Читать книгу Informed Choices in Motherhood - Fiona Lee - Страница 36

Probiotics: I took these regularly to keep my immune system strong and healthy, and also to help ‘seed’ my baby’s microbiome.37 Probiotics can help to ensure your baby gets a good healthy dose of beneficial bacteria from you when passing through the birth canal.³⁸ Probiotics can also help with digestion issues that can arise during pregnancy.

Magnesium: I take magnesium regularly, as it’s such an essential mineral. It's involved in over 300 biochemical functions in the body, including neurotransmitter functions and regulating heartbeat rhythms. It is vitally important that your levels stay healthy during pregnancy and this is where supplementation can help. Magnesium can help with muscle relaxation, morning sickness and proper hormone function. I took it in liquid form, but there are many other ways to take it including magnesium oil (applied on the skin), and also bathing in magnesium salts, which can help relax and recharge your pregnant body. Some of the known signs of magnesium deficiency include; headaches, digestive issues, fatigue, mood disorders and muscle tightness.³⁹

Iron: I have always been conscious of my iron levels, but was even more so when I was pregnant. It was important to me that I took the right kind of iron, so instead of fortified iron (which can be constipating) I chose plant-based non-heme iron. I took blackstrap molasses early on in my pregnancy (which is high in iron, potassium and magnesium) and towards my third trimester also took a plant-based liquid iron supplement.

Vitamin C: Dr Suzanne Humphries, author of ‘Dissolving Illusions’, has some fantastic information on this subject. She suggests that pregnant women should be taking at least 500 mg/day. Vitamin C is vital for the growth of your unborn baby, and the process of labor and birth itself uses massive amounts of vitamin C.⁴⁰ There are some studies that suggest having sufficient amounts of vitamin C throughout pregnancy can help prevent neonatal jaundice.⁴¹

I chose ‘Camu Camu’ powder which is a whole foods-based powder (containing naturally high levels of vitamin C) throughout my pregnancy, rather than synthetic Vitamin C. Camu Camu has around 50 times the vitamin C content of oranges and is packed full of antioxidants.⁴² One teaspoon of Camu Camu powder contains around 600mg of vitamin C (over 1000% of the recommended daily intake).