Recovery From Labor and Pregnancy

I've heard too many stories from friends and family about doing too much too soon after having a baby. When one does too much too soon, recovery is much slower. Bleeding increases. Fatigue  sets in, more than just the waking up throughout the night and constant taking care of the baby. Labor is not easy on the body and the body has to adjust. It takes more time with C-sections. I am so grateful for all the tips from friends and family, and my doula! I really took them to heart because I wanted to give my body the rest and time it needed. Here are the tips that I was told:

1. During the first 2 weeks, don't cook, clean, or do much of anything except care for yourself and the baby. It can decrease your chance of getting post-partum depression!
2. Sleep when the baby sleeps.
3. Have a support system. It may be your mother, your husband, kids who are old enough...
4. When you feel up to it, go on walks.
5. Listen to your body.

I did this... all of it! The first two weeks, I sat in bed, fed my baby, took showers, posted pics of the baby on facebook, changed diapers, and slept. I slept and cuddled with my baby. My husband was amazing! He took over despite school and finals. He cooked me meals, cleaned the house, did the laundry, and helped with the baby. He made sure I was resting. This support from him made such a difference and I love him for it. It felt RIGHT to not do anything. I am one who always is doing something. I literally stopped everything and did not even do my energy work. It felt so good to have a break form it all and focus on the baby and myself. I did not even have a desire to workout. I went to the gym until the day I delivered the baby and worked out throughout the pregnancy. In short, I really loved having that rest. It was not until the end of the 2 weeks that I started to feel restless. Then I started walking. My mom came the 3rd week and she helped out around the house and with meals so Creighton could have a break and she could meet her new grandbaby.  She helped with the cleaning, the laundry, watching the baby, and helping me get the things we needed. We went on daily walks and went to the beach. I started doing some cleaning and cooking myself. After she left, I felt like I could do more cooking and cleaning and started working again. And now I am just past the 5 week mark and I am feeling great. In a nutshell, when someone tells you to sleep when the baby sleep and rest... do it! Its worth it in the long run.

Birth Affirmations during Pregnancy and Labor

Here are a couple links with birth affirmations
http://desertbirthandwellness.com/pregnancy-and-birth-affirmations/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rRWaG3_u-g&list=PL407162EF75F5BB99

Toxins of all kinds and your surroundings.

There was a study that was mentioned in the Bradley class that was conducted be measuring the toxin levels of the blood in a baby's umbilical cord. They found an average of more than 20 different kinds of toxins, and more than 250 toxins in the umbilical cord. What kinds of toxins am I  talking about? They can vary. Here are some examples:

• heavy metal toxicities
• soaps
• cleaning supplies
• bleach
• chlorox
• food coloring toxicities
• preservatives
• pesticides
• things from aerosol cans- spray paint, hair spray, dyes, etc.
• varnish
• building supplies
• From pollution and the air
• car exhaust.. 
• medicines
• drugs- even over-the-counter drugs
• vaccinations 
• ultrasounds??

The list can really continue on. So many of the products that we have and use on a daily basis are actually toxic to the body, and especially the body of the fetus. They can impair brain development, be one of the causes of autism, and cause speech and mental impairment. Anything we put on our body's can impact a pregnancy. It may seem overwhelming. The best thing to do is to determine a couple changes you can make to create a less toxic environment for you and you baby. 

Nutrition during Pregnancy

My husband and I taking the Bradley Method classes, whichis husband coaching and other various things about pregnancy, health , and labor. We've only been to 3 classes, but we have learned so much so far. I am a pretty healthy eater, but here are some great websites for a diet a pregnant woman should be eating. What is great about the Dr. Brewer diet is that the focus of the foods that we eat can help to prevent pregnancy complications! Things from premature labor, pre-eclampsia, to HELLP. It supports my own beliefs that the foods we put in our bodies have a direct impact on our health, and if your pregnant, the fetus. One thing I appreciate about this diet is that it focuses on unrestricted weight gain. The average weight gain a pregnant woman gains is about 35-45 lbs. It makes me feel better, because then I can just focus on eating a healthy diet, which will lower my risk of pregnancy complications.

http://pregnant.livejournal.com/9425709.html
http://mamasandbabies.blogspot.com/2010/04/preeclampsia-and-toximia-preventable.html
http://www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com/

I had a research topic, which was on High fructose Corn Syrup, also known as corn sugar. This is a chemically modified sugar, which is higher in fructose and can only be broken down in the liver. It is one of the number one foods a anyone, but especially one who is pregnant should avoid. It causes the blood sugar to spike quickly, which can cause one to be insulin resistant, increasing chances of gestational diabetes. It is in almost everything! I'm not kidding. It's in breads, condiments, salad dressings, processed foods, pasta sauces, snack foods. Its cheaper to use compared to real sugar. It can affect the fetus's development as well. You can reduce your intake of it by reading labels and avoiding HFCS. It can change a child's taste buds as well, so that it makes it harder for them to eat healthy, which can shape their whole life. So please be aware of the ingredients that you are putting in your body and your child's bodies. Make small changes and improve the health of your family today!

What steps have you taken to eat a little healthier?

I finally gave in bought the frozen fruit I've been eyeing for months at Costco. I knew I could get more nutrient dense foods in a delicious way through smoothies. I bought a  frozen fruit blend, frozen strawberries, acai smoothie packets, bananas, and spinach. I'm drinking smoothies for breakfast and vary up the combinations. One way to add nutrients is to add the citrus essential oil or the lemon. It has a little umph to the flavor of the smoothie too!

I made my pumpkin cookies with coconut oil instead of butter. This has more health properties. You can fry with coconut oil or bake with it. I even put it on my face as a moisturizer a couple times a week and my skin (already pretty good) has cleared up in my not so good areas (my chin). Its made a huge difference in the red that left over.

Take small steps to improve your diet! What are small changes you can make today? If you don't know, here are some ideas:

1. Switch out vegetable oil for canola oil, better yet.. use coconut oil!
2. Use brown rice over white rice. If you don't like the taste, do half white and half brown to get started
3. find recipes that use honey or 100% maple syrup instead of refined sugars.
4. Substitute white flour for oat, whole, or brown rice flour. (cookies, breads, etc)
5. Add ONE vegetable to your meal if you don't have any.
6. Don't buy boxed packages of food... they are full of preservatives, food coloring, and processed foods with little nutrients.
7. Eat fruit for dessert
8. While you're at it, go and do something that gets your body moving too!