earthbaby

Supplements

 

Kerry's Pre-natal - Rainbow Light, One a day
Robyn's pre-natal - New Chapter, three a day

we also recommend an additional liquid Folic Acid supplement, just to be sure.  And, we really like taking Nordic Naturals Omega-3 during pregnancy and studies say it's great for children to take as well.

Baby Bottles

Have you heard?  There's been a run on glass baby bottles.

And that's because of a new study that actually reaffirms an older study. 

Plastic baby bottles are not good for your baby. 

They leach the chemical bisphenol A which has been found to causes birth defects, low sperm count, hyperactivity, early puberty, obesity, small testes size, and enlarged prostates in animals.  In short, bisphenol A is a xeno-estrogon, which literally means "foreign or strange estrogen". 

The new study by Consumer Advocate group, Environment California shows that when heated, five of the most popular brands of polycarbonate  --  the clear, shatterproof plastic used in baby bottles  --  leached bisphenol A at levels that have been found to cause harm in laboratory animals. 

But more importantly, no one should be drinking out of plastic.  The leaching chemicals aren't good for you either.  Plus, plastic is petroleum product, and dependence on petroleum isn't good for the environment (or peace.)  Plus, bottling water WASTES water and burns gas to deliver all the bottles to the stores and to your door.  Just say no to drinking out of plastic.   The best thing to do is to use flitered water that you store in glass containers (i bought some nice ones at Ikea).  Or, you can used the stainless steel Kleen Kanteen as well. 

Yoga for Fertility

Yoga has been proven to help with infertility.  In an article in Yoga Journal they reference the following study:

Other recent evidence echoes the positive effects of yoga for infertile women. In 2000, Harvard Medical School researcher Alice Domar, Ph.D., published the results of a study in Fertility and Sterility (Vol. 73, No. 4) that showed women who participated in her program, which included relaxation and yoga, were almost three times more likely to get pregnant than women who didn't.

Yoga helps with stress, and stress is not a good thing when you are trying to get pregnant because it stimulates your adrenals and thus raises your cortisol levels which in turn disrupt your body's ability to produce sex hormones.

So, the poses you want to utilize when trying to get pregnant are all the restorative poses like corpse pose, and then a lot of hip openers and those poses that move energy in the pelvis.

Poses to try are:

Supported Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) - but put a block or a bolster under your pelvis.

Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

     Bound Angle Pose Baddha Konasana

i would recommend checking out the full article at Yoga Journal. 

and, check out this website, yoga for fertility for a free sample video.   the teacher makes a uterus symbol with her hand that i found really mindful and feminine.

First things First

Natural ways to get pregnant:

You've heard it all before, stop drinking, smoking, caffeine and all prescription drugs.  But do you know why?   Here are the answers and a few more additions to add you your list of starting a healthy family naturally.

1.    Stop using tampons.  With every box of tampons that is opened there is a warning pamphlet inside.  This pamphlet warns about Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).  Toxic Shock Syndrome is a bacterial infection that can develop when a woman uses a tampon during her menstrual cycle.  It is natural for the menstrual flow to come out of the body.  It is not natural for a foreign object to be inserted into the body to absorb the menstrual flow.  Each time you use a tampon you risk developing bacteria, in small amounts, that could affect your reproductive system and make it more difficult to get pregnant.  And, in Chinese medicine, they do not believe in using tampons because it stops the flow of chi.  It makes sense if you think about it, let that stuff get out the natural way!

2.    Stop putting caffeine into your body.  Okay, you've heard this, but have you heard why?  The jury is out on how much caffeine is safe to take when pregnant.  Some doctors tell you to stay away from it completely.  Others will tell you that it is ok in small amounts.  It is known that too much caffeine will cause low birth weight babies.  If you are having infertility problems, you need to be aware of the affect that caffeine has on the body.  Caffeine imitates the flight or fight (stress) hormone (Cortisol).  When trying to get pregnant it is important to keep this hormone in balance.  When the hormone is elevated it blocks the absorption of progesterone.  The two hormones fight for the same receptor site.  Unfortunately the Cortisol will always win out over the progesterone.  Progesterone is a very important hormone when trying to get pregnant.  If you become deficient in progesterone you will either not be able to get pregnant or will have multiple miscarriages.


3.    If you are taking non-life saving medication, stop. Doctors don’t know the affects that medication can have on you, your pregnancy, and your baby.  If it is not necessary for you to take it, don’t.  Medications such as muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories can cause implantation problems or no implantation at all.  These medications include Advil and Ibuprofin.  Tylenol is listed as one of the safe medications to use, but it can damage your kidneys.  If it can affect your kidneys, what is it doing to your baby?  Work very closely with your doctor if you are on life-saving medications (this includes thyroid medications).  They will help to regulate your dose while pregnant.  Please remember that the FDA is currently under fire for approving medications that were suppose to be safe. 

4.    Cleanse your body of the excess estrogen that is stored in your bowels.  Estrogen dominance is a big problem in women today.  Xenoestrogens can be found in most of your household products, foods, pesticides, makeup, and plastics.  Xenoestroges are man made chemicals that react as estrogen in our bodies.  These estrogens are stored in our body fat and bowels and are reabsorbed in the body.  Too much estrogen and not enough progesterone will cause infertility in woman.  The lack of progesterone will make it difficult if not impossible for a woman to carry a baby to term.  I recommend the Paraway Pack to cleanse the body of this excess estrogen.   The Paraway pack will also clean unwanted parasites from your body. 


5. Take your Pre-natal vitamins.  If you are not taking a prenatal vitamin, make sure you are taking a good multi-vitamin, folic acid, and a good B-complex vitamin.  The B-Complex vitamin will be important to help regulate your hormones; it acts as a hormonal anchor.

herbs for pregnancy

Herbs have been used to aid pregnancy for centuries (if not longer!)  Here are some with a description of how they are helpful so you can incorporate them into your regimen.

• Raspberry leaf can be used before, during, and after pregnancy.  It strengthens uterine muscles so they work more efficiently during la bor and raspberry leaf tea has easily assimilated calcium and magnesium in it's brew which helps relieve leg cramps. Rasperry Leaf is also high in iron, so it helps prevent anemia which is common in pregnancy, furthermore it soothes an upset stomach so it will help alleviate mild morning sickness. Taken after birth, it slows bleeding, helps the uterus regain tone, and increases breast milk.
• Nettle leaves are a storehouse of nutrition, with high iron and calcium contents, as well as an excellent source of folic acid, an essential nutrient during pregnancy. Nettle strengthens the kidneys and adrenals, while it relieves fluid retention. Because nettle also supports the vascular system, it can prevent varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Postpartum, it increases breast milk. Nettle tea has a rich, green taste and can be mixed with other herbs. Cooked nettle is a mineral-rich substitute for spinach and an excellent side dish with a dash of lemon juice and sesame seeds. Try substituting nettle in lasagna. Pick it fresh from spring until mid summer, but be sure to wear gloves to protect your skin. Its nickname is "stinging nettle," but this sting disappears when cooked. Pick extra to freeze and have on hand for the winter months.
• Oats, another herb high in calcium and magnesium, builds healthy bones and nourishes the nervous system. This is the perfect herb to relieve nervous exhaustion and allow for relaxed rest when sleep is difficult. An easy way to incorporate the healing power of oats, and its high fiber content, is to eat oatmeal cereal in the morning, along with oatmeal bread. Oatstraw tea has a mild flavor that can be used alone or mixed with other herbs. And a warm oatmeal bath is not only relaxing, it softens skin and relieves the itch of a growing belly.
• Dandelion root tea increases digestion and promotes bile to relieve constipation. It is one of the best herbs for cleansing and strengthening the liver, our main detoxifying organ. The liver breaks down hormones no longer needed by the body after birth, and any drugs that may have been given at birth. Containing calcium and iron, roasted dandelion root's coffee-like flavor, is an excellent morning beverage. Add a handful of the fresh leaves, high in vitamin A, to other greens in salads. Drink dandelion leaf tea if a diuretic is needed to relieve fluid retention. Because of its high potassium content, it does not deplete the body of this important mineral, as other diuretics are known to do.
• Alfalfa, with its deep root system, contains many essential nutrients including trace minerals, chlorophyll and vitamin K, a nutrient necessary for blood clotting. Many midwives advise drinking mild tasting alfalfa tea or taking alfalfa tablets during the last trimester of pregnancy to decrease postpartum bleeding or chance of hemorrhaging. Alfalfa also increases breast milk, as alfalfa hay is fed daily to milking goats and other dairy animals.