PG/TTC TF Mamas Chat - Page 5

[Dove84]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I usually do it in the slow cooker, I was just worried it might dry the GF beef out... but I'm going to try it today!  katealicia, your recipe sounds delicious, I want to get a nice roasting pot and then I'll give it a try .

I tried pumping and didn't feel anything at all, so I think short sessions will be ok.  I hardly got anything though

Has anyone read 'Deep Nutrition'?  when I read about it I was fascinated, and my library didn't carry it so I actually bought a copy (I rarely buy books).  It arrived last night and looks very interesting, I didn't want to start reading it as I knew I wouldn't be able to put it down. 

[craft_media_hero]

Dove, have you heard of hands on pumping? Here is a little info on it: [=http://www.leron-line.com/updates/Hands_onPumping.pdf][/] I guess it can increase pumping output up to 50% ! I have definitely noticed a huge dip in supply, and ds' interest has dropped off a lot. He is nursing maybe 3-4/day versus before, not kidding, he was like a newborn and wanted it every hour and a half or so! Plus no night nursing--that was the first to go when I conceived which has been a huge blessing because now I get to sleep solidly at night

Nursing feels super irritating to me most of the time, though first thing in the AM and at nap, he nurses actively like he's working for a letdown, and it doesnt give me the creepy feeling. The rest f the time, it's like he's jst moving his mouth on the nipple, and I have to grit my teeth and count in order to cope through it I dont want to cut his comfort nursing short but oh my sometimes I find myself offering re-direction after only a short time!

Katealicia, your roast recipe sounds tastay! I will have to try browning it first in butter, yum!

We are planning a trip for me a nd the kiddos, taking the amtrak to visit family in San Francisco and Northern CA area for a couple few weeks. I am a little nervous about it! Just wrangling the kids sans dh in a strange land, lol! I ordered orgnic beef jerky and smoked wild caught salmon to take with us--what else can I bring? Definitely bringing dried apricots and fruit leather and might spring for a box of larabars. Other ideas? How to keep us eating veggies and generally healthy/tf on the ride there and w hile visiting? Hmm, think of foods that travel relatively well and how to pack them.

I hope my salmon and jerky arrives before we depart I did order it in time, I think, but you never know . . .

[katealicia]

The good thing about California is that there is a lot of real food available there (although everything is pretty expensive). Compared to Florida where I live there are a lot more options and in northern California it's like there is a health food store around every corner. You can buy raw milk in the store!

[Dove84]

I haven't heard of hands on pumping, and the link doesn't seem to work...  I did pump again and got a little more than last time so maybe that plus the SNS, raspberry leaf tea and oatmeal are helping.  DD is so much happier though with some good milk in her tummy  and sleep much better only waking once a night.  I haven't noticed nursing irritating me but DD just got a new upper tooth and when she nurses on the right side it digs in and is very painful, I'm getting blisters there.  I'm wondering if it's her lip tie as she can't open her mouth very wide. 

I don't really have any ideas about travelling with TF, we haven't travelled much at all lately.  The trip sounds great though!  My DH is dying to see California!

[katealicia]

   Ok guys, we haven't talked in a while but I need your input.

   I'm 22 weeks now and DH and I just moved back in with my parents (long story). We will probably be here for about a year. It has been a bit of an adjustment in that they eat fairly well but have not quite jumped onto the TF bandwagon. My dad is resistant to spending the amount of money that is really necessary for quality food. DH and I will obviously be contributing to the food budget, and that will help toward getting the food that we want/need, but it is going to be a bit of a struggle. 

   I knew all of that before moving in, so here's my real issue. My mom (in my opinion) is like the poster child for a GAPS adult right now. Her health has been slowly deteriorating for years and now she is at the point where she is dealing with systemic candidiasis and cognitive issues. She knows she is not healthy and conventional medicine has failed her (she has had a hard time admitting this because she is a nurse) and she says she is ready to cooperate with going on GAPS.

   So basically I need advice on how to help someone else with GAPS. I bought the book and am reading it now. I think it will only be my mom going on it because she has the most severe issues and it would be too expensive for everyone (four adults and a teenager in the house). So I was also wondering if you have any tips for keeping the costs down with GAPS. Would it actually be cheaper for everyone to go on it so we aren't making different food for everyone? Obviously I know we don't want to cut costs to the point where we aren't getting good quality food. 

   And my last concern is about if I wanted to go on the diet with my mom. I think she might have an easier time with it if she isn't the only one doing the diet, but I am wondering if it is healthy for pregnancy. I am pretty healthy right now, but with the move and everything I haven't been eating like I should, and I want to have the healthiest possible gut when DS is born so that I can pass that good flora on to him. In the GAPS book it says that if he doesn't have healthy gut flora developed within the first 20 days he will be immunocompromised. Luckily I was able to avoid antibiotics for a UTI I had earlier this pregnancy, but I am still worried about whether I am providing him with optimal nutrition/gut conditions/immunity. I am thinking maybe I could go on full GAPS instead of intro, but would it be too hard to have 3 different diets in the house (1 full GAPS, 1 intro, and the rest normal)? I was also thinking maybe the whole family could do full GAPS and just have my mom on the intro, but again I'm wondering if it would be too hard for her doing that all by herself and too hard to juggle all the diets. Also I don't know if any of the other family members (DH, dad, and little sis) would cooperate with going on full GAPS.

   I think some of this may be covered as I get further into the book, but I was hoping for some personal experience/advice.

   Thanks for any input you may have! Hope your pregnancies are going great :)

[martaluna]

Hello everyone, I'm 8 wks pregnant and just saw this post. Glad to find some like-minded mamas! So far I'm ok, just very sleepy. My problem is that I just have no desire to eat dairy. I try to force myself to have raw milk or kefir, but could leave without it for sure. This was even before the pregnancy. Should I pull through it or stop eating it? Is my body trying to tell me something. I noticed that if I do eat dairy I tend to do better with fermented - kefir or cheese, milk can give me tummy troubles, so I guess I may have some lactose intolerance. I don't think I will ever be able to get 4 cups of dairy as recommended by WAPF, but scared to stop completely either. How much of it do you it?

katealicia - I did GAPS for few months before getting pregnant. I didn't stick to it unfortunately, but I think it's a great diet. You should not do the intro if you're pregnant, but you could do full GAPS if you want. You could do the full GAPS for the family if they are up for it, but it's not very easy, so it may be hard to stick to, especially if any family members are not fully convinced. There is a yahoo group for Gaps diet with a lot of good info and advise. Good luck!

[craft_media_hero]

Welcome, martaluna! Congrats on your pregnancy Have you been on raw dairy long? My first 6 mo or so buying raw dairy, I kinda had to make myself drink it even though I knew it was a super foid, but now I LOVE it! I also hid my daily dairy in kefir smoothies--I still cannot force myself to drink straight raw kefir; it has to be in a smoothie, popsicle, ranch dressing, spreadable cheese, dip, etc. I definitely do not drink a quart a day every day--probably between 1C and a quart just depending on how much I want. I always figure that any is better than none! Ditto with the fclo--I take two caps which I know is well below the wapf guidelines, but I cannot afford six (or is it eight?) per day, and I have no desire to eat that many supplements in addition to the prenatals and the organ delight I've been taking.

Katealicia--we did gaps for a while as a family. I felt so great! My hub lost a ton of weight but had a really hard time going grain-free and as blood sugar issues so probly shouldn do it without the expertise of a gaps practitioner next time.

Here is my .02c: the cost can be reasonable if you make some concessions and stick to simple meals, less expensive cuts of meat, not buy everything grass fed. Can you take over on being main chef, shopper, menu planner? Or with mom together? I would do one menu that can adapt to a whole meal for the family, not 3 different mealls. Relying heavily on soups and stews makes life a lot easier. So you do a meat and veg hearty gaps stew for dinner for everyone, mom can eat her fill, and have soaked rice or bread on the side for everyone else. Crockpot chicken or beef with aps approved veggies cooked in and a grainy filler for the rest of the fam. Do eggs and sausage for everyone for brek and have sourdough toast available for the non-gaps folks. The squash/peanut butter pancakes will be a hit with everyone as will the muffins. For lunch, we usually did dinner leftovers, deviled eggs, carrot sticks with tuna salad dip, organic lunch meat rolled around avocado slices (others can have this on bread for sammiches) or later when you get green leafies have a salad topped with shredded meat. Let the non-gapsies scrounge they own lunch! Try to serve something fermented for you and mom with every meal, if possible, even if you are relying on commercial bubbies pickles

Because of everything else going on, for simplicity sake, I would start on gaps full with the tf grain options on the side for the other fam members, and then later when everything settles down and you and mom have a good handle on gaps, get her onto intro for a while and then ease back in to full. From what I understand, pregnant mamas can do full but should not do intro. Oh! Have LOTS of butter and honey on hand for the first weeks to ease off the carb cravings--we craved FAT so fiercely! And a spoon of peanut butter, butter, drop of honey at those really craving moments when you want cake or cookies or crackers reaaly made all the difference

As for myself, the kids and I just got home from three weeks in and around the San Francisco Bay area--we had a great time, but due to accomodations were waaasy unable to stick to tf o primal eating, so I just did the best possibl and tried to eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Now I am HOME in my own kitchen with my delicious raw milk, a freezer full of local and mostly grass fed meats, and a garden that is still producing a ton of green leafies.

Dh picked up half a grassfed veal while I was gone! It was only $360 I am trying to psyche myself up to get into harvest processing mode and go score a ton of local, nongmo sweet corn for the freezer and peaches to can for the winter, but ummm, I just got home Thursday, and I think I might lay about for the weekend.

Ds came home, saw his little potty and very excitedly moved it to the living room by himself and has been running about naked and pottying on it since we got home! WHOOT! So hoping we'll get a few months free of daipers before this lo arrives. he has been nursing much less, and I feel like my supply has diminished significantly :/ it is VERY uncomfortable for me when we nurse--like a little squirrel gnawing on an acorn not sure if he will wean before the birth and feel kinda conflicted--would like to tandem but feel kinda relieved at te idea of a few months break from bf, too. 18 wks now, and not feelingthis lo move very much, trying not to worry; I do feel movement a few times a day--wondering if my placenta is on the belly side which dampens the sense of being able to feel baby.

All's well, though! Love to you all!

[maybesparrow]

hi ladies! This thread has just been so helpful for me! I am about 6 or so weeks pregnant and I'm starting to get morning sickness, so I'm having trouble eating the nutrient dense foods I am used to.

I was curious though on all of your opinions on this: I can't get raw milk (in WI, where it is not legal and I have not a found a source), so would it be wise to drink organic, whole milk grass fed pasteurized milk, etc or to should I avoid it? I do eat a fair amount of yogurt and butter (not raw).

[martaluna]

I've been drinking raw milk for over a year, but never very much of it. I should try more smoothies probably.

maybesparrow, before we switched to raw milk I was getting local grass fed non-homogenized milk which was supposted to be low-pasteurized. If I couln't find raw, I would probably still drink that one. If you ferment it and make it to yogurt or kefir it would be even better.

[katealicia]

Thanks for the input on GAPS stuff, my niece is visiting right now so we are looking at starting when she leaves. Now I just have to get around to making the stock and getting some fermented veggies started!

[Dove84]

Welcome, Martaluna and Maybesparrow!  Right now I have about 2 cups of raw milk a day (we get 2 gallons a week and DH and I usually polish it off well in advance ) and I don't find it bothers me at all, although I had a week of very upset tummy when I first started.  I also have raw cheese at least 1x a day (on my eggs for BF) and yogurt.

I am really interested in the GAPS diet too, I read the book a few months ago but I couldn't find any info on if it was safe to start while BF-ing, and then we moved and I got pg again so I sort of forgot about it. I had BAD yeast infections while pg with DD, at the end it lasted about a month and nothing would get rid of it until she was born. She had cradle cap, colic, and reflux (still has that one) all of which are apparently related to yeast, and now she has a yeast diaper rash which I am trying to get rid of.

The question is how do I convince my DH to do GAPS? he is not much of a reader so I don't know how I can get him to read the book, and he definitely needs it, he has taken antibiotics so much (last time was a few weeks ago) and we have basically all of the GAPS conditions except autism and dyslexia in our families. So we really need to do it but although my hubby is supportive of TF and doesn't complain about all of the money we already spend on food (never mind if we go on GAPS!) he thinks there is nothing wrong with 'cheating' and eating out or having a sugar laden dessert, and as far as I understand if you cheat at all on GAPS there is no point in doing it right? and I can't do it on my own b/c he will keep passing his bad gut flora onto me.

My mom sounds like yours katealicia, she is very ill with fibrolyalgia, thyroid, stomach issues, anemia etc. Keep us updated as to how it goes!

Hope you had a good trip craft_media_hero- we were away just for the weekend and I was already missing my soups and raw milk and home cooking! I hear you on the BFing being painful, DD has 6 little razor sharp teeth and I just wince everytime she latches on, plus she likes to bite down and sloooowly pull off (or look all around as she is feeding and forget to let go )  I have been feeling movement this time around since 14 weeks!  At 18 weeks we could feel him from the outside and at 19 wks he was kicking a book off my tummy, lol.  I had an anterior placenta with DD and didn't feel much until 22+ weeks. 

Anyone else ravenously hungry???  I'm eating good meals but in between I feel like I could have another meal or two, and I have trouble thinking of good TF snacks.

[martaluna]

Dove 84, I have no advice on convincing DH unfortunately. When I was trying to do it, my DH was not and I don't think he could ever stick to it, especially that he didn't have any health issues. If yours does, maybe that would convince him? It's also supposed to be a temporary diet, some people do it only for 6 months and slowly get back into "normal". There is no harm in trying and quitting if it doesn't work for him, but yes, cheats defeat the purpose.

I'm still in the first trimester and don't have that much appetite, except fruit for some reason. Good TF snacks I usually like: beef jerky from a farmer, homemade lara bars, smoothies, raw cheese cubes with raisins, hummus and carrot sticks, boiled eggs, mug of hot chicken broth, nuts and fruit, macaroons. If only I had energy to prepare some of these :( Going to sleep.

[Dove84]

My DH definitely has some conditions like digestive troubles, lack of energy, mucsle/joint aches, asthma which started a few years ago (last night he was up until 4 am coughing b/c he hates taking a puffer) so I think the diet would be very beneficial for him.  I've decided to go on the full GAPS myself, and hopefully he will join me.  I've just ordered a food processor and will have to get the book from the library, as it is not available to purchase on amazon.ca.  I'm have a few more questions but will post on the GAPS thread.

What is everyone planning to do about Gestational Diabetes testing?  First of all I would never drink that stuff, it's just sugar and fake flavours and dyes, which I haven't had since my GD test last time around!  Also, I'm not even sure if GD is 'real' or if there is a point in getting tested since if I do 'have' it they'll want me to go for interventions like ultrasounds and induction which I do not want and don't improve outcomes anyway.  Especially after reading this info

http://www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com/id33.html

[TwilightJoy]

Originally Posted by 1love4ever 

I get the frozen wild caught cod fillets at Albertsons, they are a product of the US.  I dont buy any food that is a product of China, which many "wild caught" and most farmed fish are.  Salmon is some of the best but the only wild caught I have available to me is a product of China

Hi ladies! Sorry to be late to the party, but I found this thread and am reading it all to catch up. Maybe this is a dumb question, but is it possible for "wild Alaskan salmon" to be a product of China? It's the salmon I buy, and I was a little confused about the above post, so I thought I'd check. TIA!

[BetsyPage]

I'm curious about GD testing too... I was told they were doing extra blood screening just to make sure I'm not "pre-diabetic" or something. (I'm overweight, I guess that is why they are worried... but I was in my 2 prior pregnancies also.)

So, I'm coming to a realization... I am not going to be grain-free in this pregnancy, I don't think. I do want to limit grains to high-quality sources, though, instead of the grocery store whole wheat I've been eating. I think it will actually help me eat better overall, just because of what is appealing to me, etc. For example, my old "grain-free" breakfast would have been scrambled eggs and a high-quality sausage (no nitrates), maybe a piece of fruit, small cup of raw milk. Well, I just cannot eat scrambled eggs straight up! So instead I've been eating cereal and milk, and thus missing out on my morning protein. However, just now as an experiment, I made a scrambled egg sandwich- toasted bread, smear of mayo, scrambled eggs, and some sharp cheddar. It is not making me sick, it is much more palatable to me! The bad thing, this is the first protein I've had today, and I can't keep doing this, avoiding protein, etc. :( (Dh will be grilling meat/veg tonight at least...)

I haven't been eating grains for a while, though, but I'm not up for suddenly baking my own bread or anything. I'm not gluten intolerant or anything, I had just cut out bread/grain in an effort to lose weight, mostly. I will still be grain-free for dinners b/c that is what dh is doing and it will be easier, but for breakfast/lunch I'm open to grains if it is a means to an end of supporting more protein/veggies (in form of sandwiches, wraps, etc.) But if I am going the store-bought route, how should I do it for best quality? Find some good sourdough bread, or just freshly baked bread? Not sure about what's the going thing with sprouted/soaked bread lately, and I doubt I can buy that anyway...

[Dove84]

I think GD testing is just something 'routine' now as I am not overweight and they still want me to do it. 

Why are you having trouble eating eggs/protein, is it an aversion?  I'm confused about the grains part too now, it seems like some sources say sprouted/sourdough is good and others that it's still not that great... if you have a good source so sourdough I'd go with that as it's bound to be better than regular bread.  I don't remember how far you are along but there were times in the first tri where I'd have to eat something not so ideal just so I could have something else really good along with it, or even just to keep my blood sugar from dropping and then getting into that cycle of nausea etc.

[BetsyPage]

I think I have texture issues/food aversions... I'm only going on 11 weeks, so still in that phase. Things like chicken, ground beef, eggs have not been favorites of mind. I tend to favor blander food, and haven't really been enjoying my food much recently. I did have a chinese chicken & rice meal last week which was like the first time in a while I could remember really ENJOYING my food! (So I was going to add rice in too...) And in general, even when I'm not pregnant, grains/carbs do help meat/veg be more palatable for me... even when I'm feeling great, over time eating only meat/veg/fruit/healthy fats tends to not appeal to me some days, and my appetite is much lower (so obviously grains stimulate my appetite! Normally not good, but if I can keep the portions reasonable and pair it with things I need to be eating, might be helpful right now) When I eat grain-free, my food intake tends to go way down, which is great for losing weight but perhaps not so great for pregnancy?

I just remembered a protein source, that I don't THINK would make me sick... cottage cheese w/ fruit. Even my old favorites have been problems for me- green salads had been giving me upset tummy (doing OK with those now), egg salad and chicken salad was making me really retch... no interest in just eating a piece of meat. My pregnancy diet has not been as good as I'd want thus far. :(

[katealicia]

BetsyPage,

Sprouted, soaked, or sour-leavened grains are still the healthiest as far as I've heard. If you want to make a breakfast sandwich, I've found I really enjoy those with sprouted english muffins rather than regular bread. I get sprouted bread and sprouted english muffins in the frozen section at Publix. I definitely remember that at 11 weeks I was still having issues matching what I thought I should have been eating with what I could stomach. Just so you know, protein is a much bigger priority in the second trimester than the first, so if it's really making you sick I wouldn't worry about it too much right now. Hope you start feeling better!

[craft_media_hero]

Mmm cottage cheese and fruit sounds so yummy or sliced garden tomatoes and salt instead of fruit! I'm in eating overdive mode lately but really craving not the most healthy stuff and combine that with being really busy the last couple of weeks, and I'm feeling a little food guilt!

I've been in canning mode, and I haven't yet figured out how to both can and cook in the same day! So it's been lots of toast and fertile eggs with homemade jam, leftover rotisserie chcken with home made bbq sauce, and take out superfries

Good news is that I'm feeling the baby move a lot! That has been really fun, and I think soon dh will be able to feel from the outside, too.

I had a really bad leg cramp ths morning that has put me on hold, and dh hurt his back at wok, so we have been kinda slow and laying about today. I think I've been overdoinit with the canning! And stayingup late to finish jobs after the kids are asleep. Going to order more floradix cal/mag after pay day and definitely be more on top of taking prenatals, though. Also, I tend to get those mscle cramps when I'm dehydrated, tho I've been drinking a ton, it's pretty hot here, so that's something I need to watch out for.

[1love4ever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwilightJoy 


Hi ladies! Sorry to be late to the party, but I found this thread and am reading it all to catch up. Maybe this is a dumb question, but is it possible for "wild Alaskan salmon" to be a product of China? It's the salmon I buy, and I was a little confused about the above post, so I thought I'd check. TIA!

Well, the package that I used to get at Walmart (before I thought to check the country of origin) called "wild alaskan salmon" said product of China on the back, so apparently it is possible lol.

Hey there pregnant ladies, KateAlicia I love your photo :)  I havent been on mothering much lately, and just now read a few of the posts in this thread that I havent been keeping up on. 

About GD: here is an article that mentions it that I recently came across, and found it interesting http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/26/vitamin-d-deficiency-recipe-for-disaster-part-2.aspx

There is also a part 1 to this article, here http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/19/vitamin-d3-sulfate-exposure-recipe-for-disaster-part-1.aspx  but it didnt mention GD so I posted the other one first :)

I refused the GD test with my 2nd pregnancy.  The Dr I was seeing for part of my prenatal care recommended it even though I was and always had been an ideal weight, a healthy eater, exercised regularly, had a flawless pregnancy, no family history, and had taken the test with my previous pregnancy and passed easily.  Even with NO risk factors she still said I needed to do it, but I refused it politely, and she accepted that.  My midwife was totally cool with my refusal.