PG/TTC TF Mamas Chat

[craft_media_hero]

Any expectant or planning mamas wanna talk food or just commiserate?

We're early pg here (well, abt 9 wks), and I find I have some specifically TF experiences and questions.

Like feeling super guilty for eating boxed cereal (it was organic!) instead of pastured eggs which we do have due to food aversions happening. Whereas if I tell most people that, they will just give me the puzzled look, who cares if your cereal is not homemade soaked grains or grain free, kwim?

It would be nice to hear tips from others or just have understanding allies as we go down this baby-making journey!

[1love4ever]

Haha, I get what your saying completely!  :)  I ate lots of organic boxed cereal while preg, because I didnt know about traditional foods at the time.  I now eat pastured organic eggs almost every morning (started this when baby was about 1-2 months old and I was first getting in to TF)

And some mornings we eat soaked oats (and sometimes I forget to soak them but we still eat them).   I'm impatiently waiting for the time when I can TTC again on a TF diet and have a TF pregnancy!  lol.   we dont even buy boxed cereal anymore, although i did buy this last week, just got it, havent tried it, but got it not as a breakfast food but just as a snack  http://livesuperfoods.com/lydias-organics-grainless-apple-cereal.html

I love this brand of  crackers tho so hoping that stuff is good too

[craft_media_hero]

It's so not my MO to depend on premade foods but my fam is pressuring me for easy stuff just as I am aversive to all the yummy high fat/ high protein foods we usually eat, plus I'm experiencing some fatigue and not wanting to cook, so . . . they got boxed cereal which of course I ended up eating too.

I want to get back on track, though, so hoping you mamas will inspire me! I was pretty tf/primal during the preconception phase, so I feel good about that.

Also, even with the nausea, I am experiencing waaaaay less than I did w my two non-tf pg's. Drinking kombucha in the morning really helps

I was taking organndelight and fclo before we C'd, but now I can barely handle my prenatals beforebed, actually wake in the middle of the night w nausea from vitamins! Gotta get back on 'em tho, hoping the queasiness passes in a couple weeks andnI can grt back on my pre-pg supplements.

Any other tf mamas trying or expecting?

Sound off!

[1love4ever]

What type of prenatals are you taking?   My first pregnancy was very mainstream, I was 18 and clueless.  I puked daily for the first 3 months, always right after my prenatal vitamin which was a nasty synthetic thing, RRGH.  With my second, I had switched to eating all organic foods, very little processed foods, all grass fed animal products, butter, raw milk at about 18wks pregnant, whole foods based prenatals, etc.  I didnt even know about TF or WAPF then, so I didnt take FCLO, kombucha, kefir, fermented veggies, bone broths or liver, but I did a lot more right than I did with the first and it was amazing how different my pregnancies felt.  I was so much healthier and more energy, not sick much the 2nd (I did have some food aversions and not a huge appetite, but it ended quickly) had an awesome home birth with a 9 and a half pound baby (my first was 8lbs), so it just tells me what a difference/what a good thing even the changes I had made make in pregnancies!

[craft_media_hero]

I'm taking the Rainbow Light Organic, but only 2/day tho you are supposed to take 3--the %s were way over 100 with the full dose. Also eating nutritional yeast on food pretty much daily for the B vites. Really want to get back on the fclo and organdelight, but I'm going to wait til this pukey phase passes. Also Floradix cal/mag here and there, I'll def do the Floradix iron toward the end, too.

With my first, I was pretty mainstream and didn't question much, but ate really healthy considering, lots of meat and vegetables and fruit, not much processed stuff-still puked every day for the first tri. Second baby, I had been whole foods vegetarian for a few years and stuck with that thru my pg--hyperemesis at the beginning and then some sickness atthe end. So THIS baby, who only leaves me with nausea but not much actual vom happening is the least queasy pg I've had yet!

I'm having a hard time cooking, lol. I cant stand thinking about or touching raw pork at this time, which is bad news since we got part of a pig before we C'd! I'm pretty sure I could handle some tasty carnitas or chops if someone else made them, though so I'm hoping dh can take over on that--he works graves tho, and isn't much for planning ahead. Maybe dd will do us a crockpot pork shouder . . . she's not too squeamish with raw meat and likes to cook!

Eta Ihave to say, I'm a little intimidated of aving a big baby, though! First was just under 6# and relatively easy to push out, second was 7 3/4# and I definitely FELT the difference when pushing. A niner+ kinda freaks me out, but I know my body won't grow a baby too big for me to birth. i'm a slight 5', tho. I'm cool with a small, healthy baby

[1love4ever]

I'm just under 5'3", 120lbs prepregnancy weight, and had a 9.5lb-er!  Lol, he was born at 40wks and 6days, I went over because I had a super bad cold I couldnt kick.  Looking back I needed lots of ferments I think!  Lol, but at the time I'd never even heard of them...  And of course the FCLO and the D that I would get from it...

I felt less sick after switching from the Rainbow Light Organics to the Garden of Life prenatals.  I was taking the RL's because they were the cheapest whole foods vitamin on the market, but stopped taking them because they contain ginseng and I had a few other complaints that I dont remember lol, but after I started taking the GOL (amazon now has a really good deal on them with subscribe and save, 2 months worth for like 33$, and I only took 2/day instead of the recommended 3, so even cheaper) I felt less queasy, maybe it was just the timing, or maybe it was the switch, who knows :)

Anyway, your totally right, your body wont make a baby too big.  With my first, I had an epidural (told you, I was mainstream, clueless), she was much smaller than my second, and I had a horrible tear and her shoulders got stuck after her head was out, and I pushed for 40 min.  The Dr handled it terribly, could have severly injured her.  Anyway, with my much bigger second babe, I didnt tear AT ALL.  His shoulders got stuck as well, and my midwife actually reached up in me and grabbed him under the arm pit and pulled him out!  So his huge body, plus her whole hand, no tear.  And I only pushed for 10 minutes.  (I was laying on my back, had I been in a better position, he may not have gotten stuck). Dont be afraid, our bodies know what they are doing :)  Birth works!  And it is an amazing experience!   My midwife said she thought my body was working really hard to get him out though, I dont remember why she said that,

I attribute my not tearing with this much bigger baby+a hand to several things: Better nutrition therefore healthier/stronger tissues, being able to work with my contractions while pushing instead of being told when to push and not being able to feel anything.

Ohhh man now your really making me want another!  Lol, I cant wait to TTC, I hate not being able to!  I want to wait probably unti DS is 2 to TTC again, and he is only 7 months right now!  I dont know if I can make it that long without accidentally getting pregnant anyway tho!  Haha!

[craft_media_hero]

1love, you are cracking me up with how excited you are and not being able to wait/accidently getting one before your lo is two.

We held out for 18 mo before we got this little surprise! Not bad spacing (theyll be abt 2.5 yrs apart) tho I wouldve preferred longer (my first two are 7 yrs apart and I LOVE that).

You can be eating the foods you would be if ttc--it's just "pre-ttc" and be getting super nutrition for you and your nursling.

I have been craving avocados and bacon, so that along w dry skin is telling me I must need more fats. Discovered that eggs, though unpalatable in the mornings, are a quite fine bedtime snack when boiled and then sprinkled with nutritional yeast and sea salt--so now at least I have a way to get those wonderful pastured eggs into my body

I have meatball calzones planned for dinner tomorrow and will stir some of my frozen lilver pate into the meat--I made a legit effort to eat the pate with crackers and could. not. do it, but I guess it doesnt matter how it gets eaten as long as it does!

Dunno abt switching vitamins only because I have two bottles of the Rainbow--I originally looked at the GOL and now dont remember why I decided against those in favor of the RAinbow. I'll keep it in mind, though.

Now off to bed after I swallow those caps! Gnite!

[1love4ever]

Hahaha, yeah it would be nice to have my first 2 farther apart.  They are 21 months apart and it has been very hard.  And I want another one??!  Whats wrong with me!?  But, I do!  Now that DS is not snuggly at all anymore, I REALLY want a newborn to snuggle with!!  haha.  Anyway, I'm still taking the GOL while nursing too.  And I'm eating good, TF foods for the most part while nursing, and pre-conception!  Yes I am thinking already about how I'm preparing my body to TTC.  And how I can be preparing DH to have some good, healthy sperm!  Lol!  

I'm getting off of here before I think too much more about having another, hehe I'm always saying to DH "why am I not pregnant!?"   But I know I do NOT need another right now, and I do believe spacing is very important!    Ok, goodnight, I'm just blabbing on and on sorry

[1love4ever]

OMG, what is wrong with me!!? (yes, I know I'm back on and said I was going to bed), I forgot to tell you that my midwife recommends a pregnancy tea for all her pregnant ladies.  It is this- equal parts red raspberry leaf, peppermint, and alfalfa tea.  The alfalfa is mostly for the vitamin K to prevent bleeding at birth, so my plan for next time is not to add the alfalfa until the end of the 2nd trimester.  And, guess what the peppermint is in there for??  NAUSEA!!  Seriously, what is wrong with me, I cant believe I forgot to mention that!!  So, go get some peppermint tea lol, hopefully it will help!  And red raspberry is just supposed to be great for a woman period, but my MW said its a uterine toner, and especially helpful on second, third, etc pregnancies.

I like Celebration Herbals teas, vitacost has them :)

[mcorleone]

I’ve been following the Paleo/Primal lifestyle for the past few months and have been seeing a great deal of success.  Please read about my story and the method I followed here:  

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[Dove84]

I am 12 weeks pg with #2, DD is 8.5 m old.  We've been gradually switching over to a TF way of life (it really is a way of life!) since I was about 20 wks pg with DD.  With DD I had HG (had to take zofran ) and was sick the entire pregnancy!  It was horrible.  Thankfully I had an easy homebirth (I did choke dwon- I mean drink- lots of RRL/nettle infusion) and DD was 9 lb and a very strong, healthy, alert baby.

This time I get sick once before breakfast, and that's it!  It's wonderful.  I do need to eat regularly, and I feel nauseous, but I can't complain.  I don't know whether its the TF or a coincidence- guess we'll see how my future pgs fare!  I have two local farm eggs and homemade sourdough everyday for bf.  The food aversions are a pain, I don't want any green salads, salmon or nuts.  I still manage my FCLO oil though which is crazy!  And I still BF DD   Oh and I have a total aversion to eating out!  Idon't want to eat out anyway, but DH always wants too, it's a good excuse not too hehehe.

Looking forward to chatting with some other TF Mama's.

[craft_media_hero]

Doh! How have I been forgetting about RRL so far? I will definitely try that blend, 1love, thanks so much for the tip.

Does anyone know how much herb to water ratio for rrl or other mother infusions?

Dove, I'm still nursing my tot, too! It is bothgreat and grating at the same time

And btw, your sourdough sounds delish! I have a culture but haven't started it yet because I am barely keeping up with the "food babies" I have: kombucha, milk n water kefirs. I've been pretty good in the past with LF condiments and sides, but we are in a weird spot with the garden--mostly just getting greens like kale and leaf cabbages. Hmm maybe I could make kim chee? I just got a load of avocadoes--I'll make LF guac!

I dropped $175 at the grocery store today--I totally bought bread and cheese I will get back on with baking and cheesemaking, tho in the meantime we still need to eat, and I'm so not wanting a lot of kitchen work.

Actually, I'm making a batch of raw feta either tonight or tomorrow! But it sits a while before ready.

Which brings me to a question:

Do you disregard food warnings for pregnant ladies? Like no soft cheese, lunchmeat, sushi, raw juice, raw milk and eggs, etc.

Itseems counter-intuitive to me, but then I stressed myself out reading abt listeria in pregnancy I've pretty much ignored that kind of stuff with both of my pgs so far and we've been okay.
Edited by craft_media_hero - 6/8/12 at 12:19pm

[1love4ever]

I just fillled a 15oz glass mug with almost boiling filtered water and poured it over my 2 tea bags, let it sit covered about 20 min, then drink.  I didnt worry too much about it lol, nothing exact by any means

Haha I BFed DD until 21 weeks into my last pregnancy!  When we quit she was only 16.5 months old, a little young IMO, but I needed a break, it was getting to me feeding 2.  I'm sure had I been more TF at the time it would have been easier.

How do you make LF guac??  I love to make my own, but never have made a LF version!  And how do you make your cheese?  I've always bought Lifeline and Sierra Nevada raw milk cheese.

And, YES, ABSOLUTELY ignore the no raw foods warnings!!  Haha, I drank raw milk and ate raw cheese and lunchmeats, sprouts, weeds straight out of my yard, etc throughout my pregnancy!  Those are some of the healthiest things you can eat!  Of course if the milk was from a CAFO then dur you wouldnt drink it raw, thats why they HAVE to pasturize most store milk, because its from a disgusting CAFO and loaded with nasty stuff that isnt found on a pasture!!

[craft_media_hero]

Originally Posted by 1love4ever 

I
And, YES, ABSOLUTELY ignore the no raw foods warnings!!  Haha, I drank raw milk and ate raw cheese and lunchmeats, sprouts, weeds straight out of my yard, etc throughout my pregnancy!  Those are some of the healthiest things you can eat! 

Yes, see that's what I think too, but I sometimes find myself oh so slightly susceptible to the prevalent culture of fear and will question things, like hey maybe I am wack since nobody else does this!

Thats why checkpoints like mdc are so great especially if one lives in a "non-crunchy" (tho I dont like the word crunchy much) area.

LF Guac--I think there's a video tutorial or recipe on the gnowfglins site (that's where I got it), but my formula is 3Tb active whey or salt (any combo of 3 like 3/0, 2/1, 1/2, etc) to 1 qt condiment. Sometimes I use 3Tb Bubbies pickle juice instead. So mash avocado and add whatever seasonings you usually use, enough to make abt 4 C, then stir in the whey/salt and let sit covered at room temp 6+ hrs. Can do the same with salsa

For feta, I just use the Fiasco farms recipe one their website, it's a lot easier than I thought it would be! Raw or kefir cheeses are wicked expensive here, but I can get raw cow milk for $5/gal, so it made sense to explore some fromagerie! Ideally, I'd love to make all the cheese we consume, but for real my family is a cheese eater. So usually I just don't buy it and we get on fine. I am too tired to make the cheese tonight (wore out from multiple grocery stores in the hea!) so I'll do it when I'm fresh in the am.

What I've never got the hang of is yogurt--I looooove greek yogurt. I must one day master a super thick raw yogurt! I think I really need a yogurt maker to get it right.

[1love4ever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by craft_media_hero 

Yes, see that's what I think too, but I sometimes find myself oh so slightly susceptible to the prevalent culture of fear and will question things, like hey maybe I am wack since nobody else does this!
Thats why checkpoints like mdc are so great especially if one lives in a "non-crunchy" (tho I dont like the word crunchy much) area.

I get that way too.  I start thinking once in a great while "I'm eating all this fat, oh I am going to get fat!"  Or "oh my gosh this milk was in a goat this morning, and now I am drinking it, eew!"  I've gotten past those thoughts for the most part.  When I first started drinking goats milk I would gag because all I could think about was the milk coming out of the goat.  Haha, stupid!  But I made myself drink it, and now I've become used to it so dont even think twice.  Same with FCLO, I'm used to the oil going down my throat, but before I would gag because of the feeling, and taste of course lol.

I live in a VERY conservative area, I dont know if it gets more not-crunchy/anti-crunchy than this!  So I feel very much alone, and it is nice to get on MDC (sometimes even MDC moms can be discouraging tho and have pretty mainstream ideas) and communicate with like-minded moms, because sometimes I start getting really down and start feeling like maybe I am doing things wrong, I am the ONLY one doing this stuff!  I know I am not, but everyone around here thinks I'm ridiculous.  Eating organic food, breastfeeding (yes, you are considered pretty strange here if you BF!), cloth diaper, fermenting, not vaxing, ETC.   I have a few encouraging friends, but we dont get to talk much, so I feel a bit like its me against the world.   People actually go out of their way here to tell you that you are ridiculous.  The other day an old lady approached me in the store and asked why I was buying those expensive grapes for $3.99/lb when the identical looking ones over there were only $1.99/lb on sale.  I said oh well these ones are organic.  She laughed, rolled her eyes very dramatically, shook her head, and walked away still shaking her head.  That was very discouraging.

I see proof that we are doing things right in my kids and myself though.  My kids are the healthiest kids that I know, I had the easiest pregnancies compared to all of my friends, and I am the one who did not get any vaccines, who's never been on medication, whose kids are not vaccinated or on meds, etc.  Arent those vaccines and prescription drugs supposed to make you oh so healthy??  My friends think so, espeically the ones who just go from one cold or flu to the next.  They are shocked by how mean of a mom I am to not give my kids Capri Sun pouches and candy bars, and to force DD to eat those nasty fermented beets and saurkraut.  I say Force?  She asks for it and wants it!  She loves it!  They dont believe me.  And, I say, what is wrong with drinking water?  We dont NEED those processed juices with no nutritional value that are just flavored sugar water!  My friends say that Capri Sun and Sunny Delight is healthy!

Anyway,

I've never talked to anyone who has been able to make home made yogurt thick!  we just stick with kefir, maybe in the future I'll try it but for now its easier not to worry about it!  Lol.  THanks so much for the recipes!  Arent you supposed to only cover ferments with a piece of cotton while you let it set out at room temp?  Thats what I always do.  Is 6 hrs enough if I just use the salt for the guac?

[craft_media_hero]

Yep, just cover with cotton or papertowel, etc.

I tend to let mine go longer (like 24 hrs for salsa) if only using salt, especially if it's a bigger batch. Or I give it the starter boost with a little juice from another ferment, Bubbies, etc. When I ferment just veggies (like kraut or beets) using brine or salt only, then I let em sit a long time--just tasting every day til I like it.

I hear you on the juice box thing! My kids are happy to drink water, raw milk, herbal tea, or fermented beverages. Dh is juice crazy, tho! He has some blood sugar issues and tends to go for sweets when getting crash-y. I want to start culturing my kefir grains directly in juice so he's getting the probiotics, but I don't have enough grains yet to split them (keep half for juice experimenting and half as water kefir/back up). If they get juice, I always water it way down, lol, or mix w/ kombucha.



How's everybody feeling? I'm feeling less nausea and more appetite lately. Gotta get back on soaked beans/grains routine! I'm starting to feel a little more handy in the kitchen today--madekefir ranch and we are dipping kale chips in it

[Dove84]

For my RRL tea I used 3 TM bags and 1 nettle bags, put them in the French press from IKEA, let it sit overnight and drank it the next day.  It was so strong and horrid, I think b/c of the bags... I've found a source for loose leaf so that's what I'll be doing this time around.

I do ignore the warnings for not eating raw dairy etc in fact they really irritate me!!  I hate reading regular pregnancy books/advice.  I'm more cautious about lunchmeat because it is a processed food, so I fry it first. 

Our area has crunchy pockets but mostly not.  None of our friends are 'crunchy', only people we've met through farmers markets etc.  We don't tell them a lot of details b/c I don't want them to think we are 'rich' or have money to 'waste' on good food.  They don't realize if you cut out picking up coffee and donuts and fast food every day or two you could buy a lot more organic/natural etc.  Oh yes, they all give their kids huge cups of juice, 'milk' and bowls of dry cereal to carry around the house, and then complain the children won't eat anything.  Wonder why not

Our city doesn't even have recycling which drives me crazy!!!  In Toronto we had recycling, compost pickup, garbage limits etc.  Here they collect garbage every week and everyone puts their out every week, we do every two or three and only b/c it smells, not b/c the bin is full.    It's really hard to get organic produce too so I either by regular or don't buy at all (if it's something bad like strawberries)

My attempts at raw milk yogurt haven't been great, it's turned out chunky and really weird, DD likes it though.  I made sauerkraut once and it didn't taste great, we ate some anyway, but it went bad and smelled AWFUL!  So glad I wasn't pg at the time!  My other attempts at fermenting haven't succeded yet either.  I have another batch of kraut going and it seems to taste better so far....

I'm actually feeling MORE nausea and tired lately  don't know if it's a flu, or starting raw milk or what.  DD has been having mucusy poops, upset tummy too so I'm a bit worried.  She has a check up on Wed. fortunately.  Hope everyone is well.

[craft_media_hero]

Originally Posted by Dove84 

. 



I'm actually feeling MORE nausea and tired lately  don't know if it's a flu, or starting raw milk or what.  DD has been having mucusy poops, upset tummy too so I'm a bit worried.  She has a check up on Wed. fortunately.  Hope everyone is well.

Aw, sorry you're feeling worse

This morning was retch-tastic for me, but I do feel like overall I have more energy. I am still barely moving, though Is anyone else seriously struggling with housework? I need that nesting instinct to kick in!

I've got to get a french press again so I can make herbal infusions, thanks for reminding me of that method for making the tea, Dove.

Today I spent driving all over town getting in and out of the car with the kids, running errands. And maaaaan, am I cranky! I feel myself getting super irritated over things that normally wouldn't get to me too much. I need to work on some mama meditation and chilling out.

Felt a little bit of crampiness today and took my cal/mag floradix. I don't think it's anything to worry about, but I feel a litle extra careful this time, maybe because I know it's my last pg? I've had two pretty un-notable pregnancies, and I hope we can get through this one with no hangups, too.

I cannot flippin wait to feel baby moving! That's so reassuring to me that all is well.

[1love4ever]

I'm sorry you are both feeling sick!  Have either of you tried the peppermint tea?  I didnt start the peppermint until after my morning sick feeling had passed last time so I am curious to see if it actually works lol.  What is a french press and what can you use it for?  Sorry if thats a dumb question, I really dont know!  Also heard ginger is supposed to help with feeling nauseous Here is the link to those prenatals that I took btw  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005JAT3TU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00   Buy them subscribe and save when the price is under $40 for the 180 count, then it will cost you around $33 with the subscribe and save :)

How long do your ferments last in the fridge, and are they still active after theyve been in there for months?  I have some beets that are 3 months old that I made myself that still taste and smell fine but just not sure if I should be eating them or if any of the bacteria is still alive?

And the lunch meat being processed is a good point.  I guess the only lunchmeat I buy is organic, and is frozen which probably kills the bad stuff?  I think?  But I ate it and all the other raw stuff all the time while preggo lol.

[Dove84]

Hi Ladies, craft_media_hero, hope you are feeling a little better today!  I find I have some days where I feel pretty good, others when I am just dragging and can barely make myself eat.  I've been feeling a little better the past 4 days so I'm hoping I'm over the worst of the first trimester!  I'm 13 weeks now

1love4ever, I haven't really had peppermint specifically for the nausea, I do drink in sometimes just b/c I like it.  I always added it to my prenancy tea last time though.  I did take ginger capsules when I first got pg this time around, I think they did help.  Here is the French Presss, it's very handy!  http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/86134985/  I have noooo idea how long ferments are supposed to last!  I think if it was bad you could tell though.... my sauerkraut that was bad was horrible, no one would want to go anywhere near it, lol!

We are getting our first order of GF meat beef this weekend!  30 lbs, and then we'll get a half cow in the fall.  I've just been making GF ground beef, so it will be great to have some variety.   My big worry is DD, she is almost 9 months and has actually lost weight, so only weighs 13 lb 7 oz (she was 9 lb at birth)  the dr wasn't worried but I am, she looks really thin now and everyone comments on it.  She BF's and eats solids like crazy, so I can't figure it out.  I've just contacted my LC so maybe she'll have a suggestion.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!