What is collagen anyway?

Collagen is in your skin, bones, cartilage, and more — in short, it’s the most abundant protein in your body. There are a multitude of reasons that collagen could greatly benefit pregnancy, from inside your beautiful pregnant body to the outside.

What are collagen peptides?

Collagen peptides are very small proteins — subunits of collagen. They are made up of anywhere from two to one hundred amino acids (source). In plain English? They are amino acid-rich animal parts (such as a cow hide, chicken feet, fish skin, etc) that have been soaked in hot water to release their collagen, then evaporated and milled to create a powder form. What makes them ideal for consumption is that they have excellent cold-water solubility (i.e. you can put them in most foods).

Mama Natural Multi Collagen Protein smoothie scene

What about the different types of collagen?

There are at least 16 types of collagen, but the most important ones for your body are types 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 ( I, II, III, V, and X).

Type I is the biggest one, accounting for 90% of your body’s collagen. It is made of densely packed fibers that contribute to skin, bones, tendons, fibrous cartilage, connective tissue, and teeth (source).

Type II is found in elastic cartilage — the kind that cushions your joints. It is much more loosely packed than Type I (source).

Type III consists of only one collagen, and supports the structure of the muscles, organs, and arteries. Those low in this collagen often suffer from viral and nonviral liver diseases, kidney fibrosis, and vascular disorders (source).

Type V collagen works with type I collagen to provide structure to bone, skeletal muscle, liver, lung, and, most notably, the cells of a pregnant woman’s placenta (source).

Type X can be found in endochondral bone formation (a fancy way of saying bone and cartilage creation) (source).

Is taking just one collagen bad?

Taking just one type of collagen is not bad, it just may not be as beneficial as taking them in concert. As we explained above, each type of collagen contributes to a different area of the body. A multi-collagen peptide is going to use multiple sources such as porcine skin, chicken feet, cartilage, and even eggshell membrane, compared to a normal collagen peptide that may just use bovine. Because your body is being taxed in so many different ways — from your skin and hair, to your bones and joints — a multi-collagen may be the most beneficial.

Is collagen safe during pregnancy?

Collagen in its natural form is found naturally in your diet. It is in everything from bone broth to bell peppers. With that in mind, we’re going to go ahead and say yes, it’s safe (and encouraged) to eat a nutrient-rich diet that includes well-sourced meats, colorful veggies and fruit during pregnancy.

What about collagen powder? Is that safe to use during pregnancy?

Again, most likely, yes. But — wait for it — you should always consult your doctor or midwife before starting any new supplement. Unfortunately, because of ethical reasons, the research on the effects of collagen peptides on pregnant women is very limited. That said, collagen peptides are a pretty simple food source as supplements go. As we talked about above, in original form, they are animal parts. What’s important is where those animals came from (grass-fed and pasture-raised vs. factory-farmed) and what else, if anything, has been added to the product.

Mama Natural Multi Collagen Protein baking scene

How much collagen peptides should I take during pregnancy?

With collagen supplementation being relatively new, health authorities haven’t established any official guidelines for how much collagen to take per day — pregnant or not. If you and your doctor or midwife agree that collagen is safe for you to take during pregnancy, you can follow the dosage directions on the package. Typically, a scoop of collagen peptide every morning in your coffee, tea, or smoothie is recommended.

Can you take collagen peptides postpartum, while breastfeeding?

Again, we believe that this should be safe. And in fact, there is a 2016 study that found pregnant and postpartum women demonstrated improved protein levels and quality of life after collagen supplementation (source). More specifically, the collagen supplement subjects showed no impact on breastfeeding or post-delivery or newborn problems. But again, please consult your physician or midwife for any supplement you take while breastfeeding.

What are some potential benefits of collagen during pregnancy?

1. Protein!

Studies show that pregnant women require a substantial amount of additional grams of protein per day. American Pregnancy Association recommends 75 to 100 grams of protein per day, while The Brewer’s Diet recommends 80 grams of protein a day up to 100-120 grams per day.

For those of you who struggle with morning sickness, it can be difficult to get all that protein in your diet. Collagen peptides have become a popular choice with pregnant women as a sneaky way to offer a protein boost in the foods that they can stomach.

Please note that collagen is not a replacement for other well-sourced protein in your diet, just a compliment to it. In fact, collagen on its own is not a complete protein. Unlike a grass-fed burger or a serving of safe pregnancy seafood, it lacks the complete essential amino acid profile. Collagen only contains 8 of the 9 essential amino acids, with the bulk of them being glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline (source). What do we mean by essential? These are the guys that our body can’t produce on its own. They are essential for us to eat to obtain our ideal nutrient profile (source).

2. Collagen may benefit baby

As we stated in the beginning, collagen is critical for your skin, bones, and cartilage. So when you’re growing a baby in your belly, you can only imagine what that little one requires of you to build its own skin, bones, and cartilage.

A 2019 study from Purdue University found that a significant number of pregnant women are not getting enough vitamins D, C, A, B6, K, and E, as well as folate, choline, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc even with the use of a multi or a prenatal supplement. As mentioned above, collagen is a great source of six of the aforementioned vitamins and minerals.

In addition, a review in the International Journal of Biomedical Sciences explains that collagen plays a critical role during a successful pregnancy, from establishing itself in the decidual tissue (simplify term) to assisting in a healthy immune system (source).

3. Possibly prevent stretch marks with collagen

When you’re pregnant, your belly grows, stretching your skin in ways that it hasn’t been stretched since you were going through puberty. However, as you age, your body produces less collagen on it’s own, leading to dry skin, and possibly in the case of pregnancy, stretch marks. Skin health is kind of collagen’s claim to fame. Multiple studies have found that collagen peptides or supplements may help slow the aging of your skin by reducing wrinkles and dryness (source) (source) (source). Moreover, in one study, women who took a collagen supplement experienced a significant increase in skin elasticity (source).

What’s important to note here is that collagen has been shown to increase skin elasticity before the skin has been stretched; not after. That’s why it may be most beneficial to take collagen early on in pregnancy before the belly is stretched to its max.

4. Collagen may help keep hair beautiful during pregnancy

Even if you’re not typically a woman who suffers from thin or brittle hair, the hormonal shifts during pregnancy can lead to dry hair and even hair loss. Collagen brands and collagen users alike love to brag about how much thicker and longer that hair has become since starting a collagen peptide. Unfortunately, there is not a ton of scientific studies on the effects of collagen on hair growth and health. However, here are a few basic facts:

• Hair is mostly comprised of the protein keratin (source)
• Proline is one of collagen’s primary amino acids (source)
• Proline is also the main component of keratin

5. Collagen may help relieve joint pain during pregnancy

The stress of a growing baby on your body can lead to all sorts of new pain on your body parts (round ligament pain, sciatica, overall muscle aches). You may have heard of the infamous Relaxin by now — the hormone released early in pregnancy intended to relax the ligaments so that later, during labor, the uterus and pelvis can more easily expand. This hormone is known to do its job a little too well because it helps other joints lose their normal stability and can even lead to injury.

Enter collagen. The word actually comes from the Greek word “glue” because it keeps your cells glued together. In this case, it can help keep your cartilage and tendons together. Studies have shown that collagen supplementation can reduce joint pain, and possibly reduce inflammation (source). In one study, 147 athletes (a high risk group to joint pain) found that those who took a collagen supplement had significantly less pain than those who didn’t.

6. Possibly combat morning sickness with collagen supplementation

One of the key reasons that pregnant women suffer from morning sickness is that they suffer from nutritional deficiency. Again, collagen provides substantial, and often lacking, nutrient content.

Blood sugar fluctuations also tend to induce nausea in pregnancy. The best way to balance blood sugar is to include both fat and protein in your meals — no matter how small. A smoothie with a scoop of collagen and a spoonful of almond butter could make all the difference in your typically nauseating morning.

What do Midwives have to say about using collagen peptides during pregnancy?

Studies have shown that pregnant women who choose a midwife have fewer medical interventions with no negative health implications on mom or baby (source). Moms who give birth with midwives are also more likely to breastfeed (source). All this to say, midwives have a reputation for putting the mother first, and being by her side throughout the entire pregnancy. A good midwife is completely immersed in the prenatal and postnatal world. They know their stuff.

Maura Winkler, CNM at FIKA Midwifery is a proponent of collagen peptides during pregnancy. She says,

“Collagen peptides are not just safe for pregnancy, they’re beneficial! Collagen helps support skin elasticity and joint health—two body systems that are pushed to the max during pregnancy. Collagen also contains amino acids that may help to seal the gut and promote gut health, a trait you’ll likely pass on to your baby through vaginal birth.”

Heather McCullough, CPM, a Certified Professional Midwife in Chicago, says,

“Please do add collagen every day to your routine! I’m such a huge fan of collagen – for all people, but most importantly during pregnancy and postpartum. Collagen in pregnancy has been associated with stronger amniotic sacs, decreasing occurrences of early release of the membranes and therefore decreasing risk of infection during birth. Other common concerns during pregnancy are round ligament pain, sacroiliac pain (SI joint dysfunction) and symphysis pubis dysfunction. All of which can see improvement with the addition of daily collagen and vitamin C intake. What’s not to love?”

How should I take collagen?

Collagen is first and foremost available naturally through food. Beef, fish, chicken, beans, eggs, dairy, and animal bones (i.e. bone broth, bone marrow). But because pregnancy can be especially exhausting, collagen supplementation is also an option. You can easily throw a collagen peptide powder in a smoothie, your morning tea, soup (even bone broth to double your collagen intake), baked goods, oatmeal, yogurt, pasta, and more. A good collagen peptide powder is tasteless and odorless, making the food possibilities endless.

What collagen do we recommend?

Mama Natural Multi Collagen Protein tea scene

How about you?

Did you take collagen during pregnancy? What was your experience with it? Any great recipe ideas? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Is Collagen During Pregnancy Good For You? appeared first on Mama Natural.

Really, what’s the deal with swollen feet during pregnancy, aka edema?

Can swollen feet be avoided? Is there anything you can do to relieve the swelling? Can swollen feet ever be a sign of something more serious?

Read on, mama.

What does it mean to have swollen feet during pregnancy?

Swollen feet during pregnancy, or edema, is due to your body hanging onto excess fluids, especially in the hands and feet. Though it can happen to anyone at any time for various reasons, edema is particularly common in pregnant women.

What causes swollen feet while pregnant?

Edema is a normal reaction to the inflammation caused by pregnancy. When you’re pregnant, your blood volume and bodily fluids increase by 50%. This excess fluid ensures baby has what she needs when she needs it. But it needs to be stored somewhere, hence your swollen feet.

Besides the feet, swelling can occur in the ankles, calves, hands, and face.

Your kidneys regulate the fluid in your body. If it’s particularly hot out or you’re becoming dehydrated, your kidneys react by telling your body to store excess fluid in case it’s needed. Additionally, your kidneys work to process the stored fluid to give necessary body parts what they need.

The excess strain of a heavy uterus can make circulation from your lower extremities back to your heart a little less efficient, causing pooling of fluids.

What can I do about swollen feet during pregnancy?

There are a number of diet and lifestyle choices that can help with swollen feet while pregnant.

1. Don’t sit or stand for long periods of time

This may be tricky if you work in an office, but changing positions often can really help relieve edema in pregnancy. A treadmill desk is a great solution, but if you can’t get one of those, you can try a standing desk, or sitting for a while and getting away from the desk frequently to get circulation flowing.

2. Use gravity to your advantage

If you’re having swollen feet during pregnancy, one great way to relieve the swelling is by putting your feet up often. When you’re lounging at home, try to keep your feet above your heart.

3. Drink more water

It may seem counterintuitive, but drinking more water will actually help you get rid of excess fluids. When your body is dehydrated, your kidneys think they need to hold onto as much water as possible since there doesn’t seem to be enough. Giving your body the fluids it needs will remind your kidneys that it can get rid of the excess.

4. Drink less caffeine

Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it increases the amount of fluid you eliminate through urine. However, it also causes dehydration, which makes your kidneys hang onto more excess fluid. Try to reduce the amount of caffeine you have each day—which is good advice for pregnancy anyway—and when you do drink caffeine, make sure to drink plenty of water too.

5. Balance your electrolytes

Salt is very important for staying properly hydrated. Be sure to get plenty of healthy sea salt in your diet. That means staying away from table salt and processed foods, and instead eating real food seasoned to taste with high-quality sea salt.

In addition to salt (sodium), there are 3 other main electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, and calcium) necessary to keep you adequately hydrated. It’s important to keep these electrolytes in the proper balance.

For example, too much salt without enough potassium can cause heart problems. That’s why balancing the electrolytes is usually more important than adding just salt to your diet. You can get these electrolytes in this liquid supplement form, in a powder form, or from food.

Try this electrolyte drink or sip on coconut water with a dash of sea salt.

6. Exercise regularly

Though exercise can cause some edema (have you ever noticed your hands get puffy after a workout?), its benefits are much greater. Regular exercise optimizes the circulatory system so that excess water doesn’t pool in the legs or hands.

7. Optimize your diet

In addition to a healthy pregnancy diet, edema can benefit from a high-protein and high-salt diet, known as the Brewer’s diet. (I know, seems counterintuitive!) Protein in the blood acts as a sponge to hold water inside blood vessels. When there is not enough protein, fluid leaks out of the blood vessels and into the surrounding tissue.

We know that salt is important in keeping fluid in the blood rather than in the tissue, so the combination of the two is an excellent way to manage feet swelling during pregnancy.

Dr. Brewer had great success working with patients with edema, toxemia and preeclampsia with his diet and protocol. Always check with your doctor before making any diet or supplement changes. 

8. Try apple cider vinegar

Mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a cup or two of water, and drink twice a day. ACV is high in potassium, which can help balance your electrolytes.

9. Use magnesium oil or take a salt bath

Spray your inner arms and legs with this magnesium oil spray per the label’s instructions (again, check with doctor before using.) Place a cup of magnesium flakes into your bath water. Magnesium is best absorbed through the skin, so this is a great way to increase your magnesium levels.

10. Use a skin brush

This skin brush supports the circulatory system that can help relieve mild cases of edema. Start at feet and brush upward toward the heart. You can then start brush at hands and brush upward toward the heart. This will help move fluid throughout the lymph system and support blood circulation. Do this skin brushing twice per day.

11. Go swimming

Just like water helps with birth, water can also help relieve the pull of gravity on the fluids in your body.

Photos of swollen feet during pregnancy

I asked the fabulous mamas on my Facebook page to show me their pregnancy feet. Here are some of their magnificent tootsies!

When should I be worried about feet swelling during pregnancy?

Though edema in pregnancy is incredibly common and normal, it may also be a sign of preeclampsia. If you are having any swelling at all, you should let your health provider know right away. Swelling on its own doesn’t mean you are developing preeclampsia, but it is one of the markers for the condition, so it’s important that your practitioner knows about it to assess other related signs and symptoms.

Other warning signs of preeclampsia:

• Swelling that comes on suddenly
• Excessive swelling in the face
• Ashen appearance
• Skin pitting (when you press on the swollen area and it doesn’t bounce back)
• High blood pressure
• Severe headaches
• Changes in vision
• Upper abdominal pain, usually under your ribs on the right side
• Nausea or vomiting
• Decreased urine output

That being said, the natural remedies discussed above are usually still OK to try even if you have preeclampsia, as the swelling is just a symptom that needs to be managed. The Brewer’s Diet is particularly helpful for preeclampsia. But as always, check with your healthcare provider to see whether it’s safe for you to try any of these home remedies if you are developing preeclampsia.

Swollen feet during pregnancy, what’s the bottom line?

If you have swollen feet while pregnant, there’s rarely a reason to be too concerned. It’s usually normal and can be treated easily with home remedies.

Keep your practitioner in the loop on your swelling just in case, and keep an eye out for other signs of a problem, like preeclampsia. Chances are, it’s just the normal swelling of pregnancy, but better safe than sorry!

The post Swollen Feet During Pregnancy (Edema) Natural Remedies appeared first on Mama Natural.

What’s the Best Way to Track Pregnancy?

When you find out that you’re pregnant, you will likely start to think about how to track your pregnancy.

It all starts with calculating your due date. You can do that using the Mama Natural due date calculator by entering the first day of your last menstrual period or the date you conceived.

If you want to have an even more accurate estimate of when baby will arrive, try the advanced version. It uses the Mittendorf-Williams Rule to calculate a more accurate due date. This calculator takes into account 16 significant factors—maternal age, pre-pregnancy weight, race, college education, alcohol and coffee use, hypertension, and other medical conditions—that help to provide a better estimate for your due date.

Once you know what your due date is you can sign up for a pregnancy tracker. A pregnancy tracker helps you keep track of which week you are in. Some, like the Mama Natural Week-by-Week, also track your baby’s development and your upcoming appointments, plus include helpful supplemental information about how to better care of yourself and your baby throughout your pregnancy.

What’s the Best Pregnancy Tracker?

The Mama Natural Pregnancy Week-by-Week

There are tons of pregnancy tracker apps, but our favorite (of course) is the Mama Natural pregnancy week-by-week, because it’s the perfect all-around experience to guide you through a natural pregnancy and birth.

It’s the only pregnancy tracker from a natural standpoint

When I was pregnant for the first time I tried a few different pregnancy trackers. Some were helpful, but most just didn’t sit right with me. They talked about pregnancy like it’s a scary medical condition—so much of the content focused on what could go wrong, not how to have a happy, healthy, and inspiring birth. I also longed for content that could help me make the decisions I was faced with as a natural mama. I wanted discussion about the different options that were available to me and ways I could proactively manage my pregnancy. But I just couldn’t find it, so I created the Mama Natural Pregnancy Tracker.

You get week by week updates on all platforms

The Mama Natural Pregnancy Tracker offers week-by-week updates (from a natural standpoint) via email, text, and the Mama Natural website.

There’s also a companion book

The companion book The Mama Natural Week-to-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth takes all of the online week-by-week content and expands upon it, helping mamas-to-be learn things like:

• Your perfect pregnancy diet (with weekly recipes)
• How to ditch toxins in your beauty and cleaning routine
• Natural remedies for common pregnancy symptoms
• The truth about epidurals (and other interventions)
• How to create your birth “dream team“
• How and why to eat your placenta (or not)
• Natural pain relief during labor
• What to do during each stage of labor
• Tips to navigate all those newborn interventions
• Plus, how to start breastfeeding on the right foot

This book, coupled with the online pregnancy tracker, empowers you to make the right choices for yourself and your family as you prepare for the hard work of childbirth.

Mama Natural Book

Other Pregnancy Tracker Apps

As I mentioned earlier, I’m not a huge fan of most pregnancy apps, because they talk about pregnancy and childbirth as if it’s a scary medical condition to fear. However, there are some apps that do some really cool things. Here are some of the better options out there:

• The Expectful Pregnancy app is unique in that it reminds you to meditate and take a deep breath each day. This is very different from the vibe you get from most apps (that lots of scary things will happen to you). I appreciate the reminder to go inward and remember that, usually, all is well.
• The Baby Pool app is another interesting app that is a bit different. Basically, it creates a baby pool digitally (instead of on a paper calendar) where your friends and family members can join in and make predictions. Once baby is born, participants earn points for each right answer. You can even add prizes if you want.
• The Who’s Your Daddy app is an app designed just for dads or partners. It offers weekly updates, a developmental timeline, a hospital bag checklist, a to-do list, potential baby names, and a contraction counter.
• The Pregnancy Diary Twins app is an app specifically for parents of multiples. It contains all of the same things that other apps do, but also includes multiple-specific information.

But Do You Really Need a Pregnancy Tracker?

As a newly pregnant mama for the first time, you may have only one thing on your mind—your pregnancy! But as you progress, pregnancy brain can make it hard to remember exactly what week you are on and which appointment you need to prepare for.

And when you get to your second or third pregnancy? Forget it! You’ll be so busy with your little ones that the pregnancy can just fly by. A pregnancy tracker can really help you press pause and keep tabs on that new special life growing inside of you.

The post The Best Pregnancy Tracker For Natural Mamas appeared first on Mama Natural.

It’s no secret that we think the Mama Natural Birth Course is the best online birthing class out there. Midwife Maura and I set out to create a course that is lively, brisk, informative, and, best of all, fun! And over the past five years, we’ve helped thousands of women have their best, most natural births. (Don’t take our word for it. See what hundreds of them have to say.)

However, as much as we love our course, we want you to make the best decision for you and baby, and that means finding the class that works best for you.

To help you make an informed decision, we’ve done our best to create a comprehensive, accurate comparison of our childbirth course to some other online birthing classes.

Choose a class below to see how Mama Natural compares, or scroll to the bottom for a complete comparison chart of all the classes we covered.

Best Online Birthing Classes Comparisons

Mama Natural vs Birth Boot Camp

Birth Boot Camp is a military-themed childbirth education course that offers parents a variety of different online birthing class options. Click for full Comparison.

Mama Natural vs Kopa Birth

Kopa Birth began as a local natural childbirth class in Atlanta, GA, and has since expanded to include online childbirth classes as well. Click for full Comparison.

Mama Natural vs Lamaze Online Classes

Recognizable brand in the childbirth world offers “slideshow” style online education. Click for full Comparison.

Mama Natural vs Moms on Top

Moms on Top is a more expensive video-based childbirth education course that also blends in live phone and/or video chats. Click for full Comparison.

Mama Natural vs SupportingHer

SupportingHer focuses on the support people who assist the mama during labor, including dad or partner. Click for full Comparison.

Mama Natural vs HypnoBabies Self-Study Course

Hypnobabies Self-Study Course is an audio-based course covering birthing hypnosis techniques. Click for full Comparison.

Online Birthing Classes Comparison Chart

Here’s a complete “at-a-glance” comparison of all the best online birthing classes.

As you can see, you have several good online birth class options to choose from, which is amazing! We are happy and hopeful that more people are getting on board with childbirth education.

As you can also see, The Mama Natural Birth Course stands apart in many key areas. If you’re planning a natural hospital, birth center, or home birth, we think it’s the best birth class you can choose.

How to Compare Online Birthing Classes

When evaluating a birthing class, we think it’s important to consider all of the following factors:

Course Length

There are two primary components to course length: the total number of classes and the total course duration. Some courses have fewer, longer sessions, while others spread the content over more sessions to break things up. The key here is your learning style. Are you more of a sponge who likes to suck up a bunch of knowledge at once, or do you prefer to learn at your own pace? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed if too much knowledge is being thrown at you at once.

At Mama Natural, we believe we offer the best of both worlds by combining a plethora of knowledge into easy-to-follow, enjoyable segments. We know there’s a lot to learn, so we don’t want to bog you down with lengthy sessions.

That said, if you need to cram and get all your education in a weekend, you could do so with Mama Natural.

Instructors

First and foremost, Mamas need to examine an instructor’s credentials before tuning in. You and baby’s health are important, and you need to trust the advice being given to you. Some online birthing classes are taught by certified childbirth educators, while others may not be. It’s important to do your homework.

We’re proud to say that Mama Natural Birth Course is the only online birthing class that is taught by a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). Additionally, Midwife Maura is an IBCLC-certified lactation consultant.

Teaching Approach

There’s nothing worse than a boring instructor. Instruction can range from clinical to conversational. You want to seek out the type of instructor that works for you, as teaching styles vary by instructor from predominantly charts and medical simulations, to hands-on, approachable instruction.

We believe that learning should be fun, and with so much information waiting for you, we aim to make your online childbirth class as enjoyable as it is informative. We keep the mood upbeat with the Mama Natural Birth Course, preventing the dreaded brain fog that can come from information overload.

Course Access

We believe you should be allowed to learn at your own pace, which is why Mama Natural Birth Course students get access for one full year. Not only is this helpful while you’re learning, but it allows you to refer back for a refresher as needed. Heck, you might even want to re-watch everything to take more notes.

Several other online birthing classes allow access for up to a year, though 7-10 months is more common. Shorter accessibility windows may force you to cram your learning, which can impact retention. Worst of all, you’re barred from referring back.

Community Group

Some mamas prefer to have a group connection despite the distance learning of an online birthing course. This connects you with mamas-to-be learning the same material and offers a sounding board if you have a question.

The Mama Natural Birth Course includes a members-only community group that is moderated by a certified doula, maintaining a positive, facts-first environment of learning and connection.

Section for Dad

Partners are often left out of online birthing courses, and we aren’t quite sure why. Partners are in this just as much as mamas and educating them is just as important (hello! they’re your support). That’s why The Mama Natural Birth Course features sections just for partners.

Accepts FSA/HSA

If you have benefits, we think you should be able to use them, which is why the Mama Natural Birth Course accepts FSA/HSA payments. For mamas with these benefits, this can save you out-of-pocket costs in a time when you need it most. This is rare in online birthing courses but incredibly beneficial.

30 Day Money-Back Guarantee

Online birthing courses aren’t a one-size-fits-all deal. They come in all different styles, and mamas may find that one course really doesn’t jibe with them after purchase. We totally get that, which is why the Mama Natural Birth Course offers a 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee. In our humble opinion, the best online birthing courses offer this assurance, allowing you to make an educated decision about what works for you and baby.

You have enough to worry about, mamas. Canceling a course within a narrow time frame that doesn’t work for you shouldn’t be added to your stress load.

Closing Thoughts On The Best Online Birthing Class For You

You may have been told that childbirth is scary, excruciating, something out of your control.

That it’s a medical condition instead of a natural biological process.

Or that you’ll need interventions like labor induction and pain medication.

But Mama Natural is here to tell you the truth about your childbirth.

You can do this.

It will be one of the most challenging and powerful things you will ever do. You will grow in ways that you never knew possible. You will emerge a stronger and more confident woman — no matter how your birth unfolds.

Seriously, you can do this. And we can help.

The Mama Natural Birth Course will help you achieve the birth of your dreams and give your baby the best start in life.

Thousands of our students have gone on to have life-transforming natural childbirths.

And, since we donate 10% of our profits to charity, our students have helped us help thousands of moms in the developing world gain access to lifesaving midwifery care.

Click here to learn more about our best-selling childbirth education course.

And, no matter which course you choose, we wish you and your baby the best!

The Mama Natural Birth Course

The post Best Online Birthing Classes Compared: Mama Natural vs Birth Boot Camp, Kopa & More appeared first on Mama Natural.

Watch me dance through every week of pregnancy in this fun pregnancy timelapse video.

Dancing Through Pregnancy Time Lapse Video

This is Genevieve Howland aka Mama Natural in a pregnancy week by week video, pregnant with my third child, Faith Valencia. The photos at the end are by the amazing Kansas Pitts Photography.

Of course, Faith isn’t my first baby, so that wasn’t my first pregnancy time lapse video!

Pregnancy Time-Lapse Video

When I was pregnant with our first child, Griffin, we took photos every week during my pregnancy, and what you see in this pregnancy video is the progression from nine weeks to 39 weeks pregnant… and beyond!

It’s nine months of pregnancy in under two minutes.

What about my pregnancy with Paloma?!?

When I was pregnant with my second child, Paloma, we didn’t do a pregnancy time lapse video, but we did make weekly video updates that explored the physical, emotional, and spiritual side of pregnancy.

You can see them all in our natural pregnancy week by week series!

How to create a pregnancy time lapse video

Want to create your own pregnancy time lapse video? It’s really a pretty easy process, and it’s such a fun and amazing keepsake to have. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide for you to follow:

1. Choose a background. These videos work best when you take your photograph in the same place every single time. This creates continuity that helps you focus on the progression of your belly—not anything else in the photo.
2. Choose an outfit. Similarly, it’s helpful to wear the same plain outfit every day. Go for something like leggings and a tank top, since that can grow with you. It’s also an outfit that shows off your shape, which makes it easier to see that belly—especially earlier in your pregnancy.
3. Take a photo each month. Wear your chosen outfit and stand sideways in your chosen spot. This positioning gives you the best angle to see your growing belly. Snap a photo. (Consider taking your photo during the day when light is best and keep consistent with this, so the video looks as continuous as possible.) Then, save it in a safe place on your phone’s camera roll or on your computer. Keeping everything in one spot—like a favorites folder—will make it much easier to find all of the photos and put them together once baby is born and time is more limited!
4. Put it all together. At the end of your pregnancy, gather all of the photos and create a slideshow. You can do this easily in iMovie—or you can use an app that pretty much instantly does it for you.

Did you document your pregnancy journey?

How did you do it? Did you make a pregnancy time lapse video? Tell me all about it in the comments below, and thank you so much for watching my pregnancy timelapse videos!

The post Pregnancy Time Lapse – 9 Months in Under 2 Minutes appeared first on Mama Natural.

visual birth plan template by Mama Natural

The Only Birth Plan Template You Need

A birth plan is a very important step to having the natural birth you want. A birth plan is about putting down your preferences, in black and white, before labor begins so that you are prepared for whatever events may arise and can make informed choices about your and baby’s care and safety. It also enables your birth team to access those choices without disrupting you during labor. (Be sure you’ve discussed your desires in detail with your birth team, so that there are no surprises in labor!)

“I just went to the hospital to put this in my chart, and my midwife absolutely loves it— she said it’s the best and clearest way to keep everyone on the same page. I can’t say thank you enough!”
-Stephanie

How to Personalize This Visual Birth Plan Template

When you click on the link to download your free customizable birth plan template, you’ll get two choices: download an editable template via a zip file or download a PDF (not editable). To create the most personalized birth plan, we recommended downloading the zip file.

To edit the file, you’ll need access to Microsoft Word (Pages on Macs works, too) on a laptop or desktop computer.

Once you’ve downloaded the file, open it with your word processor. You’ll see on the second page of the document there are over a dozen additional icons to choose from. Just click and drag those icons to the first page and arrange them however you like.

Simply delete any icons that don’t apply to you. Once you’ve deleted the icons that do not apply to your birth plan, you’ll be left with the perfect visual plan—something nice, clean, and concise for nurses and doctors to refer to during your labor and delivery.

What Icons Are Included in This Visual Birth Plan Template?

This customizable birth plan template includes visual birth plan icons for:

During labor

• No medication: Use this icon if you don’t want pain medication or any kind of antibiotics for conditions like group B strep.
• Free movement: Studies show that women who are allowed to move freely during labor have shorter, less painful labors.
• Natural water rupture: Prematurely rupturing the bag of waters does not guarantee labor and can also lead to increased pain, more intense contractions, and increased risk of infection.
• Intermittent monitoring: Continuous monitoring can affect mama’s ability to relax and focus on labor, plus there’s evidence that constant fetal monitoring is not good for baby.
• Lights dim: A dim room can help mama feel more relaxed and less exposed during childbirth.
• Water birth: Studies show that women who have water births have shorter labors—by 90 minutes!—and are significantly less likely to have an epidural or any other type of anesthesia or opiod pain relief.
• No episiotomy: Recovery from an episiotomy is longer and more painful than a natural tear. What’s more? A study by the University of Michigan found that women who had episiotomies reported decreased sexual satisfaction and a poor body image following the procedure.
• Limited cervical exams: Cervical exams can be uncomfortable and painful. Furthermore, studies don’t suggest frequent cervical exams during labor have any benefit.
• No membrane sweep: In one study, 70 percent of women said membrane stripping was painful. Plus, it can lead to prolonged labors and more interventions.
• Food and drink for mama: Many hospitals don’t allow mama to eat or drink once labor has begun, but adequate nutrition is important for mama to maintain strength and stamina during labor.
• No students please: This is particularly important if you’re giving birth at a teaching hospital. In these cases, you may have students performing medical procedures or groups of students present in the room to observe your baby’s birth.
• Pitocin only if necessary: If pitocin isn’t medically necessary, it’s usage can lead to a host of other interventions, including C-section. It can also have adverse side effects, like greater risk of hemorrhaging.
• Gentle cesarean: The purpose of a gentle cesarean is to invoke a peaceful, calm atmosphere that closely mimics what happens during and immediately after a natural childbirth.
• VBAC: ACOG recommends that repeat cesareans be limited, and encourages women to a try for labor after cesarean–even after two previous C-sections.
• No IV: An IV greatly limits mama’s ability to move freely during labor.
• Nitrous oxide: Nitrous oxide is a relatively safe way to help women cope with pain during labor and can be used during all stages of labor. (source)
• No forceps/vacuum extraction: Studies suggest new mothers experience more trauma and complications following these interventions. It can also cause bruising, bleeding, and even skull fractures in babies. (source)
• Lotus birth: Lotus birth, aka umbilical non-severance, is when you leave the baby attached to the placenta until the cord naturally dries and disconnects from the belly button, generally about three days later. Medical benefits are highly debated, but for many, lotus birth is a mostly spiritual practice that honors the birthing process.

After delivery

• Immediate skin-to-skin: Skin-to-skin, or kangaroo care, has so many benefits, not limited to improved breastfeeding, improved fetal health, improved mental health for mama, and improved bonding.
• Delayed cord clamping: This allows billions of red blood cells, stem cells, white blood cells and other necessary substances to pass from the cord to the newborn.
• Save placenta: Some mamas want to save their placenta so they can eat it.
• Partner to cut cord: This is a great way to give your partner an active role in labor and delivery.
• Breastfeeding ASAP: Immediate breastfeeding will help jumpstart your supply and improve the bond between baby and mama.
• No vitamin K: Some mamas choose to skip this newborn procedure, because the synthetic vitamin K shot is a class C drug—this means it is unknown whether it is safe during pregnancy. It also contains 5,000 times the recommended daily allowance.
• Oral vitamin K: In place of the vitamin K shot, some parents prefer their child receives an oral dose of vitamin K, because infants get this in three much smaller doses.
• No circumcision: In 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that baby circumcision is not recommended as a routine procedure. The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians agree.
• No eye ointment/delay eye ointment: Some mamas skip this, because the use of antibiotics can harm a baby’s gut health, leading to increased risk of illness later. Eye ointment can also cause blurred vision, which may interfere with bonding and establishing breastfeeding.
• No bath for baby: Bathing washes away all that protective vernix and good bacteria from vaginal delivery.
• Delay exams for bonding: Hospital exams can be frequent and invasive, disrupting important bonding activities, like breastfeeding and skin-to-skin time.
• No formula: Moms who wish to breastfeed should include this on their birth plan for obvious reasons, not limited to nipple confusion.
• No hepatitis B: Unless the mother is infected, it is very rare for a newborn to contract hepatitis B.
• Limited visitors: A constant stream of visitors can disrupt important bonding activities, like breastfeeding and skin-to-skin time.
• No pacifiers: Pacifiers can lead to nipple confusion, which can complicate breastfeeding.
• Donating cord blood: Some parents choose to bank or donate the cord blood, since it’s considered to have very important health benefits. (It can be used to treat more than 70 diseases!)

New icons for 2023

Based on feedback from mamas just like you, we added a handful of new icons to our editable visual birth plan template, including these.

Plus, we’ve added a new section of icons to help guide a Gentle Cesarean.

FAQ: Is there a difference between the red and blue icons?

Blue icons skew positive—they represent things that you want your birthing team to do. I.e. Do allow for free movement during labor or do proceed with delayed cord clamping.

Red icons, on the other hand, skew negative—they represent things you do not want your birthing team to do. I.e. Do not do an episiotomy or do not bathe baby after birth.

Do I Really Need a Birth Plan?

If you choose your birth space and attendants with care, you may not need to write down many of the things found in most birth plans.

For example, a good midwife won’t routinely break your water, do unnecessary vaginal exams, or insist on continuous fetal monitoring. Furthermore, you may discover that many of your choices, like doulas in the birthing room or no mention of epidurals, are standard care with your chosen attendants.

But if you’re delivering at a hospital and want to have a natural childbirth, creating a birth plan is probably a good idea. It really depends on what hospital you are delivering at, because standards of care differ from hospital to hospital. Some hospitals have policies that are more compatible with natural childbirth. Other hospitals will assume you are okay with various labor interventions that run counter to your wishes. If the latter is the case, a birth plan can be very important tool for you.

Birth plans can also be a good way for mamas-to-be to exercise their right to respectful, high-quality care. For women of color, this Black Birthing Bill of Rights might empower you as you work on your birthing plan.

Will Anyone Care About My Birth Plan?

It’s sad, but I’ve heard many stories of nurses laughing at birth plans or the women who write them; sometimes referring to these laboring moms as “high maintenance.”

Nurses especially hate birth plans that are perceived to be:

• Overly detailed
• Condescending or rude
• Demanding, especially if without regard to extenuating circumstances and safety

To those nurses, women who write birth plans are inflexible, don’t understand the unpredictable nature of birth, and want a natural birth even if it costs her or her baby their safety or health. They believe that a birth plan just sets moms up for disappointment.

So What’s a Natural Mama to Do?

Three words: Keep it simple. With a straightforward, to-the-point birth plan template, healthcare providers are more likely to understand your preferences and take them seriously. This is a win-win for everyone, since a clear visual birth plan will also help you feel more comfortable in their hands.

Did You Use a Birth Plan?

Did it help you? Do you feel like the hospital or birthing center staff paid attention to your birth plan? Share your experience with us in the comments below!

The post Free Visual Birth Plan Template (Doctors & Nurses Love This!) appeared first on Mama Natural.

Ultrasounds

What it is?
Just your regular old ultrasound—a peek at the baby.

It’s more the reasons for the ultrasound that are important. Third trimester ultrasound screening is offered for a variety of reasons: to check the size and position of the baby, to determine amniotic fluid levels, to check the position of the placenta, and to monitor the baby’s movements.

How is it done?
This ultrasound isn’t any different than all the others, except you may notice there’s a lot less of your baby on the screen now that he or she has gotten so big!

How to prepare?
Third trimester ultrasounds aren’t routine. By now, you should be aware of any problems with your baby’s genes or development.

Sometimes third trimester ultrasounds may lead to unwanted and unnecessary interventions, especially if you feel like there isn’t a good reason they are being done.

If it seems like your provider is pushing an ultrasound, ask him or her what the purpose of the ultrasound is. For example, if they want to make sure the baby isn’t “too big,” you could choose to decline this ultrasound knowing that your body will grow exactly the right size baby for you to birth.

Remember, ultrasound measurements of your baby’s weight can be off by up to two pounds!

If it seems like the provider has a good reason to advise an ultrasound, remember that you can negotiate how long and detailed that ultrasound is. For example, if your doctor or midwife wants to ensure the baby is head down, perhaps your provider can take a quick peek themselves with an ultrasound machine rather than sending you for a lengthier scan.

Here is more information on the benefits vs. risks of baby ultrasounds.

Assuming you’re healthy and low-risk and haven’t had any problems with the pregnancy, there’s rarely a reason for a third trimester ultrasound.

Group B Strep (GBS) Testing (~36 weeks)

What it is?
Group B Strep testing is a swab of the vagina and anus to test for a bacteria called Group B Strep. This bacteria is normal flora in about 25% of women, but can cause an infection in the baby particularly if the baby is preterm or the mother’s bag of water has been broken for a long time prior to the birth.

In the United States, women who test positive for GBS are treated with antibiotics during labor to prevent the baby from becoming infected with GBS.

How is it done?
Your doctor or midwife will swab your vagina and anus and send the sample to the lab to check for Group B Strep. Your results should be available by the next time you return for an appointment.

On occasion, you may test positive for GBS in your urine at some point during the pregnancy. If GBS is present in the urine, you are considered a “heavy colonizer” and there is a higher risk that your baby will become colonized (but not necessarily infected) with GBS.

If you are a heavy colonizer, you won’t have the screening test at 36 weeks—once you test positive in the urine, you are considered GBS positive for the remainder of the pregnancy.

How to prepare?
There’s not much you need to do to prepare for the test itself (it’s quick and painless), but you can do footwork early in your pregnancy. By eating a low sugar diet and consuming probiotics or cultured foods like yogurt, you may be able to keep your bacteria levels in check. If you still test positive, you do have some options about the testing as well as how the results will be handled.

Although the United States tests all women for GBS, many other countries take a “risk based approach” in which advance testing is not done and women only get antibiotics if risk factors are present. Some such risk factors include:

• GBS in the urine at some point during the current pregnancy
• previously gave birth to an infant with an early GBS infection
• goes into labor at less than 37 weeks
• gets a fever during labor
• water broken for greater than 18 hours

You could consider asking your provider about using the risk based approach if you are concerned about receiving antibiotics. There has not been much research about the effects of antibiotics given during labor on the mother’s or baby’s microbiome.

There are also some other alternatives to antibiotics, including douching with Hibiclens during labor.

You also could take action to try to prevent GBS before it starts with probiotics.

Non-Stress Test (NST)

What it is?
A non-stress test is a monitoring test that checks on your baby’s healthy by monitoring the baby’s heart rate for a 20-30 minute period.

For women who are low-risk, the most common reason for a non-stress test is because you are past your due date. Many providers will recommend NST’s 1-2 times per week after 40 or 41 weeks of pregnancy.

What your doctor or midwife wants to see on the non-stress test is that your baby’s heart rate has lots of variability (minor changes in the heart rate that are an indicator the baby is doing well), some accelerations (increases in the baby’s heart rate that also confirm well-being), and absence of decelerations (decreases in the baby’s heart rate that may indicate your baby is not faring well and delivery may be a good option).

Some women may start NSTs earlier in their pregnancy if they have specific risk factors such as an abnormality on ultrasound, are over age 35, or have diabetes or high blood pressure.

How is it done?
Two monitors are strapped to your abdomen—one that will detect contractions (frequency, not strength) and one that will detect the baby’s heartbeat.

Both monitors will create a tracing with the pattern of the baby’s heart rate and contractions so that your doctor or midwife can not only see the heart rate pattern but also see how the baby’s heart rate responds to contractions if you are having any.

Based on the heart rate reading, your provider will classify your baby as “reactive” or “non-reactive.” Basically, reactive means you passed the test, all is well with baby, and it’s reassuring that you can continue the pregnancy for at least several more days. Non-reactive means that your provider may want to use other tests to check on the baby’s well being, such as a biophysical profile.

How to prepare?
Because active babies tend to have more variability and accelerations in their heart rate (which is what we want to see!) it’s a good idea to eat and drink just prior to the procedure to perk your baby up a little bit.

If your baby is too sleepy during the procedure, it may take longer to get an accurate reading on the baby’s well-being.

Biophysical Profile

What it is?
A biophysical profile is another test offered during the third trimester to check on your baby’s well-being. Like the non-stress test, the most common reason this test is done in a low risk woman is because she is still pregnant past her due date.

A biophysical profile actually consists of two elements:

1. Ultrasound
2. Non-stress test (as described above)

Women may have biophysical profiles more routinely if they are pregnant with twins or triplets, had a previous stillbirth, have health problems, or have a baby who is anticipated to have a genetic or congenital abnormality at birth.

How is it done?
The non-stress test portion of the biophysical profile is done exactly like a non-stress test is done by itself. Your baby will receive a score for it’s heart rate depending if it is reactive or non-reactive.

The ultrasound portion of the biophysical profile involves examining and giving a score to the following aspects:

• baby’s movements
• baby’s breathing
• baby’s muscle tone
• amniotic fluid level (AFI)

The ultrasound can take anywhere from just a few minutes to 30 minutes depending how active your baby is.

Heart rate (from the NST), movement, breathing, muscle tone, and amniotic fluid level are all worth 2 points each for a total score of 10.

• If everything looks great, you’ll get a perfect 10!
• An 8 out of 10 is also a good score that reassures you and your provider that your baby is doing well.
• Anything 6 or below may indicate that the test needs to be repeated or your baby may need to be born sooner rather than later, depending how far along you are in the pregnancy.

How to prepare?
Prepare for the non-stress test as described above—be sure that you eat and drink just prior to the procedure so that the baby is active.

The biophysical profile will be done immediately after the non-stress test, so you’ll benefit from the fact that you have eaten and drank something recently. It’s also important to ensure that you are drinking plenty of water in the 24 hours prior to the test since dehydration may make amniotic fluid levels low, which can be a reason for induction of labor.

If amniotic fluid is the only measure that is low on the test, you may negotiate with your provider that you hydrate adequately (drink at least 2 L of fluid) and return 24 hours later for another check.

Third Trimester Lab Tests

What it is?
Although not quite as comprehensive as the blood work done during the first trimester, blood work done during the third trimester still provides plenty of important information. Lab tests include:

• CBC: checks for anemia
• RPR: checks for syphilis
• GC/CT: checks for gonorrhea and chlamydia

How is it done?
Just a simple blood test! The test is usually done between 26 and 30 weeks around the same time as the gestational diabetes screen, so by some definitions these tests could actually occur at the end of the second trimester as well as the third trimester.

How to prepare?
There’s really not much you need to do to prepare. Keep in mind that some women decide to decline the RPR and GC/CT if they aren’t concerned about sexually transmitted infections and/or already tested negative for these during the first trimester.

Good luck with your third trimester tests!

Given all of the strain on your body and your brain in the third trimester as you make those final preparations for the birth of your baby, it’s a gift that there are fewer decisions to make about prenatal testing. You probably won’t even be offered an NST or BPP unless you have risk factors or go past your due date. If you have a more holistic provider, you may not even be offered a third trimester ultrasound either—that leaves you with plenty of time to focus on preparing for labor.

• First Trimester Tests
• Second Trimester Tests

The post Third Trimester Tests During Pregnancy appeared first on Mama Natural.

But you know what they say: here’s no such thing as free lunch. Though you might not have to shell out any money for free childbirth classes, they do require your time. And to borrow another idiom we all know: time is money.

So are free childbirth classes worth it? We’ll break it all down for you here.

Free Childbirth Classes Near Me

Though a free childbirth class sounds pretty good, in reality there aren’t many free in-person birthing classes.

Childbirth classes are highly specialized, and there’s so much mileage to cover. Because of this, birthing classes are usually taught by midwives or other birthing professional who need to be paid for their time and knowledge. If they don’t charge for the class, they wouldn’t be making money—they might even end up losing money.

That said, it is possible to find free childbirth classes in your area. Here’s how:

• Use Google: The fastest way to find free childbirth classes, is to Google “free childbirth classes near me.” This will usually return local results if there are any.
• Call your local hospital: Free childbirth classes are usually offered by local hospitals and are usually open to the public. But it’s important to note that these generally will not be the most naturally-minded birthing courses. Instead, they are typically one-time classes that offer a general overview of what to expect during delivery at that hospital. 

Best Free Online Childbirth Classes

These days, many couples find that online birthing classes are actually more convenient and less expensive… or even free! 

That’s right: There are a number of free childbirth classes available online. But are they worth your time? Here’s a quick review of the best free online childbirth classes available today:

Baby Center Online Birthing Classes Review

Baby Center, a website perhaps best known for their message boards, hosts free childbirth classes that cover a wide range of topics including the very basics—how to time contractions and when to call the doctor or midwife—to the more complex—natural pain relief and perineal tearing. They also dedicate a portion of the course to newborn care, including routine tests, delayed cord clamping, and feeding.

The series is hosted by Linda Murray, BabyCenter’s website editor, and though fairly comprehensive, it’s a bit sterile and topics are largely glossed over. And although they do cover some topics relevant to natural mamas, it’s not the most naturally-minded. Most of the content hinges on the assumption that the student plans to give birth in a hospital setting.

Class duration: 7 classes, totaling 2 hours and 12 minutes

Pros: Hey, it’s free!

Cons: Content is a bit sterile and boring, mainly featuring Murray on a white background reading from a teleprompter. Also, Murray has no medical qualifications.

BabyMed Childbirth Class Review

Though BabyMed considers this a free childbirth class, it’s very important to note that it is entirely text-based—there is no video content. 

Because of this, this particular birth class feels more like reading a website. While there is a lot of information, there is a lot of jumping from page to page. This makes the entire experience a bit cumbersome and confusing, as well as very time-consuming.

That said, it may be a decent option for anyone who wants to quickly pick and choose select topics—just make sure you set aside ample reading time.

Class duration: Undefined, but the course is broken down into 10 “classes.”

Pros: May be okay for someone looking for info on a certain topic. BabyMed is associated with an OB-GYN.

Cons: Isn’t really a birth course. BabyMed has plummeted in popularity over the past couple years.

YouTube

If you know what to search for, you can learn just about anything on YouTube—and that includes how to give birth. There are plenty of free childbirth “classes” on YouTube. Some of them are short and sweet; some of them are rather comprehensive. Some of them are hosted by midwives and other very qualified professionals; some of them… are not.

While searching YouTube for free childbirth classes can be fruitful, it’s up to you to weed through the good stuff and the not-so-good stuff. This can be time-consuming… and you may still walk away without learning all that much.

To up your chances of finding quality content, look for classes created by certified midwives or nurses.

Class duration: Varies significantly.

Pros: Free.

Cons: You don’t know what you’re getting—or who exactly is teaching.

Free Childbirth Class Samples

There are a couple of other childbirth courses out there that offer one free birthing class.

This is a great way to get acquainted with a particular course before you decide whether to make the purchase, but it’s not a great option if you’re looking for truly free childbirth classes.

By watching only one class in a series, you’ll miss out on a lot of important information covered in subsequent classes.

Free Lamaze Classes Review

In-person Lamaze classes follow a six-step approach to a safe and healthy birth. Through this, their goal is to give expectant mothers confidence in their bodies’ ability to give birth using natural pain management techniques.

In addition to these local classes, the organization provides a single free online class called “Labor Confidence With Lamaze.” The class is considered an introduction to the Lamaze approach—it is not nearly as comprehensive as their in-person classes. And, it’s important to note that there is a lot of reading material. This is not the right course for you if you’re hoping to simply listen. Additionally, some moms criticize Lamaze as too hospital- and intervention-friendly.

Class duration: About 10 minutes of video, plus lots of written material

Pros: Free.

Cons: Is really just a snippet of a course. Mama Natural does not endorse the Lamaze method.

The Online Prenatal Class for Couples Review

The Pulling Curls Online Prenatal Class for Couples is a birthing class specifically created for, well, couples. The birthing class, taught by an ACLS, NRP, and AWHONN fetal-monitoring certified labor and delivery nurse, aims to simplify the birthing process for busy couples. It takes everything from third trimester testing, to delivery (including special circumstances, like c-section), to basic baby care.

This course offers a free beginning prenatal class, and then includes you in a sales sequence to sign up for the full, paid course.

This particular lesson is very succinct and includes an overview of third trimester testing, common labor fears, and a few tips to tuck away for after baby arrives. Rather than lean on it to glean lots of helpful information, use it to judge whether the style of the course suits you.

Class duration: about 8 minutes

Pros: Free. Good sampler of the course.

Cons: Just a snippet of the course. Course is mostly written materials.

Kopa Birth Class Review

If you’re set on having a natural hospital birth, this online childbirth class may be a good choice for you. The Kopa Birth Course, taught by a registered nurse and certified childbirth educator, guides couples through the process with a focus on avoiding unnecessary medical interventions.

The free version of their course is one hour long—and you have access to it for two weeks. It’s the first class in their eight-part video course. When you register for the free course, you enter an email sales sequence that encourages you to sign up for the full, paid course.

That said, if you really want a free childbirth class, this is probably the most naturally-minded option available to you.

Class duration: 1 hour

Pros: Good sampler of the course. Kopa is one of the better online birth courses on the market.

Cons: Just 1/8th of the full, paid childbirth education course.

But… Is a Free Childbirth Class Right for You??

The point of a birthing class is to equip yourself with the knowledge you need to feel confident and make informed decisions during labor and delivery. The more you know about the birthing process, the less fearful you’ll be when the big day arrives.

In that sense, most childbirth classes help in some way.

Just know that free childbirth classes are not the most comprehensive or well-established courses. 

As mentioned above, it takes a lot of time and expertise to craft a comprehensive birthing class—a quality childbirth class is not something most people can give away for free.

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t want to discourage you from taking a birthing class.

• If you’re on a tight budget or just want to jump around, free childbirth classes may be a fine place to begin.
• But, if you really want to dig deep and have the most empowered natural birth possible, I have another great option for you. It’s not free, but it is affordable—especially considering everything you’ll walk away with.

The Mama Natural Birth Course

It may not be free, but if you’re looking for an online birthing class, I can’t recommend the The Mama Natural Birth Course enough. Yes, I’m biased… but it’s true.

Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) Maura Winkler and I spent a very long time developing—and perfecting—this naturally-minded class. You could even call it my fourth baby!

When you take the course, you’ll get:

• A comprehensive curriculum: The 12-hour, eight-part on-demand course—hosted by me (a crunchy mom of three!)  and Maura Winkler, a certified nurse midwife, a registered nurse (RN), a doula, a breastfeeding counselor, and a placenta encapsulator—covers the entire process of preparing for and experiencing a natural birth. We also walk through the first several weeks of postpartum care for baby and mama and have an entire class on breastfeeding.
• Flexible and convenient methods: You don’t need to rush home from work or drive to a birthing class. You can take it where you want, when you want. Some students take one class per week; others cram the whole thing into one weekend.
• Personalized support: Though some mamas want face-t0-face support, our birth course offers this same luxury. Once you enroll, you’ll get access to private Facebook groups. These groups entitle you to 24/7 access to me and Maura (plus other expectant mamas!).
• Special bonuses: Students of The Mama Natural Birth Course also get plenty of extras, like segments on nutrition, natural remedies for common pregnancy complaints, and weekly practice sessions.

Curious to learn more? Scroll through some birth stories from our students to see how the course has helped other women (and couples) have an empowered natural birth.

The post Free Childbirth Classes: How Well Do They Prepare You for Baby? appeared first on Mama Natural.

Pregnancy Weeks to Months

Tracking pregnancy weeks is easy—you simply count up from the first day of your last menstrual period.

But converting pregnancy weeks to months? That’s tricky, because there’s only one month with exactly four full weeks, and that’s February. January, March, May, July, August, October, and December all have 31 days, which means the average month has four full weeks, plus a few extra days.

Since one month doesn’t really equal four weeks—it’s just a rough estimate—simply dividing by four doesn’t give you the most accurate answer. And during pregnancy, accuracy is key in order to get the best representation of your baby’s growth.

Still, inquiring folks may still ask “how many months are you?” In this case, it’s fine to use four weeks as your dividing factor. Here’s a quick cheat sheet for you:

How many months is…

8 weeks pregnant?

If you’re 8 weeks pregnant, you are two months pregnant. This means you have completed two months (8 weeks) and are working your way through your third month.

9 weeks pregnant?

If you’re 9 weeks pregnant, you are two months and one week pregnant.

10 weeks pregnant?

If you’re 10 weeks pregnant, you are two months and two weeks pregnant, or 2.5 months.

11 weeks pregnant?

If you are 11 weeks pregnant, you are two months and three weeks pregnant.

12 weeks pregnant?

If you are 12 weeks pregnant, you are three months pregnant.

13 weeks pregnant?

If you are 13 weeks pregnant, you are three months and one week pregnant.

14 weeks pregnant?

You’ve made it to the second trimester! If you are 14 weeks pregnant, you are three months and two weeks pregnant, or 3.5 months. This is a great time to start drinking red raspberry leaf tea.

15 weeks pregnant?

If you are 15 weeks pregnant, you are three months and three weeks pregnant.

16 weeks pregnant?

If you are 16 weeks pregnant, you are four months pregnant.

17 weeks pregnant?

If you are 17 weeks pregnant, you are four months and one week pregnant.

18 weeks pregnant?

If you are 18 weeks pregnant, you are four months and two weeks pregnant, or 4.5 months.

19 weeks pregnant?

If you are 19 weeks pregnant, you are four months and three weeks pregnant.

20 weeks pregnant?

If you are 20 weeks pregnant, you are five months pregnant. This is also when many mamas go in for their anatomy scan.

21 weeks pregnant?

If you are 21 weeks pregnant, you are five months and one week pregnant. This is a good time to sign up for a childbirth education class.

22 weeks pregnant?

If you are 22 weeks pregnant, you are five months and two weeks pregnant, or 5.5 months.

23 weeks pregnant?

If you are 23 weeks pregnant, you are five months and three weeks pregnant.

24 weeks pregnant?

If you are 24 weeks pregnant, you are six months pregnant.

25 weeks pregnant?

If you are 25 weeks pregnant, you are six months and one week pregnant.

26 weeks pregnant?

If you are 26 weeks pregnant, you are six months and two weeks pregnant, or 6.5 months.

27 weeks pregnant?

If you are 27 weeks pregnant, you are six months and three weeks pregnant.

28 weeks pregnant?

Welcome to the third trimester! You are seven months pregnant!

29 weeks pregnant?

If you are 29 weeks pregnant, you are seven months and one week pregnant.

30 weeks pregnant?

If you are 30 weeks pregnant, you are seven months and two weeks pregnant, or 7.5 months.

31 weeks pregnant?

If you are 31 weeks pregnant, you are seven months and three weeks pregnant.

32 weeks pregnant?

If you are 32 weeks pregnant, you are eight months pregnant.

33 weeks pregnant?

If you are 33 weeks pregnant, you are eight months and one week pregnant.

34 weeks pregnant?

If you are 34 weeks pregnant, you are eight months and two weeks pregnant, or 8.5 months.

35 weeks pregnant?

If you are 35 weeks pregnant, you are eight months and three weeks pregnant.

36 weeks pregnant?

If you are 36 weeks pregnant, you are nine months pregnant! This is when you should start eating your dates for a faster birth!

37 weeks pregnant?

If you are 37 weeks pregnant, you are nine months and one week pregnant. This is also when you are “cleared” to have a home birth, if that is your desire.

38 weeks pregnant?

If you are 38 weeks pregnant, you are nine months and two weeks pregnant, or 9.5 months pregnant.

39 weeks pregnant?

If you are 39 weeks pregnant, you are nine months and three weeks pregnant.

40 weeks pregnant?

Congrats! You’ve reached the end of pregnancy. You are 10 months pregnant. (More on this in a moment!) Now be on the lookout for signs of labor! If you are looking for natural induction ideas, check out this article.

Pregnancy Weeks to Months Chart

So Is Pregnancy 9 or 10 Months?

We know pregnancy is 280 days, or 40 weeks, but how many months is it? Is it nine months? Or ten, as mentioned above? Let’s take a look at the math:

• 40 weeks divided by 4 weeks is 10 months.
• 40 weeks divided by 4.3 weeks (the length of the average month, as referenced above) is 9.3 months.
• 280 days divided by 30 (average days in a month) is 9.3 months.

So which formula is right?! Technically, they all are!

How is that possible?

While your due date and the amount of time you’re pregnant doesn’t change, it’s the language being used that changes. Pregnancy is—on average—40 weeks, no matter what formula you use.

Figuring out the pregnancy weeks to months, on the other hand, depends on what number you’re using for the length of a month. When you use four, pregnancy seems to be 10 months. When you use the average number of days in a month, pregnancy is closer to nine months.

Pregnancy Trimesters

To make it even more confusing, months and weeks aren’t the only way to track your pregnancy. Trimesters are also important markers during pregnancy. So what weeks fall under what trimesters? Let’s break it down:

First Trimester

The first trimester begins on the first day of your last menstrual period and consists of 13 full weeks.

Second Trimester

The second trimester begins at the start of your 14th week. This trimester consists of 13 full weeks.

Third Trimester

The third trimester begins after you’ve completed your 27th week, or at the start of your 28th week. This trimester is an outlier, lasting 14+ weeks.

How Many Weeks Am I?

So here’s the big question: how many weeks are YOU? Use our due date calculator to find out. And don’t forget to bookmark this pregnancy weeks to months cheat sheet—you’ll need it!

The post Pregnancy Weeks to Months: How to Do the Math Accurately appeared first on Mama Natural.

Let’s break it all down, including:

• Can you eat fish during pregnancy?
• What the latest studies say about fish during pregnancy
• What fish is safe to eat
• Plus, whether fish oil is a suitable alternative

Can You Eat Fish During Pregnancy?

I know a lot of people who think they have to cut out fish entirely or think it’s safer to just avoid fish, but that’s not quite right. In fact, a new study shows that eating fish during pregnancy has some pretty amazing benefits for both mama and baby! It’s all about the type of fish you eat. (More on that later!)

The Study

Researchers in Finland performed a small-scale study on women who consumed fish during pregnancy. (Finland ranks in the top fifteen countries in the world for per capita fish consumption, along with other Scandinavian countries like Iceland and Norway, so it makes sense that they’d perform the study there.)

Moms participating in the study kept food diaries throughout their pregnancy, and study authors kept track of any pregnancy complications, such as gestational diabetes, and regularly drew blood to track the levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in the mother’s blood serum. (These fatty acids are essential for growth and neurodevelopment in infants.)

Once the mothers gave birth, the study authors checked babies’ blood levels at one month old. When the babies’ turned two, the researchers also administered eyesight tests.

The Results

Babies born to mothers who ate fish three or more times a week scored better than babies born to mothers who ate two or less portions of fish weekly.

Why?

Researchers hypothesize that this is because fish is high in vitamins A, D, and E. Let’s look at why these vitamins are so important during pregnancy:

• Vitamin A: This nutrient is important for visual health and immune function, as well as fetal growth and development. Pregnant women are most likely to be deficient in this vitamin during the third trimester. (source) Worried about Vitamin A toxicity? Studies only link birth defects with synthetic forms of vitamin A.
• Vitamin D: It’s estimated that up to 41 percent of Americans have a vitamin D deficiency. But pregnant women who have higher levels of vitamin D have fewer rates of preterm birth and delivery complications. Babies also need vitamin D to absorb calcium and grow strong bones.
• Vitamin E: While vitamin E plays a role in supporting cells and vision, some studies have linked large amounts of vitamin E to heart defects in babies. For that reason, the WHO cautions against vitamin E supplements. Instead, pregnant women can get this essential nutrient in safe doses from low mercury fish like herring and sardines. (source)

Other Benefits to Eating Fish During Pregnancy

Beyond the results of this study, there are other known benefits to eating fish during pregnancy:

• There is a reduced instance of autism-spectrum traits in babies whose mothers ate fish during pregnancy. (source)
• Children whose mothers ate three to four servings of fish a week had higher IQ scores. (source)
• It’s a great source of lean protein.
• It’s high in iron, and women can struggle with anemia when pregnant.
• The omega-3 acids it contains are essential to brain development.

So It’s Safe to Eat Fish During Pregnancy?

Should you be scared of fish while pregnant? No way! As you can see, there’s actually lots of good reasons to add seafood to your pregnancy diet. Just make smart decisions about what kind of fish you’re consuming. (More on this below!)

And remember: Although here in the U.S. we’re often bombarded by warnings about fish during pregnancy, women in Scandinavian and Asian countries consume plenty of fish during pregnancy and deliver healthy babies!

What Fish is Safe During Pregnancy?

Now that we’ve established the benefits of fish during pregnancy, what seafood is safe to eat during pregnancy?

• Stick with fish that have low levels of mercury and high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Keep an eye on local fish advisories, which will warn you if contaminants or higher levels of mercury have been reported in local waters.
• Pass on anything that’s undercooked or raw—that includes shrimp and oysters. Raw shellfish can carry hepatitis A or lead to food poisoning.

Safe fish during pregnancy:

• Trout
• Herring
• Sardines
• Wild caught Salmon
• Atlantic and Pacific Mackerel
• Anchovies
• Perch
• Crayfish
• Whiting

Check out this post for more information about the safe seafood listed above, what fish to avoid during pregnancy, and the truth about sushi during pregnancy.

What About Fish Oil During Pregnancy?

Can’t stomach fish? Or still don’t feel comfortable with it? There’s new evidence that fish oil supplements have great benefits for baby, too.

• Taking fish oil later in pregnancy has been linked to an increase in bone mass during your child’s first six years.
• There’s also evidence that omega-3 fish oil supports early neurological and visual development in babies.
• And some studies have shown that taking fish oil while pregnant can even reduce your child’s sensitivity to food allergies.

The Best Fish Oil Supplements

Always talk to your healthcare provider before taking any supplements, particularly when pregnant.

• Cod liver oil: I think this is one of the most important supplements to take during pregnancy. It contains naturally occurring fat soluble vitamins A and D, which are vital for baby’s brain and eye development, and bone and teeth structure. But be careful about dosages, as cod liver can possibly be unsafe if taken in larger amounts.
• Prenatal vitamins with DHA: If you prefer to keep it simple and take just one supplement, try a prenatal with DHA. DHA mimics the fatty acids found in fish. (Just don’t take these if you have a known shellfish allergy.)

How About You?

Did you eat fish during any of your pregnancies? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

The post Fish During Pregnancy: Why You Absolutely SHOULD Be Eating Fish appeared first on Mama Natural.