12 Weeks
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8
This
morning I woke up inspired. The past 6 weeks have been rough. By God's
love, a friend of mine has stepped up and helped me a lot this week, by
giving me and my husband the much needed rest. She has taken care of our
three little ones for 4 days!! And the best part is, not in my
home but HERS! That has meant, complete (as well as I can) rest, and
focus on just getting better.
As
I sit here on my chair, sipping herbal tea and looking outside the
window, it has made me think about a few things regarding homeschooling
mums. I think we homeschooling mothers may tend to forget that we too
should have breaks. Well at least I have. Perhaps also, it's been
because I haven't been able to for time/ financial reasons, or because I
have been nursing full time, BUT I have not taken any breaks/time off
to recuperate from being home 24/7 with the kids for years (8) on end.
It's hard, sometimes we need a little retreat.
I've
been having a rough time lately, especially because I have been feeling
nauseous. So yes, the fact that my dear friend has been so helpful and
such a blessing to me, I have been able to breathe and focus once again.
I'm listening to KLOVE online (click here!) and I'm in the middle of baking making a Raw food cheese cake,
get the recipe from (here!)
Recently,
I have been feeling really sick when I have eaten sweets, cookies or
anything with processed sugar in it. This week I had a surprise visit
from a Finnish friend of mine, who bought me lunch at a Vegan and Raw
food restaurant (do note, we are BOTH meat eaters!!) and we enjoyed a
fresh vegetable juice with an amazing salad, topped off with a raw food
cheese cake and raw chocolate truffles. Oh my word, it was soul food!
So, I was like "hey! Where's the Cathy I knew a year ago?? She makes
pates, raw food crackers, raw food bread, raw desserts and all sorts
that are good and healthy for you!?" So this morning I woke up with a
song in my heart "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8
Week 12
Feeling: nauseous but motivated and inspired! I feel really nauseous in the evenings.
Baby: size of a large plum (6.35cm)
Bump: noticeable out
Favourite snack: Green sour apples with a peanut butter+coconut butter mixture.
Typical breakfast: One toast and 2 eggs, before I get out of bed.
Looking forward to next week!
Praise Him!
11/04/2014
Week 11
Feeling: awful
And I don't know why.
Baby: size of a lime.
Been smelling lemon peel and sleeping with the windows open.
I hope this won't last.
07/04/2014
Week 10.5
This week I've been blessed with meals, distracting chit chats and encouraging gifts.
Feeling better, indeed.
Thank you, you know who you are!
03/04/2014
10 weeks
Ten weeks it is!
Feeling: better, not so nauseous all of the time. A bit lonely and isolated.
New method: taking my vitamins at night, has reduced the nausea during the day.
Weight gain: 10lbs in three weeks. Depressing. It happened
with all 3 previous pregnancies. Meeting up with a dietician and
naturopath end of the month. Maybe, maybe they'll have some answers for
me.
Activity: walks around local lakes and neighbourhood.
Managing the home: keeping on top of Homeschooling but
everything else is suffering. The house is dirty, never mind messy and I
don't cook.
Water intake: fantastic! I'm enjoying iced herbal teas. I.e red raspberry leaf, Decaf Earl Grey and peppermint teas.
28/03/2014
Week 9
Feeling good.
Nauseous? Yes, from 4p.m till I fall a sleep.
Taking diclectin 3 times a day (5 a day)
I eat two pieces of buttered toast and a bowl of porridge before I get put of bed.
Sometimes I feel "so good" that I start to have awful
thoughts about whether I'm feeling good because I don't have enough
pregnancy hormone in me, leading to miscarriage fears... But then at 4
p.m I'm reminded that, oh yes, I'm very much pregnant! :) I'm still
getting used to this answered prayer!
We've spent too much on take out meals this month. I feel
so icky to cook :( I'm hoping to start feeling better for lunch and
dinner times, so I can produce more than yogurt pots and toast. Poor
kids.
31 weeks to go!
Praying for a great pregnancy and birth and healthy child!
Snack suggestion :
Greek Yogurt
Blueberries
Banana slices
Cinnamon and
Xylitol
Blueberries
Banana slices
Cinnamon and
Xylitol
Protein and goodness!
25/03/2014
Week 8
Supplements and Sea bands...
NAUSEOUS- yes, indeed!
So, I've been taking evening walks around a local lake. Easy steady exercise.
I'm eating often, takes the edge off, but is putting on the pounds. Oh well, hoping that this will pass so I can get back to "normal" and meal plan without having weird food aversions. Everyday is different, what I can eat differs on the day, so bizarre.
I'm eating often, takes the edge off, but is putting on the pounds. Oh well, hoping that this will pass so I can get back to "normal" and meal plan without having weird food aversions. Everyday is different, what I can eat differs on the day, so bizarre.
Umeboshi Japanese Pickled plums. I recommend getting these, they take your mind off nausea for sure.
Been watching Call The Midwife on Netflix... I'm quite couch bound :/
Homeschooling is steady but slow, no worries. It's spring break, we're not behind :)
My baby is the size of a green olive, fancy that!
The best pregnant so far, for sure. I pray for a good - great pregnancy and great birth!
16/03/2014
Supplements
Here is a pic of a basket that goes where ever I go. In all honesty, it is missing about 4 more bottles.
Missing supplements:
Magnesium Spray
Magnesium and Calcium
Omegas
Zinc
Magnesium and Calcium
Omegas
Zinc
In my basket:
Milk Thistle
Vitamin B complex
Probiotics
Diclectin
Folic acid
Vitamin D
Vitamin C
Etc.
Vitamin B complex
Probiotics
Diclectin
Folic acid
Vitamin D
Vitamin C
Etc.
I am not a fan of the prenatal vitamins that are sold in
the shops, because the dosages are too little for reality. Do your
homework, see for yourself.
Why do I use magnesium spray? While pregnant, there's this
hormone, I think it's cortisol, which prevents from magnesium to absorb
through the gut wall. So, I take Epsom salt baths and spray it
directly on my skin for mags-i-mum (see the pun??) absorption. :)
If you really want to be healthy by taking vitamin
supplements during pregnancy , skip the "one pill", and supplement to
the fullest by understanding more of what your body needs.
12/03/2014
Crying Out to God
One Sunday, a few months ago I had been convicted through a seminar that
I was going through at the time. I told my husband to take the kids and
leave me to meet my Creator in peace. He was kind enough to not
question anything and take the kids swimming. Soon after they left, I
fell on the bed, on my face and cried out to God. Literally, cried out,
yelled out, sobbed and poured out my heart to my heavenly Father. All of
my doubts and fears was layed out, infront of Him, as I clenched onto
the covers and whimpered everything to Him.
"God you know my fears, my struggles, my pain... I choose to follow You, live out my convictions, have mercy on me!"
One thing in particular was on the top of my list,
pregnancy.
Such a difficult and nauseous time for me. Nothing sweet about my pregnancies, just torture.
"Oh God, if we are to leave the number of the children we have, up to you, would you please take the burden of my pregnancies??"
Well here I am TODAY, 7 weeks pregnant. We're expecting again. Our #4 :)
Do I feel nauseous? -YES! But nothing, nothing and once again nothing,
compares to what I had to endure 3 pregnancies before. I have been
lifted up, my cry has been heard and I am "standing" by His strength
only.
I'm going to blog about this pregnancy. How I am coping, what I am learning, eating and doing. Stay tuned!
More on our convictions, why we choose to have a "large" family HERE
More on severe pregnancy sickness- HyperEmesis Gravidadum HERE
10/12/2013
Preparing For Possible Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Okay, some of you know that
through all of my 3 pregnancies, I suffered from Hyperemesis Gravidadum,
a.k.a "sick all of the time, vomiting all of the time". My "easiest"
pregnancy was with my second child, which was very, very hard, but not so severe, did not need to go to the hospital for IV's and such.
My first was bad, hospitalized
and to top it off, severe cystic acne (another story for later). But I
must say, freshest in the memory is my third, it was the toughest. No
preparation, no planning, no support group, it all makes a difference.We
had just moved continents and even though she was planned, my husband
landed a job sooner than expected (not complaining!!) and I found myself
isolated with two kids under 5, severely sick and no support. We did
manage though, praise God, but it was a really hard time and it shook us
both to the core.
So as my husband and I are open
for more children, we want to make sure now, that we plan and prep as
far ahead of time as we can, and then leave the rest up to God. I want
to share with you, who suffer from moderate to severe "morning"
sickness, about the ways to alleviate and make your ride more
manageable.
Here is a site with loads of info and help for those who suffer badly. My Morning Sickness
I bought the E-book, printed it
out, put it in a binder and have been mentally preparing myself for what
is (or may not, -still living in hope!) to come. Only recently have I
began to make a list of what needs to be done as soon as possible. You
just never know. This is how I prepare for my pregnancies.
Before the positive pregnancy test:
- Start eating healthy, and drinking plenty of water
- Eat multivitamins and all the essential supplements for a good start
- Exercise regularly
- Make meals before hand and freeze them (20-30 meals pref)
- Search for a second hand mini fridge - The times I feel so ill, that I cannot even sit up, this will come in handy. I can have all the ice and snacks right next to our bed.
- Stock up on remedies, Nux Vomica (homeopathic), Milk Thistle, Sea(relief)Bands, Lemongrass Oil, Preggie Pops, Ice, Ice, and crushed Ice!
- we don't just de-clutter but de-itemize our home
- we home school, so I have to make easy to follow lesson plans
After the confirmation:
- Pray, pray, pray! Keep your focus on Him!
- Find a pregnancy support group online, and from church
- Hubby will build a foot board for bed. Keeping my feet secured and anchored, keeps me semi stable. It works! Once my feet are off the ground or surface, I began feeling really queasy. I spend a lot of time in bed, so it's important to have this foot board available.
- Make lemongrass and beeswax candles for aromatherapy
- Buy chewable vitamins
- make ice teas, and ice cubes from red raspberry leaf tea, lemon juice and nettle tea
During the (possible) rough ride:
- hire a doula for extra support. It can be a very depressing and a discouraging beginning but having a doula makes all the difference, if you live in the Vancouver area, I recommend Mother Nurture Doula Services
- let your church women's ministry know and ask/accept the help.
- Hire a babysitter for a few hours so you can rest, or you and your husband can just chill without leaving your home. This is money well spent.
- Take this as a guilt free "quiet season". Don't feel bad if you cannot keep up with the things you used to do.
- Read Christ Centered Childbirth as many times as you can. I love this book! As bad as my pregnancies were, my births were bliss!! This book helped me to surrender my mind, heart and body and focus the right way and I, believe it or not, gave birth with ease. I really recommend this book!
I hope this encourages you.
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