Sage Motherhood

Folate & Prenatal Nutrition

Folate is a necessary nutrient to sustain a pregnancy and prevent neural tube defects.

Folate and Folic Acid work differently in the body, and consuming folate is safer than taking folic acid supplements.

FDA currently recommends 600mcg for pregnancy and 500mcg for lactation.

Foods based vitamins tend to have higher absorption rates because vitamins, minerals and foods work synergistically. So "higher" does of synthetic vitamins aren't necessarily "better"

LINKS: some of these links are affiliate links

You can shop my recommendations here and when you purchase you'll get access to my prenatal nutrition class which is normally reserved for only Sage Motherhood Mentorship Clients.

Click on over to my blog to check out high-folate foods

DM me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/sagemotherhood

Prenatal Affirmations: www.stefaniemelo.com

Join me in Sage Motherhood Mentorship: https://stefaniemelo.com/page/perinatal-coaching

In this Episode I share

-why there is pushback against natural birth, breastfeeding and other parenting choices

-what this can look like

-how it harms mental and emotional health for moms

-how to navigate the gap between ideals and reality through attachment and detachment

I also invite you to take some time to journal or reflect on which way you are prone? Are you likely to feel defeated in the face of disappointment? Or are you more likely to become more determined? Journal about ways this tendency has served you well and ways it's not been helpful.

I invite you to the messy middle where your choices matter, your mistakes are salvageable, your ideals are important but don't define you. I invite you to Sage Motherhood where we honor, experience and process the full-range of emotions, so that difficult and negative emotions don't railroad you into decisions out of your values.

I ask you for a pinch of grace in my delivery, I am not a perfect public speaker or podcast editor. I strive to be kind and inclusive in my language and I welcome dialogue that helps me do that better.

LINKS

DM me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/sagemotherhood

Prenatal Affirmations: www.stefaniemelo.com

You can't guarantee your results, and your choices still matter deeply. I want to invite you to The Road Not Taken in Motherhood: a masterclass for expecting moms looking to have a postive birth experience.

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

Join me in Sage Motherhood Mentorship: https://stefaniemelo.com/phttps://stefaniemelo.com/page/sage-motherhood-mentorship

Show Notes

In this Episode I share

-Why I chose the word Sage for my business

-How I define sage motherhood

-My beliefs around motherhood, pregnancy, birth, parenting and babies.

We all have teaching, experiences and cultural practices that shape the way we view femininity, menstruation, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, motherhood, marriage and parenting.

It's important to understand those influences, unconscious beliefs and how this shapes the way you experience your body and motherhood.

I invite you to take some time to journal and reflect on any ways that my beliefs have impacted you, maybe unnecessary cesareans felt like a sting. It could be my wording, it could be that you disagree based on evidence, it could be because there is an experience you've encountered that triggers difficult emotions.

I'm not here to harm any mother, baby or family. I am here to invite you into the possibility that your emotions, beliefs and experience matter profoundly. Also, to the possibility that your emotion, beliefs and experience could prevent you from experiencing abundance in different areas of life and motherhood.

I ask you for a pinch of grace in my delivery, I am not a perfect public speaker. I strive to be kind and inclusive in my language and I welcome dialogue that is kind and respectful.

LINKS

Follow me on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/sagemotherhood

Prenatal Affirmations: https://stefaniemelo.com/landing/prenatal-affirmations

Join The Sage Motherhood Podcast Email list: https://stefaniemelo.com/page/podcast

Learn About Sage Mama Maternity (new program replacing the one mentioned in the episode)

https://stefaniemelo.com/page/sage-mama-maternity-a

In this episode, I share the first 10 years of my motherhood story, because it shaped my perinatal coaching and parent coaching practice. I invite you to listen and reflect on ways you see parts of your story in mine and how your beliefs, emotions and experience have shaped your journey.

Content Warning: my story very briefly mentions gun violence, pregnancy loss, suicidal ideation.

I'll cover

-how evangelical christianity shaped my view on motherhood

-how I became pregnant with amenorrhea due to PCOS

-why I decided to homebirth

-how I became a birth doula

-how lactation issues shifted my physical health

-how physical changes and a "crunchy" lifestyle didn't fully address my mental health

-why my parenting convictions led me to leave the church

-how leaving the church rocked my identity

-how covid changed everything

-a glimpse into our 3 months of full time RV travel

-how coaching transformed her mental health

-the ways in which the church failed me

-the ways in which society failed me

-the ways I set myself up for feelings of failure as a mother.

Mama, please remember your mental health, your emotional health and your physical health all matter. It's important to prioritize all of them, you are just as valuable as your baby and children, and they need a happy and healthy you to become who they are meant to be. There is no shame in getting help on your motherhood journey.

LINKS

To see the image of the PCOS Crazy Cycle on my blog, click here

Our Love Story https://youtu.be/hpiy9eZgyF4

Amazon Affiliate Link: The Red Tent

Bookshop Affiliate link: The Red Tent

Positive Parenting Solutions free webinar. I recommend the Gold Membership, totally worth it. There is also now an monthly subscription option making this even more accessible!

DM me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/sagemotherhood

Prenatal Affirmations: www.stefaniemelo.com/