My pregnancy so far, 14 weeks

This pregnancy has been one of mixed emotion, having a miscarriage in just October last year (click here to read my story) really affected my ability to enjoy and accept the pregnancy at the start. In the past I was peeing on that pregnancy test the day after my period was due; however, this time it took me over a week to actually test, and then another week before I actually called to make a doctor's appointment. Because I was scared, if I accepted it it meant that I could lose it. If I went to the doctors and lost the baby again I was just wasting my own time and the doctor's time. Crazy right, why was I worried about wasting peoples time? It’s my health, my baby and my life, if it was anyone else I would have encouraged them to think about themselves and to go get the support that they needed.  

I had the miscarriage at about 6 weeks so once I got to 7 weeks my confidence increased, at this time the nausea also hit, and it hit hard, which I didn’t get before the miscarriage, so as bad as I was feeling this also gave me confidence. I eventually saw the doctor at about 8 weeks and had a dating scan at 9 weeks. This was a big relief, seeing that heartbeat made it all the more real and was so comforting. At 13 weeks when I had my next scan even more weight was lifted off my shoulders, since then I have become confident that it is actually happening and know that myself and the baby will be ok. 

What did I change to prepare for this pregnancy?

Well a lot of my choices go back to the reflection I undertook after the miscarriage, you can click here to see my initial recovery story, I really sat with and reflected on why it happened. Now I know doctors and people say ‘we don’t know why, these things just happen’ well for me this wasn’t good enough, it just doesn’t happen for no reason. There was either a physical or Universal reason for this happening, or both. So I dove into a lot of research, not only to support myself but to also be able to support other mamas (also leading to my pregnancy and infant loss program). I started with the book Miscarriage, what every woman needs to know, but also reflected on  some of the choices I had made, the food I was eating, my relationship with my husband and my health. Now when I look back I know exactly why I had the miscarriage, it was because I got cocky and I wasn't practicing what I preach… Yep, I said it. It took a while for me to get honest with myself about this, but the Universe was sending me a big fat message. Reflecting back on the months leading up to the conception before the miscarriage I didn't prepare as well as I recommend clients do. I didn't take my prenatal daily, nor did I take my activated folate or omega 3 DHA supplement daily. I was lazy and slack and thought that because I ate mostly a whole food organic diet that I'd be ok. But you know what? There is a reason I recommend women take a prenatal supplement and activated folate, and there's a reason why it was repeatedly mentioned in my studies because no matter how good your diet is no one person can get everything they need simply from their food, especially when someone trying to create life and grow a person inside them! Yep, I know I have lost some of you already because I know there are a lot of people who prefer to get their nutrients from their diet. I was just like you, before I thought I could get everything I needed from my diet and that it would be enough to create life, but I was wrong. This has been the driving factor for a lot of research, further investigation and why I have become such a big advocate for whole food nutritional support. Let’s be clear, it in no way replaces a balanced whole food organic diet, rather it is a way to fill in the gaps between what you should be getting and what you are actually getting. And I don't want to make this post about this (because this warrants its own post) but if we look at the effects of chemicals in our environment, soil degradation, the way we prepare food and the reality of what we eat everyday it’s clear that we are not getting enough nutrients from our diet. For me, this was the Universe tapping me on the shoulder telling me it was time to take my health to the next level and to start looking at the bigger picture.

What supplements have I been taking and why?

Josh and I both took an omega 3 supplement. Before the miscarriage we took cod liver oil (this is the one I recommend) which is a rich source of omega 3 DHA that has been shown to improve egg and sperm quality. Though this time we chose to take an omega 3 DHA made from marine algae. Fish are rich in omega 3 DHA because they eat the algae so I decided let's skip the middleman and go straight to the source. With some research I found Juice Plus omega supplements which not only have omega 3 DHA but also have all types of omega 3 (ALA and EPA) and omegas 5,6,7 and 9. Which is great for further supporting the nervous system, brain and heart which are all things that a developing baby and their mamas need in the first trimester. This also led us both to the other Juice Plus products because of the quality of nutrients that they provide, and gave us the ability to fill in the gaps of the fruit and vegetables that we were missing from our diet, because let's be honest we could all do with more fruit and vegetables in our life. Did you know that for optimal health you need to have at least 30 different types of vegetables a week? I reckon I'm lucky to get 30 different vegetables a month. Juice Plus has also been shown to be extremely bioavailable meaning that it actually makes it to your bloodstream and cells unlike many supplements which often get released by the body without actually providing any nutrients. You can click here to check out the research article done on Juice Plus and click here to read the benefits of Juice Plus during pregnancy. Josh and I both took these supplements leading up to conception because it's not just my health that matters here, it's his too. And if we were going to reduce the chances of another miscarriage he too had to look at his own health and make some adjustments. 

In the first trimester there are a number of nutrients that are essential because they kick off the development of your baby, it is during the time that neural tube defects, tongue and lip ties and cleft lip and palate commonly develop, and often during the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, this is especially the case of neural tube defects. Which is why I got strict with my activated folate supplement in the months leading up to conception and the entire first trimester. The reason I recommend an activated folate over an folic acid is because folic acid is the synthetic form of folate. Folate itself is found in a number of foods; however, the body must first ‘activate’ the folate before it can be absorbed, now I don't want to get too technical here but basically about 60% of the population have a gene mutation (MTHFR gene mutation) which does not allow for their body to convert and activate the folate, the same goes with folic acid. This is why I recommend that everyone take an activated folate supplement during preconception and the entire first trimester, regardless of their dietary intake.  I recommend this one.  You can find out more about folic acid vs folate by visiting these two links Sheridan Joy Nourish and Bloom

I also took and continue to take Forgaed For You. This prenatal supplement is a whole food chemical free supplement that includes most of the nutrients required to create life, including vitamin A, magnesium, choline, zinc, iron, iodine, vitamin C and folate. I started taking this when I was breastfeeding Paige (it’s highly recommended that you take a prenatal supplement the entire time you are breastfeeding) and in preparation for the pregnancy before the miscarriage, but honestly I was stingy with it. Because it is a powder I hardly took any of it because I wanted it to last. This time I got serious and took the recommended dose. Then during my first trimester my blood test showed that my iron was on the lower side and was told that I should go on an iron supplement to prepare for trimester 2, I did not want to do this. I went on the supplement recommended during my last pregnancy and it gave me nausea and made me so sick, I did not want to experience that again, especially since I was already struggling with nausea. Instead I started having double Foraged For You. Foraged For You has grass fed beef liver in it which is extremely high in iron and is a natural source rather than a synthetic form of iron that can often cause gastrointestinal discomfort. It also has camu camu in it which is a natural source of vitamin C which helps to support the absorption of iron. 

What foods have I been eating? 

As you move through each trimester of pregnancy there are a number of nutrients that become essential for nourishing the growth of your baby and for keeping you strong and healthy. Given this I decided to focus on a few foods that I know are the most nourishing for the first trimester. You can grab my free pregnancy guide- 6 foods to eat more of for a healthier and more nourishing pregnancy here.

Liver

Liver is one of the most nutritionally dense foods out there, meaning that just a small amount of liver is jam packed with a massive amount of nutrients including vitamin A, choline, zinc, iodine, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, vitamin K2 and iron, which are all essential nutrients during pregnancy. Once I found out my iron levels were low I made sure that we were having liver at least once a week in preparation for the second trimester. 

I will point out that there is a lot of confusion surrounding the intake of liver during pregnancy because of the vitamin A content. However, this comes from an old study conducted on women who were consuming large amounts of synthetic vitamin A, which in fact can be toxic. Though when consuming natural real sources of vitamin A there is no evidence to suggest that it is toxic to either mum or bub. 

Seafood and seaweed

Iodine is really only essential for the first 16 weeks of pregnancy because it is during this time that the baby is relying on the mothers thyroid, after this the baby starts producing their own thyroid hormones. Which is why I increased the amount of seafood I was eating to about 2-3 times a week, and funnily enough I actually had a massive craving for it, the body knows what it wants. 

Eggs

Eggs are rich in many nutrients but in particular for the first trimester it is their choline and vitamin A levels that make them so nourishing. Vitamin A in the first trimester helps with the development of the baby’s facial features while choline helps with the development of the placenta and reduces the likelihood of neural tube defects. And again I had a massive craving for eggs, particularly egg sandwiches. 

The thought of veggies would make me sick but I tried the best I could to eat them, I also went off coffee as I couldn't stomach it and went off lamb for a little bit too. At the moment I feel good and can have all of these things again. 

Dealing with pregnancy conditions like nausea, constipation and fatigue. 

Omg nausea sucks. I felt so sick from 7 weeks until about 12 weeks, the worst being weeks 9-11. That constant feeling that you are going to vomit is just yuck. My top tip for anyone who is struggling with nausea is to keep your blood sugar stable. It’s often the drops in blood sugar that can contribute significantly to nausea, which is why often women feel so sick in the morning because they have gone all night without eating. So every morning as soon as I got out of bed I ate a piece of toast. There were times I'd go for a walk or wait a few hours before I ate and on those days I felt worse. I also didn't really let myself get hungry at all, because it was when I got too hungry that I would start to feel sick and then lose my appetite, which happens for many women. So I was basically snacking all day long, Paige loved it because she too got to eat all day long. I ate lots of Venerdi toast, smoothies with lots of veggies and broccoli stalks in it because the thought of vegetables would make me sick so I had to sneak them into my diet, coconut water, apples with peanut butter and rice crackers with hummus. It is important to avoid too many refined foods like pasta and cakes as this spikes blood sugar making you feel good temporarily but once it comes crashing down you will more than likely make you feel worse.  

I also kept moving, going to the gym, walking, doing yoga and swimming. Other than one time when going to the gym actually made me feel worse, every other time I felt so much better because exercise actually helps to further stabilise your blood sugar and reduces the likelihood that it is going to come crashing back down. 

During this time with my digestion changing and because of my appetite changes I became a little constipated. Which was probably due to the reduced amount of vegetables (fiber) in my diet and not enough water. When I noticed this happening I increased my intake of healthy fats, more avocado, nuts, seeds and coconut oil and focused on staying hydrated, even though at times I couldn't even stand the thought of drinking any water. 

I was also super tired, to the point that I would be driving and would actually think to myself “I could close my eyes and go to sleep right now”... yeah not ideal. And I actually fell asleep a number of times on the floor while Paige played around me. But I let myself rest, I slept in more than I usually would and forgave myself for cruisy days at home rather than forcing myself and making myself feel guilty for not doing more activities with Paige. I knew it would only be temporary and that this was part of the process, heck i'm growing to be a real life person with a heart, a brain, lungs, arms and legs of course that was going to take a toll on my body.

So that’s me 14 weeks pregnant and how I have looked after myself and my growing baby so far. At the moment as I write this I feel fabulous, I have energy and mentally I am feeling confident for what is to come. Stay tuned as I share with you the rest of my journey over the coming weeks.