Healthy Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an exciting time of life—an adventure like no other. It is a time of growth, of change, and of uncertainty. Often times, the unknown can be scary, but following these three rules will help you to fully enjoy the magic of your pregnancy:

LOVE. THRIVE. LISTEN.

LOVE where you are—even if it’s uncomfortable… In life, if we LOVE the MOMENT, we live without regrets. Being Pregnant is a MIRACULOUS, once in a lifetime opportunity. Love it now, and you will feel empowered.

Your body is AMAZING—it has abilities beyond the scope of power/knowledge/imagination. LOVE YOUR BODY. ACCEPT and THRIVE on the changes as they come. They are unique moments that teach, and they are FLEETING.

LISTEN to your instincts. You have the stewardship over your body and your little baby to know what is best. Do your research, consult the experts, but when all is said and done, LISTEN to what your heart says. You are the mom now. And MOMS RULE. (Use that intuition!)

Sex is generally safe throughout a pregnancy without complications.
When you are pregnant, you may notice your desire for sex changes from trimester to trimester. The first trimester brings everything new including physical changes like breast tenderness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and fears of miscarriage. You may notice a decrease in your sexual desire at this time. For a lot of women, these symptoms subside in the second semester offering a notable increase in sexual desire. Physiologically, blood supply to the pelvic area is enhanced, creating greater sensitivity and stronger orgasms. As the belly grows, sex in the third trimester can become a challenge. Some couples become nervous about harming the baby. Be sure to discuss your needs for intimacy with your partner. Experimenting with various positions can be helpful.

If you have a history of recurrent miscarriage or premature labor, your doctor may recommend you abstain. Additional reasons to abstain from sex may include:

• a history of miscarriage, premature labor or premature delivery
• cramps or bleeding
• placenta previa
• infection in either partner
• pain with intercourse
• leaking fluid or breaking of your bag of water

If you are unsure and have any questions or concerns about sex during pregnancy, be sure to speak with your doctor or midwife.

Royal jelly is a deeply nourishing food supplement known to enhance fertility. In the bee colony, the Queen Bee is fed large quantities of royal jelly for the first days of growth which causes her to develop ovaries and gives her the ability to lay eggs. Royal is rich in protein, vitamins B-1, B-2, B-6, C, E, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, inositol and folic acid.Hives that include a queen bee can potentially harvest 500 grams of royal jelly during a six month period.

In the Infertility Cure, fertility expert Dr. Randine Lewis describes several studies that detail why royal jelly is beneficial to fertility: “Bogdan Tekavcic, M.D., a Yugoslavian gynecologist, conducted a study in which the majority of women who were given bee pollen with royal jelly showed improvement or disappearance of their menstrual problems, while there was no change in the placebo group. Another study showed bee pollen significantly improved sperm production in men. Bee pollen, which is worker bee food, is rich in vitamins, minerals, nucleic acids, and steroid hormones, and improves health, endurance, and immunity. Royal jelly is modified pollen fed only to the reproducing queen bee, whose job it is to produce more infant bees. This nutritive tonic might be considered the bee equivalent of fertility drugs. Rich in amino acids, vitamins, and enzymes, royal jelly helps the queen lay millions of eggs and live longer than the worker bee.”

Apart from it’s fertility benefits royal jelly has also been shown to:

* enhance immunity
* reduce inflammation
* reduce aging
* support healthy hair
* increase sexual vitality
* balance hormones
* treat auto-immune conditions like arthritis

You can take royal jelly in a capsule form or in the fresh form. If you are allergic to bees and honey, you will want to avoid royal jelly to prevent reactions ranging from bronchial spasms, skin irritations, and asthma attacks, severe anaphylactic shock and, in most extreme allergies, death.

Toxoplasmia and listeriosis are the two food-borne infections that are of particular concern for pregnant women. During pregnancy, safe food handling practices become even more important when germs can effect your growing fetus. Understanding which foods to avoid during pregnancy and keeping clear of infections keep you and your baby healthy.

Toxiplasmosis

Toxiplasmosis stems from a single celled parasite: toxoplasma gondii. In most cases there are no symptoms and toxiplasmosis is often mistaken for the stomach flu. If detected early, there is a good chance the fetus will not be affected. In extreme cases toxiplasmosis can cause mental retardation, seizures, hearing loss and other problems. To avoid toxiplasmosis:

1. Avoid undercooked or raw meets, especially pig and sheep products
2. Have someone else change the cat litter
3. Wash fruits and vegetables well

Listeriosis

Listeriosis comes form the bacterium listeria monocytongenes. Listeria is killed by the pasteurization process and heat, making it important to eat foods that are well cooked during pregnancy. Symptoms can occur anywhere from 2-30 days after contamination and range from mild flu-like nausea to vomiting, headaches, fever and muscle aches. Listeriosis can be treated with antiobitics and in the most extreme cases infection can result in miscarriage, premature labor and stillbirth. To avoid listeriosis:

1. Avoid unpasteurized cheeses: brie, camembert, blue-veined cheeses, feta and mexican style cheese like queso fresco, queso blanco and panela.
2. Avoid pate and meat spreads
3. Avoid smoked seafood