Sage Motherhood

Choline falls into the B family of vitamins, though it doesn't have a "b" name like b12, b9, etc.

More about choline:

Choline in mom:

• builds cell membranes
• supports nerve function
• DNA synthesis
• cell messaging
• fat transport and
• metabolism in mom

Choline for baby

• Builds the nervous system,
• Brain development, especially the hippocampus and memory health
• Placental health
• Positively impact life-long gene expression.

Choline works in tandem with omega-3 fat, DHA and enhances how DHA is incorporated into the cells. Choline rich foods tend to also be high in DHA

Risks of not enough choline:

• 94% of pregnany women in the USA do not consume enough choline.
• Deficiencies are clearly linked to neural tube defects & cleft palate.
• Optimal choline levels are linked to prevention of preeclampsia

Our bodies do not produce enough choline for essential functions, therefore we must get it through diet (or supplementation if Vegan).

Recommendations:

Current research shows the amount of choline consumed in pregnancy should be closer to 930 mg per day.

For women with MTHFR gene mutation, choline needs to be substantially higher than 450 mg.

Foods Rich in Choline: visit the page for episode 14

The standard recommendations do not lead to pregnancy, birth, infant or life-long health.

This is why I offer prenatal nutrition inside of Sage Motherhood Mentorship. I'm shortening the learning curve of a whole foods approach to health and offering specific information for pregnancy and lactation.

You deserve the best and so does your little one. You won't get it from the standard of care.

Check out The Road Not Taken: my masterclass on taking a different approach to birth, and why it's an uphill battle to get a natural birth in the hospital.

Links

The Road Not Taken

Pregnancy Nutrition in Sage Motherhood Mentorship

Real Food for Pregnancy *

Real Food for Gestational Diabetes *

Real Food for Pregnancy, by Lily Nichols

National Institutes for Health

* I am an Amazon Associate and may earn a commission on products you purchase through this link at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my small business.

Meeting Your Breastfeeding Goals 1. The Milk Suppy Equation Sufficient glandular tissue + Functioning hormones and hormone receptors + adequate, frequent, effective milk removal + intact neural pathways and ducts = healthy milk supply. 2. Infant Communication Understand infant cries, body lanaguage & respond appropriately. 3. Variables Not all bodies work the same, Your support system impacts your experience Values impact your choices. 4. Evidence Based Breastfeeding Goals Exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months and showing signs of readiness Nursing until 2 years and mutually desirable, globally 4 is the common age of weaninag Introduce solids at 6 month and when showing signs of readiness, without reducing milk intake. Create your goals with these four factors in mind, then adjust as necessary. As you prepare yourself for the type of birth you desire, make sure to head over to PRENATAL AFFIRMATIONS Are you looking for a VBAC or Homebirth? Prepare yourself with my masterclass THE ROAD NOT TAKEN Want the highest level of support for pregnancy, birth and postpartum? Book your free consult with me and see if Sage Motherhood Mentorship is right for you. BOOK A CALL Are you looking for a VBAC or Homebirth? Prepare yourself with my masterclass BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT

A vision for mothers, babies, fathers, partners and community around the childbearing year that shakes the status quo.

There is a lot to consider when pregnant and welcoming a new baby, and it goes far beyond the technical & physical aspects like getting on a prenatal vitamin, choosing a provider and researching car seats. It even goes beyond hiring a doula, taking childbirth education classes and reading a breastfeeding book.

What you actually need

To have an experience that you look back on with fondness and gratitude instead of relief is to be emotionally, physically, mentally prepared & supported.

Our society is pretty okay at preparation, but lacking in support and we often forget that our emotional and mental health is more important than the physical experience, because eventually pregnancy ends but our emotions & thoughts are still there.

My vision that shakes the status quo is:

• Wise, intuitive, healthy and confident mamas
• Healthy, happy and developmentally supported babies.
• Partners who are open to nuance and complexity and prioritize the health of their relationship with a mama who is rapidly changing.
• Dads, Parents see the importance of forming healthy attachments and understand how to do that.
• Siblings to witness this transformation in mama and still feel loved, accepted and significant.
• Extended family who LISTEN to mama.
• A community that is so good that every mama has multiple people offer to coordinate meal drop offs, and help around the house for the first six weeks.

My vision is for you to be radically resourced throughout the childbearing year.

Does this vision speak to you? Do you desire a childbearing year so good you can't help but talk about it? Book your free consultation with me today.

https://calendly.com/stefanie-melo

Working on shifting your fears around birth & baby?

Get your prenatal affirmations PDF + Audio recordings now

https://stefaniemelo.com/page/prenatal-affirmations

Thinking about a natural birth?

Join me in my masterclass designed to help you see the need for your vision and tap deeply into the desires and emotions that will get you there. The Road Not Taken

https://stefaniemelo.com/landing/the-road-not-taken-in-motherhood

Curious about Sage Motherhood Mentorship?

Get all the details here:

https://stefaniemelo.com/page/sage-motherhood-mentorship

Connect with me @sagemotherhood on Tiktok & Instagram

Calcium in Pregnancy, Pre-eclampsia & Absorbing calcium

Calcium is a mineral that has a special relationship with Vitamin D.

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Calcium requirements for pregnant and lactating women vary by age.

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If you are 18 or younger and pregnant or lactating you should be getting at least 1300mg

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Ages 19-50 and lactating or pregnant are least 1000mg

Calcium supplementation is indicated for women with a history of high-blood pressure and preeclampsia. Research shows a combination supplement of magnesium sulfate, vitamin d, calcium and zinc significantly reduces blood pressure. The doses studied were

800 mg calcium,

200 mg magnesium,

8 mg zinc and

400 IU Vitamin D3

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Your body uses calcium to support:

Muscular strength and stamina

Bone strength

Tooth Strength

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Excellent Food Sources of Calcium

Collard greens 266 mg

Broccoli rabe 100 mg

Cress, 41mg

Kale cooked, 179 mg,

Green soybeans, cooked 175 mg

Bok choy, 160mg

Rhubarb 105mg

Broccoli 70mg

Oranges 55mg

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Another important fact with calcium absorption is that you need healthy intestines to absorb calcium, and healthy liver and kidneys to convert calcium from the digestive system to the forms needed to build your body and baby's.

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Two ways to support your liver:

1. Reduce exposure to things that damage the liver:

• Phthalates -2023 study showed that phthalate exposure increased liver enzyme levels, a sign of liver damage

• Acetaminophen

• Ibuprofen

• Alcohol abuse (defined as 1 serving per day for women, 2 per day for men)

• Synthetic vitamin A

• Excessive sugar sugar, 2023 study showed that phthalate exposure increased liver enzyme levels, a sign of liver damage

• Parabens, if kidneys are not functioning properly

Action item: ditch commercial skin care and body products as they almost always contain phthalates. Learn more about ditching harmful products

1. Help your body cleanse from exposures that harm the liver, from Dr. Sara Gottfried

• Add bitter vegetables and herbs at every meal for their liver benefit: arugula, dandelion leaves, endive, radish, sage - include these in your 11 servings of vegetables per day count

• Eat alliums to raise glutathione such as onions, garlic, and leeks.

• Eat cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, radishes.

• Eat the rainbow, every day

• Add prebiotic fiber, which helps remove BPA in the system, such as asparagus, burdock root, Jerusalem artichoke, jicama, garlic, onion, leeks, unripe (green) bananas, flaxseeds, seaweed, konjac root, and yacon root

• Spices to reduce inflammation: turmeric, red pepper and chili, black pepper, licorice, clove, ginger, garlic, coriander, cardamom, fenugreek, cumin, rosemary, anise, cinnamon.

• Consume 4-5 forkfuls of probiotic foods per day: sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi.

Ways to support your intestinal tract:

• Eat a diverse variety of foods

• Consume lots of fruits and vegetables and legumes

• Eat lots of fruits,

• Eat fermented foods for naturally occurring probiotics

• Consume Prebiotic foods

• Consume polyphenols

• Eat Whole grains vs processed grains (some research shows wheat, barley and rye can increase gut permeability–and that isn't a good thing)

• Breastfeed for 6 months exclusively

• Take a high-quality diverse probiotic supplement if health has been compromised

How to support your kidneys

• Physical activity

• Manage blood sugar

• Reduce blood pressure

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Improve hydration, 1.5 - 2L per day as the baseline

• Do not smoke

• Reduce over the counter medications,

• Consider alternatives to the herb kava kava if you have signs of impaired kidney function.

It is my desire to see you have a positive pregnancy, a beautiful birth and a peaceful postpartum. Nutrition is one of the key elements to those objectives. This is why I include a prenatal nutrition class in Sage Motherhood Mentorship. Calcium is just one of many important minerals during your childbearing year, come work with me in Sage Motherhood Mentorship and let's optimize your nutrition so that you can have the childbearing year of your dreams.

Looking for a VBAC or homebirth? Then you don't want to miss my masterclass The Road Not Taken. It will help you connect deeply with your desired birth and the reasons you want it, as well as help you understand how the current medical model will steer you off of that path.

Don't forget to work on your birth mindset and get your FREE affirmations (PDFs & Audio) including my most powerful teaching on mindset!

In this episode I dive into one of the most helpful pain management tools in labor: surrender. I want every mama to embrace birth and all it's complexities because when you are fully present in it, you can come through with so many powerful lessons for your future as a mother. I share with you exactly how to surrender in birth and tie that wisdom into a fairly challenging morning as a mom with a sick three year old. Surrender is a powerful tool and when you can surrender and remain calm in a long and strong contraction, you can surrender and remain calm when your three year old is having a tantrum. As you prepare yourself for the type of birth you desire, make sure to head over to get my FREE Prenatal Affirmations Are you looking for a VBAC, Homebirth or Natural Birth? Prepare yourself with my masterclass The Road Not Taken I am currently accepting just a handful of mamas into my program: Sage Motherhood Mentorship, and am offering some incredible bonuses right now. I can't wait to support you in this journey.

In this Episode I interview Shannon Smith, CNM. Shannon was my doula for 3 of my 5 births and an incredible resource in my pregnancy journey. In this interview we discuss:

• Shannon's desire to become a midwife and why she chooses to provide hospital-based care.

• Ideas for how those birthing in hospital can achieve a birth they desire when hospital care is what is necessary.

• Suggestions for finding a provider who is VBAC supportive

• Postpartum mental health and resources.

As you prepare yourself for the type of birth you desire, make sure to head over to Prenatal Affirmations

Are you looking for a VBAC or Homebirth? Prepare yourself with my masterclass The Road Not Taken

These both grant you access to Sage Motherhood Podcast Community where you can also grab my special offer: a free 30 minute coaching call!

In this episode we explore three things that "they" won't tell you about breastfeeding.

A few points of clarification.

1. I 100% support the decision to use formula or donated milk for any reason.

2. I am a HUGE advocate for breastfeeding because it is almost always the easiest for baby to digest, offers more immune support, bonding opportunities and is better for your hormonal experience and ideally mama's mental health.

3. The second statement does not apply to everyone.

Breastfeeding is not always easy or come naturally, for most women it's a big effort that pays off in physical and emotional benefits.

However, there are real complications that arise and in this episode we explore some of that with extra focus on the first month and week of baby's life.

We touch on:

How our inappropriate expectations and complicate and derail breastfeeding,

Why policy changes are necessary to increase breastfeeding rates birth - six months,

Three key identifiers of an issue with a baby getting enough milk,

The four keys to create a great milk supply,

Guidelines for diapers the first five days of life.

Additional signs of issues and when to seek help.

Head on over to the Sage Motherhood Podcast Community for early access to future episodes, all of my resources for pregnancy, mindset, birth and motherhood as well as the guide for navigating breastfeeding concerns and access to my offer dropping exclusively to the community.

In this Episode we talked about how the Montessori approach can strike a balance in the parenting advice out there, while also being radically different.

The Montessori approach can simplify your experience as a parent, create security and consistency for your baby as well as honor your intuitive response to the baby while offering opportunities for your baby to thrive and grow. We talk in depth about

The Montessori Floor Bed

…. and how cribs are not helping

The Montessori Weaning Table & Baby Led Weaning

…..why this can save you the mess of sensory bins

Freedom of Movement in Montessori

…. Why you safe safely ditch most of the swaddling gear

Routines in the Montessori home

…. And how this is better for both you and baby

Links

Incorporate Montessori into your mothering by working with me in Sage Motherhood Mentorship

Prepare your heart and mind for birth and motherhood with Prenatal Affirmations

To learn more about Baby Led Weaning, The Montessori Floor Bed, The Montessori Weaning Table and Freedom of Movement, join The Sage Motherhood Podcast Community

In this Episdoe we talk about:

What iron does for mom & baby

Who is at higher risk for iron deficiency?

How much iron do you need?

Best sources of iron

Three Ways How to increase iron levels

What to look for in supplements

ferrous bisglycinate chelate

When to disregard your doctor or midwives recommendation

Looking for more prenatal nutrition considerations? Buy Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols, RDN

Join me in Sage Motherhood Mentorship. You'll get access to my customers-only prenatal nutrition masterclass, as well as childbirth education, postpartum planning and text/phone support through 12 weeks postpartum Head to https://stefaniemelo.com/page/sage-motherhood-mentorship to learn more

Just looking for prenatal supplement recommendations? Book your consult call with me today https://calendly.com/stefanie-melo

Grab my prenatal affirmations here

Cultivating a Birth Mindset that Delivers

In this episode I talk about how birth is not primarily a physical experience.

A majority of the time when a mama takes a step off of her birth plan, it's not because of a physical problem.

It's most often a mental or emotional challenge that creates the desire or need for intervention.

Birth is primarily mental and emotional work.

In order to cultivate a birth mindset that delivers you need to do the mindset work.

• Become aware of your fears,
• Become aware of your thoughts,
• Become honest about your emotions,
• Become aware of the evidence,
• Own your agency and actively choose.

Do you want to cultivate a birth mindset that delivers? Start here https://stefaniemelo.com/landing/prenatal-affirmations with my Prenatal Affirmations

A birth mindset that delivers offers so much more than having a positive birth experience. It's about cultivating a childbearing year that feels really good.

It's about embracing the full-person experience: mind, body, soul. You are birthing not only your baby, but yourself as a mother.

It's not just about mom and baby's experience, but also your working with your partner family so that you navigate the challenges just as well as you embrace the easy parts.

If you are ready to step in to a positive experience: pregnancy, birth and postpartum, Sage Motherhood is the place for you. Learn all about it here https://stefaniemelo.com/page/sage-motherhood-mentorship

Then book your call with me to get started https://calendly.com/stefanie-melo