What's Really Important?
If this is your first baby, or even if it's your fifth, you know that the lists and recommendations during pregnancy can be a little overwhelming. What's really important to have or to know if you're having a baby? We've put together this page, with convenient links to our Amazon store and other partner stores, to highlight what we consider to be the most important things for you to have during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. We hope this helps you!
Being Healthy during Pregnancy
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There are very few people that we work with who don't need to supplement Vitamin D3 during their pregnancy. Check with your healthcare provider to know what your Vitamin D levels are and read Lily Nichol's blog post about the importance of Vitamin D during pregnancy for more information.
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Magnesium is our next top supplement during pregnancy. Magnesium helps prevent many common pregnancy discomforts such as constipation, heartburn, restless legs, and insomnia. Low levels of magnesium are associated with increased risks for mom and baby, too, so it's not just about keeping you comfortable! .
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Magnesium glycinate will help prevent headaches and is well absorbed by the body. Natural Calm (Magnesium Citrate) will help you sleep at night and can also help with constipation
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Lily Nichols is the queen of nutrition during pregnancy! Her blog and website are chock full of great information on how to help your body stay healthy while you're growing a baby. If you want it all in one place, I can't say enough great things about her book, "Real Food for Pregnancy." We wish all of our clients would read this one!
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Many insurance companies will cover the cost of a pregnancy support band and compression socks. You can follow the links on Motif Medical's webpage to see if you qualify.
Preparing for Birth
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You're also going to want to learn about birth so you and your partner are prepared for whatever the day brings your way. There's no way to know what your baby's birth day will be like and the goal is for you all to be ready for whatever happens. We've had several clients take the "Happy Homebirth Academy" childbirth class and feel so well prepared! We love that it has given them the confidence to navigate the birth process with all its twists and turns. You can sign up by clicking the link below!
Happy Homebirth Academy |
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In addition to getting your mind ready for birth, you'll also want to help your body prepare for birth. You are preparing for a major physical event in your life and your body will do so much better during the process if you help it be physically prepared. While there's nothing you can do to guarantee the birth outcome you're hoping for, a program like One Strong Mama will definitely help you stack the deck in your favor for a smooth, natural birth. By working to create balance and space in your core and pelvic floor, One Strong Mama will help set you up for a straight forward delivery and an easier postpartum recovery.
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And if you want extra help knowing how to ease back into physical activity after your baby's birth, their postpartum program is phenomenal! Whether your baby was born vaginally or via cesarean section, this program will help your pelvic floor and core recover after birth.
Birth
The most important thing for you to have at your birth is an outstanding support team! The time and energy you have put into preparing for birth is going to guide you down the labor path ahead of you. Your support team will be there to encourage you and support you, so it's super important for them to be on the same page as you. You'll want to have snacks and fluids (something with some electrolytes is a good idea for you!), comfy clothes, and whatever other comfort measures you've thought of to help you along the way.
We hope you have a beautiful and empowering birth day!!
We hope you have a beautiful and empowering birth day!!
Taking Care of You in the Postpartum
Frida Mom has some of the best products on the market for helping take care of you after baby is born. Their peribottle design is GENIUS! Padsicles are so soothing after delivery, particularly if you need any sutures. Frida Mom has a kit for those planning to deliver in the hospital or you can buy their products separately.
A postpartum herb bath is a lovely way to take care of yourself in the postpartum. If you're one of our clients, you'll have an herb bath prepared for you while you're in labor, but if you aren't or if you just want another one, it's totally worth it! Just make sure you buy an herbal bath that has all organic ingredients, since you're planning to be sitting in it after you give birth! The one linked below can be used as both an herbal bath and a compress--even better!
After your baby is born, your core is going to need some time before it's ready to fully support you when you're up and moving around. There are several postpartum compression garments available to help you be more comfortable in the postpartum, but make sure you get one that not only supports your core, but also your pelvic floor (these are the ones that have shorts or briefs with them). Motif Medical also has a postpartum compression garment that is covered by some insurance companies, so it's worth checking out their website to see if you qualify!
A postpartum herb bath is a lovely way to take care of yourself in the postpartum. If you're one of our clients, you'll have an herb bath prepared for you while you're in labor, but if you aren't or if you just want another one, it's totally worth it! Just make sure you buy an herbal bath that has all organic ingredients, since you're planning to be sitting in it after you give birth! The one linked below can be used as both an herbal bath and a compress--even better!
After your baby is born, your core is going to need some time before it's ready to fully support you when you're up and moving around. There are several postpartum compression garments available to help you be more comfortable in the postpartum, but make sure you get one that not only supports your core, but also your pelvic floor (these are the ones that have shorts or briefs with them). Motif Medical also has a postpartum compression garment that is covered by some insurance companies, so it's worth checking out their website to see if you qualify!
If books are your thing, these two have gotten rave reviews from our clients on helping them prepare for the postpartum and heal after their baby's birth:
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is a totally normal and natural way to feed your baby, but that doesn't mean it always happens without effort. Many new moms experience nipple pain and soreness in the first couple of weeks--in fact, nipple soreness is considered normal during that time (your nipples shouldn't be cracked or blistered or bleeding, but sore is pretty normal.) We recommend all of our clients have a nipple balm ready to use in the first 2 weeks and we've also had several clients who have loved the silver nursing cups to help with the tenderness they experience.
Whether you use a nursing pillow or just a standard pillow from your bed, you're going to want something to help you hold baby up while you're helping them latch. If you run into any breastfeeding issues, having a good resource to turn to is essential. We love the book by La Leche League called, "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding." It covers the most common issues that come up and give you tips and tricks to help work through it.
But the most important thing for you to have to set yourself up for breastfeeding success is the phone number for a local IBCLC (they are a board certified lactation consultant). Your local resources are going to help you far more than any item we could put on this list, so make sure you know who to call if you need help!
Whether you use a nursing pillow or just a standard pillow from your bed, you're going to want something to help you hold baby up while you're helping them latch. If you run into any breastfeeding issues, having a good resource to turn to is essential. We love the book by La Leche League called, "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding." It covers the most common issues that come up and give you tips and tricks to help work through it.
But the most important thing for you to have to set yourself up for breastfeeding success is the phone number for a local IBCLC (they are a board certified lactation consultant). Your local resources are going to help you far more than any item we could put on this list, so make sure you know who to call if you need help!
