28, almost 29 weeks. Buba pressed one whole foot into my hand last night - the connection was precious. Apart from slight pregnancy insomnia I'm still feeling vitalised and generally well. When I was 15 weeks I went to visit a local naturopath who specialises in fertility, pregnancy and women's health. A few of my students had been to her to help them conceive and they seemed to have a certain glow about them as they grew their babies. I really wanted to do something for my wellness too. I didn't want to spend an entire nine months feeling sick and tired. Plus, I was also aware that with Che attending Montessori there would be a higher chance of catching viruses and bugs - I wanted to boost my immunity.
Within a week of visiting my naturopath, who subsequently listed a number of reasons as to why I was exhausted, prone to sore throats and getting reflux so early on in pregnancy, I felt the best I'd felt in years. And I'm not exaggerating. While I was breastfeeding Che I relied heavily on a coffee and sweet treats each day to boost my energy levels yet by 4pm I was exhausted. Constitutionally I run on nervous energy - I tend to be anxious, easily stressed, easily fatigued and will catch whatever bug is being passed around. If you know anything about Ayurvedic medicine, I'm typically vata. Because of all those cappuccinos and brownies I had an overload of sugar in my body which was subsequently affecting my digestive system.
I've been taking a gestation tonic for my and baby's wellbeing, a natural probiotic, a vitamin C powder plus a few extras for baby's development. Even though I'm pregnant I've got more energy than I have had since Che was born. I constantly feel well which makes being pregnant all the more enjoyable. Because of my lift in energy I'm not craving bad, sugary foods either which is good in so very many ways.
It came as no surprise to me that my body was out of balance. I'm so thankful that I listened to my self and made the commitment to see a naturopath, even though the financial cost is significant. It's been the best thing I've done and I'll continue to consult herbs when in doubt.
It's incredibly comforting to feel strong and well while growing new life.
Edit: For those of you interested, Naturopathy involves a practice called Iridology. My naturopath is Catherine Chan and she is a specialist in iridology. To give you an example of how profound the practice is - she managed to tell, from looking in my eyes, that my right breast was prone to blocked milk ducts when I was breastfeeding Che, that I'm hyper-flexible in my hips and that I'm easily agitated - as well as a list of other complaints. I told her that it sounded like I was falling apart and that I'm so grateful for yoga, otherwise I probably would have already fallen. Good luck to those of you seeking wellness. x
