Achieving a Low Risk Pregnancy

I am a type A personality. I like organization, structure, and well thought out plans. When I set a goal, I do everything in my power (within reason) to reach that goal. Before my husband and I began trying to achieve our first pregnancy, I began extensive research on pregnancy. I researched all the possible birthing options in my area. What I discovered from my research was the tools to have the best possible outcome for pregnancy and birth. While both of my pregnancy and birth experience were different, my goal for a low risk and (mostly) complication free (the … Continue reading

Pregnancy Reflections: Diet

The word “diet” is derived from a Greek word that means “way of life.” As the New Year approaches many of us will reconsider out diets and make New Year resolutions to improve our “way of life.” When we consider our diets especially during pregnancy, we must keep in the mind the ancient origin of the word; a way of life, and not merely a temporary period of time used to lose weight, grow a baby, etc. I have learned a lot about the importance of diet as a “way of life” in the last few years. My first pregnancy … Continue reading

Pregnancy Reflections: Exercise

I cannot reiterate enough how important it is to exercise frequently and consistently throughout pregnancy. The results are quite amazing. I first became committed to exercise with my first pregnancy. I did not exercise nearly as frequently or intensely with my first pregnancy nor was I as consistent with my workout routine. I gained more weight with my first pregnancy and it took me over six months to get close to my pre-pregnancy size. I was also in the process of transitioning to a whole food diet with local and organic foods. It was during the post pregnancy phase of … Continue reading

Reflections on Diet During Pregnancy

Eating is something I do every single day. Eating is something I think about all day long. Aside from the obvious affect my diet has on me, now that I am pregnant my diet also affects my growing baby. It is because of my baby that I think about food choices so frequently, but also why I am so willing to change what I am eating to better support my pregnancy which of course supports the health and development of my baby. Protein has become a dominating feature in my diet. Every food choice I make includes something that contains … Continue reading

Six Months Post Partum

One year ago I was only fourteen weeks pregnant with my daughter (although I did not know I was pregnant with a girl). I was still wearing all of my pre pregnancy clothes and still in throngs of morning sickness. In a lot of ways I am in the same clothes wearing place now at six months post partum as I was a year ago. At six months post partum, I feel completely back to my pre pregnancy state. All of my clothes fit almost the same as they did before. A few more stretch marks make my clothes fit … Continue reading

What is Preeclampsia?

With pregnancy, it is important to remember that things may not turn out the way that you had intended. I learned this during my first pregnancy, and I experienced it again during my most recent pregnancy. When I was pregnant with my first son, I developed preeclampsia towards the end of the pregnancy. I began to show signs of it before I was to term, but fortunately the symptoms did not present fully until about ten days before my due date. Preeclampsia is a medical condition where a pregnant woman’s blood pressure rises suddenly and other symptoms including protein in … Continue reading

Placenta Encapsulation

I first heard about placenta encapsulation during the second trimester of my second pregnancy. One of my close friends had just had her third baby and she decided to have her placenta encapsulated for the first time. My friend testified to the immense health and recovery benefits received. My initial reaction was part disgust and part inquisitiveness. Consuming one’s placenta seemed a bit strange but it has numerous benefits to the post-partum mother. I began my own research on the subject and soon discovered for myself the healthful benefits behind placentophagy. My research told me that the placenta provides a … Continue reading

Getting Ready for the Baby

Preparations for our daughters birth began as soon as we discovered that I was expecting. There is always something to do whether it be taking supplements to support the baby’s development or getting baby gear together. With each phase of pregnancy comes new things to accomplish and additional changes to be made. I have had my fair share of changes to my regular routine including my diet and exercise regime; modifications were a must to maintain a healthy pregnancy. I also undertook many projects in preparation for the baby, many of them taking the form of “art” projects for the … Continue reading

Our Ninth Prenatal Visit

It has only been two weeks since my last prenatal visit. The end is in sight! Weekly visits will follow until our daughter is born! As we approach the holidays, I seem to get busier and busier. So to ensure that I could get my workout in, I awoke early, ate a Greek yogurt and did my prenatal pilates before our visit with the midwife. Both my husband and son accompanied me to this visit (we had no impending package deliveries). We entered the cozy carriage house, our son took the opportunity to run around in the open space, while … Continue reading

When Weight Loss Affects Milk Supply

As wonderful as pregnancy is, most mothers will admit to feeling huge in months directly before and after giving birth. In my ninth month of pregnancy, I could not believe how big my belly had gotten or how swollen my ankles (or lack thereof) were. After I gave birth, I decided that there was no way I’d ever fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes; I was just too big. Sure, I’d lose most of the weight, but I’d never be as small as I once had been. Most of the time, it didn’t matter that much to me. I had a … Continue reading