reassured. For me, more reassured than I could ever be by a machine.

I wasn’t looking for everything to be perfect, just for the ability to make peace with what IS, not with what I thought it should be.

So, although we are all different and all make different choices as we come from different places, I still believe in the power of our intuitive sense. Using our intuition doesn’t mean that everything always turns out the way we want it to. It means using our power to grow and change and accept things the way they are.

Related Articles:

1. Ultrasound: Good or Harmful?
2. Due Date Calculator: Alternatives to Ultrasound
3. What’s Really Keeping You From a Homebirth?

Find time every day to sit quietly and communicate to your unborn baby. You may choose to close your eyes and place your hands on your belly while taking deep breathes in and out…you may choose to enroll in a prenatal yoga class guided by an instructor…or perhaps you’ll choose to spend this time reading from a book with words of encouragement. Whatever method you choose, by spending this time in a calm and peaceful environment you are creating an environment conducive to bonding.

Bonding (also known as attachment) is essentially something that forms naturally, however the experience is different for all mothers. Some mothers bond very early on, through an ultrasound or first feelings of flutter. Others may not begin to bond until the birth of their child. Taking time to communicate feelings of love to your unborn baby will allow you and your child a chance to begin the bonding process.

Unborn babies are capable of learning. They are also capable of responding to your voice as they are able to hear from the 24th week on. It is important that you constantly speak to your unborn baby…your voice is the most important sound and they need to hear you. Hearing your voice and listening to you is how your baby will begin to learn about language. Tell them how loved and wanted they are. Tell them about your day or engage them in conversation as you do light chores around the house. You are their key to the outside world, and it is through you that they will learn that the world that awaits them is a safe and nurturing place. This is all part of the bonding process that will continue once your baby is born.

When there is a healthy bond between you and your child, your unborn baby begins to learn about trust. Through you they can also gain confidence and a feeling of security. These values are extremely important and will help to shape your child’s future. Having such a positive start can certainly only continue to benefit not only your child, but the family unit as a whole.

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3. Will You Choose to Not Bond With Your Baby?

In my many years working with women in the birthing world, one of the main concerns that always comes up is protecting the perineum from tearing. As a new doula and childbirth educator, I would respond to these concerns with the usual “cookie cutter recipe” response of heat packs, oils, and perineum massage. This recipe had mixed results when actually put into practice.

Since those early years of doula and childbirth education work, I have become much more knowledgeable about nutrition and the role it plays in successful birth outcomes. Through this knowledge, I now provide new “recipes” to the age-old question of how to prevent the perineum from tearing. The best part is that these recipes you can actually eat and drink! But before we see the recipes, let’s see why they actually work.

One of the reasons that the perineum can tear during the process of birth is because of the skin/tissue integrity of the perineum itself. To maintain good skin and tissue integrity, we need a variety of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, Zinc, Silica, and Essential fatty acids (EFAs). Sufficient levels of these vitamins and minerals will maintain skin elasticity and tone and can protect your perineum from tearing. The best way to get these vitamins and minerals is through the foods that we eat because our bodies can more readily assimilate those vitamins and minerals when they are in a natural form, as opposed to a supplement. Also, some pregnant women find that taking supplements can increase morning sickness, and general pregnancy malaise.

Here are two great recipes to eat during pregnancy to help protect your perineum:

Perineum Porridge

2 cups Raw Pecans (Vit. A, E, B Complex, and zinc)
2 cups Raw Walnuts (Vit. A, E, B Complex, zinc, and EFAs)
1 cup Raw Almonds (Vit. E, B Complex, and zinc)
½ cup Raw Flax Seeds (Vit. A, E, B Complex, zinc, and EFAs)
** Always buy whole flax seeds, and then grind with food preparation**
½ cup Raw Oat Groats or Whole Oats (Vit. E, B Complex, zinc, and silica)
1 cup in combination of raisins, dates, apricots, currants, peaches (or just pick your
favorites!) (Vit. A, B Complex, and C)
1 cup in combination of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds (or
just pick your favorites!) (Vit.B Complex, E, zinc, and EFAs)
½ cup Shredded, Unsweetened Coconut (Vit. B Complex, C, zinc, and EFAs)

Preparation: Place nuts, seeds, oats, and coconut in food processor and pulse-chop until a cereal-like consistency (a little chunky and a little fine). Mix in dried fruit (add fresh fruit just before eating). Dried mixture can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Recipe yields 5-7 servings. Especially good when eaten with almond milk!

Perineum Smoothie

Combination of Chard, Kale, and Spinach to fill blender half-way
(Vit. A, B Complex, C, E)
1 Banana (Vit. A, B Complex, C, E, and zinc)
Choose 1 of the following:
Apricot (Vit. A and C)
Peach (Vit. A and C)
Orange (Vit. B Complex andC)
½ cup Berries (Vit. C)

Preparation: Place greens in blender with enough water to cover and blend until liquid. Add fruit and blend until smooth. For a creamier consistency, use frozen bananas. Recipe makes 1 serving. *Note: Always make smoothie just before drinking for maximum nutritional benefit! *

Related Articles:

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2. Great Smoothie Recipe for Pregnancy
3. Gestational Diabetes

As many of you readers know, I have been following a raw food diet for almost 2 years. This has had tremendous positive results on my health in all areas: physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual. It is something that I love and am very passionate about. In December we found out that we are expecting another addition to our family. Filled with such wonderful news, I was excitedly looking forward to continuing on my raw food path as I created this life within me on the most nourishing, loving foods that I could provide. Thoughts of me munching juicy fruits with a beautiful big belly brought such a smile to my face and joy to my heart. So, you can imagine my dismay when my vision of a perfectly raw pregnancy started to blur.

We had had a potluck the night before finding out I was pregnant, and I had filled my family and friends with wonderful, tasty raw food creations that they all raved about. When I woke up in the morning I took a pregnancy test, as I had a suspicion that I might be pregnant. When those two lines showed up on the stick, I woke my husband up to share our good news. After which, I spoke to my dear friend who would be our midwife. After sharing my family’s good fortune, our conversation turned to other topics, such as what we were doing that day. I told her that I would have my smoothie and then run some errands. We made plans to have dinner at their home later that evening.

Following my usual routine, I had many days that first week where I continued to follow my raw diet without problem. Then, just when I started to think, “Hey, I am really doing this raw pregnancy thing!” it hit…morning sickness. Not just any morning sickness either. This was the all day, don’t let me see, smell, taste, or hear any food being made, or eaten. We’re talking serious morning sickness. My memory went back to my pregnancy with my daughter, Ivy. With her, I had 9 months of morning sickness HELL. I became quickly discouraged. I didn’t want to go through that again! Every thing I had read thus far on raw pregnancy said that women on a raw diet don’t get morning sickness. It was one of the main things I was looking forward to with this pregnancy. I tried to tell myself that maybe it was a fleeting thing and that it would go away soon. I just needed to stick to my raw diet.

For the next month I struggled with feelings of guilt and confusion as I tried everything I possibly could to get rid of my morning sickness with no success. I tried eating small amounts every few hours, in case it was a blood sugar thing; I tried Nux Vomicus and Pulsatilla homeopathics, and they didn’t work either. Ginger provided no relief, nor did lemon water, Chinese dried plums, or any of the other numerous things women have said alleviated morning sickness through the ages. I was so confused. Everything that was in my raw diet as a staple prior to pregnancy sent me running for the toilet as soon as I saw it, or sometimes even thought about it. No greens smoothies, salads, nuts or seeds. I was still able to eat fruit, but I felt I needed more. But what? I finally broke down and decided to try some cooked food. I started out with toast and brown rice. These were things I knew people ate if they had stomach problems (BRAT diet), so I thought they would be the best bet. They made me feel a little better, but still nothing like eating raw used to do for me before this pregnancy. I even tried bending the “raw rules” by going on the theory that raw doesn’t have to mean vegan. So, I tried some raw smoked salmon. At first I thought that it helped, but then the feelings of guilt set in. I began to struggle less with not wanting to eat anything and more with the thoughts that what I wanted to, or even dare I say needed to eat was not raw.

I now had a moral dilemma on my hands and in my heart. Do I eat what my body is saying that it wants (on the premise that it didn’t send me running for the toilet), or did I stick to my “image” of being a raw foodist? I teach raw food classes, I make raw food meals, I am the matriarch of a raw food family- what would people say if they saw me eating something cooked! I didn’t want to be a hypocrite. Around the same time as all this was going on, I had a few Psych-K rebalancing sessions. One of the balances is called a “Core Belief” balance. In this session, I found out that I had a core belief that was out of balance. The belief was “ I accept change in my life”, along with the affirmation “I joyously release the past, and look forward to the future”. For many weeks after the session I worked on this core belief. I also meditated and asked for help from the universe on what I should really be eating and thinking during this pregnancy. The universe listened, as it always does, and responded in many ways to affirm my worst fears.

My first conversation with the universe came in our local coffee shop when I ran into an acquaintance that I had met a few months back and had seen a few times at some gatherings of a friend of mine. I told him that I was pregnant and struggling with my food options. He responded by telling me a story from Meher Baba, a religious leader from India. In the story, Meher Baba was speaking to a large group of people. After he was through, a man from the crowd came up to him. Meher Baba asked him what ailed him, as the man looked frail and weak. The man said that nothing was ailing him, but that he was trying to follow the vegetarian teachings Meher Baba spoke of. Meher Baba asked what the man did for a living, and the man told him that he was a hard laborer. Despite his teachings, Meher Baba explained to the man that he should eat meat…for the soul has no place to live if the body is not well. And, our goal on this earth is to nourish and empower the soul. My second conversation with the universe was more brief, but just as empowering. Speaking with another friend of mine, I recounted my food struggles as well as the afore mentioned encounter in the coffee shop. I emphasized how confused I was because I hated hypocrisy and did not want to look like a hypocrite to the people in my life that use me as a good “role model” for living a raw foods lifestyle. She asked me quite bluntly “Is it more important to you to have a healthy pregnancy, or to put on an image?” She went on to say that the people that are really important in my life will understand if I have to change what I eat to ensure my health and happiness, as that is what they want for me an d my baby – a very wise woman indeed. But, I still wasn’t quite ready to accept that I needed to change.

My final, and most convincing, conversation with the universe came the day that I woke up and craved sausage. Not only was it not raw…it was meat, cooked meat at that! I finally put up my hands and said, “I surrender”. I will change. I will listen to my body and stop fighting it on the issue of cooked food. I hadn’t wanted anything to eat thus far in my pregnancy. So, for a craving to appear out of nowhere was enough to get my attention. My husband and I went out to a restaurant in search of sausage. But, only after he promised me that he would not mention it to our children, and wouldn’t give me a hard time about it either. I cringed as I ordered the sausage, and again when it sat in front of me on my plate. What was I doing?! I checked in with my body again, just to make sure it didn’t just have a momentary lapse in sanity. Nope…it was sure. For the first time in this pregnancy I actually wanted to eat something. It looked good, it smelled good, and dare I say I was actually excited to try it. I lifted the fork to my mouth, and took a bite. It tasted o.k. But, o.k. was better than anything previous that I had tried, cooked or raw. After that first bite, I didn’t want anymore though. It was then that I realized that this was more a struggle in trusting my body than what I actually put in it.

Once I accepted that a change in my diet was o.k. , and sometimes even useful, things started to change. I tuned into my body and started eating what it said I needed. I remember 2 whole weeks where all I wanted was oranges, then grapefruit the next week. After about a month of intuitive eating, still mostly raw, but some cooked, my body started to feel better. My morning sickness subsided, and I started craving the wonderful raw foods that were so beloved to me prior to my pregnancy.
Now, into my 5th month of pregnancy, I am back to an almost 100% raw vegan diet. There are the occasions when I do eat cooked vegetarian/vegan foods, but now I don’t feel guilty about how I look to those around me. I even saw one of my students who had attended one of my raw food classes at our local Indian restaurant and didn’t feel like I had to hide. I won’t say that I’m not still a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to achieve the 100% raw pregnancy that I wanted; but, I have made peace with it. If it weren’t for the process of being raw prior to my pregnancy, I never would have recognized the signs and signals my body was telling me about the food that it needed. Being raw has taught me the fine art of intuitive eating, and to trust my body. I look forward to being more and more raw everyday, and raising our new child with the insights, love, and healthfulness that we have already experienced as a raw family. And, if for some reason I am never 100% raw again…I think I am o.k. with that now. I am still a lot better off being 80% raw than most people are who struggle to make sure they work a piece of fruit into their day.

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Picture this- you’re about 38 or 39 weeks pregnant, excitedly awaiting your first labor and birth, all of which will take place safely at home. Chances are you wake up every day, wondering if today or tomorrow will be the day you meet your baby. Here are some myths and truths about determining when that day will arrive. Above all, remember to cherish those last few weeks and days, and rest assured that your baby will be born when he is ready.

*Losing your mucus plug

This is one of those signs that you may or may not experience. Throughout pregnancy, your body protects your baby by plugging up your cervix with mucus so that bacteria cannot ascend. This “plug” regenerates itself again and again. However, as your cervix begins to get soft in preparation for labor, you may experience seeing (and feeling) the entire gelatinous plug as it falls out of the cervix. This is not a reliable sign of impending labor, because you might see bits and parts weeks before labor or not until the morning of. Some women never see their mucus plug, and other women experience it as more of a liquid discharge.

*Having a (somewhat) dilated cervix

This is probably the least reliable sign and because of that, vaginal exams at the end of pregnancy are completely useless. Actually, because a vaginal exam at term can’t give very precise information about when you might go into labor, it is best to avoid them since there is always a risk of infection with anything going up and inside your body. You could be 1 cm dilated, for example, for a week or for only several hours before you go into labor.

*Having extra energy to clean (“nesting”)

In my experience, this “sign” can be reliable or unreliable. Unfortunately, the more children you already have, the earlier you start nesting (to make up for all the extra mess) so in that case, this is an unreliable sign. With my first baby, however, I did insist in scrubbing the kitchen floor on my hands and knees and my water broke later that day. In general, nesting is something a lot of women do in the weeks prior to having a baby and there is no way to tell when the last time you are able to nest will be!

*Having a bloody show

This is different from losing your mucus plug, but a bloody discharge may include your mucus plug. In textbooks, having a bloody show is a positive sign of labor beginning within about 24 hours. Sometimes the bloody show will accompany contractions or just slight back pain. Sometimes bloody show does not appear until active labor begins. Often, the “show” begins as a light pink stain on the toilet paper.

*The baby has “dropped”

In first time moms, the baby will generally sink into the pelvic bones about 2 weeks before labor begins. This can leave you with a feeling of pressure down there, need to urinate frequently (although that might not have changed) and a relief from any compression on your ribs. With 2nd and later pregnancies, this is not a good indicator at all as those babies can wait to “drop” until labor begins.

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I’d bet that many of you reading this have been told by your doctor to limit your salt intake during pregnancy. My studies and experience have taught me that not only is this mostly false, but the average caregiver out there imparts so little information about nutrition to their clients that even good advice can be misinterpreted.

When you hear that salt is “bad” in pregnancy, it’s not a completely false statement. There are many kinds of salt- from iodized salt, to sodium bicarbonate to monosodium glutamate to completely unrefined, pure sea salt. All of these “salts” are not created equally, and what needs to be part of the salt/pregnancy discussion is what type of salt you are using.

I agree- there is no nutritional value or place for processed foods in a healthy pregnancy.

Fast food, chips, pretty much anything packaged is preserved and enhanced with “bad” sodium- whether it be monosodium glutamate (MSG) or other processed salt flavorings. Deli meats, bacon and sausage are notorious for being chock-full of the kind of salt that your body can’t process. So, I’d agree-limit this type of salt in pregnancy to keep your blood pressure stable and normal and to avoid swelling, headaches and liver problems. Processed foods are brimming with preservatives and chemicals that the pregnant body should not have to process. So, again, when it comes to these foods and this “kind” of salt- avoid it or at least limit it as much as you can.

The problem is that many caregivers do not differentiate between these types of foods and the kind of unrefined, unprocessed salt that your body needs to maintain balance. Prescribing a “low salt diet” does not take into account that as living beings we all need salt to make new cells and keep our bodies going. Salt in this form is beneficial and wonderful and anything but harmful and something to avoid.

Unrefined, real sea salt is almost gray in color and slightly damp in feel. It contains trace elements and minerals that act as electrolytes and keep the correct balance of fluids in the bloodstream. “Good” salt actually attaches itself to water and pulls it back into the bloodstream, instead of letting it leak out into the extremities- the pathological swelling of pregnancy that is so typical and normal for so many pregnant women. Unfortunately for these women, the swelling only gets worse and worse and more painful as the pregnancy progresses and they follow the low-salt recommendations of their doctor.

The Brewer Diet is my recommendation for pregnancy, and it includes not only enough calories and protein to grow a healthy baby and placenta (2700 a day and 80-100 grams a day, respectively), but also salt to taste and hydration. In creating the diet and conduction research to prevent toxemia in pregnancy, Dr. Brewer found that if he gave the same pregnant woman the same meal at several different points throughout her pregnancy, that she instinctively added more salt as her pregnancy advanced. Dr. Brewer proved, through this experiment and others, that salt is needed in pregnancy and plays a vital role in blood formation and in the general health of mom and baby.

If you have never tried “real” salt, it is worth the experiment! It is part of a healthy, whole foods diet for pregnancy and beyond.

Related Articles:

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