Stop and call your Dr. if while exercising you...

Just a reminder to ALWAYS listen to your body! If doing any exercise even walking and you experience any of the following stop and call your midwife or physician ASAP

Any of these symptoms could mean you've put too much stress on your body:

• Vaginal bleeding or leakage of fluids
• Difficult, labored, or uncomfortable breathing
• Heart palpitations or pain in your chest
• Headache, nausea, or vomiting
• Dizziness or fainting
• Sudden change in temperature, clammy hands, or overheating
• Swelling or pain in your ankles and calves
• Decreased fetal movement
• Blurred vision
• Pain in your abdomen

Ginger Based Recipes for Mommy's Tummy

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia

serves 2 (recipe from kitchn.com)

1 pound domestically farmed tilapia fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 inch fresh ginger, grated, about 1 tablespoon
1 jalapeño pepper, roughly chopped (optional) - leave out if your have heartburn/acid reflux
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce (aim for gluten-free/low sodium)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Scallions, chopped for garnish
Extra cilantro, to garnish

Heat the oven to 475°F. Pat the fish dry, season lightly with salt and pepper, and lay in a 9x9-inch or 8x8-inch ceramic or glass baking dish.

Put the garlic, grated ginger, chopped jalapeño, and cilantro in a small food processor with the white wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Whir until blended. (Alternately, you can finely chop or mash the aromatics in a mortar and pestle, then whisk together with the liquid ingredients.)

Pour the sauce over the fish, rubbing it in a little. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through. It will be very moist and even a little gelatinous, still.

Serve immediately over brown rice, quinoa or orzo, garnished with the additional scallions and cilantro.

Lime- Ginger-Grapefruit Juice (great immune booster!)

• 
• 3 tbsps cane sugar (natural) or stevia to keep your calories/sugar grams lower
• 2 tbsps ginger (peeled then grated)
• 1 cup water (or use club soda for a fizzy version)
• 12 cup fresh lime juice (2 juicy limes)
• 1 13 cups grapefruit juice (fresh, 2 juicy grapefruits)

Stir Fry Ginger Beef

• 2 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
• 5 Tbsp South River Miso or umeboshi vinegar or soy sauce (but limit soy while pregnant)
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp peeled, grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon chile pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Note: umeboshi itself contains high amounts of alkaline minerals such as iron, calcium, manganese, potassium. Pregnancy tends to cause more acidity int eh body to umeboshi may help rebalance your pH. 

Beef and stir-fry

• 1 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb top sirloin steak - grass fed- hormone free! (good for iron building while pregnant)
• 1 Tbsp corn starch
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil (optional)
• 3-4 green onions, cut on a diagonal, 1/2-inch apart, including the greens
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2-3 hot chiles, preferably red serranos, seeded, sliced
• 1-inch nob of ginger, peeled, cut lengthwise into matchstick shapes
• 1/2 cup loosely packed, chopped cilantro

1 Chill the steak in the freezer for 30 minutes before you slice it, this will make it easier to cut in thin slices. Slice the steak first crosswise in 1/2-inch thick slices. The cut each slice lengthwise into strips.

2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients; the soy sauce, vinegar, grated ginger, honey, red chile flakes, and cumin. Mix the beef in with the marinade to coat and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, and up to 4 hours, in the fridge.

3 In a small bowl, mix the corn starch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry.

4 Heat the oil in a wok, or a large sauté pan, over high heat until it is nearly smoking. As the oil is heating up, pat the beef dry and separate it into small batches no larger than what can fit into the palm of your hand. Working in batches, sauté beef until just brown outside but rare inside, no more than 1 minute. Transfer beef to a bowl.

5 When all of the beef is cooked, put the chiles and garlic into the pan and stir-fry 30-45 seconds. Add the julienned ginger and cook for 30-45 seconds more. Add the beef back to the pan. Add the cornstarch slurry. Add the scallions and mix everything together. Cook for 1 minute.

Turn the heat off and mix in the cilantro. Serve at once with steamed white rice.

Yield: Serves 4-6

Green Soup with Ginger

(from 101 Cookbooks)

 large yellow onion (250g)
2 tablespoons (30 ml.) olive oil 
1 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
1 large sweet potato (12 ounces)
1 large leek, white and light green parts (5 ounces)
1 bunch spinach (8 ounces)
1 large bunch green chard (12 ounces)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger, plus more to taste
2 cups  good-tasting vegetable broth
2-4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

Chop the onion and cook it slowly in the olive oil with a sprinkle of salt, stirring now and then, over low heat until it is soft and golden, about half an hour.

Meanwhile, peel and dice the sweet potato and put it in a large soup pot with 4 cups (1 liter) water and a teaspoon of sea salt. Thoroughly wash the leek, spinach, and chard, chop them coarsely, and add them to the pot, along with the chopped ginger.

Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the soup, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender. Add the caramelized onions when they are ready. When the vegetables are soft, add the vegetable broth (you can add less if you like a thicker soup) and decide whether you want your soup chunky, like this, or smooth. If the latter, puree the soup in a blender, in batches, or with an immersion blender until it is smooth.

Stir in 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste, and correct the seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice.

Serves 5-6.

Help My Tummy Ginger Oat Lactation Cookies

(basic recipe and image found on yummly.com but I "Healthed-Up" the recipe for mama's-to-be!)

1/2 cup coconut oil* (see below for benefits for mom & baby)

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup stevia or sugar1 cup firmly packed brown sugar6 tablespoons water2 TBSP flax seed meal

2 TBSP Hemp Seeds

2 TBSP Chia Seeds

2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups gluten-free flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips
2 -4 tablespoons brewer's yeast
1 TBSP ginger powder or 2 TBSP fresh grated ginger

Preheat oven to 350°.Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes. Beat coconut oil, Greek yogurt, sugar, and brown sugar well. Add eggs and mix well. Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well. Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mix. Stir in oats and chips. Scoop onto baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes.
Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray. 

*WHY COCONUT OIL FOR MOMs: "Coconut oil contains large amounts of lauric acid, a powerful anti-microbial fatty acid that protects the immune system of the fetus and newborn. Pregnant and nursing mothers should eat coconut oil to increase the quality of the womb environment and breast milk”

- Dr. Claudia Pillow

Ignorance is not a justifiable excuse

 

I was rocking my darling baby girl to sleep tonight. As her eyes fluttered closed to enter a wonderful dreamland, she ran her perfectly tiny hands along mine, providing her own soothing as well as mine. Those hands that were created inside my body. This beautiful creature I feel unworthy of and so in love with. Tears welled up in my eyes as images of her lying in a hospital fighting for her life less than five months ago. I will always protect this child no matter what. The thought of any parent not doing everything humanly  possible to give their child a healthy and happy life truly boggles my mind. 

As I lay there breathing in my little miracle and counting my blessings, my mind flipped to a conversation a friend had with me yesterday. She told me her cousin is seven months pregnant. Which would normally be cause for celebration, but what she told me next had us both SEETHING. The pregnant cousin has celiacs disease;  for those of you unfamiliar with CD, gluten becomes the devil. If you do not drastically change your nutrition to accommodate the gluten-free lifestyle, your healthy is severely impacted. You eventually do so much internal damage that your body cannot sufficiently process nutrients.  When people with CD eat foods that contain gluten, it creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Even small amounts of gluten in foods can affect those with CD and cause health problems. When food is not absorbed they are not getting the proper nutrition they need. That is bad enough for the person with CD, but now think about that baby that is trying to grow in an environment depleted of proper nourishment. Struggling to pull nutrition from a malnourished "host". This woman, and I hesitate to call her a mother, because what mother can knowingly neglect her child's needs like this, is living on pasta and grape soda! Not only is the pasta's gluten destroying her, but the grape soda is all chemicals and of ZERO benefit. She throws up every time she eats gluten, but still doesn't change her food intake. She is not taking in any fresh fruits, veggies, protein sources, healthy fats, or staying hydrated, and the list goes on. She is completely negligent in my opinion. She has not gained a single pound as she enters her 3rd trimester. The baby is underweight and this woman is doing nothing about changing her destructive behavior.She actually said :"the baby must want grape soda because that's all I can keep down". How can you possibly believe that rationale. This is also the same woman that gained almost 100 pounds with her first pregnancy. Which is a whole other massively ridiculous abusive scenario in my books. The human body needs more respect than this. Our lives as both mother and child are worth more than this simple-minded destruction.

It is sickening to me that there are no repercussions for pregnant women who don't adopt healthy behaviors to provide for the life inside them. They are allowed to abuse their children up until they are born. No one steps in to protect that child while they are in utero. That baby is dependent solely on its mothers discretion to provide an environment for which he/she can thrive. Where is the doctor in all this? Even if the doctor is urging their patients to adhere to healthier guidelines there is no enforcing agency, no one to turn the abuse in to...because while the child is still in utero apparently it's not illegal to abuse them. Which when you stop to think, it is really unfathomable. I'm done holding my silence. I want to spark you to THINK and ACT. Whether it's you who is pregnant or know someone who is, it is our job as intelligent human beings to stop cowering away from uncomfortable issues. Take a stand you might just save a life.

When you create a living being inside of you it is not your right to be able to harm that child. You should no longer have the right to treat your body like an amusement park or a back alley dumpster. It is no longer your right to be misinformed and poorly educated. I am so sick of these awful stories of women simply not caring. Then guess what you shouldn't be pregnant in the first place, because you blatantly are not ready to be a good mother. Funny, we have to get a permit and license to drive a car, we need gun permits and training to own a firearm and we need a license for boating and hunting, but any idiot can procreate and not have to know a thing about how to adequately care for a living human being or go through basic training on how to treat themselves during the journey.

I am PLEADING with any woman reading this to stop the madness. Educate yourselves on what needs to be done to be healthy for you and your family. When you see something that morally does not sit well with you SPEAK UP. Silence breeds regret and harmful consequences. We are so concerned with offending people and not sticking our nose in that we idly sit by and watch our society fall further and further from its pure and good humanity. We fall further from a well functioning and healthy society. Each generation is becoming a duller copy of the one before. We walk around in a fog of stress, ignorance and chaos. Not stopping to cherish what we have; the miraculous ability to create life and thrive as we do so.

My two cents worth....

Saving My baby's Life. What did I do wrong??...nothing...

Staring at the back of an ambulance door as we rode in dark silence, cheeks tear stained and eyes threatening to erupt again... my 32-hour old daughter lay in an incubator inside. I was 15 feet from her but could not see her or touch her. I was desperate and helpless. All I could think was what did I do wrong? The list ran through my head at a hundred miles per hour. The second I found out I was pregnant I cut out alcohol, took plant based prenatal vitamins with nothing synthetic in them, took extra DHA from a very pure source for baby's brain health, kept away from antibacterial products with triclosan in them, did away with shampoos and conditioners with parabens and sulfates, changed to all-natural house cleaning products, used organic almond oil as body lotion and makeup remover, ate organic produce whenever possible, drank chlorophyll coupled with Vitamin C sources to boost my iron levels naturally, walked and did mild exercise to help with blood flow, stopped when I had cramps and listened to my body to not push it too hard, stayed hydrated, stayed out of the sun, exfoliated my skin regularly, listened to meditation tapes at night to relax, got sufficient amounts of protein and sought the help of a midwife to be fully engaged in my care after having a less than ideal experience with a general OBGYN (this is where I say some OB's are WONDERFUl and I give them a lot of credit - I happen to not encounter that in my first trimester). I had even bought deli turkey meat one day and then remembered I probably shouldn't have it so I gave it to a stray cat. I had tuned everyone out who thought I should be induced after going over my due date. Sticking to my guns about waiting for my child to come on her own as long as there was no medical indication to deem otherwise. I had biophysicals done every few days after my due date came and went just to be sure the placenta was still hospitable and my baby was doing well.

My beautiful daughter was born at 7 lbs 8 oz, 20.5 inches long, 18 days after the "doctors determined due date"  and more than 39 hours of excruciating, knee-weakening labor later (more on inaccurate due dates in another article). No complications seemed present at birth. The first 24 hours were a hazy bliss of happy and raw emotions. I couldn't believe I had anything to do with the creation of this precious creature. Forcing myself to close my exhausted eyes was torture because it meant I had to take them off of her. I was IN LOVE...in the best kind of way. Watching her daddy fall head over heels made my heart ache it was so sweet. We were a perfect little family about to head home to start our life together and get to know our daughter, Makayla.

...But that isn't how our first weeks of her life played out. Instead of the nurse coming to tell use we were being discharged  to snuggle with our baby in the comfort of our own home- she walked in with a box of tissues and a woman who introduced herself as a cardiologist. WHAT?! Why at 8pm on Friday night instead of being sent home was I standing there watching a cardiologist sketch out her explanation of the heart defect they just discovered our daughter had. Why was I being told that the infant transport team was already on their way to get her and that I was being asked to sign over permission for them to rush her to St Joe's Children's Pediatric Cardiac ICU for "life saving medication" to be administered. In that very moment my heart shattered into a million fragile pieces. I watched those pieces hit the floor along with my burning tears and dreams of what I thought the first few days of a parent should be like. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't stop from shaking, I couldn't think of anything other than get me to my baby and get us all in the hands of the best care possible. In that moment, I realized if I could take her place I would, if I could do anything to save her I would stop at nothing. My desire to fix any ailment and take away any pain ruled over all other thinking.

These paragraphs are emotionally taxing enough to rehash still (It has only been 10 weeks since her birth) so for now I think I will spare the details for the next 15 days of her hospital stay, living out of a hotel and holding vigil by her bedside 20-24 hours a day and give you the much briefer version. Our daughter had successful open heart surgery at 6 days old to repair a coarctation of her aorta and had a cadaver graft to widen her arch.

What is the entire point of me sharing my story? I want people to know you OWE your child every fighting chance they can possibly have with how you treat them in utero. WE can't control congenital defects but we can create the most nourishing and hospitable environment possible for your baby to thrive while she is inside you.

If you are a parent who has ever had your child sick or injured I don't have to tell you time stops until they are healed. You think about nothing else but their well-being and how to expedite the process. You are skeptical of anyone who is supposed to be treating them and you all but fall asleep standing up because you won't leave their side. You tune out phone calls, emails, text messages and simply anything that doesn't pertain directly to helping your child. And you won't make apologies for being any other way. I went right from giving birth to standing hours a day or sitting on hard chairs, not sleeping, not eating enough and just simply not recovering well. I was getting sick and rundown. While in my heart  and in my professional training I knew I had to keep up my own strength and recovery, but initially it simply took a back seat to making sure I was with my daughter. When I started to get really run down I was reminded that my daughter needed me to be strong for when she came home and if I got sick I couldn't be near her in the hospital. So I refocused on healthy eating, hydration, supplementation and a little more napping - but in the hospital room with her where we both dozed off to sounds of the rain forest or Mozart's lullaby's :).

It dawned on me that while my daughters congenital heart defect was most likely unavoidable and not a result of anything I did or didn't do; that because my pregnancy was so healthy I gave her the strongest fighting chance to recover. That awakening has made me very feisty about helping moms-to-be treat themselves and their fetus with great respect and truly doing the most we can do while pregnant to give our children the healthiest start to this life. My absolute biggest pet peeve other than obese children is pregnant women who eat like crap and gain massive amounts of weight. YOU ARE HARMING YOUR CHILD...PERIOD.

IT DOES MATTER...

WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY (food/drink/medications)
WHAT YOU PUT ON YOUR BODY
HOW ACTIVE OR INACTIVE YOU ARE
WHAT KIND OF CARE YOU RECEIVE
WHAT SUPPLEMENTS YOU DO OR DO NOT TAKE
THE AMOUNT OF REST/SLEEP YOU GET
HOW HEALTHY YOUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE
HOW CARED FOR AND SUPPORTED YOU FEEL

I urge you, moms-to-be and those who know pregnant women to learn as much as you can about what will make your (their) pregnancy most healthy for you (them). It is my hope through this blog that you will at least begin to take action and find what works well for you. You should always discuss food, fitness and supplementation with your care provider as I am NOT a doctor. I only take what I know through my nutrition schooling, 12 years in practice, being a new mom myself and feedback from other moms.  

I am thrilled to report that Makayla is home and doing wonderfully! She will have periodic check-ups with her cardiologist for the rest of her life, but will be able to be active and normal like other children. She will be our ultimate experiment in raising a child in a healthy lifestyle. She can never afford to have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, and I will see to it she understands what it all means so she can live happy and healthy. It will never be about what she can't have or can't do it will  always be about all the wonderful things she can do and the wonderful whole foods she can have! Life is about attitude, action and perspective. When all of those things move in a positive direction you live the life you desire. Health is a privilege and if you don't treat it with respect and value what you can do for yourself and your child every day, then I am sorry to hear you are missing the boat. You are not setting your child up for success in life and isn't that the basic job of EVERY parent?? Food for thought...

Protein Treats for Mama

At my wellness company, Simply B (www.SimplyBhealthy.com)Protein  we make it a point to provide tasty treat ideas that are satisfying but made with a PURPOSE. This is especially important while you are pregnant. As your baby grows you will have less and less room to take in food at each sitting, so your foods MUST serve a nutritional purpose and not just be filler. Snacks should pack some power for you and baby. Here are some protein and nutrient packed recipes sure to satisfy a sweet tooth and possible put the squash on things like nausea and heart burn. Skip the empty calorie desserts and try these on for size.

* IMPORTANT NOTE about protein powders: If you are not going to be using Simply B Natural Whey protein (which is safe for moms-to-be), please be sure you choose another brand that does NOT contain the following: Soy proteins (extremely important if you are having a boy baby), aspartame, sucralose, hydrogenated oils, artificial coloring/dye

Protein Snack Recipes

Sustained Energy Pumpkin Bars

• 1/2 C natural organic brown sugar (can't find the xylitol brown sugar)

• 1/2 C natural organic unsweetened applesauce

• 1/16 tsp clove (1/2 of the 1/8 tsp measuring spoon)

• 3 tsp of cinnamon

• 3 tsp vanilla extract (spice island organic)

• 1/8 tsp Ginger

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 5 egg whites

• 4 scoops of Simply B Natural cinnabun protein

• 1 scoop of Simply B Natural vanilla protein

• 5 scoops of  whey crisps

• 3/4 Cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

• 2 1/4 C organic oat flour

• 1 - 15 oz Can of organic pumpkin purée

 

Mix all ingredients together and spread in glass pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 until golden and no batter pulls out with a knife poke.

 

PB Protein cups:

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

1 TBS cocoa powder

4 TBS water

2 packets Truvia

1 TBS of nut butter

Mix all ingredients together and freeze 30 mins. Stir and freeze another 30 mins.

 

Cinnabun Banana Ice Cream

 

3 frozen organic banana's

1 scoop Simply B Cinnabun protein

1 tbsp agave nectar

 

In food processor, whip the frozen, peeled banana's until creamy smooth. Add in protein powder and blend again. Place miz back in freezer for 15 minutes. Take out and drizzle with agave nectar. Other toppings "ice cream": unsweet coconut, chopped nuts, dusting of pumpkin or apple spice, diced fruits. etc.

 

No Bake Protein Oat Nuggets

 

2 cups unsweet almond milk

1/3 cup natural peanut butter (when pregnant buy processed main stream brands like Skippy Natural or Jiff and NOT raw nut butters as they may have a bacteria that pregnant women are more susceptible too and very harmful to baby)

2 cups old fashioned oats

2 scoops Simply B Natural Cinnabun protein

1/4 cup Mini chocolate chips (try brands without hydrogenated oils like "Enjoy Life" http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/chocolate-for-baking/) 

 

On a stove top - bring almond milk and nut butter to a boil- stirring regularly. Remove from heat and stir in oats and then protein powder. Dough should be moist but stick together when scooped with a spoon. Line a pan with foil. Scoop out dough ball smaller than a golf ball - and palce on foil. Place entire tray in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. Once dough cools, dip just the top in mini chocolate chips (so they dont melt). Place back on on foiled tray. Keep in fridge and snack on one or two when you get the need to nibble or in between healthy meals.

 

Surviving Birthing Class...w/ Humor

You're most likely in our third trimester by the time you've worked up enough gumption to register for a "Birthing Class". I am a firm believer if this class were mandatory in high school there would be a lot fewer teen-moms! But I digress.The "this baby actually has to come out" reality has taken a (choke)hold. Even nervous dad-to-be has come to grips with the fact that it will be a cold day in you-know-where to be able to get away with the 'cigar-in-hand and buddies at his side in the waiting room' stance. Mama's now say if you did this to me.. You SOB (I mean you darling man)...you better believe you are going to be present to get us ice chips, rub our back, be our sounding board (aka, target of profanity during contractions), remind us to breathe and let us break your ever supporting hand should the mood strike if an epidural is not on our cocktail menu. While classes will vary all around the country... There are a few commonalities that run through them all. Hope these help as you prepare.
What to bring:

• Pillow - your back and behind will thank you
• Possibly a yoga mat if you know the class is more centered around Lamaze or breathing and meditation activities
• Layer your clothing (hot cold hot cold... A room full of hormonal women... Dress in layers need I say more)
• Notebook and pen(s)
• Water bottle (luckily you wont be the only one interrupting class 50 times to run to the ladies room...so stay hydrated - and keep that amniotic fluid a lovely full swimming pool for baby!)
• Healthy snacks - that will keep blood sugar steady. (see recipes and snack ideas here)
• A list of questions if you have some running through your head prior to class.
• Your birthing partner (whether this be your man, sister, best friend, midwife, etc - don't feel you have to go alone)
• If your class is at the facility you will be delivering at you may be going on a tour - wear comfy shoes.

During class - take notes for things pertinent to your needs, write and ask questions. Check in with your partner/birthing coach to see what questions/concerns they too may have.

During  class breaks, in your head make up stories about the odd arrangements of couples you see around you (and yes there will be a few in EVERY class!) - it's quite amusing to later share with your partner to lighten to the mood on the way home! 

Refrain from comparing bellies, weight gain, etc with the other ladies in the room. Yes, you will do this a bit naturally - but don't get caught up in comparisons. You are beautifully unique and as long as you are treating you and baby healthfully... stop stressing about other prego's or fitting some "norm". I can tell you I have yet to see two pregnant women with the exact same physique, symptoms or growth rate. So simmer down and keep your eye on the prize...YOUR BABY!

It will be difficult not to have fleeting moments of panic and excitement during class. It is my hope that each one of you lovely mama's-to-be has a great partner to comfort you during class and to chat about your concerns after class.

Suggestion: upon arriving home after class with your baby's father - be a nice partner and go directly to the kitchen to make him his favorite cocktail - do not pass go, do not collect $200...he has seen and heard things at class that he is going to want to fade/dull from memory and minds eye.