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Baby Update and Support/Education

spiritedmamaspiritedmama Raw Newbie

Hello Friends! I know I have been very scarce around these parts the last few months and just recently have begun posting again. But, I am currently going through a real struggle and feel that I need to reach out to my friends for support. As many of you know, I am pregnant…21 week aprox. though the dates are still questionable. That means I am half way through my pregnancy. A woman generally gains about 30-35 pounds throughout the entire 40 weeks of her prengnancy. I am a little over half way through, and I have already gained 30 pounds! I will be honest and say that I have not been able to follow a 100% raw diet as I was prior to pregnancy. But, it is still upwards of 70% or more, on any given day. I have a ton of energy and I exercise 3x a day (15-30 min. each). I feel FANTASTIC! But, the weight just keeps creeping on…in fact I gained 2 pounds in less than a week according to my scale this morning. I am very disheartened and not sure what to do. My friend is an apprentice midwife and she is taking care of me during my pregnancy, but she (nor the midwife she is studying under) have ever had a raw client. So, they don’t exactly know what to say. It certainly goes against every account of a raw pregnancy that I have ever read. Usually the women have problems keeping the weight up.

On a side note, I do have Hoshimoto’s Thyroiditis, which I have talked alot about on this site. But, once I went raw, it vanished. My thyroid tests are still good, except for the T3 UPTAKE, which is not a measure of thyroid hormone itself, but rather a measure of the protiens that the hormones bind with. and, these naturally go down the farther along you are in pregnancy. I am trying so hard NOT to go back on traditional thyroid medication. Thus far I have tripled my kelp intake and will be starting to take a supplement of Tyrosine, if I can find one. Also, increaseing my Vit. c and Vit. E is said to help support the thyroid as well. Though, I am still not sure that it is a thyroid issue.

As you can see, there are some variables to weigh, and I have brought myself to tears more than once this morning as I struggle with what could be going on. I do not believe in unnecessary ultrasounds, so will not be having one with this pregnancy, and the baby moves, kicks, and dances all day long, and the heartbeat is strong.

Any help, advice, research anyone might have is much appreciated (and really needed) at this time, as the only other option for me at this point (if I choose to not take traditional medicine), is a trial run of the Brewer’s Diet, a mostly cooked food regimine.

Thank You! -Sunny

Comments

  • HI Spirited Mama I am fairly new to gone raw as a poster and am very intrigued by your situation.. I am not a physician or anything of the sort… I am an aspiring 100% raw foodist and a mama… Is this your first pregnancy?and if not how does this one compare with your prior experiences? I know for me I gained about 30-40 pounds and lost all the weight in no time with raw food and such so I dont think you should be overly concerned about the weight gain… however I know every woman and every pregnancy is different… I also know the thyroid situation is an added element of concern is that more so what your concerned about or just the weight gain itself? Do you consume alot of fats and nuts or more so veggies and fruits… again with pregnancy you need all those things… I dont know you sound so stressed I would like to help a stressed fellow raw mama… I hope some thoughts in my post were helpful… well be upful and I think all your doing are steps in the right direction.. whats crazy is that I am on the opposite end of the pendulum losing too much weight on raw I am like 115 and dont like it.. I like my hips and things… so I guess everything is perspective.. well again stay upful and I wish you the best

  • spiritedmamaspiritedmama Raw Newbie

    Thanks for the response rawafromama…this is my second pregnancy. I had my daughter 4 years ago when I was not raw, but only ate whole foods…most everything was prepared from scratch. I had already been diagnosed with Hoshimoto’s prior to my pregnancy with her, but was on mainstream thyroid medicine. After her birth, I slowly transisitoned off the medication and starting using kelp, then kelp and raw foods to correct the thyroid issues with great success. At the end of my pregnancy with my daughter I had gained 35 pounds total. I was also sick the ENTIRE 9 months of the pregnancy with nausea and food aversions.

    As far as the types of food goes… I eat primarily fruits and veggies. Very little nuts,seeds, and fats. Though they are in my diet, but I feel that combination is balanced for my body.

    I hope this gives you (and others) a little more info.

  • Spiritedmama, I’m no doctor and if you are truly worried than you should see one. That said you should trust your body and your instincts. You said your midwife and friend haven’t had a raw mama before so you may be blazing new territory for them. Don’t worry about the weight just yet. I gained 40 lbs with my second baby after only 24 with my first. It sounds like you are doing a good job of eating well and exercising and the baby sounds strong. Knock the worry out of your conciousness and enjoy the double glow!

  • spiritedmamaspiritedmama Raw Newbie

    Thanks for the support yammygirl…I don’t think worried is the right word…more frustrated and confused. I know that I am doing the best for my body and my baby with raw, just wish my body, for once, would follow what other’s have done in the past. Such is the story of my life…I can never use other’s as an example. I guess that is good in a way….

  • What i have heard about raw food diets is that your body will become the weight you need it to be…For example really skinny people who can’t usually gain weight will be able to once they go raw and bigger people who can’t lose wieght usually do once they go raw. They way i feel about it is that when mostly raw your body is able to focus on itself more so that is knows what it needs and what it needs to do…in this case i think you might just need to gain the weight! You also have to remember how much of it is just ‘baby’ As a doula you know that 25-30 pounds of pregnancy is just blood fluid and baby! So be confident in your bodies ability to create life and relax about your weight! It is not going to hurt your baby to gain a little more weight than what mainstream doctors say is fine! And besides your body likes to store a little extra fat for breastfeeding…it’s your bodies way of saying ‘Just in case we need this for later’ and For all you know you are creating a very healthy nine pound baby. But don’t let it stress you out or bring you tears because that’s going to be more upsetting to the baby than just being joyful. Besides you know that if you switch back to 100% after the baby is born the fat will just melt off.

  • spiritedmamaspiritedmama Raw Newbie

    So true, So true doubleDlittleZ. Thank you so much for reminding me of the obvious. I know that I am not gaining this weight eating a SAD diet, potato chips, fast food, etc. It’s from eating wonderful, glorious, raw food nutrition. My body will do with it what it needs. And the breast feeding thing is so true…Since I have been pregnant I have gone from a a/b cup to a DD!! I must be all boobs and baby…LOL!

  • omshantiomshanti Raw Newbie

    hey sunny, im no expert at anything regarding being preggers, but i wanted to send you a hug and thoroughly stand behind every word doubledlittlez wrote in her post…we women are so hard on our selves about our weight…i remember reading an interview with rennee zellweger when she had to pack on the poundage for her brigit jones diary role, she said at first it was horrifying and she would cry when they would bring her a snickers bar every two hours! but then she reveled in her new”thickness” knowing it was a temporary thing, much like pregnancy i guess…you are a fabulous,beautiful mama, about to do one of the most amazing things on this earth, createing life!...you are woman, lets hear ya roar! blessings;)

  • Oh spiritedmama, let me just tell you, all pregnacies are SOOOO different. I gained 60 pounds with my first and ate so healthy but was still eating a lot of healthy food, like packing it in lol. With my second I only put on 30 and was so ill the whole time. My doctor just suggested remembering portion sizing.

  • Hi Sunny. I’m so sorry to hear that you’re going through such a difficult situation. As a direct-entry midwife myself a couple of thoughts popped into my head when I read your post. 1. You said you haven’t done sonograms this pregnancy… Could you possibly be having twins? This is also because you mentioned how active baby is at 21 weeks and I know most babies are active at this time but not much. Perhaps more movements may be signaling a second baby? 2. Do NOT, let me repete that.. do not compare yourself to some SAD food guideline of “normal” weight gain during pregnancy. Firstly there is no such thing as normal weight gain and secondly if you are maintaining such a good diet and exercise then any “extra” weight is absolutely necessary for you. I firmly believe that a woman’s body is perfectly created so she can carry and nurture a life within her. It knows what it’s doing and what it needs better than ANY doctor or midwife. Keep the faith in your body and it’s many wonders. Lastly as I’m sure you know stress is our enemy. It attacks us at every level right down to cellular. It disrupts the balance and harmony that flow in and around us. The more peaceful and calm a pregnancy is the healthier momma and baby are and the better the birth in the end. Here’s sending you lots of hugs and positive thoughts and happy energy. My email add. is in my profile if you want to ever message me. Take care hon! K-Mom

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