By Chloe Jo on March 22, 2010

Knocked Up and Vegan

On this Meatless Monday, Chloe Jo Davis has stopped by to share her pregnancy tips and the ups, downs and total bliss of being a eco-glam, vegan mama-to-be!

By Chloe Jo

I always knew I wanted to be a Mommazon. So when I became a vegan activist some moons ago, I knew that being a vegan and choosing to live an entirely cruelty-free and green lifestyle (well, as green as you can get in NYC) would be a huge part of my pregnancy. I’ve got a few weeks to go before I pop out my little vetus (vegan fetus) and I couldn’t be a happier expectant Mommy.

I wish more people had given me the straight, sister-to-sister facts before getting pregnant, so I’ll be that person for you, pretty childbearing possum. Remember the tips, stories, and experiences below are my own. This does not mean you will necessarily experience everything as I did; still, I hope these tips make your journey into Mommyhood easier, if possible.

Get Through the First Trimester

If you knew how bad it could be, you might not get pregnant. Prepare to be nauseous all the time, tired most of the time, and agitated frequently for the first three months. Drink bubbly water, chew on ginger, or drink ginger tea for nausea and upset tummy. I also found drinking a tiny bit of kombucha helped ease my nausea. Please research this on your own as some books advise against fermented foods, of which kombucha is one.

The first trimester is also a spiritually intensive time. Get prenatal massages, meditate, and know your body is freaking out getting used to all these new hormones and changes. Roll with the changes and be as loving to yourself as you can. Let yourself cry when and if you need to. And be sure to have a husband (or partner or BFF) who is available for midnight applesauce runs, massages, dog walks, or tax help. You’ll probably need it.

Enjoy the Second Trimester

By the fourth month you will be tiptoeing through the tulips. You will feel like a powerful Mother Earth Goddess and won’t understand how anyone could possibly not feel amazing all the time. Relish this time. You will be done with the nausea and exhaustion, and hopefully any anxiety.

Don’t be surprised if you, formerly a salad queen, can consume nothing but empty carbs for the first trimester. Don’t freak if all you want are bagels for two months; you’ll be fine and so will PeeWee. It happens to most of us. Enjoy it, and know your baby is getting what they need; your body will tell you what to eat. I couldn’t stand the sight of raw greens for the first trimester, so I made sure to get my vitamins in other ways. By the second trimester I was back to my healthy livin’ ways. The amazing thing is, as a vegan, I’ve had no cravings other than “Hmm, I’d love a grapefruit right now,” or “I really want some brown rice tonight.” When you are eating a totally balanced, healthy diet, you won’t have cravings because your body is getting everything it needs!

So what if you eat raw and do yoga every day? You may still opt for pain relief during your birth, and I’m certainly not going to judge you for it. You may choose to go totally natural in the bathtub with a doula or midwife, or choose to have the option of drugs in a classic hospital birth. Either way, trust that you know yourself and what is best for your body.

If you are having a boy, decide in advance if you want to circumcise. Stick to your guns, no matter what anyone else has to say. This is your baby, not the world’s. Whatever you decide, I highly recommend a documentary called, “The Business of Being Born” to empower yourself with knowledge. Here’s more on the journey I’m personally taking with the circumcision decision.

Your partner or husband will be going through the pregnancy too. Be considerate of that. Just because they don’t have the midnight hunger pangs, barfing days, or shocking growth spurts of hair in odd places doesn’t mean they aren’t also feeling fear, anxiety, and worry. That’s par for the course. Of course, some people feel totally ready from the start. My husband, who was always an angel, has sprouted wings of silken diamonds during the last 8 months. He is totally confident and overjoyed. All we talk about is our Son and we are more in love than ever. When you both first feel that baby kick (or in my case, mosh pit dance), the tears will flow and it will be magical. Nothing is more beautiful than creating a family with the person you love most in the world. It is sheer poetry and to be relished like a perfect strain of kombucha.

Third Trimester—School Is Almost Out!

Invest in a hot water bottle for backaches, buy your nursing bras now (regular bras will not be comfy), and be sure you are all signed up for a highly recommended birthing class. Try your best to enjoy the last few weeks of life with just yourself and your partner. Enjoy the wonderful solidarity of other moms on the street who come right up and start chatting, giving tips and advice; but take all tips with a grain of salt. This really is the greatest time of your life, even if you feel like crap some days. Pregnant women are as close to goddesses as possible—you hold the source of life and magical power inside, and you’ll feel it! Allow yourself to be treated as such. This is going to be one perfectly unique adventure!

 

 

   
 

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