Rubyayn Member

Glad you found the link helpful!!! Knowing your BMR and TDEE is very helpful and it is super important to eat enough, but especially so while pregnant. I personally feel like I needed the calories even more in the first trimester than I do now. My body was doing a LOT. Here is another site for figuring out TDEE…

If you are planning to eat under maintenence or lose weight while I would recommend calling your doc right away as well as seeing a nutritionist that specializes in pregnancy. You are already within a normal weight range for your height, so I would seek a medical opinon before dieting to lose in the first trimester. I was…

Yay!!! Humidity and heat show no mercy on pregnant women. Glad you can see your ankles again!

This is worth conidering, especially if you are having any other symptoms. However, I know that I react strongly to overdoing it and especially high levels of sodium. I always add salt to meals, but eating out that much is a whole other ball game. I can easily jump five or more pounds just by eating out too much and would…

Apple Cider Vinegar is known to help with swelling. When I have swelling or am sick I will do up to 3 Tablespoons in water or juice per day. Braggs is the best brand as it has to be unfiltered and raw to be effective. I would also elevate your feet and do circles with your ankles to increase blood flow to and from the…

Yay!! So happy for you and your lovely VBAC birth! How wonderful. :) I only wish my plan covered home birth because I have come to believe it would be best for me. I do have a great team inclusing a doula and birthing center midwife that will deliver with us at the hospital, so though it is not ideal I think it will work.…

This is what I was going to say. I am 5"4 and was at goal when I got pregnant. At that time I was maintaining goal weight at 2150 per day (I do not eat workout calories back). I have a moderate activity level. I am now eating 2350 per day in the third trimester and am on point to be under a 30 pound gain for the pregnancy.…

I tell family and close friends right away, but do not spill publicly until 12 weeks. I am not a private person though and am pretty sure that in the event I miscarried I would want the support of family and close friends, though I would NOT want to explain it to 600 of my closest Facebook friends. Suffering alone would be…

Ha! I totally get that!!! My daughter is 3.5. It took me a solid three weeks to finish the book and it is short!!

Good luck!! I don't think you will regret it at all!! Have you happened to read Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth? I just finsihed it and it was amazing!! The book gave me so much more confidence in my body and birthing ntaurally, which I think is very important when preparing for birth, especially an unmedicated one. :)

I actually found a doula in training and will be one of her first three births, so she is free. I am also planning a VBAC. She may not have the experience in VBAC like I would prefer, but she is going above and beyond in preparing for my birth and I am confident she will be a huge asset. I have also been educating my…

I love using foods to treat symptoms, especially in pregnancy!!! Watermelon is also loaded with potassium and is in season, so that is a win!!! Apple Cider vingear is helping keep water retention at bay as well. Thanks! I am going to put sweet potatos on the grocery list for this week. That sounds delicious and so good for…

I EBF'ed for six months and continued nursing for 2.5 more years with food supplements. Sadly, my cycle returned as soon as I went back to work at 12 weeks PP. I am hoping for better luck this time.

I plan on eating dates and doing EPO orally around 37 weeks. Anything that helps get things prepped and ready to go!! I am also doing red rasberry leaf tea already. I drink it with honey just before i do my hypnosis at night... so relaxing.

I noticed this tip was a trend in the natural birth stories I have read. It makes sense that surrendering to them is the way to go, especially if you want to progress faster. I will be sure to keep that mantra in my mind because I do tend to clench my jaw. That kind of response can even keep you from dialating. I am glad…

The Business of being Born is AMAZING!! I watched it last time I was pregnant and again this time. I also had my husband watch it. It is very telling of the maternity care in our country right now and super informative. Netflix also has More Business of Being Born, which is four new mini-documentaries. They have one each…

Thank you for all of the tips, ladies!! My doula has a lot of essential oils and a handy bags of tricks, thankfully. I will be gathering some of the homeopathic remedies to have on hand and have already started my RRL tea. I think anything I can do to prepare mentally and physically will help me attain the birth that I…

Yes, this program is amazing!!! I finished it a few months before I got pregnant and actually had arm definition and abs starting to peek out. For such a short workout, she really crams in the effectiveness! I highly, highly reccomend it and am looking forward to using it to get my body back as soon as I get the ok from…

I can totally sympathize with you. I have a very hard time leaving my daughter still (she is almost 4) and worry about that with the one on the way as far as fitting in workouts. I know I will not go to the gym unless everyone is sleeping, which is what I do now, because I also refuse to be away from the kids more than…

My daughter Evelyn picked the name for us out of a few we liked. He is officially Owen Elias. I think it is perfect and I am glad I didn't have to agonize over the name. I did enough of that last time! haha

My diary is also open and I sent you a FR. Somehow I have managed to eat fairly healthy, but I sneak in homemade deserts daily. I understand what it is like to feel like you are losing some of what you worked so hard to achieve. I lost 36 pounds and reached goal just before I got pregnant. I was in the shape on my life!! I…

I didnt realize they were that much! I was given one at the hospital last time, so I will try to snatch one up this time also!! I had to use it here and there, usually for midnight feedings where she would empty one breast and fall asleep. I would pump some out of the other so that I wouldn't wake up hard as rock for the…

Thanks for the link, RBX!! I think this is going to come down to cost for me. If I can get the Ameda for much cheaper than I will give it a go I think. I am sorry to hear it did not work for you, ks4e. I have used the Freestsyle and a couple of other cheaper brands and was pretty fortunate to always respond really well to…

I have a Freestyle that I was able to get at cost with my daughter through work. I have no idea where it is, but after I explained open vs closed systems to my husband, he really doesn't feel comfortable re-using it for a new baby. I also had a couple of mold issues with it when it was in use, so I will likley toss it if I…

That is good to hear!! I am leaning more towards Hygeia since they are WHO code compliant and I can recycle or donate the pump after. I like that you can use Medela accessories with it also. I do wish I could find a cheaper pump!! With my deductable I cannot get a free one. I kinda hate that I invested so much money into a…

Exactly this.

I would ditch the guilt over the emotional eating and just take care of yourself today. Maybe do something that relaxes you, like watching a favorite show or taking a bubble bath. I hope it improves and that tomorrow is a much better day! Hugs!

I agree!! I think it is so important to remember the new life you are nurturing and put aside the desire to cut calories or try to lose weight while pregnant. Eating healthy and staying active should suffice, despite any weight gains. It is a huge shift in focus to go from losing weight and gaining muscle to growing a…

I LOVE using a TENS machins for back pain, but never considered it for labor. It makes perfect sense! I am going to discuss this with my midwife next week for sure!! Nan - I use a home study program called Hypnobabies. It includes a full class on prepping for birth as well as hypnosis. Both myself and my husband learned a…

Mental illness runs in my family and I suffered PPD after my daughter was born for over a year. I tend to be an anxious person in general, so I do a lot of consistant things to keep it at bay and am hoping for the best this time around. I am very careful with my diet, workout often and get outside as much as possible. I…