04/09/2026
Here are some of the things I did to support my body and mind through pregnancy and to prepare for labour and birth:
1️⃣ Guided online pregnancy workouts twice per week that were week specific and only 30minutes, so they were easy to incorporate into my schedule - to build strength and help my body feel prepared for the physical marathon of labour. As well as being outdoors with my toddler every morning to keep up my daily movement.
2️⃣ Frequent visits to the Osteopath - as I had more niggles and pains this time around - especially lower back and sacroiliac joint.
3️⃣ Regular blood tests, at least 1x per trimester to track nutrient status - especially iron stores as we know that in most women, it will drop drastically during pregnancy - in my case, in only 4 weeks, I saw my ferritin divided by 2 even though I was taking great supplements.
4️⃣ Eating appropriate amounts of nutrients like protein, calcium, choline, iron just to name a few as they are in higher demand during pregnancy.
5️⃣ Specific Naturopathic supplements to support baby and me throughout the different stages of pregnancy - to address deficiencies and optimise health outcomes.
6️⃣ Hypnobirth refresher course online with my husband to prepare with the knowledge, confidence + tools we need to birth calmly.
7️⃣ Raspberry Leaf Tea on repeat - from 32 weeks as a uterine tonic.
8️⃣ Dates: 4-6 per day from 36 weeks onwards - to support the ripening of the cervix. I was SO over eating them by the end… My best tips are to eat them throughout the day, not all at once as well as to fill them with a nut butter for the additional fats and protein + to cover with melted dark chocolate, because CHOCOLATE.
9️⃣ Colostrum expression from 37 weeks to collect this liquid gold and freeze it - to give to bub in case of separation at birth and/or to use if bub is sick in the first few months as it is packed with antibodies, white blood cells, and proteins like lactoferrin that build early immunity.
🔟 Acupuncture after my due date to help go into labour naturally without an induction.
