• For low energy: I think you should start taking iron even before you’re tested for anemia.  Iron can be constipating though, so drink prune juice or something if that’s a problem.  And be sure the kids can’t get into it — that it has a child proof lid or is way up high.  It is the number one cause of poisoning in kids.  I like to take a natural, herbal iron.  It seems to me that it absorbs better, but I’m not sure about that.
• Do you have good prenatal vitamins? After Grace I was wiped out and needed a nap — no energy at all.  My friend gave me good quality iron and health food store vitamins, and I am a new person!
• Have you thought about if you are pregnant with twins?  I actually thought I had twins with Grace because I felt sick SO early.  But I wasn’t!  The kids were so disappointed!  (I wasn’t!)  Did you know twins are more likely for older moms?
• I would think that if you have pregnancies really close together it’s very likely that you are anemic.  It can take a while to get iron levels back up, and some irons don’t absorb well.
• Be sure to take fish oil, which is a good idea for all pregnant moms or even women who may become pregnant.  I noticed that as I had babies, they were born less and less healthy — mostly that they had eczema.  That is because your first babies use up your omega 3 fatty acids, and your body cannot replace them unless you eat fish or flax or something.  I should probably take a really good quality fish oil that is guaranteed to be mercury-free, but I don’t spend the money on it!  But anyway, Andrew and Grace don’t have any eczema — Praise the Lord!!
• Are your tummy muscles uncomfortable, like they’re having trouble holding the baby up?  I really had that problem with Andrew.  After he was born, I did lots of sit-ups.  And with Grace those muscles were totally fine!  Thank you, God.  :O)

Disclaimer: Be sure to check with your health care professional before following any of our layman’s advice!

Restless Leg Syndrome

Question:

I am in my last trimester, and I can’t go to sleep at night because my legs jump all over the place!

Answer:

1.

Natural Progesterone Cream has been a life-saver for me in many ways.  I order it from springboard4health.com.  (Be sure to not buy the kind with estrogen mixed in) I read What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause, which explains why, how, and when to use it.   I don’t recommend the Walmart kind because the doctor who wrote the book said to not use any progesterone cream that is not recommended in his book. There are several kinds listed in the back.  Some can actually be harmful if you get the wrong company.  Wild yam is not recommended.

One of the ways it helps me is to rub it on my legs when they start jumping during rest time. The main thing to remember with progesterone cream is that if you use it regularly then stop using it, it can cause a miscarriage.  The progesterone is so good for the baby that progesterone withdrawal can cause miscarriage. In your third trimester, though, you have so much progesterone in your body already that it is okay to stop — there will be no progesterone withdrawal.  Doctors even say you can discontinue it much earlier, but I wait until the third trimester just to be sure.

Progesterone cream can also make your nails soft.  God puts lots of progesterone in your body at the end of your pregnancy to make your hipbones softer and ready to deliver.

Progesterone cream can help you sleep, prevent cancer, help your moods, prevent wrinkles, (rub it on your face), help with headaches (put it on your forehead or massage it into the back of your neck), help with heavy periods, and slow the aging process.  If you’re not pregnant, use it twice a day when you’re not on your period.  Or you can just use it the last 2 weeks of your cycle.  My doctor said you can even use it on the first couple of days of your period if it is too heavy.  Dr. John R. Lee has written several great books about it including What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer, but unfortunately the recent additions have lots of weird and dangerous New Age teachings.

2.

My very smart friend, Amy Register of Florida, told me that RLS can be a symptom of folic acid deficiency.  I have been taking a lot of folic acid, and it has been helping my RLS!  It’s the same supplement that can prevent some birth defects.  It’s what God put in vegetables!

3.

Go to bed the same time every night.

4.

Avoid any caffeine during the day.  The other day I had one glass of tea at lunch, and I missed four hours of sleep that night!!

Reflux

Question:

When I lay down I have to keep sitting back up again because I feel like I have air trapped in me.  It has even made me vomit a couple of times (yikes!).

Answer:

If you’re in your second or third trimester, try taking a couple of Tums.  This works for me.  But don’t overdo it with any medication while you’re expecting.

Lower abdominal pain

Question:

I don’t remember this with my other pregnancies, but after I’ve been walking for any length of time at all, I feel like my muscles just can’t hold my tummy up.  It really hurts, and for instance if we’re shopping as a family, I have to just sit down somewhere for the rest of the shopping trip.

Answer:

The best medicine here is prevention.  This time between babies, do sit-ups whenever you can.  Every sit-up will strengthen your abdominal muscles and get you ready for that next pregnancy.  This did wonders for me.

Itchy Belly

Question:

My tummy itches so much sometimes with this pregnancy that I go crazy!

Answer:

1.

Try some generic Aveno lotion (no cortizone though!!) with natural oatmeal to help the itching.

2.

Use only moisturizing soap in the bath or shower.

3.

Use Vaseline generously on your tummy before showering or bathing, and don’t rub it off when you’re getting clean.  I think this has also may be what has helped me to have healthy skin that’s not very stretched or thin, even though I’ve had several pregnancies.

Stretch Marks

Answer:

Try vitamin E oil, the remedies on this website for itchy belly, or something specifically designed to help with stretch marks or scars.