Pregnant!

[LUH 3417]

Also does anyone have any thoughts on molasses and wheat germ during pregnancy?

 

[PeatInspired]

My midwives say up to two cups a day, as long as they don't make me jittery. RP suggests with milk & sugar it's ok.

 

[LUH 3417]

My midwives say up to two cups a day, as long as they don't make me jittery. RP suggests with milk & sugar it's ok.

Thank you. Do you have any thoughts on wheat germ, molasses, and raw dairy? I get all my dairy from an Amish farmer (milk, cottage cheese, raw cheddar). Do you think it’s way too risky to continue eating?

 

[PeatInspired]

I'm not sure about the first two! And I don't usually get raw dairy. But I read a blog by a woman who drank tons of raw milk and said it made her labor very easy. She also claimed most listeria comes from fruit and veggies, not dairy. Don't remember the name of the blog, but I'll let you know if I find it.

Anyone else read anything about raw dairy and pregnancy?

 

[LUH 3417]

I'm not sure about the first two! And I don't usually get raw dairy. But I read a blog by a woman who drank tons of raw milk and said it made her labor very easy. She also claimed most listeria comes from fruit and veggies, not dairy. Don't remember the name of the blog, but I'll let you know if I find it.

Anyone else read anything about raw dairy and pregnancy?

Aha thanks so much! The first two are recommended by dr. Tom Brewer who Ray Peat references and I assume aligns with in terms of pregnancy diets...

 

[sarahevebee]

Hollybea, congratulations :) It sounds like you’re doing a great job so far taking care of yourself and your little peanut!

How did the little tike turn out? I think the people here are all interested in an update!

I’m sorry I disappeared for so long ...Hard to believe the little tike will be 4 this July! She is super intelligent and creative, energetic and beautiful. Everyone is taken aback by her big brown eyes and thick long hair (I’ve had to cut it several times and currently it’s at her waist again!) Her health has been good, except for a strange time around 2 years old, when she decided to wean herself, as I was pregnant with #2 I think my milk tasted off. When she weaned she also became very picky about food and stopped gaining weight. I unfortunately introduced grains at that time, out of desperation and recommendation from friends, plus pressure from the doctor to get her back on the growth chart. She began gaining weight again but I have not been strict enough to break her of the grain habit and now she has a big cavity in one of her molars So I feel horribly guilty and am trying to get my family back on track health-wise. Baby number two (Benjamin, a boy) is also healthy and bright, born at home, 8 lbs almost 1 oz with a thick head of hair and no jaundice. He is still nursing and cosleeping and will be 1 next month! :)
So if anyone was still wondering, there’s the update!
I will be searching the forums on tooth decay, so you may see me around...
Much love to all those conceiving/trying to conceive and mamas and papas trying to keep their families healthy <3

 

[PeatInspired]

Hollybea, congratulations :) It sounds like you’re doing a great job so far taking care of yourself and your little peanut!

I’m sorry I disappeared for so long ...Hard to believe the little tike will be 4 this July! She is super intelligent and creative, energetic and beautiful. Everyone is taken aback by her big brown eyes and thick long hair (I’ve had to cut it several times and currently it’s at her waist again!) Her health has been good, except for a strange time around 2 years old, when she decided to wean herself, as I was pregnant with #2 I think my milk tasted off. When she weaned she also became very picky about food and stopped gaining weight. I unfortunately introduced grains at that time, out of desperation and recommendation from friends, plus pressure from the doctor to get her back on the growth chart. She began gaining weight again but I have not been strict enough to break her of the grain habit and now she has a big cavity in one of her molars So I feel horribly guilty and am trying to get my family back on track health-wise. Baby number two (Benjamin, a boy) is also healthy and bright, born at home, 8 lbs almost 1 oz with a thick head of hair and no jaundice. He is still nursing and cosleeping and will be 1 next month! :)
So if anyone was still wondering, there’s the update!
I will be searching the forums on tooth decay, so you may see me around...
Much love to all those conceiving/trying to conceive and mamas and papas trying to keep their families healthy <3

Thanks and congrats on your family! I've read good things about coconut oil "pulling" and tooth decay! Good luck!

 

[alywest]

Hollybea, congratulations :) It sounds like you’re doing a great job so far taking care of yourself and your little peanut!

I’m sorry I disappeared for so long ...Hard to believe the little tike will be 4 this July! She is super intelligent and creative, energetic and beautiful. Everyone is taken aback by her big brown eyes and thick long hair (I’ve had to cut it several times and currently it’s at her waist again!) Her health has been good, except for a strange time around 2 years old, when she decided to wean herself, as I was pregnant with #2 I think my milk tasted off. When she weaned she also became very picky about food and stopped gaining weight. I unfortunately introduced grains at that time, out of desperation and recommendation from friends, plus pressure from the doctor to get her back on the growth chart. She began gaining weight again but I have not been strict enough to break her of the grain habit and now she has a big cavity in one of her molars So I feel horribly guilty and am trying to get my family back on track health-wise. Baby number two (Benjamin, a boy) is also healthy and bright, born at home, 8 lbs almost 1 oz with a thick head of hair and no jaundice. He is still nursing and cosleeping and will be 1 next month! :)
So if anyone was still wondering, there’s the update!
I will be searching the forums on tooth decay, so you may see me around...
Much love to all those conceiving/trying to conceive and mamas and papas trying to keep their families healthy <3

I've been spreading the word about this dental program which seems like the perfect thing for young children as it doesn't require any toothpaste. Just have them brush with these toothbrushes a couple of times a day or more, and it's supposed to keep the minerals in balance as well as help with gut repair by killing the bacteria in the gums which ultimately make their way to the gut.

Calcium Therapy Institute - Calcium/Zinc-Toothbrush

 

[sarahevebee]

Hollybea,
I believe I had some benefits from oil pulling with coconut oil in the distant past (mostly reduced tooth sensitivity) but I am not a rich woman and spitting out my coconut oil doesn’t sit well with me haha! I still may give it a go though, thank you :)

I've been spreading the word about this dental program which seems like the perfect thing for young children as it doesn't require any toothpaste. Just have them brush with these toothbrushes a couple of times a day or more, and it's supposed to keep the minerals in balance as well as help with gut repair by killing the bacteria in the gums which ultimately make their way to the gut.

Calcium Therapy Institute - Calcium/Zinc-Toothbrush

Alywest, I am super excited you shared this with me!! I resolved to make some eggshell calcium last night after realizing my daughter’s phosphorous to calcium ratio is probably off...So this sounds like a VERY promising addition to my plan :) I placed 3 orders for the toothbrushes thank you so much for sharing!

 

[alywest]

Hollybea,
I believe I had some benefits from oil pulling with coconut oil in the distant past (mostly reduced tooth sensitivity) but I am not a rich woman and spitting out my coconut oil doesn’t sit well with me haha! I still may give it a go though, thank you :)

Alywest, I am super excited you shared this with me!! I resolved to make some eggshell calcium last night after realizing my daughter’s phosphorous to calcium ratio is probably off...So this sounds like a VERY promising addition to my plan :) I placed 3 orders for the toothbrushes thank you so much for sharing!

Yay, glad I could help! I'm excited about this, too. I ordered the toothbrushes and the mouth rinse and the cotton things that you soak in the rinse and put on your teeth. I love that it's supposed to heal the teeth and gums, but also that it's supposed to help with the gut, which is something I'm really working on. Let me know how it goes!

 

[PeatInspired]

Ok, new pregnancy question (I'm 30 weeks pregnant now!). I emailed RP:

Me: I heard that using progesterone liberally during childbirth can be a natural pain relief- by rubbing it on the lower back and abdomen. Do you think this might be effective? Do you think there could be a negative consequence to using so much during labor?

RP: A friend, whose doctor gave her progesterone during her second pregnancy, said the baby “just popped out.” Katharina Dalton wrote about her experience using progesterone during pregnancy. When it’s used along with good nutrition and good thyroid function, I think it prevents childbirth pain. I’ve heard it described as a “chemical midwife.”

So his response described its use during pregnancy but not exactly during labor... So now I'm not sure. I guess I'm worried that using high doses of Progest-e during the end of pregnancy & during labor will slow down labor progress (since progesterone is used mainly to make sure babies stay to full term). But if I go over 2 weeks late I will be sent to a hospital by my midwives (who can't deliver past 42 weeks in California).

Thoughts?

 

[alywest]

If I keep taking progesterone I never menstruate so perhaps you need to stop taking progesterone for a few days (once you're full term) to get the estrogen to the right levels to initiate labor. I know estrogen is what is needed to induce labor, and it's also what sends all the prostaglandins which are what are so freaking painful, so my latest thought on progesterone supplementation is to give it a few days off to initiate menstruation/labor and then take it again once the estrogen kicks in and the menstruation/labor start. I mean, I don't think it can hurt once you've already started labor. Certainly much better than fentanyl or whatever else they give you.
Unfortunately there is no way around estrogen in this process unless you have a c-section or something!

 

[LUH 3417]

If I keep taking progesterone I never menstruate so perhaps you need to stop taking progesterone for a few days (once you're full term) to get the estrogen to the right levels to initiate labor. I know estrogen is what is needed to induce labor, and it's also what sends all the prostaglandins which are what are so freaking painful, so my latest thought on progesterone supplementation is to give it a few days off to initiate menstruation/labor and then take it again once the estrogen kicks in and the menstruation/labor start. I mean, I don't think it can hurt once you've already started labor. Certainly much better than fentanyl or whatever else they give you.
Unfortunately there is no way around estrogen in this process unless you have a c-section or something!

I’ve never seen fentanyl given but that would be extreme! I think they reserve it for the most severe kinds of surgery, like brain tumors and aneurysms.

 

[alywest]

I’ve never seen fentanyl given but that would be extreme! I think they reserve it for the most severe kinds of surgery, like brain tumors and aneurysms.

I wasn't sure if my memory was correct on that but according to this website apparently it was:
Fentanyl During Labor | The Recovery Village

 

[LUH 3417]

I wasn't sure if my memory was correct on that but according to this website apparently it was:
Fentanyl During Labor | The Recovery Village

Not saying women shouldn’t receive pain relief if they want it but giving that level of opioids seems crazy (of course no reflection on you, I’m just still in disbelief at how extreme of a measure it is)

 

[Deleted member 5487]

Hello there all you lovely, intelligent folks!

I just found out that I'm pregnant...despite having taken emergency contraception.

I will not be having an abortion.

So I need some advice...should I change anything given my current situation?

I was doing a little bit more aspirin than usual (making sure to get vitamin K - I was eating kale,) because I thought it might help get the estrogen from the MAP (morning after pill) out of my system...but now that I'm pregnant...I wonder if I should be doing anything different?

I've been slacking a bit on my raw carrot salad, but this is (mostly) what a typical day looks like for me (in chronological order):

Coffee concoction (coffee, gelatin, sugar, coconut oil, aspirin.)

Raw carrot salad (grated carrot, coconut oil, white vinegar, salt.)

Milk, cheese, grapes (other fruits as available/ripe,) OJ, potatoes and sometimes beef throughout the day and for dinner, too (unless I eat out, in which case I just try my best to avoid PUFA)

Seafood about 1x a week *I had sushi the other night, I've heard that's bad for pregnant women! Any validity in that...?

I have thought about emailing Dr. Peat but I can't afford to pay him right now and I'm not comfortable asking for advice without sending compensation...(I could ask boyfriend to pay, but he already thinks I'm a Peat nut...don't want to start another debate about saturated fat and sugar, ha.)

If anyone could steer me in the right direction about this, I will send you hugs through the internet

Are you married to this man at least? Where he will be legally bound to cover the costs.

"I can't afford to pay him right now" and I'm not comfortable asking for advice without sending compensation...(I could ask boyfriend to pay"

 

[Blossom]

@Hollybea I realize you didn't ask about pain meds but since it came up I thought I'd let you know that there's a shortage on morphine and Fentanyl in the state I live in in the US and I was under the impression that the shortage was nationwide. If you plan on the possibility using narcotic pain meds during delivery you may want to check this out with your medical team to see what they plan on giving you. I know if it were me I'd prefer to know ahead of time.

 

[PeatInspired]

@Hollybea I realize you didn't ask about pain meds but since it came up I thought I'd let you know that there's a shortage on morphine and Fentanyl in the state I live in in the US and I was under the impression that the shortage was nationwide. If you plan on the possibility using narcotic pain meds during delivery you may want to check this out with your medical team to see what they plan on giving you. I know if it were me I'd prefer to know ahead of time.

There won't be any pain meds available to me, as I'm (hopefully) birthing in a midwife-only birthing center. However, if I go over 42 weeks I will be required to go to a hospital, in which case- good to know! But I'm currently looking at alternatives (hence the progest-e question). I've also read that magnesium supplements may reduce labor pains, but I worry about doing this one, because I've also read it might delay contractions. (Anyone have thoughts on that point?)


*Interestingly, in the same email I asked RP about progest-e I also asked this:

Me: People swear by the effectiveness of eating dates (saying they have an Oxytocin-like effect) to reduce labor pain. Does that sound possibly helpful?

RP: Labor consumes a lot of glucose, and is likely to deplete glycogen stores if it’s prolonged, so I suspect that the main effect of dates is to prevent hypoglycemia. They contain some serotonin, which can increase uterine contraction. Hypoglycemia increases adrenaline, and adrenaline can cause uterine inertia, increasing the risk of hemorrhage, so I think any good source of sugar, such as fruit juice, is protective during labor.

 

[Blossom]

There won't be any pain meds available to me, as I'm (hopefully) birthing in a midwife-only birthing center.

That's wonderful! Best wishes to you and your baby.

I've also read that magnesium supplements may reduce labor pains, but I worry about doing this one, because I've also read it might delay contractions. (

I know in around the year 2000 women in my area were often given IV magnesium sulfate (in multiple gram doses) in an attempt to slow/stop premature labor but that was in a hospital setting where they were being closely monitored. I'm not sure how that would translate into small doses one would take by mouth or topically at home. It seems logical to get sufficient amounts to meet daily nutritional requirements but I personally (from one woman to another) would be wary of overdoing it with magnesium supplements just to be safe.

 

[alywest]

Not saying women shouldn’t receive pain relief if they want it but giving that level of opioids seems crazy (of course no reflection on you, I’m just still in disbelief at how extreme of a measure it is)

I think it all depends on the person. Now that I realize how bad my metabolic issues were at the time I'm not surprised that pain was overly stressful and could have actually resulted in something more serious. I was definitely being watched for an emergency c-section, and it seemed that in the rooms all around me that was happening to other moms. Now that I am on top of my thyroid meds, etc, I think I could actually handle birth and labor a lot better. I'm grateful that I was able to deliver both my kids vaginally and not have a c-section, but the stress on my system was extreme and I didn't realize that could be an issue at that time. I think the pain meds at the very least put you in a vegetative state where you're not stressed mentally, but is that ideal? No, of course not.
I think it's more worrisome that they are handing out hydrocodone to postpartum moms like candy. I would definitely say that that caused me to have worse postpartum depression as the medication made me feel "happy" and then when it was gone I was suddenly hit with 1.) no sleep 2.) my actual postpartum symptoms that I was avoiding while on the opioids, 3.) a budding addiction that I had to go cold-turkey on. I think when your thyroid and other hormones are all out of whack and you're not healthy, opioids pose a much more serious threat because you suddenly feel "good" when you normally feel like total crap. Now if I take them rarely for post surgery pain I absolutely hate the way they make me feel. I am thinking a healthy organism actually doesn't enjoy the effects of those medications whereas a sick organism might actually feel an improvement. All I know is it's not just me who struggled with the opiates, and I'm glad that there is some pushback now against doctors prescribing them so liberally for mental and physical problems. Especially new moms who need to be present with their newborns!