Notes, disclaimers, and whatnots. Click Here.
A flick note…flick here refers to a sharp. quick. reminder. It’s for real, but not a movie you see with the girls. If you flinch or cringe at the word flick, please replace with snap. It’s five snaps for you.
Also 5? Please—I really wanted to only use 300 words here but there’s…well, there’s more… cause I had to add some resources and straight talk at the end. I’m working on it!
1. Just cause you haven’t has never stopped you before. So too here, friend. So too, here.
2. Get yourself a mentor (a doula!) and go get it!
3. Do not listen to anyone especially healthcare providers who say you have something to prove—or worse that your pelvis has something to prove. Your pelvis will be fine—it will be huge! It will open up to 30% more than it is right now when the hormones of labor kick in. So let’s be real—it’s us providers that have something to prove to you—that we will support you in your efforts and guide you with wisdom and skills and the judicious, timely, and appropriate use of technology. Also, that we can sit and do nothing while you do EVERYTHING. Hold your provider accountable, they are working for you. You are paying them. Don’t keep them in your employ if they are not living up to the company mission (your mission—it’s yours—you’re the boss, you make the rules, you pay the bills, you are the first one in and the last one to go each night and the one up all night thinking about how to get it done).
4. Move your body. Every day. Working in a chair? Set an alarm every 45 minutes. 20 squats. 20 knee raises. 20 shoulder shrugs. You look goofy? No you don’t—you look Inspirational! Your colleagues might start to move too.
5. Avoid processed sugars and eat 7-10 cups of fresh green salads every single day. That’s about one bag of prewashed, precut salad. Add some veggies, have half with lunch and half with dinner. Make blended smoothies not juice smoothies. The veggies in there count towards your 7-10 cups. It’s that fiber that will act as a buffer for the insulin promoting carbs and protein (they are not bad, they are important nourishment) you include in your meals. Keeping your body insulin sensitive is real work during pregnancy when it naturally becomes a little more resistant. Also, your physical body is the platform for accomplishing all your life goals. Which you will, cause you’re you. The thing no one will tell you because they don’t want you to feel bad is that sugars cross the placenta but your insulin does not. Meaning your baby gets your sugar load but not the tools to process it. That’s not even nice. It’s a little tiny undeveloped baby pancreas working waaay unpaid overtime for you. Add in the veggies. All the veggies. It makes a really big difference and will buffer for the two pancreases (or pancreata depending on how Greek you want to get) in your body right now. I’m not shaming you. I’m flicking (or snapping)—because it’s for real.
Speaking of real, if you want to learn more:
Read (related in order to the 5 flicksnaps above):
1. The Essential Homebirth Guide (yup, for transparency I’m co-authoress and I’m paid about 12.5-25 cents per copy so I benefit from your purchase. It’s good for all birthing people to get a sense of what they are capable of in this space of pregnancy and birthing, regardless of where you want to birth)
2. An article about doulas. Evidence based.
3. How to choose a provider. Kind of dry but a really reliable website.
4. Exercises you can do at your desk. I did not mention the shadow boxing listed here, but I say, what fun!
5. Real food for Pregnancy. This is the only nutrition book you need. Unless you know you are in that category of pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome (extra abdominal fat, sleepy after meals, easily gaining weight). Then read this and this. Don’t be worried if you are—this is pretty normal these days and entirely reversible. It’s hard work and it works. Get yourself a buddy who supports your goals and you will be healthy in no time! Seriously, we have gotten people who fail their gestational diabetes test to pass it within five days of lifestyle changes (how and when you move and how and when you nourish yourself). The longest anyone needed was thirteen days to get their glucose to normal and keep passing blood glucose levels every day and every week after that. Your body is awesome and loves to heal and be healthy!