Just eat it.

Let me begin this post by saying, I am not a nutritionist and I am not offering these resources as an absolutel definitive guide to what you need to eat while pregnant or even (ideally) in the year before you try to conceive. Please speak with your own doctor, midwife, nutritionist, chiropractor, or naturopath about what is right for you.

I would like to offer the following resources as a guide for you to understanding the importance of preparing our bodies to carry and grow healthy, strong babies. Traditionally, many cultures have emphasized the importance of eating nutrient dense foods in the year prior to bearing children, and throughout the pregnancy. Our culture has lost much of this importance, and has simply reduced pre-natal nutrition to consist of pre-natal vitamins. But only adding a vitamin supplement to our diets and not really considering what the rest of our diet looks like could be potentially a huge problem. In a world of highly sugared, highly processed foods, many of us fall victim to eating calories that can't help us because they have no real nutritional value.

Contrary to our cultures present fear of fat, many cultures traditionally ate many foods rich in fats and vitamins that would naturally help them to get the most nutrients out of all of the fruits and vegetables they were also consuming. Many cultures would eat organ meats (from animals that were grass fed, and untreated with any medications or hormones), eggs, raw milk, fermented vegetables (such as saurkraut), and seafood (wildcaught, without any mercury), cod liver oil, lots of dark leafy greens, beans and lentils, and chicken or beef stock, among other whole foods. Many of these foods not only made for robust children, but also gave great strength to the birthing mother.  (http://editor.nourishedmagazine.com.au/articles/pregnancy-nutrition-for-making-strong-healthy-babies)

If you can find organic, locally sourced meat and produce, they are an excellent choice, and often have more vitamins, minerals, and nutrients than their genetically modified and chemically altered counterparts. Many local products can be bought at reasonable prices either at your local farmers market or your local co-op, or online at http://www.localdirt.com/. Personally, I feel that it is very important to purchase organic raw milk, organic eggs, meats and dairy. Preparing these whole foods as our ancestors did can often be very time consuming, but the meals are markedly more nutritious and have far more health benefits than eating processed foods or fast food options. We should honor our ancestors, and take a closer look at how they ate and birthed well.

For more information about nutrition, as well as prevention pre-eclampsia, please visit http://www.blueribbonbaby.org/ifyouarepregnant/4/     http://minnesotabirth.com/pregnancy-and-birth/252-prevent-hypertension-in-pregnancy.