Down the Horizon

Listen to your body…

Pregnancy is a time of a self-study, more then just plainly and blindly listening to the gynecologist on your first visits to her/him or to other people’s experiences. What you need to make clear to yourself is what you feel is right for you. Just like with your chosen partner, you need to “click” with your health provider, doctor, how you wish your birth to flow, would you feel more comfortable if you were completely aware and in control of the delivery or you feel more confident about having a medicated one. Getting info from different sides about all aspects regarding pregnancy and delivery is important. Not “everything” that “everyone”, “majority” eats, does, uses…is right for you. Therefore, listen to your own gut, and how your body reacts.

I’ve heard in one YouTube video from a new mother about what she wished she had known before pregnancy and one of the things is her own “bad” smell. When I entered my 6th week I also started smelling an awful odor coming from my just washed body and in the following seven days I started feeling nausea accompanied by severe vomiting (morning and evening). I literally felt like dying. I lost weight, got dehydrated, my skin went yellow, I got diarrhea and so on. Then I started doubting if this was actually poisoning from pregnancy vitamins and minerals.

My mother always used to tell me- live as naturally as possible, don’t drink supplements just like that, check if you actually need them. These days doctors prescribe over the counter supplements just like that, easily, without checking. They “assume” you would benefit from them. They tell us that it’s a MUST for pregnant women to take EVERY DAY this heavy, overloaded vitamins and minerals mixed up together. But what if we are healthy, eating healthy, taking already all these nutrients from food in normal quantities? In 90s, when my mother was pregnant (and 40 y.old) she wasn’t prescribed with any supplement, not even folic acid. She had a healthy nutritional plan and was a healthy individual. Her blood tests showed no low levels of iron or calcium or any other mineral or vitamin. My mother didn’t feel fatigued, didn’t feel any nausea and even worked until 7th month. Basically she wasn’t treated like a sick individual. Her doctor didn’t assume. In case you are a healthy individual and don’t have a high risk pregnancy then high (and every day) dosages of supplements can be even harmful. It’s all about Adequate consumption.

Excessive intake of vitamins and minerals, such as iodine, vit A, iron, vit E….can cause problems in pregnancy. “Women who are pregnant should strive to eat a well-balanced diet that is high in vegetables and fruits, has lots of colors, and includes whole grains and lean meats. Finally, make sure to avoid highly processed foods and foods high in fats, such as fried and sugary foods.”- cited from https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/

So what happened to me is that I got poisoned by prenatal supplement and I thought that severe vomiting and nausea were coming from pregnancy hormones, listening to others that it is normal to feel bad starting from 6th week until 15th or so. No it’s not always normal. So before you get supplemented ask to be checked for minerals, vitamins levels by taking a blood test. Maybe you would only need folic acid and a good healthy diet.