Got Pregnant!.. Now What?!
First of all CONGRATULATIONS!
Welcome to the club, and now I can show you the secret handshake that expecting mamas get to do! In all honestly though, this question gets asked more often than you think. Whether you were on Alex’s My 90 Day Fertility Plan online course, or not - a lot of women still have questions as to what to do now, or what changes could they do without stressing themselves out.
Alex’s online, self-paced course (My 90 Day Fertility Plan) was designed to prepare you for pregnancy, and goes through all the steps like balancing your hormones, tracking your cycle, diet changes, mindset, and suggestions for your partner- plus more. If you took the online course, you can continue to use those steps. Those guidelines are pregnancy safe and we encourage a holistic mindset with food and movement. It was made to optimize your health and mindset to help you get pregnant faster, reduce your risk of miscarriage and to feel amazing during pregnancy!
For mama’s that didn’t go through the program – no worries I got you. Here are some important things to think about when going through this journey.
Your Diet Matters!
I listed this one first because whether you are pregnant or not, what you put into your body on a consistent basis will affect your whole well-being.
The first question that came to my head when I was pregnant with my second was “so can I eat sushi, or no?” but really it goes beyond just certain items.
Refined, processed, high sugar and flavour enhanced foods have very poor nutritional value, and aren’t supporting the healthy growth of your baby or yourself. They also affect your mood, cognitive thinking, your body’s ability to convert nutrients to energy, gut health, your liver function, hormone secretion and elimination – I can go on and on… the point is you need nutrient dense, whole foods in order to support the baby, and your changing body.
This doesn’t just affect you though, it affects your baby too. A study found that women, during pregnancy and lactation, who ate high sugar diets observed a 38% increase in their child’s allergy risk between 7 and 9 years old. They also found a 101% increase in the risk of allergic asthma in their children.
How Can You Start That Now? Let’s elaborate:
SWAP JUNKY SNACKS - For healthier snacks, such as nuts, seeds, popcorn and dried fruits
REPLACE COLD CUTS - For pasture raised, locally sourced, non-processed meats
SKIP THE SODAS - Make smoothies that contain fruits and vegetables
SKIP THE SIMPLE CARBS - Try complex carbs, such as quinoa, and wild rice
SKIP THE MILK CHOCOLATE - Try sea salt dark chocolate, health benefits start at 75% cacao
SKIP THE CAFFEINE OVERLOAD - Try Macha tea, or cutting down one of your cups a day
Seems like a lot? Try some of these suggestions slowly if they’re not implemented already, and don’t overwhelm yourself with trying to do them all at once. You’re in this for the long haul. Being kind to yourself is much more important, so start small and be mindful of what you eat. You got this!
Prenatal Vitamins!
We want to get the majority of our nutrients from our food, but finding a good quality prenatal supplement has an important role - as we can sometimes be missing out on some crucial goodies in our food choices. When I say goodies, I mean vitamins and minerals. Not wine…
Finding a prenatal vitamin will be a personal choice and dependent on your own needs.
For example some women have a genetic mutation, MTHFR, and that prevents them from converting folate to its active form. This genetic mutation is very common and often goes undetected and can leave these women very depleted. This is why making sure your prenatal has a high quality, methylated folate and not folic acid is critical!
The point is reading anything online about supplements shouldn’t be taken lightly, without consulting your health care practitioners or professionals. Do your research on what vitamins you’re taking or considering and talk to your natural health care provider about which one suits your needs based on your blood results, and medical history.
Mindset!
The transition from womanhood to motherhood, is beautiful and yet can be a little overwhelming especially the first time around.
For the mothers that are welcoming their second, third, or fourth and more, preparing your mindset wouldn’t hurt either. Even if it’s just little moments you have to yourself.
*Oh – side note here - I call the moms with more than one kid- superheroes - and they deserve all the dark chocolate they want without their partner eating it on them.
You know what actually all moms should get all the dark chocolate without judgement.
Okay, back to regular programming!
Our bodies and our focuses will change and being prepared at this time is important, for you and your little one coming into the world.
Creating space for a newborn can look different to each of us. Whether it’s working on the baby’s room, making room for the baby’s items, chatting to our friends about the change, letting your work know about your current needs, asking for help, getting more self care for you, the list goes on but the point is shifting your mindset to make that space in yourself and surroundings is the key to preparing. If working on the mindset is currently hard then having an honest conversation with your support system is the first step, addressing any feelings you may have, and asking for help in whatever it is you’re looking for will bring you to your authentic self.
Setting aside time for you is a practice, and just like a practice you need to create that room within yourself to create those movements. Journaling, meditating, exercising such as yoga, creating music, listening or playing music, whatever it is – make sure it feeds your soul. You’re doing a lot right now, even if it’s lying in bed, there’s a lot that is happening within you. So taking the time or moments to fill your own bucket with self-love. I promise you you’d want the same for your unborn child and remember to be kind to yourself.
