I am now more than 30 weeks pregnant. Birth is just around the corner and I’m at the point in pregnancy where there are certain things that are a MUST!

#1) I have a very tender spot on my belly right above my belly button where all the muscles connect. This spot has always been a favorite target for baby’s little feet or knees. On long days my belly gets tired and this spot’s tenderness can be overwhelming. So what do I do on the long days? I wear a belly band. The gentle support that it gives me is night and day. An added benefit is lower back pain relief as well. Not to mention that it’s great for that lower belly gap between your shirt and pants when you get ginormous but don’t want to buy anymore maternity clothes because your baby is almost here.

#2) My copper ring. One of those midwives tales that I didn’t put much merit in. Well I was SO wrong! I am pregnant with my fourth baby. My first son honored my belly with an artistic set of stripes. My second son added one mark to that high up on my belly. My first daughter didn’t add any stretch marks. And at 30 weeks this baby added 3 stretch marks. That belly still has 10 more weeks to grow! The difference? It’s not weight, it’s not how big my belly is. It has to do with the elasticity of my skin. Why didn’t I get any stretch marks with my daughter? I wore a copper ring. The pure copper that leaves the ugly green mark around my finger. The body absorbs the copper which greatly helps with the elasticity of the skin. Needless to say I dug through my jewelry box and found my copper ring. Two weeks later and no new stretch marks although my belly has grown. I’m a believer. (Not the magnetic copper.)

#3) The combination of relaxin, a growing uterus, and the odd distribution of weight when pregnant, your muscles and bones go through a lot. My first three pregnancies I visited my chiropractor, Dr. Zak, throughout. This time I’ve been so busy that I didn’t make time. Big mistake. My whole second trimester and the beginning of the third trimester I felt like an old lady. I chalked it up to four kids in five and a half years. My pelvic bones have really been hurting me which makes you waddle. Turning over in bed is quite the ordeal when you have pelvic pain. I went to see Dr. Jill last week and the difference has been incredible. I saw her again yesterday. Chiropractic is also very important during pregnancy for baby’s positioning and for body health in preparation for birthing.

#4) Personal me time is not a priority. With three kids, household tasks, and work it’s hard to put yourself first. Lets look at the alternative though. Mom is so exhausted and spent that all she wants to do is rest. The solution? Take one to two hours three times a week to strengthen your body. Prenatal yoga gently helps your body regain it’s strength and energy. It’s amazing. I went to a class two days ago and had so much energy afterward and yesterday. It’s blowing my mind. I plan to go to class Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays until this baby comes. A healthy, energized mama is so much better than having a mama who wishes she were on bedrest because her body is exhausted.

#5) A thick fluffy pillow between my legs at night. It’s amazing the difference of the quality of sleep I get. I’m less restless, and don’t wake up with extreme pelvic pain in the morning. I also love my pile of pillows that I sleep on. I get pretty bad acid reflux as my belly gets bigger. The reclining, comfortable position that my pillows create allow me to get the much needed sleep that my body needs.

#6) A couple good pairs of maternity jeans are lovely to have as well. I just bought a new pair for $22 that are stylish and fit great! Feeling confident in what I’m wearing helps my self-esteem and brightens the day.

#7) As a working mom it’s hard to find time to get to the grocery store. Walking the aisles and having strangers make comments is something I could do without as well. “No really I don’t look like I’m about to pop, I still have ten more weeks thank you very much!” I’d much rather walk with Baby Boot Camp or exercise with my prenatal yoga class to stretch my legs. A lifesaver has been ordering online and having my groceries delivered to my door! And I love supporting local farmers while feeding my family all-natural food. A healthy diet is essential for baby’s development and important for pregnant and an easier birthing.

These 7 things are MUST haves for me. When you are well rested, have more energy, healthy skin, a supported belly, aligned structure, healthy diet, and a flattering outfit your whole day is brighter. Trust me, I’ve experienced it with and without. I wasn’t doing these things while I was less pregnant and I felt awful. Now I’m doing them, I’m more pregnant than I was, and I feel great. I’m shaking my head at myself. Wondering how I forgot these secrets and so happy that I did something to change. I have the energy to finish this pregnancy healthy and happy. Next stop, my favorite part, a gentle and beautiful birth!

Comment on this post and share your pregnancy must haves to enter yourself in a drawing for a FREE Bella Band OR FREE adjustment at First Choice Chiropractic OR FREE prenatal yoga at Darling Yoga OR a FREE box of organic produce from Fresh Connect! Winners choice!

All new mothers face a range of emotions with the birth of their babies. Mood swings and crying spells are common but fade quickly. Some women face more than the common baby blues. Postpartum depression and the even more severe postpartum psychosis have gained headlines in the last decade. From celebrity opinions to sad accounts of infant and maternal deaths, the media has brought this to societies attention.

Treatment

Counseling, antidepressants, and hormone therapy are common treatments for postpartum depression. Postpartum psychosis requires hospitalization and antidepressants, anti-psychotic medications and/or mood stabilizers. Medications offer their own range of side affects and health concerns. Medications and separation can greatly challenge a mothers ability to breastfeed as well.

Keeping active, setting realistic expectations on yourself, taking time for yourself, and avoiding isolation are some things that a mother can do to take care of herself and speed up recovery. Vitamin supplements such a Vitamin B Complex can help to balance mood swings and give a new mother energy. There is also an ancient remedy that has been used in nature since the beginning of time. Consuming the placenta helps balance a mother’s hormone levels postpartum.

The six weeks following birth, mothers have low levels of corticotropin-releasing hormone(CRH). Cortisol raises blood sugar levels and maintains normal blood pressure, which helps us perform well under stress. The Cortisol hormone helps combat depression. With low levels of CRH postpartum, mothers face the overload of emotions and stress of having a new baby without the hormones necessary to cope.

During the last several months of pregnancy the placenta releases high levels of CRH. After the placenta is gone the body is delayed in being able to regulate normal production levels of CRH. The placenta post birth is full of this hormone. Placenta encapsulation allows women to utilize this natural resource and continue to use it’s properties to balance hormones postpartum.

“The placenta can be dried, ground, and encapsulated. The capsules can then be taken daily for a number of weeks. You reap all of the healthful benefits of placenta quickly, easily and discreetly, and the capsules will last indefinitely (for years). When you have recovered from childbirth, you can freeze the capsules and save them for menopause.” –placentabenefits.info

PlacentaBenefits.info is a great online resource for information on the baby blues, the benefits of placenta encapsulation, and resources for finding professionals in your area. With professionals across the country many mothers are finding relief from symptoms of the baby blues and postpartum depression. http://placentabenefits.info/

For the Kansas City area Lilly Mason is the professional getting fantastic referrals from local mamas.

Placenta Encapsulating Testimonials

“Having experienced the ‘baby blues’ with the first births, it was so great to be able to simply enjoy my brand new baby and my other sweet girls without the negative feelings of anger, paranoia, and desperation. New moms don’t need to suffer with that now that this wonderful service is being offered!” -Sarah

“I noticed a change the first day I started taking them. At first I thought, well, maybe I just feel so good because I expect to, but I noticed a difference depending on taking it or not, and even the amount of pills or how I spaced them throughout the day. I knew this was real. I had so much energy, my postpartum bleeding was lighter and finished sooner than any of my other pregnancies, and I just felt wonderful.” -Debi

“Sometimes it is hard for someone to self diagnose how they are “doing”. I asked my husband along the way if he felt that me taking the capsules had contributed to my moods being better. He readily agreed that there was a world of difference between how I was after this birth while taking the capsules than I was the first time.” -Kimberly

From Brookie-Lee

After hearing the praises of placenta encapsulation from several mamas who visit our store I researched the benefits. Although the concept of consuming my baby’s placenta in the raw form was not appealing to me, taking capsules is a fantastic alternative. With different obstacles in my life and the stresses that I face, postpartum can be a trying time for me. I try and create a bubble around myself that allows me the time I will need for the adjustment of a new member to our family.

While I see a world of difference when I take my Vitamin B Complex I still suffered from the the Baby Blues with the birth of our third child. I hope to have Lilly Mason help us encapsulate the placenta for our new baby this spring. I look forward to using the natural hormones of the placenta for a happier, tear free babymoon.