Your Holistic Pregnancy- The 1^st Trimester

Pregnancy is such an exciting time in a woman’s life, but can also be a bit confusing and anxiety producing. With the myriad of information available today moms can be left wondering how to really best care for themselves and their babies. As more and more women seek holistic and natural healthcare and lifestyle options, I feel it is important to provide information to better achieve those goals.

Let’s start with the 1^st trimester. Whew!! So much is going on in those short 13 weeks, oftentimes before anyone else is even aware of the pregnancy.

Weeks 1-3 post conception Growth and Development (weeks 3-5 post LMP): Conception occurs around day 14 of a normal 28 day menstrual cycle, when ovulation occurs. At this point the body begins changing it’s hormonal signals as the cells begin a rapid series of division. By day 5-6 the blastocyst attaches itself into the wall of the uterus. The embryo implants itself more deeply in the endometrium from days 7-12. After the embryo imbeds itself into the uterus and the beginnings of the placenta begin to form, these are known as the chorionic villi. By the end of the 5^th week post LMP the heart begins to contract.

What you may be feeling:

Typically, most moms are feeling quite normal at this point in their pregnancies. You may feel some breast tenderness or bloating and cramping, which can mimic the onset of a normal period. By week 4 post LMP you’re probably wondering where that period is and can get a positive pregnancy result on a home pregnancy test.

What can you do?

Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Continue to exercise, eat lots of fruits, veggies and low processed foods. Rest as you’re tired. Begin taking prenatal vitamins if you weren’t taking them already.

Weeks 4-6 post conception Growth and Development (weeks 6-8 post LMP): By week 4 the forebrain and hindbrain are easily distinguished and the very beginnings of the lungs, liver, stomach, pancreas and thyroid gland are developing. Additionally, the eye is forming and all limb buds are present by the 4^th week post conception. The ear begins to form by the end of the 6^th week post conception.  By the 6^th week post LMP the uterus is roughly the size of a clementine, that’s about twice the size of a non-pregnant uterus; and your baby resembles a tadpole and is about 4mm in length. The 1^st pair of salivary glands begins to develop around week 8 post LMP.

What you may be feeling:

You are probably feeling pretty tired, and nausea may have set in around the 7^th week post LMP. Many moms also feel very bloated and emotional. Additionally, you may be making more frequent trips to the bathroom as the uterus begins to press on your bladder. 

What can you do?

Because all major organ systems are forming, it is very important to eliminate unhealthy substances in your life, which may damage your growing baby such as alcohol, tobacco, some medications, and excessive caffeine.  Continue to eat a healthy diet and maintain an exercise moderate exercise routine. You may want to eat smaller, more frequent meals to help minimize nausea and the bloating feeling.

Ginger and mint can be helpful for nausea.

Weeks 7-9 post conception (weeks 9-11 post LMP) Growth and Development:

By the end of week 8 your baby is out of the embryonic period and into the fetal period, and the heart has begun beating. While external genitalia are developed they are neither male nor female at this point. During this period, however if you are carrying a boy, the baby will start producing testosterone in order to develop male genitalia. Fingernails begin to appear. The placenta will take over by the end of the 11^th week post LMP. By the end of the 9^th week LMP the Thyroid has reached its place in the neck. By the end of the 11^th week, your baby weight about 7 grams and is about the 2.5” long. Your uterus is the size of a medium sized orange. Between the 8^th and 11^th week post LMP your midwife should be able to hear your baby’s heart beat with a Doppler device.

What you may be feeling:

You are probably still feeling pretty tired, and while the nausea and vomiting usually begins to lessen by the end of the 11^th week, it can still be a nuisance. Your breasts are probably still tender and your clothing may begin to be too snug. Many moms have gained between 1-5 pounds by the end of their 11^th week.

What can you do?

Continue to eat minimally processed foods. It is important to eat between 75-100g of protein and several serving of fruits and veggies per day, in addition to drinking at least ½ your body weight in ounces of water per day. By the 11^th week post LMP you can have the first screen done- this is genetic screening utilizing a sonogram and a blood test.

Weeks 10-12 post conception (weeks 12-14 post LMP) Growth and Development:

By the end of the 13^th week the 1^st trimester is complete.  The external genitalia is fully differentiated by the end of the 14^th week post LMP. The eyelids fuse and will stay fused until the 25^th week. The mandible is developing- giving your baby a pronounced chin. By week 12 post LMP the 1^st permanent teeth buds form. The palate is formed by week 14 post LMP and the taste buds develop during the 12-14^th week post LMP.  Additionally, parathyroid hormone begins to be produced.  Your baby should be about the size of a peach by the end of the 13^th week post LMP. Your uterus has moved into the abdominal cavity and is about the size of a large orange.

What you may be feeling:

By the end of the 13^th week, most morning sickness has subsided and moms are entering into a more energetic 2^nd trimester. You should be able to feel your uterus as a ball above your pubic bone, and have probably noticed that your clothes are not fitting as well as they used to. You may get your appetite back at this point.

What can you do?

Continue to take your high quality food based prenatal vitamins and eat well. This should be easier as the nausea is subsiding. Continue to exercise several times a week for at least 30 minutes per session. You should be on a regular schedule with your health care provider at this point. If you are unsure of where you want to give birth, now is a good time to start exploring all your possible options.

PushNews from The Big Push for Midwives Campaign
Study: Two-Thirds of OB-GYN Clinical Guidelines Have No Basis in ScienceMajority of ACOG Recommendations for Patient Care Found to Be Based on Opinion and Inconsistent EvidenceWASHINGTON, D.C. (August 15, 2011)—A study published this month in Obstetrics & Gynecology, the journal of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, found that barely one-third of the organization’s clinical guidelines for OB/GYN practice meet the Level A standard of “good and consistent scientific evidence.” The authors of the study found instead that the majority of ACOG recommendations for patient care rank at Levels B and C, based on research that relies on “limited or inconsistent evidence” and on “expert opinion,” both of which are known to be inadequate predictors of safety or efficacy.“The fact that so few of the guidelines that govern routine OB/GYN care in this country are supported by solid scientific evidence—and worse, are far more likely to be based on anecdote and opinion—is a sobering reminder that our maternity care system is in urgent need of reform,” said Katherine Prown, PhD, Campaign Manager of The Big Push for Midwives. “As the authors of the study remind us, guidelines are only as good as the evidence that supports them.”ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 22 on the management of fetal macrosomia—infants weighing roughly 8 1⁄2 lbs or more at birth—illustrates the possible risks to mothers and babies of relying on unscientific clinical guidelines. The only Level A evidence-based recommendation on the delivery of large-sized babies the Bulletin makes is to caution providers that the methods for detection are imprecise and unreliable. Yet at the same time, the Bulletin makes a Level C opinion-based recommendation that, despite the lack of a reliable diagnosis, women with “suspected” large babies should be offered potentially unnecessary cesarean sections as a precaution, putting mothers at risk of surgical complications and babies at risk of being born too early.“It’s no wonder that the cesarean rate is going through the roof and women are seeking alternatives to hospital-based OB/GYN care in unprecedented numbers,” said Susan M. Jenkins, Legal Counsel of The Big Push for Midwives. “ACOG’s very own recommendations give its members permission to follow opinion- based practice guidelines that have far more to do with avoiding litigation than with adhering to scientific, evidence-based principles about what’s best for mothers and babies.”The Big Push for Midwives Campaign represents tens of thousands of grassroots advocates in the United States who support expanding access to Certified Professional Midwives and out-of-hospital maternity care. The mission of The Big Push for Midwives is to educate state and national policymakers and the general public about the reduced costs and improved outcomes associated with out-of-hospital maternity care and to advocate for expanding access to the services of Certified Professional Midwives, who are specially trained to provide it.

The Big Push for Midwives Campaign | 2300 M Street, N.W., Suite 800 | Washington, D.C. 20037-1434 | PushforMidwives.org

Woo hoo! Change is a happening at Birthwise. After months and months of searching for the perfect location we've finally found it. We're moving all the fabulous East-West ladies into one very awesome house at 1709 Rio Grande. Our transformation should be complete by September 15th! Not only will we continue to offer all our holistic healthcare, but we will also be incorporating a larger yoga studio and pilates space.

In addition to being able to offer great movement opportunities for the community Birthwise will be adding 2 additional fabulous midwives. NatalieLake CPM, LM and Jayme Moore CPM, LM will be more officially joining the Birthwise team. Natalie has been a homebirth midwife for the past 10 years and has been officing out of East-West since 2008. Jayme Moore started at Birthwise as an apprentice in 2008 and Licensed earlier this year. 

The birth center will have 2 large birthing rooms, each around 200 sq ft. with high ceilings, hardwood floors and its own deep soaking birth tub and shower. A kitchenette is available for families to use during their stay at the birth center and we have plenty of comfortable seating for family to relax in on the big day. We will also have 2 exam rooms located on the main floor of the house, each with lots of natural light and space.

This move, while it has been and will continue to be very challenging will be equally as rewarding. I can hardly believe that my dream of pulling such a wonderful community of holistic healthcare practitioners together has grown into the thriving family that it has.

Postpartum Tips and Resources

We prepare ourselves so well for our pregnancy and birth, but oftentimes we are ill prepared for the immediate postpartum period. It is so important for us to respect not only our bodies but our new baby and growing family through the transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life. In many cultures the postpartum period lasts 40 days, during which the mother rarely if ever leaves the house. She is taken care of by close friends or family members who prepare special foods for postpartum strength and healing, provide massage, and offer a shoulder to lean on an an ear to listen. While it can be difficult to achieve this type of postpartum here in the states, it is possible with planning to come very very close.

• Look into local Red Tents or Care Calendars- these coordinate community members to provide meals and other assistance, such as pet care, light cleaning, running errands, childcare, etc during times of need. Enlist a friend or family member to create one at a baby shower.
• Prepare large meals that freeze well during the last few weeks of pregnancy. Eat some, then freeze the rest into family and individual sized portions with re-heating instructions for use after the birth.
• Have a house preparation/cleaning/organizing shower to prepare for not only the birth but to make life easier postpartum as well.
• Make frozen maxi-pads for postpartum perineal relief. Simply wet a maxi- pad with water or sitz bath tea, wrap in plastic wrap or put into a ziploc and place in the freezer. These feel great on a swollen and tender perineum after the birth.
• Know where your Arnica homeopathic pellets are. If you do not have any, buy some at your local health food store. Arnica is great for bruising and swelling.
• Purchase pre-made sitz bath herbs from your local herbalist or prepare some yourself using Comfrey, Lavendar, Witch Hazel, Calendua, Yarrow, Uva Ursi and Sea Salt.
• Purchase pre-made perineal spray from your local herbalist or prepare sitz bath tea and fill a peri bottle with it.
• Make sure to have liquid Chloraphyll or ChlorOxygen on hand for blood building after the birth.

Keep in mind that the 1st week is often times the hardest for everyone in terms of breastfeeding, postpartum discomfort and exhaustion. Give yourself time to heal and get to know your new baby.

This list by no means encompasses all that we can do to prepare for the postpartum period but should be a good start for ensuring a fabulous postpartum transition.

Check this out. Why aren’t we promoting breastfeeding this way here in the states?

Australian Breastfeeding Awareness Ad

Well, the weather is finally cooling a bit and I have been loving to cook richer and heartier fare. Over the past week I’ve made Tempeh Chili, Chicken Noodle Soup, and cannot seem to get enough dark green leafies- Kale is at all the farmer’s markets these days. Not only are soups easy, they are also a great way to use any veggies that are a little past their prime, which is great for me, as I always seem to have a few stragglers at the end of the week from my local produce basket. Another thing I absolutely LOVE about making a huge pot of soup is that I can freeze various size portions for later. This makes those crazy 12 hour days much easier- and I know my family is still getting healthy food. So, I’ll include the recipes for the Chili and the Chicken Noodle Soup.

Tempeh Chili- which is loaded with protein, by the way!!

So much of my time as a midwife is spent counseling women on making healthful choices to ensure that they create an optimal environment for their babies to grow. Here are my Top  10 Tips:

1. Eat whole foods- this means foods that are unrefined and in their purest form, find your local farmer’s markets for foods as close to the source as possible.

2. Eat 80 grams of protein per day. It is possible to get this much protein without eating animal products as well. Brown rice, whole wheat bread and whole wheat pasta all have protein- who would’ve thought? Kale and broccoli have 5 grams  of  protein per serving.

I am so excited to teach the Holistic 1st Aid Kit again. It has been my most popular class yet. I really wish that I had this information when my oldest son was a baby nearly 15 years ago. I had to read through book after book to find alternative remedies and treatments for any illness or ailment that came up. I’m so happy to be able to offer families a comprehensive yet easily understandable class to help them through fevers, bumps, bruises, stomach upsets and so much more. Our next class will be held on Wed May 19th from 12pm-1:15pm with Free Childcare offered. I look forward to seeing you all!!