It can get overwhelming searching for vitamins at the health food store or pharmacy and picking the best ones for you and your individual situation.  When you are pregnant, taking vitamins can be insurance that you and your baby are getting enough.  However, sometimes they are difficult to take, especially when morning sickness hits and for some women, the vitamins themselves make them feel nauseous and for some they cause constipation!   We answer all your questions around prenatal vitamins and give you advice on finding the best one.  It is always best to confirm with your doctor as this is not medical advice.  We answer the following questions.

Why are prenatal vitamins important?

What prenatal vitamin is best?

When is the best time to take a prenatal vitamin if you have nausea during pregnancy?

Is it okay to take more than one type of prenatal vitamin?

Is it okay to take a high dose of one type of vitamin?

When should you start taking a prenatal vitamin?

Do you have to be perfect by taking it daily?

References:

“Is Supplementation with Micronutrients Still Necessary during Pregnancy? A 2021 Review” LINK:  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34579011/

“Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation During Pregnancy on Maternal, Birth, Child Health and Development Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A 2020 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” LINK: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32075071/

Losing weight is not straight forward. Today, we look at helpful habits to set you up for successful weight loss beyond what to eat and how much to exercise. We are talking about the many things that get missed about losing weight because you deserve to know. Instead of keeping it a secret, Dr. Tanya and Mary talk about:

* How eating more premenstrually helps weight loss 

* How to stop binge eating by filling yourself up emotionally 

* How to raise your oxytocin (love hormone) and why it’s important

* Know Why you want to lose weight and why it matters 

* How to rewrite your script to self-love and Self image 

* How looking at accomplishments help weight loss 

* How drinking more water helps

* How to protect your sleep to control “growling” hunger

* How using google Home or Alexa can help your weight loss journey

* How uncomfortable emotions can cause weight gain 

* And much more…. 

Related episodes

Episode 57 Should I weigh myself?

Episode 62 Why Can't I Lose Weight No Matter What? 

Episode 54 Hidden Sugars

Look out for future episode with Alison Armstrong 

Want to lose weight but struggling? It's not just about food and exercise! Learn about the role of hormonal imbalances, nutrition deficiencies, and sleep on weight loss from Dr. Tanya and Mary. Did you know an underactive thyroid and insulin resistance can cause weight gain? Prioritize a healthy hormone balance, adequate sleep, and a balanced diet for a holistic approach to weight loss.

Losing weight is more than food in and exercise out. Dr. Tanya and Mary explore the various reasons why some people struggle to lose weight despite their best efforts. They discuss the role of hormonal imbalances, nutrition deficiencies, and sleep in weight loss.

For example, an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can cause weight gain.

Insulin resistance, which can be caused by a variety of factors including genetics, diet, and lifestyle, can also contribute to weight gain by making it more difficult for the body to use glucose for energy.

Inadequate sleep can lead to weight loss resistance by disrupting the balance of hormones that regulate appetite. Specifically, lack of sleep has been shown to increase levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, while reducing levels of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite. This can lead to overeating and weight gain.

Overall, the best way to promote weight loss is to maintain a healthy balance of hormones, get enough sleep, and eat a balanced diet that is rich in nutrient-dense foods. This is a holistic approach to weight loss, addressing the various factors that can contribute to weight loss resistance and offering actionable advice for overcoming these obstacles.

Everyone has a primary love language, and it's important to understand that how you feel and express love might be different than your partner.

The 5 love languages or ways in which people feel and express love (by Dr. Gary Chapman) are:

Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch.

Learning to speak your partner's love language in order fill their emotional and physical needs can improve your relationship by fostering greater intimacy, understanding, and happiness. It is equally important to communicate with your partner about your own love language and what makes you feel loved and appreciated to fill your "Love tank."

5 Love Languages quiz to determine what your primary love language  https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes  

Morning sickness, also known as “nausea of pregnancy”, can be exhausting.  Sometimes it starts as early as 6-8 weeks of being pregnant and ends when you deliver your baby.  To help you avoid this, we share effective holistic tips to help you address your nausea and get you back on track with feeling normal and functional again.  This is not medical advice but we give you amazing solutions that you can discuss with your health care provider to make sure they are right for you.

When does morning sickness start?

Why do women experience morning sickness?

Is morning sickness bad for you?

What is the best vitamin and prenatal vitamin for morning sickness?

What are the best foods for morning sickness and when to eat them?

What is the best herb for nausea during pregnancy?

What is the best acupuncture point?

This is a must not miss episode where we interview Ob-Gyn Dr. Timea Belej Rak and Mary Wong gets deeply personal for the first time about her own story with egg donation.

Considering egg donation as an option can be scary.  Although this is not one's first (or even third option), it is a highly effective pathway for those who need it. More importantly, there is a connection fueled by epigenetics that develops between baby and mom during pregnancy. Even though the baby will not inherit her genetics, the baby is 100% biologically hers. That means mom gets to turn on genes through the environment she creates which is why it is important to stay healthy and live a balanced life for a better soil/terrain before, during and after pregnancy.

Dr. Belej-Rak is an obstetrician gynecologist with subspecialty training in fertility.

She believes in supporting the practice, education and research of a healing and prevention-based approach to health and well-being.  She has been passionately helping those who struggle to create life for over 15 years.  After going through her own fertility journey she made it her mission to increase awareness by writing the book “Embrace Your Fertility” with (co-authors including Dr. Tanya Wyde, ND) to provide a holistic approach, guidance and reassurance to those wishing to conceive.

Connect with Dr. Belej-Rak

Facebook page:  Femwellness -

https://www.facebook.com/YourFertilityCanada

Twitter:  @tbelejrak

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/femwellnessdrtbr/ =

@femwellnessdrtbr

Website:  www.femwellness.ca

Amazon link to purchase Book *Embrace Your Fertility*

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09Y21Lhttps://www.instagram.com/femwellnessdrtbr/RTK

Let’s  debunk the idea that moms after infertility should feel grateful and happy all the time.  We do not need to be the perfect mom and never complain.  Being a new mom is hard and it's not only normal to need support, but we encourage you to take breaks from parenting out of necessity.  Self care is important for every human, especially new moms.  After infertility, we often feel guilty reaching out for help when  parenting becomes challenging because we think that we should be able to handle it all on our own.   Dr. Julia Sen gives her top tips to offset this guilt... including strategies while pregnant instead of waiting for the baby to be born.

Our featured guest Dr. Julia Sen is a registered clinical and counseling psychologist and has been seeing clients, individually, as couples, and in groups for over 20 years. She has dedicated her career to guiding people through fertility, parenting and re-parenting the self. Julia has a heart-centred approach with her clients and integrates both science and spirit into her practice. In a previous episode, Dr. Sen shares stress management tools to support your fertility journey including how to feel less stressed about being stressed because of its potential impact on fertility.

We embrace our curves and aspire to be body positive. Regardless of the number on a scale, or what our size is, here are some important questions to ask:

Am I doing things to take care of myself that makes my body and mind stay healthy and feel sexy?

Do I know who I am?

How do I feel in my body?

The bottom line is that we are all unique individuals. What’s healthy for one person may not be so for another because the relative body mass index, BMI, is less about your weight on the scale, and more about your weight on your frame.  To answer the question, should I weigh myself? Yes, but we use it in a positive, safe, and encouraging way and go deep talking about the when, why and how.Resources:

Atomic Habits by James Clear 

Did you know that one in three antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary?

Learn all about the repercussions from taking too many antibiotics and what you can do about it.

Antibiotics are lifesaving drugs, but with inappropriate use, we’ll lose the most powerful tool we have to fight life-threatening infections,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.  Overuse can affect our ability "to treat  deadly infections,  cancer, provide organ transplants, and save victims of burns and trauma.”

Helping prescribers (and you) use the right antibiotic, at the right dose, at the right time, and for the right duration, reduces unnecessary antibiotic use which makes for a healthier and happier human. 

Watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DGWfeCGuc0I  

We interview Meganne, midwife of York Region, and mom of 3 children, all born at home with the care of midwives. 

We review the following considerations when deciding on choosing a midwife or an ObGyn in Ontario…

Why would someone choose midwifery care over an OB-Gyn?

What's the difference between a midwife and an OB-Gyn? 

At what point in your pregnancy should you hire a midwife?

In what circumstances might it be better to hire an OB-Gyn over a midwife? 

When would someone switch care from a midwife over to an OB-Gyn?

What are the benefits of a home birth vs. hospital birth vs. birthing centre?

What are the pros and cons of a water Birth? 

In Ontario do you need a referral to see a midwife?

How long after the birth are you still under the care of a midwife?

Midwives are fully trained and registered practitioners. They keep up to date on new research, additional training (CPR, Neonatal Resuscitation, Emergency Skills and Fetal Health Surveillance) on an annual basis. They prioritize the safety of their clients and their new babies. Their mission is to provide the highest standard of healthcare for families through a very important milestone in their life. 

Obstetrician-Gynecologists excel at helping with pregnancies with complications and are who you turn to when you need C-Sections/surgery.

Related Episodes

How To have an Orgasmic Childbirth ft Stacey McPherson Episode 38 

If you haven't done so already, head over to myFertology.com watch or listen to Stacey McPherson who talks about easy and orgasmic childbirth… no matter what pathway of birthing you choose… create birth ideas and memories that will empower you long term.

Episode 47 Constipationi Relief - “The scoop on Poop” where we talk about tips and tricks inside and outside the bathroom before during and after pregnancy 

Facebook: Midwives of York Region

Instagram: @midwivesofyorkregion 

Website: https://midwivesofyorkregion.com/