So it begins

I have promised to post the good and bad days.... and unfortunately, I did cheat yesterday with an unhealthy snack, and didn't get quite as many greens and fruits as I normally do. I crashed in the afternoon, and didn't feel like going to Kroger to get fruit....BUT... here it is:

I drank a glass of water as soon as I got up, and after that, I took my Floradix.

I drank 1 cup of coffee with French Vanilla Creamer ( I KNOW how bad it is, and have cut down from 2 to 1 since I found out I am pregnant, and generally coffee makes me ill when I am pregnant, but this time it hasn't yet, and I got a horrible headache the day I tried to go without it.)

I had a 8 oz steak, and 2 eggs, an 8 oz cup of orange juice. Took the rest of my vitamins.

water... lots of water consumption...

For Linner ( late lunch, early dinner) I had Turkey Breast ( I cooked a turkey, not fake turkey breast lunch meat) Stuffing, gravy, broccoli/cauliflower.

2 bottles of water

late dinner: I had a large green salad with tomatoes, carrots, croutons, vinaigrette dressing. AND... a caramel sundae ( at least I put peanuts on it for protein) :(....

more water....

SO... I didn't have a GREAT day... I felt really tired yesterday, so I slept a lot in the afternoon, when I should have had a yogurt snack, or some hard cheese...and fruit...

I don't feel ravenously hungry yet at this point... so I am almost force-feeding myself . I want to go into a little detail about a couple of things....

When I look at a clients diet sheet, I look for protein and greens above all else... then fruits and grains and dairy. Protein is the building block for a healthy pregnancy, tissue, and cells for the baby are made from protein, and your blood volume is increasing, so it is the most important thing to make sure to get in EVERY day. Towards the end of pregnancy, it will show if mom didn't take in enough protein, she will start having protein in her urine, retaining water, or having a high blood pressure... or all of the above and start showing signs of pre-eclampsia. It is important to ALWAYS get in 80 grams of protein each day, and if you start having pre-eclampsia symptoms, increase that to 100-120 grams each day.

GREENS: I do not give any credit for greens if I ask what was in your salad, and get ice burg lettuce as a reply... if you are eating ice burg lettuce... you are eating empty calories... the nutritional value of ice burg lettuce is next to null... I only give credit for real greens, romaine, spinach, kale, collards, leaf lettuce, chard, etc. SO... for MY diet sheet... if I put a salad... it means that it is made from REAL greens... not fake lettuce.. if it is fake lettuce ( If I'm on the run and stop somewhere) I will note it as a fake lettuce salad. I also eat huge salads, and have lots of goodies... peppers, radishes, tomatoes, onions, cheese..whatever I have in the fridge.

I also do not give credit for white bread if used for a sandwich/toast etc.

I always use sea salt and real butter when I cook, and use a lot of herbs and spices for flavorings. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE garlic :). I use mostly organic, we raise our own beef, and I have a cow and goats for milk, butter, cheese, keifer etc.

I also fell asleep last night without taking my second dose of floradix...

I have had hyperemesis my last two pregnancies, and I am really hoping that since I found out super early this time, I can fend that off with good protein intake, and keeping my blood sugar regular. PLUS... My practice is pretty busy right now... and I don't have time to be sick and puking all day long.

See Ya tomorrow :)

Supplements

I do not believe that there is a set of supplements to take that fits every woman, every time. Most certainly not for the entire pregnancy. SO... I will do day by day, case by case what I take... or what I would recommend.

At this point, In early pregnancy, I recommend taking a quality prenatal vitamin, made from whole foods. *I* really like Natures Plus. There are some additional brands I like: Solgar, Rainbow Light, Natures Sunshine..... I do not like: any prescription prenatal, and anything that you can pick up from walmart or Kroger pharmacy... There are two reasons why I say this. A) they are not made from quailty ingredients, they are chemically produced vitamins, and your body cannot absorb them the same way that it can a whole food vitamin. B) they have coating on them to make them easier to swallow, and your body cannot break down the coating on the vitamin and digest the vitamin in the time it needs to in the digestive track to absorb all the good stuff. I buy all of my vitamins on www.vitacost.com. They have great prices and a wide selection.

As I write this, I am about 3 weeks pregnant. At this point, I am taking Floradix (10ml 2x daily), Barleans Ultra EPA*DHA (2 gelcaps daily) , And Natures Plus LIQUID prenatal (2 Tablespoons daily) l....*I* choose liquid because I have a horrible gag reflex ALL the time, and it is even more enhanced when I am pregnant, so I choose chewable or liquid whenever possible.

I also use Braggs Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother, and Organic, Cold Pressed Coconut oil. I TRY to take a probiotic... but I admit... I hate swallowing pills....I would rather just eat Keifer or yogurt. I started my Kombucha, and will start taking it soon.

I will start tomorrow posting my food journal. I will always post the previous day's food so it is a complete entry. I promise to be honest about my food intake, even on bad days.

I am using Burts Bee's Mama Bee Belly Butter on my belly/stretch mark prone areas....

In The Beginning

SO....I have clients constantly telling me how they cannot eat enough protein, drink enough water, don't know what to make, what to take, whats safe, whats not.... ON AND ON....

I am starting this blog to not only hold myself accountable for my diet choices, but to help mama's who get stuck in a rut, or just wonder if they are eating enough, taking the right vitamins, getting enough exercise...and so on.

Any information that you read here is my personal experience, intertwined with the bit of knowledge I have. I am not a medical doctor, or a registered dietitian, but I would dare to say that I have just as much knowledge or more, than both. I encourage a clean diet, making every calorie count, taking quality natural supplements, avoiding chemicals and toxins. I will be sharing my experiences from my years of serving women, I *KNOW* that the most important thing you can do for a healthy pregnancy and safe birth, is to eat well.

Just a warning if you are going to be reading along... I am not an eloquent writer... I do not claim to be. I like texting English :). I do hope my points come across clearly, but if not, feel free to ask questions. Maybe I will find an editor if my blog becomes popular enough...

I will make this day my formal announcement that I am pregnant, I have known for 9 days. I am figuring my due date to be late October, early November. I do not put a lot of value in due dates, anyone who has had me as a midwife, or knows me as a friend already knows that. It is an estimate, and some women grow babies longer, some shorter. I ALWAYS go overdue with my babies, most are 8-9 days, but I did go 25 days past my EDD with my 7th baby.

For any strangers who find my blog: I am a midwife, I attend births at home, and a few as a doula in a hospital setting. I am Married, have been for almost 16 years, and we have had 8 children together (this is number 9). I will make an entire post of past pregnancy/birth stories sometime soon.