My Pregnancy Journey (Food, Oils, Supplements, Resources, etc)

6/21/2022

My Pregnancy Journey

I'm just a few weeks shy of being in the 3rd trimester of my first pregnancy! I'm excited to share all the things that have helped make this pregnancy pretty smooth and enjoyable. As always, the things I include in this post are specific to my experience and my pregnancy. Please consult your provider with questions and concerns for you personally.

Non-toxic Lifestyle

One of the biggest things to focus on BEFORE and DURING pregnancy is removing toxins from your home and body. We have worked the last 2 years at swapping out all the products in our home, so it made it easy not having to switch any of our normal habits or products. We continue using Young Living’s household and body care products (Dish soap, laundry soap, Thieves Household Cleaner, diffusers instead of candles, deodorant, face/body wash, etc).

Harmful chemicals cross through the placenta. A Canadian study found 137 chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of newborns. (Including lead, mercury, and DDT) This is definitely a good first step to focus on. so you avoid extra toxins for you and baby.

Supplements

The supplements I have used during this pregnancy are no different than what I was using before. My daily supplements are Young Living's Ningxia Red, Sulfurzyme, and Super B. I also occasionally take Life 9. I used Alkalime briefly at the very beginning of my pregnancy for acid reflux, bloating, and tummy issues. Lastly, i'm using the Vitality drops and magnesium (I include the brand below) every day in my adrenal cocktail drink.

Essential Oils

>>>1st Trimester – I used Progessence Plus Serum (Pro+) every day but stopped taking it at the start of my second, since my body was producing enough progesterone on its own at that point. I would also highly recommend taking Pro+ before pregnancy. I had been taking it for 2ish years leading up to being pregnant. It is great for balancing hormones, among other things. (Do not use if you are on birth control)

>>>Emotional Support Oils – I’ve been using lots of emotional support oils to help me balance my pregnancy hormones and emotions. They vary depending on what I am in the mood for. Usually I reach for Valor, Stress Away, Joy, or Peace & Calming. If I feel deep emotions, I inhale and apply Sara oil. It is an incredible oil, especially for those who have experienced trauma, so it's amazing at supporting the deep, strong emotions. I have also continued using my unicorn roller as a daily perfume (Equal parts Valor, Frankincense, Orange, and Stress Away). Lastly, I continue using Idaho Blue Spruce on the crown of my head every day.

>>>Oils by Topic - Here are other oils to consider using during pregnancy:
Peppermint - Nausea and head tension.
DiGize - Tummy troubles and nausea.
Northern Lights Black Spruce or Cypress - Happy breathing. (Eucalyptus is not recommended)
Citrus Fresh or Purification - To diffuse if smells bother you.
Frankincense - Skin Support
Dry Skin Serum - Dry Skin Support

>>>Sleep Support – I stopped using my RutaVaLa roll-on as it is not recommended during pregnancy. I miss using it but have continued diffusing my normal nightly oils and will occasionally use my Tranquil roll-on. Cedarwood is and probably will forever be my go-to nightly diffuser oil. Peace & Calming and Lavender are what I use when I want to switch it up. You can check out my general sleep support post for more ideas.

Essential Oils that Support Sleep

Essential Oils to Avoid during Pregnancy

People have different comfort levels when it comes to oils + pregnancy. First, make sure you are using good, quality oils. (Ditch the grocery store oils and find a legitimate brand. None of them are good while pregnant or even non-pregnant.) Once you start using a good quality brand, then decide what you are comfortable with taking during pregnancy and consult your provider if you have any questions or hesitations. It is safe to assume that any bottles with child proof lids are no-nos for pregnant women and children. Also, get into the habit of checking each specific oil label to see if it tells you not to take it during pregnancy.

I personally am playing it safe and have been avoiding these specific oils during pregnancy:
Cinnamon Bark, Wintergreen, Cassia, Blue Cypress, Fennel, Hyssop, Parsley, Myrtle, Myrrh, Sage, Tansy (not to be confused with Blue Tansy. Blue Tansy is fine during pregnancy and great for your stretch marks and skin), Carrot Seed, RutaVaLa, Common Sense, Tarragon, and Rue. This list doesn’t include every single oil so check oil labels before use. This also means any oil blends that contain oil singles on this list should also not be used.

Click the button below if you want more detailed information about the supplements and oils I mentioned above.

Supplements & Oils Recap

Stretch Marks

I am not using a store bought product for stretch marks, as most of them contain parabens, PEG compounds, and other toxic ingredients.

I've been using a DIY belly oil during pregnancy and postpartum to encourage elasticity, reduce dryness and tightness, and help calm and soothe skin. It may not totally prevent stretch marks but it definitely supports and nourishes the pregnant body.

Rose ointment + Jojoba oil + skin supporting essential oils. (Blue Tansy, Lavender, Copaiba, Frankincense, Gentle Baby, etc)

Food

Just like my supplements, my diet hasn’t really changed since being pregnant (Aside from intentionally eating lots more calories). I continue to eat a low-processed, nutrient-dense food diet, lots of animal products and fruit, lots of raw carrot salads, and drink adrenal cocktails & homemade bone broth every single day. All things Will and I had been doing before I was pregnant so that didn’t really affect the way I cooked or ate. Beef liver (Frozen raw or a supplement capsule) is also one of the best things you can be eating, pregnant or not, but check with your provider to see if it can be combined with your prenatal. (Usually you need to choose one or the other). Our favorite dessert right now is a homemade mango sherbet. (Roughly 1 cup of frozen organic mango chunks, 1/2 coconut milk, and soaked chai seeds (1/2 cup water with 2 Tbs chai seeds) blended together).

>>>Crucial Four - The brand of powder magnesium and Icelandic flake salt I use.
>>>LivePristine - Where I buy liquid Electrolyte Balance magnesium. I recommend the powder brand I mentioned above, as it is way cheaper. You just need a soda stream.
>>>Perfect Supplements - The brand of capsuled beef liver and collagen I use.
>>>Apsey Farms - Raw beef liver. You can also check with your local farmer. Just make sure it is a trusted source.
>>> Earth Mama - The brand of Ginger Nausea Tea I used.

The homemade bone broth recipe I use

Raw Carrot Salad

Why Beef Liver

Adrenal Cocktails

Resources

Podcast: Prenatal + Postpartum Nourishment

A really informative podcast covering the following topics: Choosing real foods during pregnancy, traditional pregnancy symptoms (remedies + root causes), pregnancy supplements, nourishing your postpartum body & establishing a strong milk supply, intentionally planning your postpartum season, postpartum depression + anxiety, postpartum hair loss, progesterone supplementation, morning sickness, calorie needs and pregnancy weight gain, etc.

Postcast: The Place We Find Ourselves

This podcast is blowing my mind. It isn't related to the rest of this blog post in the sense of being about my physical body during pregnancy, but it is focused on the mental and emotional aspect of each person. I have been using it to prepare for motherhood in a healthy way by working through my own traumas and issues from throughout my life and to intentionally break habits and cycles from my family and behaviors. Recommended for ALL, pregnant or not. It is truly changing my life and preparing me to be a better wife, friend, mom, and family member.

Book: What to Expect When You're Expecting

I couldn't miss out on this classic book! I'm using it more as a guide to skim through for specific questions I have and topics I am interested in. Lots of great basic information throughout the entire pregnancy.

Book: Childbirth Without Fear: The Principles and Practice of Natural Childbirth

This book was actually written in the 40s (with some revisions recently) and is incredibly informative. I haven't finished it yet but am learning so much about the body, medical system during birth, and steps for having a fearless and painless birth. Loving it & highly recommend!!

Book: Gentle Babies: Essential Oils and Natural Remedies for Pregnancy, Childbirth, Infants and Young Children (10th Anniversary Edition)

This is another book that I am using for specific questions and topics. It covers so many different topics related to essential oil use and natural remedies for pregnant women, mamas, children, birth, infants, etc.

I have a lot of books on my list specific to after birth and parenthood, that I'll share in my next post.

Birth & Postpartum

I was originally going to make one giant blog post with all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum and realized very quickly that I have way too much to say. Haha

I'll do another post soon on everything I have planned to prepare for the birth and for postpartum. Stay tuned!

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