I’ve been wanting to put a post like this together for a while! Knowledge is power and will help you make better, more informed choices.
If you don’t know your choices, you don’t have any!
I’ve come across some amazing resources the past few months and honestly don’t know how I would have gotten by without them. I hope you find these helpful! They will live on the blog forever and I’ll continue to update as I find more. It’s really important to me to share as much as possible because I wish I had something like this when I was a bit lost in the beginning and wanting more support surrounding my choices.
Whether that be making a decision about having a home-birth, nutrition, if certain symptoms are normal, risks of all the routine protocols, how to prepare for labor, childbirth education, birth plan templates, non-toxic nursery items, maternity leggings, what supplements to take, books to read, podcasts, etc. It’s all here!!! And leave a comment if there is something you think I should add!!
READ THROUGH THIS POST CAREFULLY! THERE’S A LOT TO GO THROUGH!!
Resources here on the blog (my supplements, what I eat, etc.)
- My Vegan Pregnancy Supplement Protocol
- What I Eat During Pregnancy (and how my diet has changed)
- First Trimester Symptoms & Updates
- Second Trimester Symptoms & Updates
- My Amazon Storefront with Baby, Nursery, Postpartum Items
- Pregnancy Tea (start drinking daily in the 3rd trimester!)
- Fertility Prep Guide eBook (if you are preparing for conception)
Plant-Based Pregnancy Nutrition & Supplements:
- Plant-Based Pregnancy Guide (from Plant-Based Juniors whom I love!)
- Podcast episode: Plant-Based Nutrition During Pregnancy with Whitney English
- My Vegan Pregnancy Supplement Protocol
- What I Eat During Pregnancy (and how my diet has changed)
- The Plant-Based Cookbook for Women (my cookbook – I’ve made all the recipes throughout my pregnancy because they’re just healthy plant-based meals!)
- Dates During Pregnancy to Ease Labor
My favorite Pregnancy-Safe Youtube Workout Channels:
Pelvic Floor Health, Diastasis Recti:
- MUTU Mamas (I’m doing their workout system daily for my umbilical hernia & diastasis recti)
- MamasteFit (also, their instagram page is AMAZING; a must-follow!)
- @LadyBirdPT
- @WomeninMotion_wellness
- @hayleykavapt
Holistic Pregnancy, Birth & Home-birth Inspo Accounts:
- @nourishedwithbritt
- @essentiallyerin_
- @avivaromm
- @expectingandempowered
- @thepregnancyculture
- @birthstorypodcast
- @freebirthsociety
- @indiebirth
- @birthuprising
- @labor.nurse.mama
- @marissathemilkmom
- YOUTUBE – Ellen Fisher – check out her pregnancy/home-birth videos!!
Childbirth Education Courses & Labor Prep:
- Mamastefit Complete Childbirth Course (this is the one I’m doing! In-person classes aren’t really happening at the moment and I’m loving this one so far)
- Pain-Free Birth Course
- Hypnobabies Course
- Hypnobirthing from Midwife Marley
- Spinning Babies (for optimal fetal position, comfort and easier birth)
- TakingCaraBabies (for infant sleep!)
- Dates During Pregnancy to Ease Labor
Birth Plan Templates – (holistic-minded, for home-birth and hospital if you must transfer)
My amazing friend Brittany from @nourishedwithbritt was kind enough to share her birth plan for a home-birth and also hospital, in case of a emergency transfer. I removed her name to make it more of a template so you can take it and fill it out. Please edit, add and change to your personal wants and desires. I know some things on here are touchy subjects – please do not come at me for certain things listed in the plans – this is PERSONAL CHOICE and is more so for laying out the protocols and environment you want your birth team to follow! Remember, you do you!
Documentaries to Consider (circumcision):
- The Business of Being Born
- Child Circumcision: An Elephant in the Hospital (free on Youtube)
- The Circumcision Movie (free on amazon Prime)
GBS (Group B STREP) Natural Remedies and Prep for Test:
Ultrasound Risks:
I ended up doing only 2 ultrasounds this pregnancy. I’m low risk so the 1st was at 13 weeks and my last was the anatomy scan at 20 weeks. I did the blood test to find out the gender at 14 weeks which was confirmed in the anatomy scan. I have allowed my midwives to use the doppler at my appointments because it’s literally for 15 seconds but some even opt out of doing those! Do what you are comfortable with.
- Potential Risks of Ultrasounds
- I highly recommend checking out this podcast episode covering Ultrasound Risks, Gestational Diabetes, GBS swab and more
Delayed Cord Clamping (until it turns white and stops pulsing), Delayed Bath & Golden Hour:
- The Benefits of Delayed Cord Clamping
- Delayed Cord Clamping Study
- The Benefits of Delaying Baby’s First Bath
- The Golden Hour After Birth
Vitamin K Drops Protocol
This is for if you opt out of the vitamin K shot. The shot has aluminum AND a black box warning… it’s not “just a vitamin”.
- Newborn Oral Vitamin K Dosage
- Vitamin K Drops
- The Vaccine Conversation Podcast (start with their first episodes!)
Podcasts & Episodes I LOVE:
- Free Birth Society podcast (I learn so much from other women’s birth stories. Their birth story episodes are INCREDIBLE. I’m not doing a total freebirth but I learn so much from them and will take pieces from each. I highly recommend. Here are some of my favorite episodes:
- Nourished With Nina podcast
- Taking Back Birth podcast
- Plant Based Nutrition During Pregnancy podcast episode
- Dr. Berlins Informed Pregnancy Podcast – I love the birth stories!
- Vaccine Safety VS. Science – Del Bigtree on Luke Storey’s podcast
Maternity Leggings, Bra’s & Clothes:
- Lululemon Align Leggings (they were great until about 24 weeks for me)
- Beyond Yoga Love the Bump Leggings (24 weeks and beyond for that growing bump!!)
- Pink Blush Maternity (for cute shirts, dresses and jeans!!)
- Target Maternity (for loungewear, pants and tops)
- My favorite no-wire bra (feels like you’re wearing nothing, so freaking comfy. Trust me, you will become allergic to regular bras)
- My liketoknow.it account (I share all my faves here!)
Belly Oils I’m Using:
I’ve been doing a mix of 2 oils! I rub them together in my palms and then rub them in my belly. It’s a mix of this Camellia Seed Oil and this Rosehip Seed Oil!!
Postpartum Resources & Items:
Will be adding to this more as I learn and go through it!! It’s nowhere near complete!
- My Maternity/Postpartum robe – Caden Lane (they also have mommy and me outfits!)
- FridaMom – for all things postpartum recovery! They keep coming out with amazing products. They even have a postpartum kit
- Raven’s Moon Apothecary New Momma Gift Pack with special herbal teas and epsom salts
- MotherLove Nipple Cream
- My Brest Friend nursing pillow
- The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding book
Books:
- The Mama Natural Week-By-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth
- Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth
- The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
- Pushed by Jennifer Block
- Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Sarah Buckley
Baby Clothes:
- Little Sleepies
- Posh Peanut
- Kytebaby
- Colored Organics
- Burts Bees Baby
- SpearmintLOVE
- BabyBarnOrganics
- Magnetic Me Onesies
Non-Toxic Baby Items on my Registry:
Firstly, check out The Gentle Nursery blog for non-toxic nursery products!! It’s seriously amazing and so, so helpful. I will keep adding to this list too, it’s far from complete.
- Breathable Crib Mattress
- Non-Toxic Crib
- Non-toxic crib bedding (here and here)
- Vegan Stroller and Carseat
- Organic Infant Lounger
- Baby Carrier
- Solly Baby Wrap
- Baby Bouncer
- Baby Swing
- High chair
- Developmental Play Gym
- Sound Machine & Nightlight
- Non-WIFI baby monitor
- Vegan Diaper Bag – Dagne Dover
- Non-toxic Baby Sunscreens
Hey!! I just wanted to let you know about The Circumcision Movie. It is free on amazon prime. It is a wonderful 30 min documentary about culture/religion & bioethics regarding circumcision that interviews families & professionals from various disciplines.. There is also an interview with an adult male who talks about how circumcision negatively affected his sexual identity and an interview from a woman on her perspective of circumcision during a sexual encounter. It is a must watch for any expecting parent!
Thank you for sharing this!!
What pregnancy safe nail products are you using and pregnancy safe perfume?
I use Dazzle Dry for nail polish. Or Ella + Mila. Not sure about perfume because I don’t use it often but did find a clean one a while back at whole foods. Pacifica also has clean perfume.
What are you diapering with?
I’m doing Rascal and Friends and/or Honest diapers. May switch to cloth a few months in but not sure yet.