Friday, December 26, 2014

Pre and Post Natal Supplementation

Throughout my prenatal experience I rejected prescribed vitamins (as well as procedures I didn't agree with) for ones that made more sense to me.  In addition to taking the herb yellow dock for iron and red raspberry leaf to tone and prep myself for giving birth, I also took some other vitamin/mineral supplements. 

Prior to even conceiving I was taking Alive! Women's Whole Food Energizer.

 
When I ran out of that, I meant to get more of the same but ended up with this one:
 
 
Both were great in terms of providing me with a lot of energy. Admittedly, I was so turned off by the light pink tablets that came in the second bottle that once they were done, I moved on to something else.  The tablets in the first bottle were brown and looked like a whole foods supplement with speckles of green and other earthy colors.  The pink tablets really annoyed me.  Also,  my man wanted me to try something new, so next we went with Mother's Select:
 
 
Unlike the Alive! supplements, these are labeled as prenatals.  I think these tablets were white, which irked me just like the pinks. I learned that I prefer vitamins to have a wholesome look if i'm gona be taking them.  They worked well, but I honestly prefer the very first ones up top.  I felt great while taking those and can recall a slight slump in my energy during a brief period of not taking them when I ran out.   In the future I may take those in general just because.  But, like I said, these were just fine.
 
Each of these is filled with so many vitamins and minerals, which are great for both mom and the developing baby.
 
For the past four months or so I've been taking these:
 
 
 
Like the first Alive! ones, they have a brown, natural look to them, which I really like.  Also--and most importantly, of course--it includes so many vitamins and minerals as well as superfoods and herbs that are highly beneficial to me and baby for breastfeeding.  Check out all this goodness:
 
 
(This is only one side of the label.)
 
I've been saying for the longest that we need to get more of the Hawaiian spirulina that I also took during my pregnancy.  I'm just realizing that the supplements above contain 500 mg of spirulina, the same amount I used to take.
 
 
I do miss this one, but turns out I'm doing pretty good. 
 
Besides all of these supplements as well as all sorts of wonderfully nutritious and energizing homemade juices and tonics, I also took an iron supplement (which was aside from the yellow dock mentioned earlier but not both at the same time).   Not to be giving medical advice or anything (insert the typical "I'm no doctor" disclaimer here), but I would recommend any of the above for use during pregnancy and/or post delivery.  They all worked wonderfully in my favor.  Of course, healthy eating habits and lifestyle play into overall good feelings as well.
 
Baby girl is so strong and alert, and I find myself clipping her nails twice a week because they grow so fast (along with mine). I have no doubt that this can be attributed--at least partly--to such effective supplements.
 
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On another note, I haven't been doing much to my hair lately other than washing and putting a little oil on it or my scalp.  As a result it's starting to lock up, as it tends to do after only a few days of non-activity.
 
 
 This picture doesn't show it that well, but it's happening.
 
For the first time in my life, I'm gonna let it do just that. (I think)
 
Usually at this point I'd be scrambling to undo the locked parts and take necessary actions so it won't lock.  After 11 + years of loose natural hair, I just might be ready to let it go. 
 
 
 

 
And they will be free form, as I don't have the interest in investing the effort to let them be otherwise.  We'll see!

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