Pregnancy was an incredible learning experience, and nothing made me dive deeper into the research than going through it myself.

I’m sharing the eight areas I focused on during pregnancy that I found most helpful: movement, nutrition, hydration, supplementation, sleep, mindset and nervous system, body work, and choosing my birth team and environment.

I also share one of the most important lessons I learned along the way: aim for an A-, not an A+. Pregnancy doesn’t have to be perfect, and trying to optimize every detail can create unnecessary stress.

This is a personal reflection on my experience—not medical advice—and I hope it gives you a helpful starting point for your own research and conversations with your healthcare team.

Resources:

• Empower by Dottir
• Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
• Birthing from Within
• Hypnobirthing: A Natural Approach To A Safe, Easier, More Comfortable Birthing
• The First Forty Days
• Spinning Babies
• WeNatal
• Seen Nutrition Calcium Chews
• https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13765/
• https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn5421?utm_source=brevo&utm_campaign=sugar_restriction
• https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/healthy-eating-during-pregnancy
• https://www.dsm-firmenich.com/en/businesses/health-nutrition-care/news/talking-nutrition/highlights-from-acog.html
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21857221/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5524288/
• https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD005123_antenatal-perineal-massage-reducing-perineal-trauma
• https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/
• https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2019/02/approaches-to-limit-intervention-during-labor-and-birth
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6491161/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23857334/

Related Episodes:

Ep 314 - The Fertility Crisis + Support for Couples

Ep 335 - Empowered Motherhood with Annie Thorisdottir + Katrin Davidsdottir

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.