So Close

So the days of being pregnant are coming to a close. And while I am fully enjoying my time being pregnant and I am grateful for even being able to get pregnant in the first place, I am so ready to see what our little girl looks like.

So far I am have gained a total of 20lbs! Of course half of that is baby :) I have maintained a high protein diet and of course being allergic to gluten has made this a low carbohydrate pregnancy as well. I have kept a good regimen of vitamins and teas to keep a healthy home for our little one. Now nearing the end I have begun to incorporate homeopathic treatments and herbs as well. It is a way of toning my uterus (baby's home) to support in contractions and a smooth labor. One is Mother's Cordial Elixir and the other is a Homeopathic Kit of 18 Childbirth Remedies which will be used before, during, and after birth. There are numerous combination of homeopathy that will produce different effects from ripening the cervix, turning the baby, pain management, and even postpartum pain. Currently we are in the before labor stages of toning the uterus :)

I am so excited to have been exposed to all this and love passing it on to more moms out there.

We also have been blessed to be able to do some wonderful pregnancy related events. We took maternity photos with Andrea Gallagher Photography and they turned out amazing. Brian and I in our almost 9 years together have never done a "photo shoot" together. It was a great experience to gaze at each other and let our love show on camera. We also did a Belly Cast. It was so cute to actually see what everyone else sees in real life once the cast came off and was dry. I am not sure what we will do with the cast but I'm sure some more creativity will emerge.

As We Get Closer

As the due date gets closer and closer the office grows more excited to meet our little girl. We have started an office pool where everyone can guess on random baby girl facts for a chance to win a gift card. Everyone loves a healthy competition ;) It is so fun to sit down and read what everyone thinks the baby will weight or how long they believe I will be in labor for. I am enjoying every guess.

Also, last night we set up the birth pool to see how long it would take to fill up. It was a good thing we did a test run (Brian's idea) because we noticed the tile floor in the dinning room (where we set up the pool) really cooled the water down quick. Brian also has a bucket heater in a 5 gallon bucket to get water warm quicker than boiling on the stove. However, we noticed that two buckets would be more efficient than the one we had last night. All and all the pool was very relaxing with enough room for Brian and I to both be in there and he still can do therapy on me (very lucky to have a personal massage therapist on call). Now we just have to prep our "unofficial dula" Kami on the process and I believe we are ready for the relaxation of a water birth :)

As far as adjusting goes ... I am doing great. There is no problem working on patients of all sizes (just can't help all of them up form the table when treatment is complete). Paying close attention to my diet and exercise has really paid off in the work environment.

Still Amazed

So I am not sure if this happens to all my female chiropractic friends or if I am the only one with the privilege of these interactions ...

I was standing in line today at a grocery store picking up some food for lunches in the office. The lady behind me saw my name tag and it says "Dr. Dara" on it. She said "Oh, your a doctor, you're so young. What are you a doctor of?" I began to inform the lady that I was a chiropractor over on the other side of town and I was on my way to work. She came back with "I didn't know there were such a thing as female chiropractors". I was so distraught with that comment that I came back with, "Why yes they do, we are quicker, gentler, and smarter. And they also let us get pregnant" as I pointed to my belly (which would have been funnier if I was bigger and didn't just look like a fat lady right now). She smiled and said "good for you, I hope your baby is ok".

Haha Being pregnant is not a handicap. Not taking care of yourself during pregnancy is. The physical activity of my job is possible because I take care of myself and my baby inside. I pay close attention and take breaks as needed. I have to say that adjusting people all day is far less strenuous than the physical 30-60 minute workout I do 3-6 days a week.

I love my job and I love that women are such a great part of chiropractic.

(Picture to the left is me adjusting a young man in Brazil who said his pain was so bad he "didn't want to live anymore" ... no pressure!)

Healthy Pregnancy

So many people have asked me how my pregnancy is going and when I state really well they think I am lying. I have taken great care and focus into this pregnancy. I have not taken it as a license to just "eat or do whatever" like mothers sometimes do. I took this as an opportunity to grow the best life I can. It hasn't been easy, but I believe in the end it will be completely worth it.

A Couple Things I Keep in Mind Every Day:
Protein - I can't begin to say how important it is to keep the amount of protein I eat above 80 grams. It is hard to consume that much. In the beginning of the pregnancy I was full so easily and all it felt like i was eating was protein. I have discovered pure protein isolate mixed with goat milk yogurt or with powdered greens has provided a great way to get it all in there.
Sugars - Keeping the amount of refined sugars minimal to none. I save my sweets for moments when they are REALLY wanted. Which is my normal when I wasn't pregnant. I love sweets! I turn to coconut milk ice cream, fruit, and every once and a while some gluten free baked goods.
Vitamin D - The importance of this vitamin is so high. It changes everything from preterm birth to gestational diabetes to infection. The recommended does is from 4,000-6,000 IUs/day.
DHA - You are not only growing a human, but growing a brain! That new brain needs DHA. These are found in fish oils, but adding some specific DHA by itself it also a good idea. There are also companies that make flavored ones (strawberry and orange) to help with the indigestion.

All of this put together has brought me to where I am today. Healthy at 22 weeks with no sickness and no excess weight gain!