Ok! Reality has sunk in and your wrapping your head around the fact that you are growing a human. There are so many people feeding you information about what is healthy for you. 
Let’s be real, what works for some may not work for others.  Why? Because all of our bodies are different. We all are lacking in different nutrients. We all have a genetic makeup completely different than anyone. We all process foods differently as well. 

As a child, I have always been thin. Go ahead roll your eyes but stay with me. By the time I got to college, my freshman 20-lbs hit me like a ton of bricks. I was eating fast food 2-3 times a day, not getting enough sleep and drinking energy drinks to get me through the day. I cringe even thinking about how poorly I was treating my body. 

When we learned that we were having our first baby, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I had to make a change. It was no longer about me. The fear of bringing an unhealthy baby into the world hung over me like a dark cloud. 
Mr. Right, being the funny guy that he is, brought me home a book one day. As I took the book out of the bag and read the title “Skinny Bitch” I laughed so hard. I had gotten so much grief for so long about my ability to stay thin and this was hilarious. What I didn’t realize was how much this book was going to change my life and I am excited to share tips to make more mommas have healthier pregnancies and lives. 

This is not an opportune time to indulge and eat whatever you want, every choice will have consequences – good or bad.

Here are some changes that will improve your health dramatically:

• Take a reliable prenatal vitamin. The American Pregnancy Association recommends Nordic Naturals.
• Exercise regularly (walking, yoga or anything your body is used too)
• Drink large amounts of water daily
• No alcohol, drugs or tobacco 
• Limit caffeine intake (tea, coffee, etc)
• No more sugary sweetened beverages (sodas, sweet tea, energy drinks) This is crucial…check out my blog post to see why sugar is the devil and your so much better off when you avoid it .
• Limit processed food dramatically (anything that comes in a box or is super convenient to make or eat is your enemy). Research links a high- processed food diet to many health issues including: obesity, diabetes, asthma, and so many others. I will cover this in depth in another post – stay tuned! 
• Get plenty of rest and soak up some sunshine for some high-quality and extremely beneficial Vitamin D (in moderation of course)! So lay out by the pool, rock your two piece and chug some aqua! 

That’s easy, right? HAHAH. No, it is not easy at all. It’s totally natural to will feel like your world is turned upside down, because well, it has been turned upside down. The good news is – You’ve GOT THIS! I mean it! Believe it! 
Welcome to this new chapter in your life, embrace the journey and don’t sell yourself short! You are growing a human! That makes you AMAZING and you deserve the best! 

With love,
~KB~

The post Pregnant! Here’s The Bumpy Truth appeared first on American Pregnancy Association.

About Pregnancy, Nutrition and Life

For many families the inability to conceive is a heartbreaking reality. Mr. Wonderful and I spent many months thinking this was our reality. I spent most of my young adult years with amenorrhea (lack of periods), so attempting to use an ovulation calendar or the fertility apps seemed useless. I tried it all. Read books, logged symptoms, cried, prayed. You name it, I tried it!
Fortunately, I was able to discuss our fears of not getting pregnant with my obstetrician. She prescribed Provera to jump start my cycle and, voila I was pregnant a month later. Imagine my shock. We had spent so many months trying to do it on our own with no luck and just like that, our lives were about to change forever. I was terrified, excited…so many emotions.

If you want to make God laugh, tell him what your plan is!

My story is not always how it works out for other families. I have many friends that have struggled and continue to struggle with growing their families. It breaks my heart. As women, we often put the blame on ourselves….

• What is wrong with my body?
• What am I doing wrong?
• What testing do I need to do or medicines do I need to take?

The list could go on…but I am hear to tell you that it is not always the woman with the inability to conceive. You heard that right …SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS. Maybe it is not you ladies, just maybe it is your man! Male infertility accounts for 30% of all infertility cases. Check out this article about male infertility. You can easily check his sperm count with a SpermCheck Fertility at-Home Test.
The silver lining here is that there are simple ways to find out if your male partner has underlying issues before you put your body through the ringer!
I learned a lot about my body and the role nutrition plays in balancing hormones and increasing fertility success. Diet is important, regardless of gender. What you eat is imperative to how your body functions.
Check out this article from Harvard on the benefits of consuming a nutrient dense diet and fertility.
There is so much fake news about food these days that it can be very confusing. Let’s keep it simple:

• Eat healthy fats : Healthy Fats are not the enemy!!
  • Dark Chocolate : You read that right. I am not talking about the bag of M&M’s calling your name or that Snickers bar that is filled with a bunch of junk. Find organic dark chocolate and develop a taste for it. If you can develop a taste for alcohol, you can do this too!
  • Avocados: I cannot stress enough the benefits of avocados. High in fiber and more potassium than bananas! Super beneficial to cardiovascular health. JUST EAT THEM!
  • Whole EGGS : Organic & pasture raised only.
  • Fatty Wild Caught Fish: salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and herring are great sources with very little to no mercury; If you do not eat fish, try a Cod Fish Oil supplement. It’s imperative to brain development. The American Pregnancy Association recommends Safe Catch Tuna.
  • Chia Seeds: Plant power food! Add a tablespoon or two to smoothies, soups, spaghetti etc. They have virtually no flavor but super high in fat and fiber!
• Limit Processed Foods & Fast Foods – Read our blog You are What You Eat
• Ditch sugar-sweetened beverages
  • Sodas
  • Energy Drinks
  • Gatorade/Powerade
  • Lattes, Frappes
  • Sweet Tea (I am from the South, I get it but you gotta let it go)
  • Alcohol
• Drink WATER

In a nutshell, infertility in males and females is common. Diet plays a key role in your fertility so be smart about what you put into your body and how you are treating yourself. You deserve the best, so give yourself the best.
~KB~

Our Ultimate Fertility Resource Guide provides the information you need on fertility, tips on how to get pregnant faster, and how to boost fertility through sometimes simple tweaks to your lifestyle and approach. The guide is easy to read and meant for anybody wanting to increase their ability to conceive. It’s a free download and includes coupon codes for essential products. Even free Nightfood Nighttime Ice Cream.

The post The Bumpy Truth About Infertility appeared first on American Pregnancy Association.

The hard truth of that phrase is often too much to comprehend. Ignorance is bliss, for a while anyway. Now that you are eating for two, it is imperative to learn more about how foods affect you and your unborn child.

Allow me to be transparent. Those who have known me since childhood will call me out immediately about my weakness for pizza rolls. After school they were my go to snack. Not just a few of them, I typically maxed out at 20-25 pizza rolls. Every day. With RANCH! Holy COW y’all! And that’s after my lunch of cheese fries or even better, gravy fries and a fountain drink. Only the Lord remembers what I had for breakfast, but I can tell you it was NOT a green smoothie or avocado toast.

You can imagine my excitement when I found organic pizza rolls for my girls. JACKPOT! These are not healthy by any means, but I am all about balance and at least they are a healthier version of my favorite childhood snack.
Mr. Wonderful is quick to remind me about the spoonfuls of cookie dough I wolfed down when we first met. Seriously, who doesn’t love cookie dough?

Then there’s my love affair with the National Drink of Texas – Dr Pepper! My mother would pop one into the freezer to make it a slushy! Oh, heavens! DELISH! But OMG the excessive sugar!

My point:

I was a fast-food-eating, sugar-addicted, soda-drinking lady, doing the best I knew based on the knowledge I had. It was the norm and I fell right in line.
The thought of changing your diet now can be overwhelming and with all the other emotions you are feeling it can be exhausting.
My tip: Small changes with big impacts. Start by drop kicking sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages. This most likely will not be easy.
Have you ever thought about why cokes are so good? So addicting? Check out this short video:
I want to highlight the valid reasons for drop kicking soda, ESPECIALLY while you are pregnant:

• High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
  • High-fructose corn syrup can easily lead to excessive fat gain. This is because of its high fructose content, which is metabolized differently than other carbs.
  • The fructose in HFCS is not to be confused with the fructose in fruit which, in moderation, is healthy.
  • Excessive amounts of HFCS can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This is a problem because HFCS is used in so many things. Think sauces (ketchup, mustard, dressings etc), drinks, and other processed foods. It is cheaper for companies to use HFCS than real sugar and we are consuming it in every meal of every day. TOXIC OVERLOAD. Our liver’s purpose is to detoxify the body and it cannot complete its task if it is not healthy.
  • HFCS is directly linked to hyperactivity in children. I mean, this is not rocket science. Over consumption of sugar makes everyone a little jittery. HFCS is a child’s nightmare if he is suffering from ADD or ADHD.

Did you know?…

Research suggests that sugar is more addictive than cocaine and it’s intentionally in everything we consume.
Do not let the marketing teams fool you. They actually have taste tests to see how much sugar is needed to hook you and cause you to want more of their product. More product sales = more money for them and poorer health for you and your baby.
My challenge to you is to kick the sugary-sweetened beverages to the curb for good. If not for your health, than at least for your sweet baby. It will help you feel better while you’re pregnant and help increase your odds of not having a baby addicted to sugar upon birth!

Small steps lead to big changes. When you know better, you do better!
~KB~
Here are more links if you want more information regarding this growing epidemic:

• https://www.adhdawareness.com/child-nutrition.html#.XS5UBC2ZM1I
• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/food-toxics-adhd_b_1994600
• Fructose interacts with oral contraceptives and elevates insulin levels in women on “the pill.” https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/modern-foods/the-double-danger-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup/

This list could go on forever. Sugar is the devil and fake sugar is even worse. So don’t turn to the “sugar-free or diet drinks because they are more harmful than the original stuff and you deserve better.

The post The Bumpy Truth About Nutrition appeared first on American Pregnancy Association.

So you realize you are actually pregnant. Reality starts to set in and your body begins to let you know, Hey, this is real with the most pleasant of all things, nausea. This is not your typical sickness either. No sugar coating things here ladies, it is awful! Stay with me though.
I was nauseous for an entire week before I realized I was in fact pregnant. It got progressively worse for several weeks. I wish I could tell you, “Ohhh, it is not that bad.” But I intend to be real with you. It’s hard. And maybe you are one of the lucky ones that does not experience a single moment of morning sickness. Bless you!
I, however, was not so lucky.

What is morning sickness?

The actual definition: nausea in pregnancy, typically occurring in the first few months. Despite its name, the nausea can affect pregnant women at any time of day.
Research strongly shows that morning sickness is “a mechanism for protecting mother and embryo.”  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10858967

Let’s get down to it…

I would wake up in the morning, roll out of bed and try to pull myself together. Pure hot mess. On my way to work (teach 66 kids) I would usually have a sack handy and it was full by the time I got to my school.
On top of that…I had to set a trash can outside my classroom door and would have to take moments in the hallway while the children were hard at work.
One of my most memorable moments happened after we had been tailgating all weekend at a college football game. We packed up the R.V. Sunday morning, got on the road only to have to pull over for me to lose my breakfast. I barely made it outside the R.V. and I remember wanting to scream at the top of my lungs to all the onlookers:
I’M PREGNANT PEOPLE!!

I was mortified. Mr. Right knew my embarrassment was exponential and laughed all the way home. Joke was on him, I slept the entire way home.

Alongside the excessive morning sickness came the extreme fatigue. After teaching all day, I would come home and go straight to bed. 5:00 in the afternoon, sound asleep.

This is not an exaggeration. Mr. Right would wake me up to eat dinner, leave crackers beside my bed and let me sleep until morning.
My point….THIS IS REAL BUT YOU WILL SURVIVE.

I thought I was going to die too! How could I do this every day? But I survived and so will you.
Will it be hard? Yes. Can you do it? Again, YES!

One day, toward the second trimester, your energy will come back and the nausea will subside. You will start to feel that ‘pregnancy glow” everyone talks about and be able to function.

Dad’s, this is an opportunity for you to have your A game. Be sympathetic. Be patient, Be supportive. It is the first of many changes that you will see in your significant other but it will all be worth it in the end.

If you are one of the many lucky ladies that deal with morning sickness, here are a few tips to help alleviate some of the symptoms according to Sally Fallon Morell, President The Weston A. Price Foundation. You can visit www.westonaprice.org to learn more.

• FATIGUE: Don’t fight it, get plenty of rest
• MORNING SICKNESS:
  • Avoid low blood sugar, get three good meals per day
  • Raw whole milk sipped throughout the day, very helpful
  • Ginger, acupuncture, vitamin B6
  • Plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration

Morning (all day) sickness is rough. Allow yourself some grace and know that this too will pass!

With love,
KB

The post Morning Sickness Survival – the Bumpy Truth appeared first on American Pregnancy Association.

Rest easy knowing that whether a pregnancy is planned or unplanned we are never fully prepared for this chapter. And that is okay!

This is a journey that will change you in a way that those around you may or may not understand. You may not even understand. And that is okay too.
So, I know you have questions, anxieties, fears and even possibly nostalgia.
Good news is you’re here, educating yourself and preparing yourself for the new life you helped create. She/he will be a part of you for life and you are on the right path.

At the risk of sounding super basic, the best thing to do now is be the best support system she has to help power her through the process of growing a human. Y’all’s human!

TIPS:

• She will need plenty of water and healthy food options.
• Getting sunshine (Vitamin D) is crucial.
• Stay active with her: going on walks, yoga, barre etc.
• Attend the doctor appointments as frequently as possible! There is nothing like hearing the baby’s heartbeat for the first time and every other chance you get. It will melt your heart and if you allow it to happen, it will ease your soul and your fears.
• If she is extremely nauseous in the mornings, ensure she has crackers beside her bed each night. They also make organic pregnancy pops to alleviate some of the nausea. These pops contain ginger, which is the ingredient that is known to help lessen the symptoms. Surprise her with some to show your support!

Kudos, Gentlemen! If you made it this far in the post, then pat yourself on the back! You are going to rock this new gig as a dad! You are invested and that is half the battle. Now, just show up and enjoy the journey!
Parenthood can be a scary thing. If you and your significant other have any questions on what options are available to you. Please follow this link for more information.

Blessings,
KB

The post To All the Expecting Fathers: This Bumpy Truth appeared first on American Pregnancy Association.

Fortunately, I was able to discuss our fears of not getting pregnant with my OB. She was able to prescribe Provera to jump start my cycle and voila I was pregnant a month later. Imagine my shock. We had spent so many months trying to do it on our own with no luck and just like that, our lives were about to change forever. Honestly, I thought it would take months and we would be right on ‘schedule’.

I was terrified, excited…so many emotions.

If you want to make God laugh, tell him what your plan is!
My story is not always how it works out for other families. I have many friends that have struggled and continue to struggle with growing their families. It breaks my heart. As women, we often put the blame on ourselves….

• What is wrong with my body?
• What am I doing wrong?
• What testing do I need to do or medicines do I need to take?

The list could go on…but I am hear to tell you that it is not always the woman with the inability to conceive. You heard that right …
SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS. Maybe it is not you ladies, just maybe it is your man! Male infertility accounts for 30% of all infertility cases. Check out this article for more info, including home sperm test and supplements https://americanpregnancy.org/infertility/male-infertility/

And the silver lining here is that there are simple ways to find out if your male partner has underlying issues before you put your body through the ringer!

I learned a lot about my body and the role nutrition plays into balancing hormones and increasing fertility success. Diet is important, regardless of gender. What you eat is imperative to how your body functions.

Check out this article from Harvard on the benefits of consuming a nutrient dense diet and fertility. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fertility-and-diet-is-there-a-connection-2018053113949
There is so much nonsense about food these days that it can become very confusing so let’s keep it simple.

• Eat healthy fats : Healthy Fats are not the enemy!!
  • Dark Chocolate : You read that right. I am not talking about the bag of M&M’s calling your name or that Snickers bar that is filled with a bunch of junk. Find organic dark chocolate and develop a taste for it. If you can develop a taste for alcohol, you can do this too!
  • Avocados: I cannot stress enough the benefits of avocados. High in fiber and more potassium than bananas! Super beneficial to cardiovascular health. JUST EAT THEM!
  • Whole EGGS : Organic & pasture raised only.
  • Fatty Wild Caught Fish: salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and herring are great sources with very little to no mercury; If you do not eat fish, try a Cod Fish Oil supplement. It’s imperative to brain development.
  • Chia Seeds: Plant power food! Add a tablespoon or two to smoothies, soups, spaghetti etc. They have virtually no flavor but super high in fat and fiber!
• Limit Processed Foods/Fast Foods
• Ditch sugar sweetened beverages
  • Sodas
  • Energy drinks
  • Gatorade/Powerade
  • Lattes, Frapps

• Sweet Tea (I am from the South, I get it but you gotta let it go)
• Alcohol
• Drink WATER

In a nutshell, infertility in males and females is common. Diet plays a key role in your fertility so be smart about what you put into your body and how you are treating yourself. You deserve the best, so give yourself the best.
~KB~

The post Infertility & Nutrition – The Bumpy Truth appeared first on American Pregnancy Association.

• Is it accurate?
• What should I do next?
• How do I tell the father? What are the best ways he can support me and vice versa?
• How do I prevent pregnancy problems?
• What can I eat and drink?
• What is really healthy for me and baby?
• Should I exercise? What kind of exercise is best?
• What products are toxic for me and baby?
• What supplements should I be taking?
• The list could go on…

Odds are these are just few of the questions that are running through your head. And that is only touching the surface of confusion, fear, excitement and all the other mixed emotions that you are feeling.

I want to say this loud and clear…YOU ARE NOT ALONE! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THIS ALONE EITHER!

Repeat after me…I CAN DO THIS! I AM STRONG!

But nothing was easy.
I am the result of an unplanned pregnancy with an absent father. In a nutshell, my mother and father were best friends but he did not believe her when she told him I was his. Yeah, he bailed.

To make matters more complicated, my mother was an addict. Mostly alcohol but drugs played a role too. I spent much of my childhood with my Nanaw, which honestly was God’s way of protecting me, though as a child I did not understand it. I watched my mom get physically abused… repeatedly by almost every relationship she had.

She wasn’t a bad woman. She had a heart of gold and was probably the funniest person I knew. She just had an addiction that controlled her life.  She taught me to love Jesus and how to love others well and for that I am grateful. I eventually lost her to opioids when I was 20. She was 44 years young.

My 20s were full of bad choices, wrong turns, and regrets. My health plummeted, my relationship struggled and I came to a fork in the road. Ultimately, I made decisions to better my life. I graduated college and began teaching 1st grade.  At age 24, I chose to spend my life with Mr. Right, my best decision ever, and knew we would one day like to grow our family. Just not too soon.
We spent a couple years in honeymoon bliss! I had switched to teaching 4th grade and loved all my students.

Then out of the blue…life changed.

Let me back up…I have never had a regular monthly cycle. In fact, I was put on birth control at age 17 to regulate my cycle. In my early 20s I decided taking a synthetic hormone long term was not for me and I stopped the pill.  What a difference this made. I did not have a regular cycle anymore but I felt so much better physically and mentally. However, this came with its own set of issues.

I would never know when that time of the month would be or if it would even come. I could go several months without a cycle…I know AMAZING, right!! Except it would always show up at the most inopportune times…beach vacations, summer pool parties, lake parties, romantic get aways: You feel me? AHAAH! It could be so frustrating.

In the summer of 2009, Mr. Right and I started discussing the possibility of growing our family. No rush. We would wait at least a year.
“If you want to make God laugh tell him what your plan is!” We found this to be incredibly true.

I had my yearly exam that summer and discussed our plans with my OB. She put me on a prescription to jump start my cycle. We spent years thinking we may never have a child of our own. After all, I hadn’t been on birth control for many years and we did not have any surprises thus far.

Fast forward a month and the school year began. I went to work every day feeling nauseated and exceptionally tired. Seriously, I was throwing up in sacks on the way to work every morning. It was awful!  Honest to God, I thought I was fighting a stomach bug. Naive, maybe. Ok. Yes. On my 4th day of whining, a co-worker friend of mine asked me, “Are you pregnant?’ I confidently and quickly responded with a loud, “NO!” She just smiled at me.

That entire day my anxiety grew. We wanted children but were we ready? We had discussed waiting a year. With my irregular cycles, I had feared being able to get pregnant at all.  I could not possibly be pregnant now, could I?
That afternoon I picked up three pregnancy tests. When the first test turned positive faster than I could get off the toilet I nearly fell over. Still in shock and denial, I took the other two tests and received the same result in the same quick response. I had to lay down. I had all the feels, giddy yes but completely terrified.

And how was I supposed to tell Mr. Right?

I did not come up with some well thought out plan to break the news to him. In fact, my emotions were so high, I called him several times. Okay, maybe borderline-stalker-crazy number of times. With no avail…so not in my proudest moment, I took a picture of the tests and sent it to him via text.

Yep, I was in shock so he should be in shock too. Again not my best moment but we look back and laugh at it…now.

The next few weeks of waiting seemed to take forever. Waiting to get into the doctor to confirm we were pregnant. Waiting to tell our family and friends. I had all those questions and concerns too.

Life goes on as normal and meanwhile I was overwhelmed and terrified about everything. Did all those cocktails harm my baby? What about all the sushi I had been eating? And I love a glass of wine! What’s a girl to do? God just handed me this blessing, had I already messed up?
Our story is full of life changes, but also a lot of happiness. Both our girls were born happy and healthy but both pregnancies were an adventure.

Believe me when I tell you, whether you choose to get pregnant or not you will never fully be prepared for this new chapter of life. It is full of joy, laughter, fatigue (oh the fatigue), tears but mostly awe of being so needed by someone so helpless.
So I’m going to share my knowledge, experiences and expertise hoping I can help you enjoy your pregnancy journey. Because a wise person once said to me, “You never know what you believe in, until you have kids.”

Let’s enjoy your journey and its ultimate reward!

The post The Test Said Positive! Here’s the Bumpy Truth appeared first on American Pregnancy Association.