Pregnancy is the time in a woman’s life where she tends to take the best care of herself.
She is mindful of what she is giving her time, energy and attention to.
She is intentional about who she is sharing the details of her life, body and pregnancy with.
She is resting her body well, knowing that sleep is a valuable resource in her life that may be in short supply in the early days with her new baby.
She is mitigating stress in every way she can, because she knows that stress is wildly damaging in a multitude of ways.
She is cultivating and tending to the space in her home and in her body, and ensuring it’s exactly what she needs to thrive in this sacred time of growing new life.
And of course, she is ever so aware of the foods she is feeding her body that nourish not only herself well, but also that of her growing baby.
Not only are we tending to our own bodies that (ideally) are at their most robust, vibrant, and ideal levels of health when we conceive, but now we are ALSO tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that this new little life inside of us has everything it needs to grow strong and healthfully.
It’s a big deal! And no feat to be taken lightly.
There is a TON of information out there these days on what to eat to have a healthy pregnancy, and also what not to eat because you are pregnant.
Something that we find ourselves navigating during this sacred time of growing new life is sifting through all the noise, information, and well-meaning advice (and some of the not so well-meaning advice) from the people and entities around us -- and this honestly is a thing whether we are pregnant or not! This noise may or may not be coming from:::
Our husbands and partners
Our moms
Our dads
Our siblings
Our grandparents
Our friends
Our OB-GYNs
Our midwives
The C D C
The F D A
The A A P
A C O G
The one wellness influencer we follow on IG
That other wellness influencer we follow on IG
Oh yeah and then the one that the app told us to follow because we liked the content of the first wellness influencer on IG
The book on pregnancy and childbirth
The other book on that other person who is an expert in pregnancy and childbirth
That one podcast we like
Our chiropractors
Our dentist
Our GP
Our health coach
Our neighbor Cheryl
Cheryl’s mom
Cheryl’s mom’s best friend
The news
The alternative news
... And every other organization / person / expert in between!
There is SO MUCH NOISE.
It is literally a full time job wading through the INSANE amount of information available to us these days. It’s exhausting. It’s paralyzing. It’s confusing. And it’s a major stressor that does not serve us.
I have found that one of the best things I could have ever possibly done for myself, both prior to conceiving my babies and whilst being pregnant, is arm myself with knowledge of basic human physiology.
ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THE BODY ACTUALLY WORKS, HOW FOOD AND MINERALS IMPACT US ON THE CELLULAR LEVEL, AND HOW THIS EITHER BUILDS OUR HEALTH AND RESILIENCY TO THE UBIQUITOUS STRESSORS IN OUR ENVIRONMENT OR DOESN'T --
FOOD BECOMES EASY
It becomes such a no brainer that it’s almost like I can’t believe I wasn’t doing this all along.
(As a reminder, please remember that nothing I share on this blog or in any of my courses, offerings or teachings is medical advice. Please consult with the appropriate health care professional when making diet and lifestyle changes. Remember, too, that you are a sovereign, autonomous human being who is the sole authority on your health. Please use discernment with everything you read on the internet, even from me 😊 )
((As another note -- I do not follow what some would consider to be conventional advice from the "experts" who "made the rules" on what is "okay and not okay" to eat during pregnancy. As you will see below, I eat a lot of things that many agencies do not consider to be "safe" and / or "okay" for a woman to eat during pregnancy. I have decided what is best for me and my body and my growing baby in my FULLY INFORMED POWER, and I feel extremely confident and comfortable with my level of discernment on these issues and how I approach my food choices during pregnancy. I encourage all pregnant women to do the same, as no one knows what is best for you better than you.))
And also, just going to leave this here for a chuckle. Thank you @lavenderuprising for the excellent meme!
What I Eat In A Day During Pregnancy
BREAKFAST
3 pasture-raised eggs, scrambled with a scoop of full fat cottage cheese
Some kind of meat like bacon, breakfast sausage, turkey sausage, steak
A slice of sourdough toast with raw butter and jam
Ripe fruit of some kind (favorites include pineapple, oranges, fresh strawberries)
Glass of orange juice
I usually enjoy a cup of coffee AFTER I have had my breakfast while my son plays, and I always enjoy it with a raw egg yolk, a scoop of collagen powder, some extras like pearl powder, KSM-66 ashwagandha and heavy whipping cream for extra protein, minerals, and fat soluble vitamins
MID-MORNING SNACK
Full fat Greek yogurt parfait with ripe fruit, bee pollen, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a scoop of colostrum powder
LUNCH
Can of sardines / kipper snacks / salmon with homemade duck fat mayo, celery, Dijon mustard, and a scoop of fermented veggies
Hard cheese with a drizzle of local raw honey
Ripe fruit like apples and pineapple
3-4 gelatin gummies
Homemade sourdough crackers or another slice of toasted sourdough bread
Or
Leftovers from dinner the night before
AFTERNOON SNACK
Smoothie with raw milk, collagen powder, full fat Greek yogurt, ripe fruit, bee pollen and local raw honey
Or
More raw cheese with honey drizzled on top, slices of dried fruit (I love prunes and apricots), and a few big chunks of beef jerky
DINNER
Grass fed steak / lamb / oxtail / bison / elk
Mashed or roasted potatoes
Well cooked green veggie (asparagus, bok choy, zucchini, green beans)
Raw Carrot Salad
Or
Pasture-raised chicken
Bone broth soaked basmati rice
Well cooked green veggies
Raw Carrot Salad
DESSERT
Raw milk hot chocolate with casein powder, a raw egg yolk, a tsp of organic cane sugar, cinnamon, and pearl powder
BEVERAGES
Coconut water
Herbal teas (red raspberry leaf / nettle / oatstraw / orange peel / hibiscus / rose hips)
Water with mineral nectars or oxymels
Water with electrolyte powder
Raw milk solo
Raw milk warm beverages with added raw egg yolk and cacao and matcha
Bubbly water with lemon
This is an example of a typical day in the life of how I eat when I am pregnant. I vary my tastes according to what's in season (strawberries vs honey crisps vs stone fruits) and what I am craving that particular day. Sometimes I don't have fresh sourdough on hand, so I have extra ripe fruit. Sometimes I'm out of orange juice so I swap in tart cherry juice or whatever juice I had that week from our gelatin gummies. I don't have canned fish every single day for lunch, sometimes I eat leftovers from dinner the night before or the night before that. And I don't always have ALL of those beverages listed above, I might drink 2-3 that day, again depending on what I have time for, if I'm in the clinic and away from my home, or if its a very on the go day and I'm not able to whip up an egg yolk into my hot chocolate. It's consistent but varied if that makes sense?
My biggest focus is on eating the highest quality foods I can get my hands on, eating the most nutrient dense foods I possibly can, eating ENOUGH, eating often enough, eating to satisfaction and pleasure (seriously don't give me a plate of boneless skinless chicken breast with lightly steamed broccoli and zero salt -- I would rather stick a pencil in my eye), hitting my protein needs (my body likes 100g+ per day of protein), ensuring I ALWAYS pair my carbohydrates with a protein source, LOTS of minerals through my beverages and liberally salting my food at meals and salting my water throughout the day.
I also look at every single meal, snack and beverage as an opportunity to nourish my body and nourish my growing baby. Every time I make a plate I seriously take a moment to look at the beautiful food on it, and see it as the vital source of nourishment, pleasure, and deep deep sustenance that will nourish me beautifully, and my baby beautifully.
Food is so much more than just calories, protein, fats, carbs, and minerals. It's true medicine, if you choose to see it that way.
Every woman must make the best choice for her! Just because I drink a quart of raw milk every other day doesn't mean you have to. Just because I choose to eat raw oysters and occasional yellow tail from the local sushi restaurant and raw fish eggs and raw cheddar cheese doesn't mean you have to.
THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF CHOICE, KNOWLEDGE, AND DISCERNMENT -- WE ALL GET TO DECIDE WHAT WORKS BEST FOR US, AND WHAT FEELS BEST IN OUR BODIES.
While I hope that women are focusing on their health in the preconception period as much as they are during after they conceive, please do really take the time and effort during pregnancy to eat the best foods you can, the most nutrient dense foods you can afford, and allow these truly healing foods to nourish your beautiful glowing GORGEOUS pregnant body and your sweet little one growing inside you.
Tell me below -- what are some foods you enjoy eating while you are pregnant?
Yours in Abundant Love and Health
xoxo,
Emily 😊
