I’ve been sitting on my computer for about 8 hours now going down the dark web rabbit hole of pregnancy. I’m pretty sure if you looked at my search history, you’d think I was studying for my final exam of midwifery school. I keep telling myself that I’ve done this before, but truthfully- I feel like I'm entering uncharted waters.
When I found out I was pregnant with Joss- I was a 20 year old college volleyball player whose only responsibility was making it to weights on time in the morning. When that all changed, the reality of pregnancy was too overwhelming for me to dive into. I didn’t spend hours looking at the labels of prenatals, I grabbed the first gummy ones I saw and bolted to the self check-out. I didn’t interview multiple OB, midwives, or doulas- seeing if their philosophies lined up with mine. I didn’t even know you could have your own “philosophy.” I asked our athletic trainer if he knew one close by & scheduled my next 4 appointments (thank the Lord they were incredible!) It wasn’t because I didn't care about whether or not my baby was okay, it was just that I thought other people were more qualified to make those decisions for me- & I let them.
In January when I saw that third “yes” pop up, I knew this time around was going to be so different. This time I was going to get to be incharge of my pregnancy, make my own educated decisions, & just enjoy every aspect of this incredible journey with so much happiness & gratitude. I’ve really tried to approach this pregnancy as plant-based & holistically as possible. While it hasn’t been perfect (morning sickness is B), I have felt so confident & secure in my decisions thanks to the resources I’ve found out there. Here are the ones I’ve been turning too & please reach out and share if you have others that you recommend!
PlantBasedJuniors.com: This website has been amazing for answering questions I had about meeting pregnancy nutrient requirements while pregnant. I bought their e-book “The Predominantly Plant-Based Pregnancy Guide” & cannot tell you what a wealth of information is in there!! Nutrition, lifestyle, supplements, recipes- so good & a must have for preggo mamas looking to stay plant-based. They also were on an episode of the Plant Proof Podcast, I highly suggest grabbing a notebook & giving it a listen! Here’s the full episode: PLANT BASED NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY, INFANCY AND BREAST-FEEDING WITH WHITNEY ENGLISH, RD
MamaNatural.com: This is another really great website to help you navigate approaching pregnancy from a more natural standpoint. Her book “The Mama Natural Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth” is another must in my opinion. It has been so helpful in understanding what's happening at each phase of pregnancy & giving you your options in a very unbiased way! There is also tons of information on nutrition, supplementation & all the other aspects that come along with pregnancy.
Gentle Babies: We switched almost everything in our home over to plant-based products & essential oils after having Joss & so I was so excited to incorporate them into this pregnancy. I really wanted to feel good about what I was using & this book has been like my bible these last few months! It has guided me through how to manage every weird physical, hormonal, & emotional rollercoaster my pregnant body has taken me on- in the way that I want too. SUCH a tool that I’m so grateful for. (the mama testimonies in the back are worth it alone)
Another great resource when looking for natural approaches to things that may come about during pregnancy (& every day life!) is the Essential Oil Pocket Reference. There is an oil for everything. I mean it haha
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth: this is a book I just recently ordered to help prepare me for (hopefully) another “natural” labor (all labor- medicated or not- is natural & incredible, this is just the term most commonly used to describe “unmedicated.”) When I had Joss, I fully planned on getting that dose of drugs, but she decided to come fast & furious so I was too late getting to the hospital. This time, I’m planning on going into it with the goal of no intervention & I have heard such incredible testimonies about this book really helping prepare you & your body for that. I’ll share what I think when I get it!!
While these resources have been incredible for me, every pregnancy is so unique & individual- that’s what makes it so beautiful. So listen to your body, do what feels right for you & your situation, & always reach out to your healthcare/prenatal professional when dealing with things you don’t know how to approach- that’s what they are there for! Comment or message me with what you’d like to see next- supplements, what I eat in a day during the second trimester, favorite products...so many fun things to talk about haha!
Love you all, xo