Pregnancy is hard! You’re usually either hungry or sick, starving, but nauseous. Nothing or everything seems appetizing.
Your body is working overtime to send your baby all the appropriate nutrients to baby, but if your body is lacking certain nutrients it will literally just keep sucking the life out of you. So you MUST provide your body what it needs, not only for you but your baby as well.
This can be tricky if you’re dealing with appetite issues, but the appetite issues usually stem from a deficiency somewhere. Let’s try to figure it out!
Anemia
A lot women are anemic, especially during pregnancy. This means your blood is lacking important cells. Symptoms include:
-fatigue
-pale skin, pale/blue lips
-feeling weak, hungry but indecisive
-headaches
-dizziness/lightheadedness
-chest pain, trouble breathing
Fun fact: There are two types of iron. Heme and non-heme. Heme is from your meats and seafood. Non-heme is found in plant sources such as nuts, green leafy vegetables, beans, dark chocolate, and grains. You need both kinds! Iron pills and even infusions are not very effective and some would argue they are a waste of time & money!
The easiest way IMO to build up your blood is by following this regimen:
(This will be your Heme) Take grass-fed beef organ capsules. My personal favorite is beef spleen because only 1 capsule is needed per day. Some beef liver supplements suggest 4-6 capsules daily. Let’s be real. Nobody wants to do that.
I’ve had great success with this brand: https://a.co/d/5snyuSm (If spleen is unavailable, their organ complex will do!)
High heme foods: ground beef, venison, mussels, clams, sardines, eggs (try duck eggs!)
(This will be your non-heme) Chlorophyll is a powerhouse for blood building, especially for someone with a more “meat and potatoes” kind of diet. Chlorophyll is a dark green substance (because its the pigment found in plants and algae) and is usually in a powder or liquid form.
My favorite chlorophyll: https://a.co/d/3LsGWhT I recommend this to every single client, it’s my #1 must-have. Not only does it taste great (peppermint flavor), it works well and fast. I often offer my clients a dropperful right after they give birth.
High non-heme foods: cashews, lentils, chickpeas, tempeh, kidney beans, white beans, spinach, kale, sweet potato, quinoa, cheerios
Okay, that covers iron. But none of that matters if your body isn’t going to absorb it properly!
My favorite prenatal: https://www.fairhavenhealth.com/collections/pregnancy-products/products/prenatal-multivitamin-essentials This is a USA brand that carries many wonderful products for fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and beyond. They use methylated folate (not folic acid – important!) and add flavor essence to help make it a little easier and enjoyable to take daily.
Other clean prenatal brands: needed, thorne, mary ruth’s
You also need vitamin C and D to help with absorption. You could try a blend such as this: https://a.co/d/dLGpKUG
Or if you prefer a chewable: https://a.co/d/9hCrX0F (there are many benefits to vitamin C during pregnancy. check out this facebook group for more info: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/WK8RQfbe6iyNDdGs/)
Vitamin D I’ve been using for years: https://a.co/d/0heS9OQ I take about 3 times a week.
I also like this supplement for some people, especially those who drink herbal tea as their prenatal or are postpartum: https://a.co/d/1IHFI93 (you’ll need vitamin D with this one)
Digestion Issues
Correcting nutrition with supplements above may resolve some of the digestion symptoms you may have been experiencing. But if not, I will share with you some of my favorite tips to relieve some of them.
Nausea: Preggy Pop Drops https://a.co/d/7k7hZFF , Ginger Chews https://a.co/d/iTZT4Yj (my fave is mango and peppermint) , Vitamin B6 (but keep in mind, you may not need to supplement this if your prenatal already has it!)
Can’t hold water down? First off, look into cannabis, please! But if that’s not your thing try these.. Hydration/electrolyte gummies: https://a.co/d/cz4FoLD, https://a.co/d/cgfNOQ5 Also when you can drink, adding coconut water to your diet can help add some hydration.
Heartburn / Acid Reflux: papaya enzyme chewable (this one is the best, but any brand is ok) https://a.co/d/9EHAcWx eat 1-3 tablets before and after eating and/or when needed. These work like tums, but tums have been known to calcify placentas, which is bad!
Constipation: nightly dose of magnesium! this one is especially great for getting a restful nights sleep –https://a.co/d/3u5Tlgp. Otherwise this is my go-to but many do not enjoy the taste (I think its fine)- https://a.co/d/0hH2gUh. You’ll want to at least 1 serving each night, but if you are very backed up, a double-dose can help clear you out. It should work within 8-16 hours. Extremely constipated? Is this an issue common in your family? I suggest having this on hand anyway – https://a.co/d/i3zLDNP
UTI
Some women may experience a urinary tract infection during pregnancy. Some women get at least one every pregnancy for some unknown reason. If you feel this is a concern for yourself, I highly suggest taking a high-dose d-mannose supplement to help avoid UTIs. I’ve used this one for years: https://a.co/d/hCQXDuV I will take this at least 5 days out of the week when pregnant. Also, worth mentioning: urinate after sex EVERY TIME, even if its only a few drops and drink lots and lots of water, every dang day. I can’t say this enough!
Well ladies, that’s all I can think of right now but I’m sure I’ll be back to add more later.
If you’re interested in learning about DIY pregnancy, check out this post: https://freedombirthnj.com/health-in-your-own-hands