Posts Tagged ‘Sara Jane Mercer’

Milk Making Tips for Mamas - The Best Foods for Increasing Breast Milk Supply

Smoothie for Breastfeeding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Think you’re all done growing your baby once they’re born? Not quite! If you chose to nurse you will continue to be responsible for every delicious ounce of baby fat on those chubby thighs! Watching your baby grow on your milk alone is an amazingly powerful experience, but it’s not always easy. In order to produce an adequate supply of milk for your growing baby your body needs a little bit of help and extra care. Breast milk takes about 500 calories a day to make so this is not a time to diet! These milk-making tips will help ensure both you and your baby are well taken care of.

Water

Breast milk is composed of mostly water. Remember how thirsty you were when you were pregnant? Expect the constant desire for a drink (not that kind!) to stick around as long as you are nursing. Keep a full water bottle with you at all times to make sure you are staying adequately hydrated. If you don’t flood your body with hydration your milk supply will soon suffer.

Healthy Fats

Your body needs a good supply of healthy fat to make milk for your baby. Plant based fat sources such as nuts, seeds and avocados are great foods for nursing mamas. A handful of almonds is not only a super healthy nursing snack but can also be eaten with one hand! As a nursing mom one-handed foods will quickly become your friend, especially in the early weeks when it feels like you are constantly nursing your baby.

Green Smoothies

Just like when you were pregnant, it is still important for a nursing mom to eat plenty of dark, leafy greens. Spinach and other dark leafy greens contain tons of phytoestrogens, which promote healthy breast tissue and lactation. Ask your partner to make you a green smoothie with spinach, avocado, almond milk and banana while you nurse the baby. Green smoothies are not only delicious and nutrient dense but can also be consumed with one hand!

Special Tea

Certain herbs are known galactagogues aka milk makers. This Nourishment Tea is packed with milk promoting herbs and is quite easy to make. You can order all of the loose herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs for about $20. Then simply mix all the herbs in the right proportions in a big jar or other sealed container. A cup or two of this tea each day will not only help your milk production but will also help balance out those post-partum hormones!

  • 2 parts Red Raspberry Leaf
  • 2 parts Nettle
  • 1 part Oatstraw
  • 1/2 part Alfalfa
  • 1/2 part Rose Hips
  • 1/4 Red Clover
  • 1/4 part Spearmint Leaf

1. Place 1/4 cup of mixture in a sealable 1 quart jar (such as a Ball Jar).

2. Fill jar with boiling water.

3. Steep for 30 mins.

4. Store jar in fridge and drink 1-2 cups per day.

Nurse on Demand

By far the most important tip for healthy nursing is to nurse your baby on demand, especially in the first few weeks. If you allow your baby to nurse whenever they desire your body will get in tune with how much milk your baby needs. Do not be tempted to try and stretch out your baby’s feedings in the beginning. The more milk your baby drinks, the more you will make. So, if you are concerned about your milk supply snuggle up with your baby for a nursing marathon!

Sara Jane Mercer is a Holistic Health and Wellness Coach, Vegetarian Chef and Food Writer and the vibrant, creative spirit behind her eponymous blog that is the go- to source for Clean, Pure and Simple living. After countless hours developing healthy recipes in her own kitchen and sharing them with friends around the world Sara realized that all people needed were the right tools, simple steps to follow and easy, quick recipes. Her mission was to educate and to simplify and thus the Clean, Pure and Simple way of life was born. Sara lives in New York City with her husband, baby daughter and dog and enjoys exploring all of the healthy hidden treasures the city has to offer from local food markets and vegetarian restaurants to natural beauty finds and fun new fitness classes. All of her favorites can be found on her website www.sarajanemercer.com.

Foods to Love and Foods to Loathe During Pregnancy

We are very excited to have nutrition expert Sara Jane Mercer speaking to us about pregnancy nutrition. Certified as a Holistic Health and Wellness Coach by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Sara focuses on clean, pure and simple living and recipes that are 100% plant based (something we at Nine Naturals are very conscientious of as well!). Having recently been pregnant herself, Sara has both personal and professional experience on all the foods to loathe & love during pregnancy!

Sara Jane Mercer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Growing a person inside your body is hard work! When you are pregnant what you eat is incredibly important to the health of your growing baby. Despite what you may have heard pregnancy is not a time to “eat for two.” In fact, during the first trimester there is no need to increase your food intake at all! For the second and third trimesters you should only be consuming about an extra 300 calories a day to feed your growing baby. As your your belly grows eating large amounts of food becomes difficult so every bite should be nutrient dense and health promoting. These foods to love and loathe lists will help you make sure your body, and your baby are getting the right type of nutrition all forty weeks!

Four to Loathe

Sugar: Sugar has no place in any healthy diet, and even less of one when you are pregnant. Sugar is highly toxic in our bodies and its consumption can lead to all sorts of illness. Don’t be fooled, agave, honey, and maple syrup may be “natural” but are still just as bad for you as processed white sugar. Have a sweet tooth? Reach for a piece of fruit instead. The natural sugar in fruit is ok in moderation-and most fruits are super hydrating which is an added bonus.

Soda: Soda is basically just liquid sugar mixed with chemicals and should be avoided by all persons always. Not only is it terribly unhealthy but also soda is actually quite dehydrating and pregnancy is a time when you need as much hydration as you can get and then some.

Alcohol: No amount of alcohol, not even one sip is safe when pregnant. As tempting as it may be to have “just a tiny bit,” the risk is just not worth it. After a month or so you won’t even miss your nightly glass of white wine. I promise!

High Mercury Seafood: If fish is part of your diet be very careful what type you eat while pregnant. As our oceans become more and more polluted, fish becomes less and less safe to eat. As a rule the larger the fish the riskier it is to eat. High mercury fish such as tuna and swordfish should be avoided while pregnant. In fact, it should be avoided when not pregnant as well!

Four to Love

Dark Greens: Dark leafy greens such, as spinach, kale, collards and chard should be eaten with abandon when pregnant. These nutrient dense powerhouses contain lots folate and iron both of which are vital to your baby’s development.

Avocados: Healthy, plant based fats are key when pregnant. Not only are avocados a great source of healthy fat but they are also a good source of vitamin K, C and folate all important for expectant mamas! Avocados also contain fiber, which can help fight pregnancy related constipation.

Nuts and Seeds: Nuts and seeds are a great source of healthy fats and protein for pregnancy. Flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts are also a great source of Omega 3’s which are important for baby’s brain development as well as your health.

Pineapple: Fresh pineapple is a great source of vitamin C and fiber. As an added bonus pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain which has be known to be a cervical softener. While some caution that the bromelian in pineapple can bring along early labor, the quantities you would have to eat for this to happen are incredibly immense. So go ahead and eat a few slices of pineapple, just don’t eat seven whole pineapples!

Sara Jane Mercer is a Holistic Health and Wellness Coach, Vegetarian Chef and Food Writer and the vibrant, creative spirit behind her eponymous blog that is the go- to source for Clean, Pure and Simple living. After countless hours developing healthy recipes in her own kitchen and sharing them with friends around the world Sara realized that all people needed were the right tools, simple steps to follow and easy, quick recipes. Her mission was to educate and to simplify and thus the Clean, Pure and Simple way of life was born. Sara lives in New York City with her husband, baby daughter and dog and enjoys exploring all of the healthy hidden treasures the city has to offer from local food markets and vegetarian restaurants to natural beauty finds and fun new fitness classes. All of her favorites can be found on her website www.sarajanemercer.com.