Proper Nutrition During Pregnancy

I cannot express with enough emphasis the importance of proper nutrition. Please check out this link for more information on the Brewer diet for pregnancy to prevent any chance of developing Metabolic Toxemia of Late Pregnancy (MTLP) at http://www.bradleybirth.com/PD.aspx

This is a condition that is very serious for both the mother and the baby.

Please, please, please drink "enough" water. Your body when pregnant is like an aquarium trying to filter the water and keep it clean. Your liver and kidneys are working extra hard when pregnant to filter and eliminate the toxins and impurities that build up in your system. Additionally, you are filtering, cleansing and replacing the amniotic fluid as dead skin cells and other impurities accumulate.

An absolute minimum of two liters a day of pure water is necessary for a healthy pregnancy. I recommend my clients get a 2 liter water bottle and fill it in the moring, empty it by noon, refill it and empty it again by nighttime. This is much easier than trying to keep track of 8-10 8 oz glasses per day.

Prenatal Vitamins

Please consider taking a prenatal vitamin purchased at the health food store or from a chiropractor or acupuncturist. There are many choices available in discount stores and I understand not wanting to pay more than you have to. However, they are not all created equal.

The main issue with prenatals is that many of them do not absorb well. It is definitely worth paying the extra to get a supplement that your body can actually use, as opposed to something your body may not assimilate well, giving you a false sense of security.

On another note, I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!

Letter About a Birth Experience

"My husband and I were very lucky to find Paula. After meeting her just once, I knew that I wanted to be under her care. She is very personable, honest and nurturing.

During my pregnancy I enjoyed very personal one-on-one care with her. I needed someone who I trusted and understood my wishes, expectations and respected them at an extremely vulnerable time. I am very happy to say that Paula met my hopes, needs and expectations.

When I went into labor, Paula offered just the right amount of encouragement (it was important to me not to have a lot of coached pushing). When I started feeling the urge to push, I simply let Paula know, and did what my body told me to do. She helped keep me grounded when it was really hard, and she motivated me, but she was very sensitive to respecting my wishes — there was no yelling or counting or pressure of any kind.

Every time I think about the experience I had giving birth to Isabel I feel ecstatic. It was amazing, beautiful, and more powerful than I could ever have dreamed. I did it myself, but a big part of what made it so wonderful was that I chose the right person to watch over me, support me, and make sure the baby and I were safe. Paula gave me excellent care, was attentive and intuitive, and helped us welcome our new baby in the safety and comfort of our own home. I am deeply grateful that she was there for us during this journey.

Stretch Marks

Howdy! Those of you who have been or are pregnant know that stretch marks can be a much undesired side effect.

Stretch Marks occur when the skin is stretched beyond its elasticity. The upper layer stretches and the lower layer of skin tends to tear, causing small rips in the tissue. This results in some red marks that feel different from the regular texture of your skin. These will fade to white after your pregnancy, but this can take time. While some women feel uncomfortable with the appearance of stretch marks, it might help them to know that, in some cultures, stretch marks are seen as an outward sign of the noble and brave status of motherhood.

Preventing Stretch Marks
Although it is believed that stretch marks are a genetic predisposition, there are things you can do to try and prevent them.

It’s important to only use organic skin products while pregnant. Most chemicals are not proven safe for your unborn baby and its best to just avoid them. Going organic will give you peace of mind and you’ll be able to treat your skin without fear of affecting the child inside.

What to Look for in Stretch Mark Prevention Treatments

Certain organic products work better than others against stretch marks. Basically, you want to moisturize your skin and enhance the elasticity. A good prevention cream will also provide some healing power to help any existing tears in the skin heal faster, without getting worse. This is particularly helpful if you are starting treatment later in the pregnancy.

Organic stretch mark creams usually use one or more of the following ingredients:

Shea Butter: By far the most common ingredient used in stretch mark prevention since is one of the best natural moisturizers on the market. It also has healing properties to help with any existing stretch marks.

Coconut Oil: Avery good moisturizing oil that also enhances elasticity and hastens healing of existing problems.

Olive Oil: Another good moisturizer that helps boost elasticity and soften skin, making it more supple and resistant to tearing.

Any organic skin product designed to treat and prevent stretch marks should include one of the above ingredients for maximum benefit. Often they will have other natural ingredients, as well, to promote healing and enhance the moisturizing effect.

Let me know if you have any questions about this. And of course, let us know what remedies you've tried and used with success! xoxo

How to Deal with a Vaginal Yeast Infection

Hi there! I hope you're all enjoying this week so far. I know I am!

Many of you have probably had a vaginal yeast infection at one time or another during your life. It's not uncommon to have a certain amount of yeast in your vagina, as well as in your intestinal tract. Yeast only becomes a problem when it grows so fast that it overwhelms other competing microorganisms.

As you probably know, it's fairly common to get one while you're pregnant because your higher level of estrogen causes your vagina to produce more glycogen, making it even easier for yeast to grow there. Some researchers think estrogen may also have a direct effect on yeast, causing it to grow faster and stick more easily to the walls of the vagina.

SYMPTOMS
Symptoms from yeast infections tend to hang around until you treat the infection, although sometimes they come and go of their own volition. Symptoms may include:

• Itchiness, irritation, soreness, burning, and redness in your vagina and labia (and sometimes swelling)
• An odorless vaginal discharge that's often white, creamy, or cottage-cheesy
• Discomfort or pain during sex
• Burning when you urinate (when the urine hits your already irritated genitals)

TREATMENTS
These are the treatments for vaginal yeast infections that we have found to be most effective.

Early treatment is ideal
If a woman can pay attention to the first tickling of the yeast infection, she can use one of the following treatments to resolve the infection:

Garlic
Take a clove of fresh garlic and peel off the natural white paper shell that covers it, leaving the clove intact. Be careful not to nick the clove at all. At bedtime wrap the clove in a piece of gauze, lubricate with olive oil and insert into the vagina. In the morning, remove the garlic clove and throw it in the toilet. The garlic often causes the vagina to have a watery discharge. One night's treatment may be enough to kill the infection, or it might have to be repeated the next night. Continue one or two days until all itchiness is gone.

Sitz Bath
Use a sitz bath with apple cider vinegar added 2-3 x day. You can also use a peri-bottle with a table spoon of vinegar added to gently douche.

Probiotic
Get a good quality pro-biotic and take both orally and insert capsule into vagina 2 x day

Gentian Violet
If all else fails you can try gentian violet, which is a tincture that will stain everything purple, so be careful! Coat a tampon with gentian violet and insert overnight. You may also paint the outside of your vagina with gentian violet, but again, be prepared for a mess! Only use this method one time per week!

Diet
Make sure you change your diet to eliminate all refined sugar, white flour products and juice. Cut back on fruit as well.

Over the Counter
Products such as Monistat and Vagistat are very effective at treating Yeast Infections. You can purchase them in 1, 3 or 7 day treatments. They range in price from $15 to $20 per package.

Hope this helps. And let us know what's worked for you!

Pregnancy Complaints - Resolved!

I recently wrote this article and am publishing it in various places on the web. Enjoy!

Solutions to Common Pregnancy Complaints

There are many changes that take place in a woman's body when she becomes pregnant and as the baby grows within her. There are also many resources that detail the "complaints of pregnancy.” Virtually every pregnancy book lists these complaints and offers solutions for them. I will concentrate on those most often presented in my practice, and the solutions most of my clients find helpful.

Nausea: The increased hormones in pregnancy cause over-production of stomach acids. I recommend eating every two to three hours, even through the night. Keeping something in the stomach seems to minimize the effect of these acids. Also, either drinking mint or ginger tea or sucking on mint or ginger candy or chewing mint or ginger gum often provides a calming effect on the stomach.

Leg Cramps: Try eating a baked potato with sour cream or have a banana with a glass of milk at bedtime. Or take a potassium supplement and consider also a supplement of calcium citrate with vitamin D and magnesium (this will have the added benefit of helping you sleep better when taken within an hour of bedtime).

Indigestion or Heartburn: Eat small meals (eat something every couple of hours rather than concentrating on three meals a day), and limit spicy and greasy foods. Try slowly chewing a pinch of raw oatmeal when experiencing discomfort. Antacids are an option but I suggest limiting their use.

Headaches: Headaches are another side effect of the increased hormones of pregnancy. Ensure consumption of at least 75 to 100 grams of protein a day, a minimum of two liters of water each day, and some form of regular exercise. Many women find relief with essential oils. My favorite is a drop or two of peppermint oil on the temples. If the headaches persist, an over-the-counter pain reliever is an option, but I encourage limiting their use. Occasionally one of my moms benefits from a progesterone cream.

There are many discomforts that can be experienced in a normal, healthy pregnancy. Most of them can be dealt with relatively easily. The good news is that they do not last forever!

For more information about pregnancy complaints, please visit my websites: TheMidwiveOnline.com, SonomaMidwife.com and NapaMidwife.com.