Dr. Sears Wellness Institute
Your baby depends on you to provide a healthy place for him to grow. While your baby is in your womb, he gets all his nourishment from you. But did you know other substances flow through the placenta from mother to baby? Your choices shape his environment for the whole nine months you carry him. Your lifestyle is his lifestyle. At no other time in your life do you have such an important reason for taking good care of your own body!
Even though the best time to make lifestyle changes is before you become pregnant—when you start thinking about having a baby--it’s never too late to improve your baby’s womb environment.
Here are some big things that impact your baby’s womb environment:
Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs. Things that are not good for adults are also not good for babies in the womb. It should come as no surprise that smoking, drinking, and using drugs are hazardous to your baby’s development, just as they are hazardous to your own health and well-being. So, it’s time to quit!
Caffeine. Caffeine is not as bad for pregnant women and their babies as smoking or consuming alcohol or illegal drugs, but it also doesn’t have much to offer you and your little one. Be aware of how much caffeine you are consuming.
Products that contain strong, chemical smells. This includes a fairly wide range of products, so keep this in mind especially when you’re cleaning, and try to find natural products. You should also be wary of grooming products (hair dye, for example) and insecticides.
Preparing for your pregnancy can be both exciting and a little nerve-wracking—of course you want to do everything to have a healthy baby. Please feel free to reach out with any questions - lisa@yieldingaction.com
Quick Tips
How to Kick the Caffeine
Reduce the amount of time you percolate the coffee or steep the tea—In general, the longer coffee and tea are brewed, the greater the caffeine content.
Try herbal teas that are caffeine free.
If the warmth of the beverage is what satisfies you, try hot water with lemon, warm milk, hot apple cider or herbal tea.
If you are having trouble getting started without your daily caffeine, start cutting back gradually. Brew your coffee using half decaf and have regular and then gradually decrease the portion with regular caffeine.
PUMPKIN CHAI LATTE
This fall-flavored chai makes a great alternative to coffee. You can turn up the spice by leaving out the honey, or include it in for a warming sweet treat. Chai does contain caffeine, so this it can be a nice way to ease off of coffee. If you’re ready to rid yourself
off caffeine completely, go ahead and substitute your favorite herbal tea. The latte works cold too, if you’re craving it on ice.
INGREDIENTS
1 tea bag chai or herbal tea
1 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened pumpkin purée
2 teaspoons honey, or to taste
6 oz. almond milk
INSTRUCTIONS
For hot: Steep tea in 6 oz. of water. Once steeped, stir in pumpkin purée and honey. Top with warmed almond milk.
For cold: Brew tea per instructions on package. Add honey and allow to cool. Once chilled, stir in pumpkin purée. Pour over ice and top with almond milk.
(Recipe from blog.barre3.com/recipes)