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How to Boost your immune system in Pregnancy:
It is already hard enough when you are pregnant with the different aches and pains, but to throw on an illness is just not right. During pregnancy your immune system is suppressed so that your body does not reject the baby. Most of the time when our body is "invaded" with a foreign substance it will reject it and the white blood cells will send a signal to attack it. This is why the immune system is lowered due to keeping the baby alive. What are some of the ways that you can boost your immune system during pregnancy naturally (see below):
1. Chicken Broth
2. Apple Cider Vinegar-you can mix it with hot water, lemon, and honey
3. Vitamin C
4. Vitamin D
5. Eating Garlic and Ginger

6. Hydrate
7.Zinc

8.Essential oils such as Onguard and Thieves-apply it to the bottom of your feet with coconut oil
9. Stay away from people that are sick, and practice basic proper hygiene

If you have more questions, or comments please email me at miracleoflifemidwifery@gmail.com
Don't Forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Jessica serves Orange County as a midwife offering Home Birth and Water Birth. As always please consult your health care provider.

Some tips for Nausea and Morning Sickness in Pregnancy:
Unfortunately morning sickness and nausea in pregnancy can become a toxic cycle. When you feel nauseous you do not want to eat, and then as soon as you feel hungry, then you want to eat something. However, you cannot figure out what to eat that will not make your stomach upset. Does this sound familiar? Here are some remedies that you can try to decrease the morning sickness and nausea during pregnancy.

1. avoid caffeine

2. drink plenty of water- since your stomach is acidic, add some lemon to your water to make it more alkaline

3. try homeopathic such as pulsatilla, and nut vomica

4. eat through out the day every 2 hours

5. if you wake up during the night-have a cracker or some nuts by your bed and try to eat

6. herbal teas can help-red raspberry leaf, ginger, milk thistle, and peppermint

7. avoid greasy food

8. try not to drink a lot during a meal

9. chewing gum after a meal can help your body digest the food better

10.elevate the head of your bed at night

11. chiropractic adjustment

12.acupuncture

13. exercise can help especially if the nausea is caused by stress

If you have more questions, or comments please email me at miracleoflifemidwifery@gmail.com
Don't Forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Jessica will also be answering questions via Instagram. Jessica serves Orange County as a midwife offering Home Birth and Water Birth. As always please consult your health care provider.

Yeast Infections and Urinary Tract Infection- how to treat it naturally in Pregnancy:

You guessed correctly, pregnant women are more susceptible to getting yeast infections and urinary tract infections. This can be caused by your diet. Try and avoid a high sugar and or carbohydrate intake. Sugar is essentially the food that the yeast needs in order to replicate. In addition your hormones (estrogen and progesterone) play a role in the yeast growing in that environment. Be aware that pregnant women can be asymptomatic. It is important to be on the look out for any change of odor, pain, and or burning. If you are susceptible to yeast infections I would suggest to take a Cranberry pill (D-Mannose), and garlic pills. Below are some other recommendations to treat it naturally. As always alert your health care provider because if left untreated it can lead to an infection and can potentially cause premature rupture of membranes.

1. eat fermented foods

2. garlic or tea tree oil suppository that you place in your vagina, and have a garlic capsule orally

3. apple cider vinegar left on a swab insert in to your vagina-this can burn

4. apple cider vinegar orally

5.coconut oil inserted vaginally

6.probiotics

7. yogurt

8. hydrate and cut out all other drinks other than water

9. D-Mannose

10. wear cotton underwear or no underwear at all

Some tips for reducing Swelling in Pregnancy:

Unfortunately swelling in pregnancy is very common, especially during the summer.

A pregnant woman has an increase of 50% more blood and bodily fluid, therefore swelling can be a normal phenomenon. Does the word "edema" sound familiar, don't fret over it, it just means swelling. The increase in bodily fluid allows the body to expand, and nurture the baby more easily. Swelling is most common during the third trimester but it can happen at any time.

Tips to decrease swelling:

1. elevate your legs

2. wear supportive shoes

3. take an epsom salt bath

4. stand in a pool and drink 2-3L of water

5. drinking a lot of water, vitalyte, and or coconut water

6. eating fruits and vegetables that are mostly made from water (watermelon, cucumbers)

7. add protein to your diet because protein attracts water in the body

8. take breaks from standing for a long period of time

9. compression socks

10. make sure you have salt in your diet

11. increase potassium intake (bananas, cantaloupe)

12. avoiding caffeine

If you have sudden swelling, you should alert your health care provider immediately to make sure it is not Pre-Eclampsia.

Pregnant + Summer = HOT

Are you pregnant and it is summer, YUCK! How can you get more fluid intake in. Unfortunately summer heat can make you even more prone to dehydration! If pregnancy wasn't tough enough.

Tips to Staying Hydrated:

1. Eat protein- fluid is attracted to protein which maintains your electrolytes and homeostasis

2. Watermelon and cucumbers

3. Electrolyte drinks such as vitalyte and coconut water

4. Try to take in 2-3L

5. Rest

6. Wear a hat when outside

Don't Forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Jessica will also be answering questions via Instagram. Jessica serves Orange County as a midwife offering Home Birth and Water Birth. As always please consult your health care provider.

If I am planning a hospital birth what should I pack?

1. birth plan

2. snacks- for you and partner

3. honey sticks, vitalyte, peanut butter

4. blankets and an outfit for baby

5. your supplements

6. car seat

7. blanket for partner, and clothes- mom usually has the room cold due to her hormones and every one else is frozen!

What can rule me out of a Home Birth?

1. Uncontrolled Diabetes

2. Uncontrolled Thyroid disorder

3. Pre-Eclampsia

4. High Blood Pressure

It is important to talk about past medical history with any provider and to begin seeing a health care provider early in your pregnancy. Most of these medical conditions can be monitored and maintained ahead of time.

What is a Doula? "My husband (partner) is my left hand and my doula is my right." – from Doulas Making a Difference

A doula is a coach! A doula is someone that you will have a relationship with and can coach you and your partner during the process. They are your cheerleader, and guide. A doula is definitely someone I recommend. A doula does not do anything medical but is very knowledgeable in the process. A doula can help you in to different positions, encourage you to use relaxation techniques, massage, and helps with postpartum care as well.

What to do if you have a cold in pregnancy?

1. Take vitamin C and D

2. Drink lots of fluid

3. Get plenty of rest

4. Look in to elderberry syrup

5. Take apple cider vinegar

6. Take menuka honey

7. Monitor your temperature as that can be the first sign of infection

Don't Forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Jessica will also be answering questions via Instagram. Jessica serves Orange County as a midwife offering Home Birth (homebirth), VBAC, and Water Birth (waterbirth). As always please consult your health care provider.