Merry Christmas

The Third Trimester

Ah, the third trimester.  The homestretch.  Almost there.  And yet the uncomfortableness of pregnancy can be almost unbearable. 

I think that the uncomfortable things about pregnancy help a woman to prepare for life as a mother.  When I was pregnant with our first baby.  People kept telling me that everything would change.  Our lives would be so different with a baby.  And of course I knew that things would be different, because, after all, we would have a baby!  But I didn't realize just how different things would be. 

Being a mother does change everything.  Life is no longer about you or you and your husband, it becomes about baby and family.  Even the simple things like going to the post office or grocery store become an event.  You can't just run in and run out.....you have to get the baby ready, the diaper bag, the carseat, the baby carrier- and try to carry all of this and open doors and lock the car and carry your packages into the post office.....I'm panting just thinking about it.  Q: How in the world can women make this transition to motherhood?  A: The third trimester.

Ok, so I might have to explain my thinking a little bit.  During the third trimester you really start to realize that life isn't just about you anymore.  It hard to move, to eat, to breathe, to go to the bathroom, to put on your shoes!!!  It's hard to sleep and you have to get up every few hours to go to the bathroom.  I think that this is nature's way of preparing you for the baby that is about to come.  This little 7 pound bundle of joy will demand most of your time and energy.  This little baby will want to eat every 2 hours, even during the night!  See, you're already ready for this because you've been getting up at night for several weeks prior to your baby's arrival.  All the parts of your life that seem difficult because you are big and pregnant will still be difficult when you have to do them all and also take care of a baby who is dependent on you for everything.

I used to hear women talk about not even having time to shower, and I thought, "How can you not even have time to shower? Doesn't the baby nap?"  Then I found out the answer, when I was also napping right along with baby.  Suddenly the whole day had gone by and I had not found time to take a shower.  Wow, my life had changed and more than I thought.  But all of these changes ultimately were good changes.

I realized that yes, the discomforts of pregnancy had prepared me for some of the discomforts of motherhood.  But despite the changes in my life and the juggling of baby and packages and groceries, I had become a better person.  I learned how to truly give of myself.  I learned that I had been a lot more selfish that I realized.  This little baby was so special that I would do anything for him.  I learned how to love more deeply than I knew I could and the joy, peace and love that he brought to our family is priceless.

I just smile to myself when I hear women talking about the discomforts of their pregnancies because I know that they are being prepared for a special journey-motherhood.

Iron

Many women during pregnancy become anemic and/or have low iron levels.  Low iron leads to true anemia which is a low red blood cell count.  Hemoglobin carries oxygen in red blood cells and your body needs iron to produce hemoglobin.  Why is this so common in pregnant women?  Pregnant women increase their blood supply by up to 50% while pregnant, and all this extra blood producing takes requires iron.  So, why do women need to increase their blood supply so much?  For one thing they are now circulating blood to the maternal side of the placenta and to the growing uterus.  It is also a protective mechanism so that the mother can compensate for blood loss after birth.

Iron supplements can be hard on the stomach and cause constipation.  Here are a few things to help increase your iron without upsetting your stomach.

• eat foods that are high in iron: red meats, organ meats and dark green vegetables for example
• cook with a cast iron skillet (learn how to season it properly so that your food won't stick)
• Floradix-this supplement is available at health food stores.  It is a liquid with herbs and vitamins added for easy absorption.  It does not cause constipation or stomach irritation.
• alfalfa-this is helpful in late pregnancy to help with digestion and also to increase levels of vitamin K which help with blood clotting and prevent blood loss and subsequent anemia post-partum
  
• vitamin C-helps with iron absorption so take it or drink OJ with your other sources of iron
• nettle tea
• multi-vitamin with vitamin B12 for absorption
• Slow Fe or iron in the form of ferrous gluconate which is easier to absorb than ferrous sulfate
• chlorophyll-helps to make more red blood cells
• don't drink milk with your vitamins-the calcium binds with the iron and then your body can't use it

Other suggestions are welcome in the comments!