Holistic Pregnancy Guide

Pregnancy has the potential to be the most delicious and expanding experience ever. While there is a potential for complications to arise, it’s important to understand that being pregnant is inherently not an emergency, it generally needs no interventions and it will carry out as it intended to so long as we are human.

The steps that you take ahead of conception to support fertility through diet and lifestyle while simultaneously making sure you’re on the same page as your partner (by having open and honest conversations with one another preconception) will have a huge effect on your pregnancy, birth and postpartum period.

My goal as a holistic nutritionist and fertility health coach is to help you unleash your pregnancy potential, to help you find your village, your support and your best possible self as you navigate the world of fertility, pregnancy and more… I want to help you feel your best, but helping you find ways to support your body in ways that feel natural, supportive, calming, exciting and delicious!

I recently joined forced with a group of women whose purposes are you help teach enlighten and empower women. What a gift, right? We put together a collection of amazing services to help you, mama, on your journey.

In conjunction with these fertility blog posts, my fertility programs, my self-serve booklets and support, the modalities that are shared within this group of wise women are areas worth exploring while looking to navigate a holistic pregnancy. This guide is the foundation to supporting and nourishing your pregnant body. Stick with me.  

A Holistic Pregnancy Looks A Little Like This:

• Nourishing your pregnant body
• Learning about physiological birth (to help address any fears we may have of birth
• Moving your body in a way that is best suited for pregnancy (yoga is great for this!)
• Taking the time to understand how the location in which you choose to birth matters
• Connecting to your womb and body
• Learning how to heal your body postpartum
• Fuelling your body with quality products
• Trusting the ebbs and flows of pregnancy and childbirth
• Holistic pregnancy summary

Nourishing Your Pregnant Body

Before getting into anything else, you’ve got to understand that there is more than one way to nourish your body and your spirit.

While the foods we eat play a major role in our health and wellbeing, so does everything else.

The people we surround ourselves with, the environment we choose to live in, the products we use, the sounds we expose ourselves to, the energies… They can all be sources of nourishment, or of stress (anti-nourishment)

As part of my fertility packages, I include discussions on how you can support a holistic pregnancy simply by discussing it upfront! The work we put into our health and wellbeing before pregnancy has a major role in how our pregnancy plays out. Knowing what to expect in pregnancy, helps us take steps to better prepare ourselves in pregnancy. Catch my drift, here?

I’ve put together a self-paced fertility, pregnancy & postpartum nourishment program that is a culmination of all my workshops, gift wrapped into a neat little package that you can access whenever – with all supportive documents and a recipe book with over 25 nourishing recipes to support you in pre-conception and in pregnancy. What fun! Those that register also get a discount applied to any fertility programs they sign up for, as well!

Learning About Physiological Birth

The thought of giving birth can be so scary.

I say this, knowing that in my earlier years, I was ok with not having any kids of my own simply because I didn’t want to give birth. I thought it would destroy me.

I didn’t want to be an object on a cold bed, in a cold room, being observed and studied in a place I didn’t feel safe. I didn’t want to be screaming from pain on the hospital bed as it is so well depicted in movies and TV shows… I didn’t want to tear, I didn’t want to be kept in the hospital after birth. I didn’t want my baby taken from me. I didn’t want to have to talk to strangers while I was my most vulnerable. I wanted nothing to do with it.

Until I heard a murmur, and then stories of women who did things differently. Women trusting their bodies, trusting their babies. Stories from women who understood what birth naturally looked like, who beat the odds.

Hearing this stories gave me the strength and encouragement to do some digging of my own.

It’s then that my eyes were opened and I learnt to trust birth, myself and my baby.

There are a few women in particular who helped me on this path. Some of the women who gave me this exciting new outlook in birth includes people like Billie Harrigan. I found a midwife who was perfect for me, and spoke to many friends to help along the way. I found birth accounts that spoke of physiological birth and read some incredible books.

As part of the Village of Sacred Motherhood, Alexandra Gatto has contributed a wonderful resource called Pain FREE Birth. While birth is not pain free by nature, there are steps that can be taken to ensure that it goes smoothly, that you’re working with your body and not against it. She breaks those tips down for you.

Moving Your Body For Pregnancy Support

Our bodies are in a constant state of motion, especially when we are pregnant! My approach to a holistic pregnancy includes making sure that mom is moving her body!

If you’re someone who didn’t do much in terms of active movement prior to pregnancy, I would suggest that you start slow and steadily as you build up strength in your body. As with anything, working with the ebbs and flows of pregnancy would be important.

If you’ve been moving your body for a long time and you’re comfortable with movement, keep it up mama, but don’t overdo it!

One practice that I especially appreciate is yoga or pilates. This gentle form of movements not only helps mom with strength and balance, but it’s a wonderful way to support your pelvic floor strength to help during pregnancy, but also in birth.

Additionally, yoga helps mom take those moments in the day to slow down, rest, and enjoy the present moment. It helps mother connect with breath, connect with the body and in turn, with baby.

Cass Elle, a birth doula, chid birth educator and yoga instructor shared her knowledge in The Village of Sacred Motherhood and it’s worth the listen.

I didn’t seek the help for my pelvic floor until after my son was born and many women experience pelvic floor dysfunction without realizing it. So why not start working on it now? In the preconception period, in pregnancy, after birth… there is no wrong time, but why not start now?  I have personally worked with Victoria virtually, and highly recommend her services if you’re looking to build strength!

Where You Birth Matters 

I won’t dive too much into this topic today, but where you birth matters and it’s something that I believe should be given much thought when it comes to planning a holistic pregnancy. It may seem a bit out of place to bring this up here but I promise it isn’t.

Where you birth matters! Preparing for birth, also matter.

Birth can bring up a lot of stress when you’re pregnant. Where you birth has a major role in how your birth will unfold. Educating yourself on, yes, I’m repeating myself, physiological birth, will help you better understand where you will want to birth. Why? Because if you wish you experience a physiological birth, chances are, you’ll want to birth somewhere other than in the hospital.

Where you birth matters for your birth, but also in that it can either cause you more stress or less when you’re pregnant.

So, do some research, get to understand the goals of your provider and take a moment to tune into what your body might need to feel safe and comfortable.

More on this in the future <3

Learn How to Heal Your Postpartum Body

Talking about postpartum care seems a little early, I know… But like I had mentioned previously, being prepared often helps us feel a little less stress in pregnancy. Holistic pregnancy often includes looking at pregnancy as a whole – starting before conception all the way into postpartum.

PS. did you know that the first three months postpartum are often referred to the fourth trimester? Fitting that we talk about it a little.

In my fertility packages, and in the program I’ve put together, I take the time to review the ways to support your postpartum healing which include some key components:

1) Take the time to rest after giving birth
2) Say yes to what feels comfortable to you, decline all other offers
3) Have meals or a meal train prepared and ready to go for the immediate postpartum period
4) Keep baby close to you in the earlier days
5) My favourite: stay in bed for the first week postpartum, move between rooms during week two and after that you can slow venture outwards.

Nourishing your body with the proper foods and rest will be a game changer.

Dare I say… f*ck bouncing back postpartum.

Soak in the cuddles. Soak in the baby smell. Nurse that baby. Hydrate. Rest.

Fuel Your Body With Quality Products

The foods that you choose to nourish your body with will make up every cell within your body, meaning – what you eat also matters!

The way in which you are able to digest and assimilate those foods are also important. So if you’re dealing with digestive issues, it’s worth addressing.

The efficacy of your detoxification pathways also matter, so if you’re having a hard time processing, digesting and eliminating foodstuffs or other sources of chemicals or toxins, that should be addressed too. High exposure to toxicants paired with sluggish elimination could cause distress in the body and has the potential to transfer to baby.

Being mindful of what cleaning products, skincare products (including creams, shampoos, polishes, etc…) matters. You should also consider which cookware you’re using, with the hopes of minimizing heavy metal exposure. Something that is reviewed in my holistic fertility care program, because it matters!

Air quality matters, too. It’s important to get outside on a daily basis and if that’s not in your books, you can always open your windows to let fresh air into your home. Making sure you’re changing your air filters regularly should be on your checklist, too.

Apart from helping to build our cells, the quality of the products we use are important when looking to support fertility and pregnancy because when we are exposing ourselves to toxins and foreign compounds, we are ultimately affecting our hormones. Doing what we can to help keep hormones balanced before, during and after pregnancy can help us better enjoy our journey through motherhood.

Trusting The Ebbs And Flows of Pregnancy And Childbirth

Your body and mind will go through many transformations as pregnancy progresses. As you near your guestimated due date, you’re likely to experience bouts of fear, a little more discomfort and anxiousness. All of these feelings are totally valid, and a great opportunity for you to take a step back and lean into those feelings.

Learning to understand where your feelings are coming from gives you the opportunity to take steps to better understand where they are coming from, while simultaneously moving through them.

Your fears and anxiousness may come from a lack of knowledge with regards to your birth or postpartum experience, or perhaps a lack of preparations. Should this be the case, let your fears be a reminder to honker down and do a little planning or research to better equip yourself. Often times, fears of birth come from having a lack of knowloedge with regard to physiological birth. Get reading and talking to people who have experienced it 😉

Your growing belly and discomforts are often a gentle reminder to slow down, especially as you near your birth. Take this time to rest and honour how your body is feeling. As much as you are able to, of course.

If you’re feeling energized and ready to take on any task handed to you, then take that opportunity to be proactive and move your body!

Point is, listen to what your body and mind is telling you. While each day might look and feel different, that’s ok. Lean into it and enjoy this special time <3

Planning A Holistic Pregnancy: Summarized

A holistic pregnancy ultimately refers to the idea of connecting back to self, to tuning inwards and to honouring what your body and mind is asking for. It’s about taking the time to slow down, to connect, to feel deeply, to transform. A holistic pregnancy is gentle, it’s kind, it’s raw – it’s also a time of growth (sometimes through discomfort), a time to thrive, to expand, to trust.

My last blog post spoke of holistic fertility preparations, many of those discussions matter when it comes to planning a holistic pregnancy, too! So if you haven’t yet – go have a peak at that last blog post.

Pregnancy can be a wonderful time, and I would love to to able to support you throughout if you have a need for it.

With  just the click of a button and a few typed words, you can email or call any time. You can also book a FREE discovery call to ask me your questions 🙂

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Wishing you all the best,

Veronique, CNP
Your fertility and nutrition coach.