Raw Pregnancy Tips Please

[VeroP]

So, I've been raw for about 14 months now and was surprised by very regular menstrual cycles in that time period - never late and sometimes early. So, at two days late today, I took a home pregnancy test and sure enough, it is positive!

I've had a vegan pregnancy and had gestational diabetes during it. That was in 2003 (also a surprise baby, then at 38). Now I am 42 and will be 43 before the baby comes. I feel healthier now than I have ever been in my life, but I want to make sure everything goes well.

At this point I do no supplement my diet. Where should I be getting my folic acid from? Should I consider a B12 supplement? I've been getting sun exposure, so I'm not worried about vitamin D at this point. Are there other vitamins that I should be concerned about during the pregnancy? Should I consider a prenatal vitamin? Will my food supply what I need if I am eating balanced?

Thoughts? Resources? Concerns?

Thanks!

VeroP

[Raene]

So, I've been raw for about 14 months now and was surprised by very regular menstrual cycles in that time period - never late and sometimes early. So, at two days late today, I took a home pregnancy test and sure enough, it is positive!

I've had a vegan pregnancy and had gestational diabetes during it. That was in 2003 (also a surprise baby, then at 38). Now I am 42 and will be 43 before the baby comes. I feel healthier now than I have ever been in my life, but I want to make sure everything goes well.

At this point I do no supplement my diet. Where should I be getting my folic acid from? Should I consider a B12 supplement? I've been getting sun exposure, so I'm not worried about vitamin D at this point. Are there other vitamins that I should be concerned about during the pregnancy? Should I consider a prenatal vitamin? Will my food supply what I need if I am eating balanced?

Thoughts? Resources? Concerns?

Thanks!

VeroP

Congrats!!!!! Yay, babies. Folic acid comes from so much of what you're eating raw. Oranges, greens, actually most things do have folic acid. Make sure you get plenty of Omega 3s by consuming hemp seeds, flax seeds, and algae. Do you do nutritional yeast? B-12 is definitely important; there's a great liquid B sold on rawguru that other pregnant people on the board use and have recommended. I'm sure you're getting plenty of C already but if you feel a need for more, camu powder or camu berries are higher in C than almost anything else.
Take care and just listen to your body. Sending hugs your way!

[VeroP]

Congrats!!!!! Yay, babies. Folic acid comes from so much of what you're eating raw. Oranges, greens, actually most things do have folic acid. Make sure you get plenty of Omega 3s by consuming hemp seeds, flax seeds, and algae. Do you do nutritional yeast? B-12 is definitely important; there's a great liquid B sold on rawguru that other pregnant people on the board use and have recommended. I'm sure you're getting plenty of C already but if you feel a need for more, camu powder or camu berries are higher in C than almost anything else.
Take care and just listen to your body. Sending hugs your way!


Thanks for the congrats and hugs! My husband and I are still reeling from the news, though my children seem excited and have been selecting girl names.

Omega 3s - hmmm - I don't do hemp or flax seeds in much of anything - I'll check out some recipes and sources. Nutritional yeast - only on occassion and I saw some mention of a vegan source of B-12. Perhaps I'll have some blood work done to see if there are concernes in that area before starting a supplement? Or should I just assume I need more?

Thanks for the information!

[Raene]

Yeah, who knows about B-12. It's so controversial.
Hemp seeds or flax--it's great to have 1/4 cup per day in a smoothie. :)

[VeroP]

I'm a bit concerned about getting in enough calories during my pregnancy and then by default enough nutrients. Since I've been seeking to lose weight while raw (I've lost 113 pounds since April, 2007), I intake around 1500 to 1700 calories a day. I don't always count, but the days that I input my intake at nutridiary.com, that is about what it runs.

Obviously I don't want to try to lose weight while pregnant, but my overweight status calculates to only gaining about 15 pounds during the pregnancy. So while I'm not wanting to diet, I want to make sure I am getting in healthy amounts for me and baby.

Thoughts on what that means?

[Raene]

Personally I don't believe in calorie counting. You eat until you're full and your body knows when you're getting enough. When pregnant eating small meals throughout the day are best and help alleviate morning sickness.
You do eat less calories than the charts say and this is b/c people are filling themselves up on EMPTY calories. These make us full but don't have nutrients...that's why I don't believe in calorie counting. As long as you are eating dates, nuts, avocados for fats and yes, calories, and you're filling yourself up as much as your body requires, then you'll be healthy. :)

[VeroP]

Personally I don't believe in calorie counting. You eat until you're full and your body knows when you're getting enough. When pregnant eating small meals throughout the day are best and help alleviate morning sickness.
You do eat less calories than the charts say and this is b/c people are filling themselves up on EMPTY calories. These make us full but don't have nutrients...that's why I don't believe in calorie counting. As long as you are eating dates, nuts, avocados for fats and yes, calories, and you're filling yourself up as much as your body requires, then you'll be healthy. :)

Thanks Raene, that is helpful. Again, I don't usually calorie count, but do like to check on my intake from time to time. At this point in life, I often feel full, but then shortly thereafter I'm starved! That has especially been happening in the last couple of days and I'm just wanting to make sure that things are okay. Even though I am in better health now then for my first two pregnancies, I still worry about my first raw pregnancy - just as I did 5 years ago about my first vegan pregnancy. (Funny, I didn't worry at all about that as a meat eater with my first pregnancy 18 years ago!) How life does change!

Thanks again for you input.