Trying for a baby?

Get it's home ready first.

And so if you diligently followed my advice in February's article, you and your partner might discover yourselves suddenly finding something in common with your parents. You are in line to become one yourself.

We humans reproduce sexually, and that means a whole heck of a lot more time and energy is expended than those who breed asexually. Resources and energy go into forming gametes (spermies and eggies), developing structures that deliver or receive sperm, and of course the cost of dinners, movies, and vacations to court your intended. Our human females are fertilised internally, which depends upon nit-picky timing, and both sexes construct, maintain, and use biologically expensive neural and hormonal control mechanisms to ensure gametes mature at the right time.

To top it off, most females also invest in a yolk - a gooey fluid that contains proteins and lipids to nourish the embryo until it can feed. Some species, like the bird, provide one giant happy yolk that is the breakfast, lunch, dinner, and tea time snacks for the entire incubation period. Talk about rationing! If you are reading this, it means your mum started your nourishment through 38 weeks by way of a nearly yolkless egg. After that, you stole it from her bloodstream to feed and quench your growing self, even at the expense of her health. Yep, you behaved like a parasite. Now go give your mum a cuddle and apologise.

The Science Bit:

You sort of happened like this:

• Parents played naughty games after lights went out.
• Your dad deposited some robust and hearty sperm in your mum, where they defied all odds, including gravity and an athletic circuit equal to 50 Ironman Triathlons in 50 days.
• Bam! A lucky spermie fell in love with and married your mum's egg. There was a huge wedding and so much electricity and chemistry between the two that that morphed into one being-a zygote, aka YOU.
• After swimming around lazily as a zygote for a bit, you decided to expand your horizons and multiply. Your first successful attempt created a cleavage using mitotic cell division. You didn't actually grow in size, mind you, you just started dividing into smaller chunks called blastomeres. Once you were through experimenting here, you formed a blastula, which is a ball of cells that encloses a cavity of your own secretions (eewww!)
• Now you really got going: you began to self-organise into an early embryo called a gastrula. This is when you fumbled with germ layers. First you made an ectoderm, which later you instructed to make nervous tissue and skin. Then it was the endoderm, which became your lungs and gut. After that, just for kicks, you made a mesoderm between the two. This sandwiched layer eventually grew into your muscles, connective tissues, and circulatory system.
• From here, the masterpiece that is you, explodes. Humans have about 200 differentiated cell types, and it is at this stage selective gene expression starts toying around with eyeballs, limbs, and a brain. How does it all orchestrate? Why don't we have eyeballs on our fingertips? Certain embryonic cells secrete morphogens, molecular signals encoded by master genes that impact near-by cells differently than cells across the way. These long and short range signals trigger morphogenesis, which is the technical term for the organs and tissues in development.
• What is really really really cool is the fact that cells migrate to specific locations on the forming embryo. They literally creep and crawl along other cells to get to their final position. This is how your neurons came to be where they are. At the same time, sheets of cells fold and expand as they change shape by way of microtubules and microfilaments in the cells. It's this process that forms the neural tube, and explains how easily spina bifida can occur if the right nutrients are lacking from the mother at this crucial time.
• Sadly, some of these helping hands must die to get the YOU that wakes up every day. Programmed call death sculpted your hands, your fingers and toes, and your nostrils. This is called apoptosis. All cells are programmed to die at some point. When this programming gets screwed up by things like x-rays, radiation, and free radicals, the cell multiplies instead of dies, and this is called a tumour. This can then lead to cancer. Scary stuff.
• Your DNA took over from here, dividing and ordering everyone around and deciding where and when particular genes should be expressed. Bossy bossy!

It's always good to know where you came from, where you are, and where you're going. Easier to plan things that way. Now we know where you came from, and where you are (preggers). Next step is to get you on the path of a healthy, bouncing, cheery little cherub to magic wand your life from ME to WE.

Prego Supplement List

Note: All foods recommended as Organic.

• Folic Acid: Everyone knows about this one. Get 400 mg EXTRA a day, minimum. Eat foods like spinach, carrots, peas, walnuts, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, bananas, cabbage, beans, and avocados. Make sure you eat these all RAW.
• Calcium citrate or Calcium citrate malate PLUS Magnesium: Get in a 2:1 ration of 1500mg Calcium to 750mg Magnesium. It is vital you maintain the 2:1 balance as well as get actual SUNSHINE every day, which will get your body making Vitamin D. The three of these works in harmony to enhance absorption of one another and the body's ability to fully utilise them. If Calcium is taken without Magnesium, you run the risk of a Magnesium deficiency which has been implicated in osteoporosis. This is one of the reasons why drinking cow's milk and consuming dairy products leads to this crippling disease. There is hardly any available Magnesium in dairy.
• Copper: Involved in blood formation, healthy nerves, and for healthy bone development in your bub. No need to supplement here, just be sure to eat lots of legumes, raisins, wholegrains, and all kinds of nuts. Be sure to store you nuts in an airtight container in the fridge!
• Iron: Helps the peep build healthy blood cells and develop a stellar immune system. You need to take iron with Vitamin C to properly absorb it, and avoid taking it with calcium as it inhibits its absorption. It's easy to get enough iron as your body regulates how much you and the peep need. Use cast iron cookware and eat LOADS of raw green leafy veg, brewers yeast, dried beans, blackstrap molasses, dried apricots and fruits, almonds, mangoes and potatoes (lightly steamed). Avoid dead animal as much as possible; this is called heme iron (iron from plants is called non-heme iron). Your body has no way of regulating how much of this gets absorbed, and over-absorption is a common problem connected with heart disease and diabetes. This is why plants have iron along with Vitamin C and calcium. It's the magic combo to regulate how much you get. Good ol' Nature, she knows exactly what she's doing!
• B Complex: Take an extra 800mg a day as you and the baby bean will be going through this like mad.
• Choline: aka Lecithin granules. Sprinkle generously on all of your meals. It helps the baby's brain form. You cannot overdo this stuff.
• Peaceful Planet, The Supreme Meal from Veglife: The perfect combo of proteins and nutrients you both need to maintain and develop during these 9 months. The protein is super-absorbent by the body and all nutrients are enzyme-intact. Pour it in your smoothies or make it with rice milk, yum. Be sure to have some every day.
• Quinoa and Amaranth: These magic grains (which are technically seeds) are perfect foods containing all essential amino acids and 90% (WOW!) bioavailability of protein. Eat them every day generously, just as our ancient South American ancestors did for millennia. For tips and ideas on how to make these and what to eat them with, contact me for a free telephone chat.
• Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids (3500 mg/day), Quercetin and B5 (500 mg/day), Rutin, and Turmeric: All work in combo to grow, repair, and strengthen tissues, enhance immunity, and improve circulation, blood flow, and nutrients to the wee bub. You can find Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids often together, and Quercetin and B5 together. Rutin is generally sold separately, and is crucial for Vitamin C absorption. Take Turmeric in capsule form or just go Asian and toss some in your smoothies or food.
• Vegan L. acidphilus: This helps your noodle and you to absorb nutrients. Choose a vegan source because dairy sources are often loaded with hormones and steroids which of course filter into the bloodstream and placenta doing who knows what to your unborn child.
• Coenzyme Q10: Used as a catalyst in chemical reactions by your cells, it exists everywhere in our bodies supporting energy yield by our cells. This matters because your baby is making new ones all the time, dividing like crazy, and your body is working double time to provide the nutrients as well as care for itself. Give it some help.
• Vitamin E: 400 IU a day, needs to be taken with Selenium and Vitamin C. One Brazil nut contains all of your Selenium requirements for the day, so pop some Vit E along with your Vit C combo and get nut munching.
• Natural Beta-Carotene with Mixed Carotenoids: Make sure you get NATURALLY sourced beta-carotene, as the synthetic ones cause respiratory distress to your body (anything synthetic = bad news). This protects the new cells of the growing little pea in your belly from damage. Your body turns beta-carotene into Vitamin A, and it stops doing this when it has had enough, depositing the excess on your skin. So, you may get a nice tan glow from popping lots of these. They are abundant in carrots, tomatoes, citrus fruits, rep pepper, and all yellow, red, and orange fruit and veg, so eat up!
• Zinc: You need to take this with Vitamin C to fully absorb. Your goal is 25 mg a day, and do not exceed 75 mg a day. Organic food tastes better because it has Zinc in it. Non-organic food tastes awful because it has hardly any, if any Zinc in it.
• Udo's Oil: Particularly important for brain development. Full of organic Omega 3-6-9s which form the fat wraps around nerves and brain cells.
• Vegan EPA and DHA: Your baby will steal these from you, making your brain shrink to HALF its size during your pregnancy causing €˜baby brain'-forgetfulness, difficulty remembering stuff, etc. You can get some fab fab ones at water4.net, made from organically grown microalgae, which is how the fish make them. Essentially you are cutting out the middle man. Oils from fish are really dangerous-manufacturers squeeze the liver to get the oil, and the liver is where baddies are concentrated like mercury and poisons such as DDT and dioxin. There is no escaping the fact that fish oils are bad news-our oceans are polluted beyond redemption.

Preggo Herbs List:

Bardock Root, Dandelion, Licorice, Ginger, and Nettle all help to enrich your breast milk. Ginger is a well-known anti-nausea herb.

THE MOST IMPORTANT herb you can take is in a tea form or capsules-Red Raspberry Leaf. It helps to tone, condition, and contract the uterus. Many women who take this report hardly any labour pains, and a smooth, quick, easy birth. Yes, it's that good. Drink 1-2 cups per day until the last four weeks, and then drink ONE LITRE per day until the birth.

Preggers Considerations

Brush your teeth 3-4 times per day and floss at least once daily. Your teeth and gums will be more sensitive when you are baby laden.

TOTALLY AVOID

• Caffeine
• Cured meats and meat, these are highly carcinogenic
• Fish due to the mercury, DDT, Dioxins, etc
• Dairy foods-they are so acidic they force your body to create excess mucus which traps nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, which means less for the growing bub
• Vitamin A
• Aspirin
• ANY pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter and prescription; there will almost always be a nutritional or herbal alternative, do your research or ring me
• Phenylalanine (an amino acid) and supplements that contain it, including artificial sweeteners
• Shark cartilage, as it inhibits new blood cell formation
• Electric blankets, the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) given off could cause mutated cells in the little peanut
• Keeping cell phones next to your body, or keeping electrical appliances turned on in the room you are sleeping (including TV, DVD, lamps, computer, etc) for same reason above-EMR
• Junk food and processed food, try naturally sweetened foods instead. Processed white sugar is an anti-nutrient, meaning it steals vitamins and minerals from your cells just to counterbalance the negative impact it has on your body. It also wipes out your Magnesium stores, creating that Calcium/Magnesium imbalance we talked about earlier, which leads to osteoporosis.
• Highly seasoned or fried foods. Fried foods are made with rancid fats, which replace the good fats in your cell membranes, making them permeable to baddies floating around your system, such as free radicals. That's where Vitamin E and other antioxidants come in, stopping them from doing their damage. Your cells are so fragile, just because you can't feel each one doesn't mean they aren't in battle with what you decided to consume. At least give them a fighting chance by providing excellent nutrition.
• Salt. Retention retention retention. You will need THREE times as much water to process all of the reactions happening in your body for you and the embryo. Your best bet is to drink pure water, either distilled or purified. Tap water has bleach in it, which kills all of your good bacteria and scars your blood vessels. Think of what chlorine might be doing to the wee one.

Wishing you the best of luck with the delicate flower stealing nutrients and vital brain fat from you! For a personalised nutritional and herbal pregnancy plan, contact Lani here or register first.

References:

Starr, Cecie, Evers, Christine A, Starr, Lisa. (2008). Biology: Concepts and Applications. Thomson Brookes Cole. 7th Ed.

Cohen, Barbara. (2005). Memmler's Human Body in Health and Disease. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Baltimore, Maryland USA. 10th ed.

Murray, Michael and Pizzorno, Joseph and Lara. (23 Dec 2005). The Encyclopaedia of Healing Foods. Atria Books, New York.

Balch, James F. and Phyllis A. (30 Sep 2000). Prescription for Nutritional Healing. 3Rev Ed edition. Avery Publishing Group Inc. U.S.

Woolven, Linda and Snider, Tim. (30 Jul 2007). Healthy Herbs: Your Everyday Guide to Medicinal Herbs and their Use. Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited., Ontario.

Jenson, Bernard and Anderson, Mark. (31 Jan 2000). Empty Harvest. 2Rev Ed edition. Avery Publishing Group Inc., U.S.

Schmidt, Michael. (28 Feb 2007). Brain-Building Nutrition. 3rd Edition. North Atlantic Books, U.S.