Pregnancy

Are you pregnant or nursing?  

At no other time in your life will the need for great nutrition be so important -- for your baby needs so much to grow!  Eating healthy doesn't have to be hard.  Read through these links to find out why good nutrition is so important -- and to get a great list of foods you simply must eat every day. 

Before You're Pregnant...

The sites I list below are noted for their natural family planning.  That means, they will teach you how to understand how your body works so that you can try to conceive (or prevent pregnancy) without having to use contraceptives that could harm a baby or you.  I believe that family planning is a personal decision but I urge you to also consider the consequences of the choices you make.

• Web Womb is a great place to start when you're trying to conceive.
• Fertility Friend is another free website for those trying to conceive.
• The Couple to Couple League is an authority in natural family planning (Catholic).
• What if my husband and I have different views on birth control?
• Is the birth control pill an abortifacient?
• How can I possibly handle having a "large" family?  That's for super-women!
• Fertility Awareness, Fertility and Food, and more

Benefits of Pregnancy and Motherhood (some interesting articles)...

• Pregnancy "Makes Women Live Longer"
• Cells from Babies Help Heal Their Mothers

Pregnancy Resources...

Once you find out that you’re pregnant, you’ll be so excited.  You’ll also discover the vast amount of information available to pregnant women.  Some of it is reassuring… some is scary.  Sometimes sources contradict each other.  My best advice to you (and yes, you’ll get lots of advice!) is to educate yourself.  You have 9 months to prepare, and good preparation takes time.  Ask lots of questions.  Make sure you understand what is happening as your baby grows, and begin to take responsibility for your parenting now.  

My favorite pregnancy website:  

• The archives at Gentle Birth.org are a good place to look for answers for your pregnancy and childbirth questions.

Other very good sites:

• hCG Levels in Early Pregnancy
• Healthy Eating During Pregancy:  A Visit with Dr. Tom Brewer
• Wise Eating for the Childbearing Years
• Online Pregnancy Test  
• Affordable Ovulation & Pregnancy Tests (this company is owned by a very nice Christian family, so please support them!)
• How to Avoid Having a Premature Baby
• Sidelines is a network of support groups across the country for women and their families experiencing complicated pregnancies
• Choosing a Childbirth Educator
• How to interview a caregiver
• Pregnancy Decisions - nutritional advice (also sells products)
• Wise Use of Herbs & Vitamins During Pregnancy
• Herbs to Avoid During Pregnancy
• Birth Related Links
• Midwifery, Birth and Parenting Web Resources
• NaturalChildbirth.org resources
• All About Gestational Diabetes
• Birth and Baby Links, from the Association of Christian Childbirth Professionals

Do you have heartburn?  Try warm milk and honey!  Have any more helpful hints?  Please e-mail me!

Books We Love -- Before pregnancy

• Taking Charge of Your Fertility :   The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control and Pregnancy Achievement, by Toni Weschler

Books We Love -- During pregnancy

• What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know, by Gail Brewer (note:  I can't say enough about how excellent this book is, and while it is out of print, please make it a priority to check your local library or this website for the e-book -- Blue Ribbon Baby Pages)

• The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy : The Essential Guide to Nutritional and Botanical Medicine for the Childbearing Years, by Shonda Parker