So excited to share my Nest baby diaper review. After having 3 babies I’ve learned what a good diaper is and what it isn’t. Being in the green community and living a natural lifestyle most people might think I cloth diaper. I don’t and never have! While I think it’s amazing if you do and more power to you, it just hasn’t been for my family. I definitely entertained it but my husband was adamant that he was not going to cloth diaper. I realized he’s made so many concessions in other areas when it comes to a natural lifestyle for me, I wasn’t going to push him into something he wasn’t for. Plus, from what I’ve read you want both parents to be on the same page when it comes to cloth diapering!
I’ve tried ALL the natural brands when it comes to natural diapers. Literally. There weren’t many options 5 1/2 years ago when I had my first daughter. But they have definitely improved since then.
Today I want to share my full review on Nest diapers. I had actually first heard about them from a follower and when I looked into them knew I HAD to try them out for myself.
*Nest did gift me the diapers, however, thoughts and opinions are my own.
These eco-friendly diapers are changing the disposal diaper game for good!
So what makes Nest diapers different?
Unlike most diapers that sit in a land fill forever, Nest diapers do the opposite! They degrade- how cool is that. They are made from plant based and sustainable materials. The ingredients are environmentally friendly and renewable. I love that they clearly list their ingredients on their website. Check out the full ingredient list here.
They are also independently tested by a laboratory and are Oeko-Tex 100 & SGS certified. Most diapers are made with fragrance, chlorine, and who know’s what else- but not Nest. They are free of all of those chemicals. Nest diapers are even tested to ensure they are not irritating and hypo-allergenic. I love knowing that the diaper I’m using is squeaky clean!
SJ is a fan of the Nest diapers!
My Experience with Nest Diapers-
I was impressed first of all by the packaging. Nest isn’t just concerned about the diaper itself but also the environment as a whole. The diapers come in a paper bag that has a thin film polypropylene. This creates a packaging that is not only recyclable and great for the environment but also that stops the plastic use epidemic.
The diapers themselves are simple and white. Nothing written on them or logo. Just the diaper, which I appreciate. Sometimes I think we need to come back to simple times when things were basic. Nest achieves that beautifully.
Upon first glance at the diapers I noticed that they appeared larger and wider than other brands of the same size. I wanted to share the sizing chart below so you could see the different options. They do allow for a little more growth than typical diapers in my opinion.
I really love how wide they are. It helps to keep everything inside the diaper. The diapers don’t smell at all. Another thing I love! We have had two blowouts using them but both times it was when my husband had changed him. I’m not pointing blame but he didn’t pull the diaper sides out like I usually do. 😉 I mean all you moms can feel me on this! I love how they are softer than some other natural brands that I’ve used in the past too. They mold to the baby’s body instead of being stiff and scratchy.
They come by bag, case or you can even order a sample. I love that they offer samples! Such a great idea. Get a sample here. I got the case of size 1 diapers and it has lasted me for almost a month! They also have training pants too- something I’m excited to try for my 3 year old.
I asked my hubs what his thoughts on the diapers were and he said great. That he would definitely recommend. I feel the same! I’m so excited to finally have a diaper that feels good on my baby, works and is good for the environment.
Sharing my 7 postpartum recovery tips for you in my latest video today! All about what has worked for me postpartum with my third baby. I finally feel like I know what works after having 3 babies. I’m giving you the full scoop in the latest video!
This has been the smoothest transition so far after 3 babies. Sometimes I think we don’t consider the postpartum season and how that is going to look or how we want it to look. In this video I’m diving into boundaries I’ve set up, preparations I made before having my third baby that helped me and practical things that go a long way when welcoming a new baby into the house. I hope this video helps you have a clearer idea of what kind of postpartum season you want and parameters you can set up to make the transition as smooth as possible.
*Also, if you’re interested in more natural mama content, check out some of my past posts all about pregnancy below:
I wanted to share how to prep for baby with you and what I did to make sure I was ready. This is my third baby and I’ve learned a lot with the last two. So far this postpartum season has been so much better than my last two. I definitely credit it to having some experience with my first two. You know what to expect the second and third time around and you’re more aware of what you really need and what you don’t.
I’m going to share what I prepped before the birth and how it’s helped make the transition so much smoother. This is essentially a little of what I would have in my hospital bag, but since I have home births it’s more what I have on hand and ready to go after the birth. But if you are having your baby at a hospital or birth center, this would still apply.
Some of the things I had prepped were products and some weren’t. I found having all of these things on hand has helped me so much in the transition. I don’t have to think about frantically ordering things or having my hubs run and get me something since I know what I will need. I hope if this is your first baby or even if it’s your third or fourth baby this will help you when prepping for your new bundle! Keep reading to find out all the essentials I had ready to go when baby was born.
*I’m going to first outline items to have ready to go for mama and then what to prep and have ready to go for baby.
Me and my little man!
How To Prep For Baby:
Prepping For Mama-
Chic Bathrobe- This might sound a little funny but for me I knew I wanted to have a maternity/nursing robe that I could wear right after the birth that was chic looking. There are so many pictures taken initially and I wanted something that I could feel comfortable in but also looked pretty. I found just the robe! This would be a great gift for a new mom too. Check out the robe here!
Wish Garden Cramp Tincture- This is an herbal remedy for after birth pains. Usually this happens more after your first baby, not that it can’t happen with your first. But it tends to happen the more babies you have. I had read really good things about how this helped soothe after birth cramps for many women. I love that it’s just herbs. I actually didn’t end up using it because I had lost quite a bit of blood…SJ was 10lb. and 7 oz and so the midwife didn’t want me to take it because she said it actually causes the uterus to relax more and she wanted mine to not relax, since that could cause more bleeding. I still would recommend it from what I’ve read though. After birth pains definitely are uncomfortable. Get it here!
Breast Pads- I use some disposable breast pads in the first month or so as my milk supply is evening out and then I transition to reusable breast pads. I use disposable pads and then once I transition to reusable breast pads I use Marley Monsters. I find I have a lot of leaking the first several weeks when my milk production is just starting and the reusable ones I always end up leaking through. Get the disposable pads here and the Marley Monster pads here.
Pads For Down Under- Yes, after you have a baby you will bleed for a bit. Some women bleed less and others bleed more. I usually bleed for the first couple weeks. In the beginning you tend to bleed a lot more. Especially the first 48 hours or so. I actually used Depends the first several days and they were amazing! I can’t recommend them enough. As silly as it may seem to put on a Depends they work amazingly well. You don’t have to worry about leaking anywhere. I also had some pads on hand for after the first several days. You’ll still be bleeding but not enough to where you’ll need to wear a Depends. Get Depends here and pads here.
Breastmilk Storage- I found it’s best to have all your breastmilk storage equipment figured out beforehand. So have the breast pump, figure out how you’re going to store the breast milk and make sure you have all the products, etc. Your milk usually comes in around day 3 and it typically comes in with a vengeance! I love being able to pump right away to help establish my milk production and to find some relief from engorged breasts. I found for me having my system of pumping and storing my breast milk figured out has helped me a ton. I use this pump, but use these glass bottles to attach to the pump as I’m pumping. Then I store the breast milk in these silicone cubes and then once frozen store them in mason jars. I also would invest in a Haakka. This has literally changed my life this time around! It collects all the let down from the side you’re not pumping on. Making it so easy to collect breast milk without even pumping. It’s pretty amazing. Get it here!
Nipple Balm- This is definitely a necessity for the first several weeks. I always tend to get sore nipples and having an organic nipple cream on hand really makes the difference. I rub this on after feedings to help prevent cracked or dry nipples. Get it here!
Mother’s Milk Tea- This is a definite must in my book when it comes to keeping up my milk supply. I always have this on hand right after I give birth. It helps to promote healthy lactation. Plus, it’s such a soothing drink I’ve found after birth. I drink it everyday. Usually putting two tea bags in a mug of hot water. Get it here!
Water Bottle- This might sound like a silly one but it’s actually really important in my opinion. Staying hydrated is super important when breastfeeding and after birth helping to flush out excess fluids. Finding a water bottle that you love and makes it easy for you to get your daily water intake in is essential. Find what works for you. For me it’s as simple as getting a 32 oz size mason jar and silicone straw. I find I drink more water from a straw. Get a water bottle that holds a decent amount of water and have it ready to go after you give birth. It will make getting your daily water intake in so much easier! Check out what I use here and here.
Nursing Bras and Tank Tops- Having these ready to go and washed is also another great things to have prepped. As I said earlier your milk production comes in around day 3 so it’s nice to have nursing bras and tank tops all ready to go since you’ll be living in them. I found you need to have several too, since the night sweats after birth can leave you smelling less than pleasant and leave your clothes feeling grimy. Plus, sometimes you’re covered in spit up by the end of the day. I really like Target’s options for nursing bras and tank tops. They’re effective but budget friendly. Check out the nursing bras I have here and the tank tops here. For the nursing bras I would tend to size up. You will get a lot larger in the chest then you realize and I always think nursing bras tend to run a bit smaller.
Supplements- Now is not the time to stop your supplements just because the baby is out. In fact it’s even more crucial to continue taking your prenatal and anything else your doctor may have recommended during pregnancy. From what I’ve read you should continue supplementing up until 6 months after birth. Your body is going to be depleted from just having a baby and needs the extra nutrients. Plus, you are still giving out so much if you’re breastfeeding. I also would recommend seeing a Naturopathic Doctor or Functional Doctor right before having baby and getting a blood draw. This will help you to see where your levels are right before birth and then you can get your blood drawn again in 6 weeks to make sure you are not getting depleted in a certain area. Mom’s tend to not take care of themselves and focus on the baby. You still need to take care of yourself! Find a functional medical doctor in your area here. I love Seeking Health’s Prenatal Supplement and B Complex, Probiotic, and Magnesium. I take Elite Fuel’s Vitamin D3+K2.
Meal Prep- It might seem obvious but it’s definitely something most women I find don’t do in prepping for baby. I didn’t with my first two. I shared how I meal prepped and planned for baby #3 in this video. I went over the recipes I made and how I did it, plus how I didn’t store in plastic. This has been one of the best things I did! Not having to think about what I am going to make for dinner and having things I can easily reheat that are nutrient dense has been a game changer. I can’t recommend meal prepping enough! Ask a few family members or friends to help and make a day out of it. Check out my meal prep video here.
My third little nugget- SJ!
Prepping For Baby-
Onesie- Having some onesie’s or clothes on hand that are washed and ready to go is definitely good. Since I didn’t know the gender of the third baby I just made sure I had some of my girl’s old onesie’s and then I bought a boy onesie’s. Knowing I had at least one outfit made me feel at ease. This is the onesie I got for SJ.
Bouncy Ball- This is what we’ve used with our last two and it’s been so clutch. It’s just the big balls you use for working out but instead we just use it to hold and bounce the baby when they’re a little fussy. You know the witching hour that tends to happen during the day. Well, this comes in handy for those exact times. Instead of having to stand and rock them, you can sit and bounce on the ball. The baby loves it! We always make sure we have ours filled with air and ready to go before baby arrives. Check them out here!
Pacifier- I know some people don’t like giving their kids pacifiers but I’ve found it’s been nice to have one on hand for our kids. Sometimes you can’t just keep feeding them and they still want to suck and so these come in handy. I’m ok giving them to my baby as long as they seem like they have a good latch when nursing. It hasn’t been a problem for me. These are the ones I got for SJ.
Swaddle- You can either swaddle them in a swaddle blanket or get a specific swaddle product. They have so many swaddle products now to help make swaddling babies easier. I found the swaddle blankets are ok but not as effective as the swaddle products. I love the Ollie Swaddle. My friend gave it to me and it’s been amazing. It’s super easy to use and really helps them to sleep so well! Check out the Ollie Swaddle here.
Baby Bed- Figure out what you’re going to put the baby in initially. How is the set up going to be, etc. It can seem silly but having something to put your baby in that’s ready to go makes all the difference in the beginning, especially when sleep can be harder to come by. I have used this for all my kids on my bed for the first 6 weeks or so and it’s been great. I put it on my bed in the middle. I love that I can see them easily and that they’re elevated a little. Check it out here.
Night Light- Another thing you might not think about but I find is nice is a night light. Whether you use your phone’s light, have a bedside lamp, a literal night light or even a salt lamp, it’s nice to have something for those late night feedings. No one wants to turn on a bright light in the middle of the night. I have a salt lamp that I used in the beginning but now I’ve been using my phone’s light. It still works even when you’re phone is on airplane mode.
Boppy Or Breastfriend- I had the poppy with Finley and the breast friend with Gracie and I like the breast friend better. It makes nursing so much easier, especially in those first several months when they are smaller. It can be hard to get the right position and you can feel like you’re becoming a hunchback but with the breast friend it helps to bring the baby up to you and give you just the right position. It will make breast feeding more enjoyable. The boppy tended to move around a lot on me. I prefer the breast friend. Get it here!
Wipes- Obviously you want to have wipes on hand. These are my favorite wipes. They’re ingredients are amazing and they aren’t too wet or too dry, just the perfect consistency. Plus, I love that I can buy them by the case from Amazon! Get them here.
Diapers- Another obvious is diapers. I really like Bambo Nature, and Pamper’s Pure. Honest diapers are good too, I find they aren’t as soft. I have a new brand that I’ve been testing out and really loving called Nest. They are completely compostable. My guidelines for a diaper are they must be fragrance free and chlorine free. The face that the Nest is compostable is definitely a added bonus! Check out the Nest diapers here.
Wrap- I think a wrap is really nice to have, especially in the early months. Sometimes the only way they will sleep is on you and mama has to get things done. I really like the Boba Wrap and the Sakura Ring Sling. They both have been awesome for wearing baby. I also have the Ergo Carrier and love that as well. It works with newborns too but I find I use that as they get a little older. Check out the Boba Wrap and the Sakura Ring Sling here.
Blanket- Shocker you need a blanket! I love having a couple on hand in case one gets dirty or has spit up on it. I recently bought this one from Amazon. It’s 100% organic and jersey knit. I love the print options they have as well. Check them out here.
I hope these prep tips have been helpful for when you’re getting ready for baby! Obviously there are a lot more things you could have but I’ve found these are the essentials when I’m thinking about how to prep for baby. Sometimes less is more too.
What are some of your favorite things you prep for baby?
Sharing my third home birth story of my baby boy on the blog. This is my third baby and our last. 😉 I wanted to share my home birth story in hopes that it would help anyone reading this who wants to do a home birth or natural birth. I think a lot of times having a baby can be made out to be something that isn’t natural. When really our body was created to do it. I also know that home births are not for everyone and at the end of the day you just have to do what’s best for you and your baby.
I love home births because that’s where I feel most comfortable. I know a lot of people feel better in a hospital. As the phrase goes- you do you! I had Finley and Gracie at home and it only felt right to have my third baby at home.
Ok, on to my third home birth story.
My baby boy SJ! 🙂
This pregnancy was so different than my last two. I was super uncomfortable, and felt lots of pressure the whole time. It makes sense now that I know how much my baby weighed! A whopping 10 lbs. 7 oz. I felt like the whole pregnancy he was just sitting on my bladder. If you would have told me I would have a 10 lb + baby I would have laughed! Finley was 9.05 lbs. and Gracie was 7 lbs. 12 oz. so I thought if I had a boy he could be 9 something but not 10. Little did I know!
So I had SJ on Monday night but I started the labor and birth process on Saturday. I lost my mucous plug on Saturday and had some bloody show. I didn’t start having contractions until Saturday early morning around 2 am. They would come every 20-30 minutes. Nothing crazy. Then they stopped Sunday morning. I would still have one every hour or so but it definitely wasn’t progressing. I walked up and down my stairs throughout the day trying to get my body to progress. But nothing really happened until later that night. Around 8 pm I started to have contractions again but they were 20 minutes apart. Some were 15 minutes apart. My two sisters were over and we were just chatting it up on the couch timing them.
Proud parents of a baby boy!
Then that night I woke up around 3 am and started to have contractions again every 20 minutes. Some were closer. It went on like this all night until the morning. Then they died down in the morning again. I was determined to get some things done before the baby came so I worked all morning until 1 pm. I was having contractions throughout the morning and could tell that I was going to have the baby that day. They still weren’t super close together. Then around 2:30 pm they started to pick up. They were happening every 10 minutes and then every 5 minutes pretty quickly. I knew I was going to have my baby that night!
This little boy completes our family.
I called my family and told them. My mom came over and my two sisters and then my other sister came later on. Thankfully she made the birth!  This really was so cool because I wanted my sisters to all be there and they were able to make it.  My sister in law came over too and my midwife got to my house around 4:30 pm. I was having contractions every 5 minutes. But when I started to stand up and move around they would happen quicker. More like every 3 minutes. I knew I needed to keep walking in order to keep things progressing. I started to bear crawl up my stairs. I’ve heard many people say this can help keep things moving in labor. They were coming on faster. I was still able to talk to my family or midwife at this point in between contractions. Then finally it was around 6:30-7 when things started to get more intense. I wasn’t talking to anyone but just focused on getting through the contractions. I would go to the bathroom and swaddle the toilet for a bit and then move back to being on my knees on the floor and my hands and elbows on the couch. I was also standing for many of them and leaning against the counter.Â
For me my favorite position when getting through contractions is on my knees and my arms and elbows on the couch or a bouncy ball. I know everyone is different but for me it always feels the best. Not that it still feels good. Finally it got to the point where they were coming on really quick and I wasn’t getting much breaks. They were also getting really intense. More intense then with my other two babies. It finally got to the point where I felt so much pressure and wanted to push. My midwife said push if you feel like it. So I started to push. It felt like it did nothing though. There was just so much pressure I thought how am I going to get this baby out?! It was way more intense than with my other two.
Proud daddy catching his son!
When I pushed again my water broke. It was crazy. I had never had it happen like that. It was like an explosion of water went everywhere. My midwife later said that I had got her pretty good! I continued to feel an immense amount of pressure the contractions were getting so strong. I kept thinking to myself push with the contractions. So when the next one came on I gave it all I had and pushed when it peaked. They started to say they could see the head and boy could I feel it! I knew I had to keep pushing with the contractions to help get this baby out. The next contraction I gave it all I had again and the head came out. By this time I knew I just needed to keep going with the pushes and the contractions. I felt so tired though and again the pressure was so intense. I was wailing at this point as I pushed. We were all surprised after that my kids didn’t wake up from it. I just kept thinking I have to get this baby out- the pain was intense. I gave another huge push with the contraction and out came my baby!  I had SJ right on my living room floor.
Meeting my son for the first time!
My husband caught him and announced it was a boy!  We named him SJ- Stephen Judah.  We hadn’t found out the gender and it was so fun hearing him say boy. In my heart I thought it was a boy all along. Just so many things pointed to boy. My whole family thought boy too. But it could be the fact that a boy hasn’t been born to our family in 38 years- since my brother. I had two girls before SJ and my brother has 5 girls. I mean we love girls for sure but it was definitely time everyone thought for a boy. It was pretty special seeing my dad meet him for the first time too since he’s named after him. He came about an hour after he was born. We asked him if he thought it was a boy or a girl and he said he didn’t know. When I said it was a boy, he excitedly said YES! My sisters and mom were all crying as he was being born.  It was just so sweet. My sister in law is a naturopathic doctor and has had 5 kids herself naturally and 4 at home. She always helps me through each labor, she’s amazing and I don’t know what I would do without her at my births.  Her and my hubs switch on and off rubbing my back and putting pressure on it. This pregnancy I had so much back labor compared to the last two as well. It felt better when someone would put pressure on my back as the contractions were happening. Up until it got really intense I was still timing the contractions on my phone with the Contractions app. Well I wasn’t timing it, my sister was. I would just say it’s coming and she would start it. This helped me to see how far apart my contractions were. It also helped me continue to stand and move because I could tell my contractions would pick up when I did move and slow down when I sat down.
Finley loves holding her little brother!
It was such sweet relief the moment he came out. There are no words! I felt like I had just climbed a mountain, or basically ran up the mountain. I remember just saying I did it!  My midwife said I pushed for 9 minutes.  Felt like so much longer than 9 minutes! They handed me SJ and it was just the best feeling in the world. I couldn’t believe how big he looked and that he came out of me. When she weighed him and it said 10 lbs. 7 oz. I was in disbelief. I just didn’t even know what to say!  My midwife said he could have weighed more even but he did pee right after he came out. How in the world did I just deliver a 10 + pound baby?! It’s just amazing what the human body can do. I did have a small tear but it wasn’t big enough to stitch up. This happened with Gracie too. Where I had a small tear but not big enough to stitch. I just have to rest up and be careful to not do anything to over exert myself. No stairs for a little bit! I also bled way more than with my other two babies. So much so that the midwife had to give me a shot of something to help stop the bleeding. It totally helped ease it up. 10 lb babies don’t mess around! I took a shower after giving birth in my shower and then crawled into bed with my new bundle. That’s my favorite part. Getting to take a shower in my own shower and sleep in my bed. Feels so good.
I definitely feel so different with this baby compared to the other two as far as recovery. The whole birth just felt a lot more intense. I’ve been laying in bed the last several days just giving my body the rest it needs to heal. I felt pretty swollen down under and sore all over. Which makes sense after hearing how much he weighed. They say that for every baby you have you should literally lay in bed after for that many days. With Finley I tried moving around way earlier than I should and got mastitis. I learned my lesson. I know it’s only going to help my whole family if I rest up and heal. My mom has been awesome helping me out with my girls and making me meals. Also, my hubs has been a rockstar at doing everything for me. We haven’t had to dig into our meal prep quite yet. So thankful we did meal prep a ton for this baby. I can tell it’s going to be clutch.
Still looking 6 months pregnant after 4 days.
I still look like I’m 6 months pregnant, but really embracing my body and all that it’s accomplished. I have stretch marks, a bulging belly and I have more love in my heart than I’ve ever had. There’s no high I always say like having a baby gives you. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with challenges but the reward is SO sweet.
Have you had a home birth? Â Would love to hear about it, leave me a comment below. Â Hope you enjoyed reading my third home birth story!
So excited to share with you that baby #3 is here! Â We are over the moon and enjoying every little moment with this new little human. Â Sharing the gender reveal, and name of baby #3 in my newest video! Â
Can’t wait to continue sharing this journey with you of motherhood and living a natural life!
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Sharing my pregnancy must haves today on the blog! So many of you have asked for this blog post. I wanted to make sure I did it towards the end in case I added products. There’s so many things that come up in pregnancy it can seem daunting to know what pregnancy must haves you need, especially if it’s your first baby.
Then besides pregnancy must haves, it can seem overwhelming to weed through all the natural products and what you really need. Well, I’ve done all the homework so you can sit back and relax during your pregnancy.
With my third baby due literally any day now I’ve been around the baby block a time or two and know what natural pregnancy must haves you really need and what you don’t. I’m sharing all the details in this post. I’ve picked up so many products along the way from all of my pregnancies and I’m sharing them in this post with you.
My hope is that you feel armed with a little more info. to make the best decisions for you and your baby!
I’ll also have an updated baby guide soon. I want to try a few more baby products before I update it, but first I need a baby to try them on. 🙂
*As always this is merely what has worked for me. Please always consult your physician before starting something new or taking a new supplement.
Lily Nichols Real Food For Pregnancy Book-
This book is seriously a game changer! It wasn’t available for my first or second pregnancy. Lily does such a great job of weeding through the research and really backing her findings with actual data. You will know what foods to eat and when to support a healthy pregnancy and baby. She even dives into supplements, exercise and child spacing. She also has some great recipes too. I can’t recommend her book enough. Get it here!
Lily Nichols For Gestational Diabetes-
This book I got later on in my third pregnancy but I wished I would have had it from the very beginning. If you’re pregnant than you’ve probably heard of gestational diabetes. I didn’t have it with my first two and didn’t give it much thought with my third. However, after testing my blood sugar myself it was elevated. I wasn’t diagnosed with gestational diabetes but I did want to lower it. This book really would have been a great resource in the beginning because she recommends you have a certain test done in the very early part of your pregnancy to determine if you’re at risk for developing gestational diabetes. This test is pretty accurate if done in the beginning of pregnancy. It would have been great to know in the beginning since you can change your diet, etc. early on. I learned so much from reading it! My blood sugar was lowered with just a few tweaks and I felt better overall. Get it here!
Testing Your Blood Sugar Yourself-
This might sound annoying but honestly it made such a difference for me. I had just taken the glucola drink with my first two pregnancies but with this one I wanted to avoid the drink. I did get the undyed glucola drink both times but still, it’s not my favorite and I never have that much sugar at once. I thought it would be interesting to test my blood sugar myself instead for a couple weeks. This is what they will have you do if you don’t want to take the glucola drink. You prick your finger in the morning upon waking, and then and hour after each meal. Some practitioners may have you even do it after snacks. You write down your results each time. It was so eye opening! It made me realize how my body was processing different foods, compared to others. For example, I found white rice would really skyrocket my blood sugar. So I knew to avoid that. Personally, in the long run I think it’s the best method because it really gives you an individualized approach to what foods affect your blood sugar. It also just makes you aware of how blood sugar works in general. I didn’t fully understand it all until testing myself. I am excited to test myself even after having the baby to see if foods affect me differently then. Here is the kit I bought from Amazon!
Pretty sure my belly is at maxed capacity!
DGL For Acid Reflux-
I struggled with acid reflux in my first pregnancy but not in my second. Then it came back with a vengeance in my third. DGL is what has helped both times. DGL stands for Deglycyrrhizinated licorice. It’s an herbal supplement that helps to ease acid reflux. If you have a chewable form it takes like black licorice. This is what my naturopathic doctor recommended. It worked both times! I don’t get it everyday, just every now and then in my third trimester. I would take 3 chewables and it would go away. So much better than taking an OTC med in my opinion! This is the one I took!
Compression Tights or Socks-
I can’t recommend getting a pair of these enough! They have helped with every pregnancy. My mom suffered from varicose veins and I have one on my left side that will bother me. When I wear my compression tights, it feels SO much better. Plus, I wear the compressions tights for swelling. Most of my pregnancies have been more in the warmer months and I tend to swell more in my feet. Especially my left side which they say is common in pregnancy. When I wear my compression tights my legs and feet are so much less swollen. Plus, if you want to avoid getting varicose veins they recommend you wear them if you are pregnant too. Get them here!
Mountain Meadow Herbs Gentle Birth Drops-
My midwife recommended these to me this time around for the third baby. She said every patient of her’s who’s taken them has a pretty straight forward birth without complications. It’s an herbal liquid tincture. You just take it starting at 35 weeks and then up the dosage at 36 weeks. It does have blue cohosh which some people don’t like since it’s been linked to birth defects in animals. They do have a version of the herbal tincture that does not contain blue cohosh if you feel more comfortable using that instead. Get them here!
Get at least 80-100 grams of protein a day-
I remember thinking this seemed crazy with my first pregnancy! However, your baby is growing so rapidly and needing the extra protein for fetal development. Plus, for me the biggest thing I noticed when I ate enough protein, especially in my first pregnancy was increased energy and less nausea. It helped keep me full longer which kept my nausea at bay. I know you will crave carbs really and that’s it a lot of times but if you can really get some good protein in it helps so much. They say the average pregnant women needs 80-100 grams of protein! And if you’re having twins it’s more like 120-150 grams. This also helps with blood sugar regulation. I have an extra protein shake everyday using Activ Whey Goat Whey Protein. It’s so tasty and the protein powder is the best! You can read more about the protein powder here and why it takes the cake in my opinion. I will add 1 cup of Forager coconut/cashew milk, 3 ice cubes, a teaspoon of chia seeds, and blend that all together. Then I’ll add the two scoops of the Activ Whey protein powder after the ice is all mixed up and smooth. I only blend the protein powder for a few since if you over blend it can add air to the drink and make you feel gassy when you drink it. Sometimes I’ll even add a scoop of cacao powder- it legit tastes like a chocolate milkshake! Check out Activ Whey here.Also, check out my protein podcast I did with my naturopathic doctor here!
Natural Stretch Mark Cream For Belly-
Avoid all the mainstream stretch mark creams filled with synthetic chemicals and snag a natural one instead. Let’s be real, I rubbed stretch mark cream on my belly a couple times a day during my first pregnancy. With my second pregnancy, same story. But with this one…I rubbed it on faithfully and I got two stretch marks! The more I read up on stretch marks the more it has a lot to do with your hormones and genes. My belly was so different this time around too. It protrudes so much more than the first two. I’ve come to peace with them! But the natural stretch mark cream is good for helping ease itchiness too. I really like Primally Pure’s Baby Oil– it’s what the founder used for her growing belly and I love Earth Mama Naturals Belly Oil andLotion. I rub it on my belly morning and night.
I would also recommend taking your blood throughout pregnancy. I did and it really helped me to know how my thyroid was doing and if I was low in anything else. Your body goes through so many changes when you’re pregnant, it’s important to keep tabs on what’s happening so you can properly adjust or supplement if you need too. I’m going to share a few supplements below that I started to take after getting my blood work back.
Inositol-
This is great for helping with blood sugar regulation. It’s just a powder that you add to some water. It almost tastes a little sweet. My naturopath had recommended it to me initially after seeing that my antibodies were getting pretty low(I have Hashimotos) and he said that taking a combination of that plus selenium had shown to help reduce antibodies even more. So I was already taking it but then after my blood sugar testing had shown my blood sugar was elevated he said to keep taking it since it helps regulate blood sugar as well. Check it out here.
Iron-
I also started to take an iron supplement. The baby goes through so much iron! So even though you might not think you need an iron supplement since you’re no longer having a period and losing blood, you might. Obviously, talk with your doctor and have your levels checked but I’ve always been low in iron in my pregnancies. It’s best to have your levels checked in the beginning so you can get a jumpstart on supplementing. Check out the iron I take here.
Probiotic-
This is one I find not everyone considers taking when pregnant but I think it’s a great one to incorporate. Studies have shown that you can help achieve a negative GBS(Group B Streptococcus) when tested. This is the bacteria you get tested for towards the very end of your pregnancy. Taking a good probiotic might help your test to come back negative. If you have a positive GBS then they say you have a 1 in 200 chance of your baby getting an infection. The bacteria isn’t necessarily bad for adults but for babies. If you are positive your doctor will have you take antibiotics during your birth. It’s obviously not the end of the world, but if you can avoid getting antibiotics then why not. Check out the probiotic I take here.
Also, If you want to read about my home birth experiences with my first two babies, check them out here and here.
Stay tuned! I’ll be sharing next week what I have ready and prepped for after baby. Even though I’m having a home birth there are some essential things I like to have ready to go. I may not have a “hospital bag” since I’m staying at home but this would be the equivalent if I did!
Sharing all my favorite natural pregnancy products on the blog!
This little man is my prize after pregnancy!
