Author: Lindsay Ingalls

{Pregnancy Update} 37 Weeks

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How far along are you: 37 Weeks!

How big is the baby:

Your baby is now considered “full term,” even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you’re planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there’s a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don’t be surprised if your baby’s hair isn’t the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz. (source)

Baby’s Gender: We both are on the fence.

Baby’s Name: We have a name for a boy or a girl.  Choosing a boys name was easy for us and was decided upon months ago but the girls name has been a little more challenging but we finally decided on one.

Weight Gained: 28 lbs

Clothes: Mostly just wearing dresses as they are the most comfortable.

How are you feeling: I am feeling super pregnant. I have been having some strong Braxton Hicks contractions and lots of pelvis/groin pain.

What do you miss: I miss having more clothes to wear. I miss running.

Symptoms: (source)

Cravings: nachos. pasta salad. water. lemonade.

How are you sleeping: Sleeping is going alright this week, however I would say a big part of that is because I have been exhausted.  Monday I worked a 10 hour day and Tuesday a 9 hour day so I have been wiped out by 8pm and have been sleeping pretty well until 3am. Then at 3am I am ready to get up but instead I have been turning Netflix on my phone on and listen/watching Bones.

Workouts: This week I haven’t gotten in my workouts like I usually do because of my crazy work schedule but I did make it to prenatal yoga today.  I also walked a ton of laps around the hotel during our convention so I could get a little activity in and because sitting for too long was just painful.

Things I’m looking forward to: Finishing up work. Meeting our baby!!

For more full term photos head over to our Facebook page (there are some pretty entertaining photos).

In other news:

We launched Naturally Family a few weeks ago

If you haven’t stop over to our family blog, Naturally Family, then head over now and Meet The Family.  This week we have been discussing this my pregnancy ups and downs, creating boundaries in bed (cats in bed), our weekend in snapshots, what we learned from our natural baby care class, babywearing 101 and a so much more.

You can also check us out on  Facebook and Twitter.


CSA Week 1

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Today marks the first week of our CSA and I am so excited to show you our goodies and hopefully a few recipes over the next week. This year we decided to do a different CSA, unlike ones in the past where we sign up and get whatever they have to give us that week, we actually get to choose our produce. On Sunday night we can log-in into the CSA website and choose 10 items from the list they provide.

This week we chose to get:

Dino Kale

Red Kale

Green Kale

Rainbow Chard

Collards

Lettuce, but requested cucumbers (more on that below)

Broccoli

Snap Peas

Summer Squash

Zucchini

We had originally requested cucumbers but since it was most likely a popular item we didn’t end up getting our first choice and were given our second choice of more greens- in this case lettuce.  The other great thing about our CSA is that after you make your choices you can purchase additional items (if available).

The plan for our CSA goodies is to saute or roast the zucchini and summer squash, saute the snap peas in a recipe and cook up or juice the greens.

Are you participating in a summer CSA?

 

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Recipe Of The Week: Curried Quinoa and Cranberry Salad

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Since I am crazy busy with work this week I have invited Mellissa from A Fit and Spicy Life to share one of her recipes.  Enjoy!

Curried Quinoa and Cranberry Salad

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the Salad

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • Salt/Pepper

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons agave nectar
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

  • Bring the quinoa, broth, and water to a bowl. Add quinoa and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
  • In a small bowl whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, olive, oil, mustard, agave and curry powder.
  • Place cooled quinoa and dressing in a large bowl, top with cranberries and almonds.
  • Season with salt and pepper. Chill for a few hours until cold. Enjoy!

Mellissa is a 30 something girl living in Minneapolis who lives fitness, food, travel and wine. She creates healthy recipes and tries to share her love of food with friends and family 

Prenatal Fitness: Making A Splash

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Almost all of my prenatal fitness has revolved around walking, prenatal yoga and Summer Sanders’ workout videos, that is until I finally found swimming. Back at the end of May, Neil and I went to get anniversary massages at a spa which allowed us full access to their facilities including their pool. Since we had the entire day I decided that I should pick up a pregnancy friendly bathing suit since all of pre-pregnancy ones were much too small. I didn’t want to spend a ton of money so I ended up buying one for $20 from Old Navy (non-maternity). It’s a bit big in the chest and the bottom due to the the need for it to fit around my giant baby belly but it works.

After our massages we took advantage of the pool and it was glorious! We did lap after lap sometimes jogging from end to end and other times swimming and it felt amazing. Being in the water really relieved the pressure on my hips and legs and I still got in a great workout. It felt so great that I couldn’t wait to go swimming again. Since then we have only had access to outdoor pools and the lake but have made an effort to get out and enjoy both when the weather and time allows.

We are so lucky that Neil’s work has an arrangement with a local tennis club that has an outdoor pool. We are able to use the pool throughout the week after 5pm and all day on the weekends. We went this past Monday and got a nice swim in. Swimming has easily become my new favorite pregnancy activity. I really recommend that you pregnant ladies get out there and do some swimming this summer because it feels so good and is low impact but a great workout- especially on the arms- you will be carrying around a baby soon so need to strengthen those arms of yours!

What is your favorite workout right now?

Guest Recipe: Green Monster Smoothie

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Hi, I’m Alison, a Physical and Massage Therapist, and I write about healthy living, wellness and rehabilitation over at Berry Happy Bodies.  I want to thank Lindsay for letting me guest post today! Lindsay has recently written about her CSA box and using her greens. My husband and I subscribe to one as well. One solution I came up with to utilize all the leafy greens before they take a turn is to make smoothies. When I add a frozen banana it actually satisfies my sweet tooth as well. Win! Here is one of my favorite summer smoothie recipes.

 

Green Monster Smoothie


Serves 2
Ingredients

  • 1 frozen banana
  • ½ cup chopped pineapple
  • 1 Tsp shredded coconut
  • 2 dates without pit***
  • ½ cup spinach or other leafy green
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (Vega is good for vegans)
  • ¼ Tsp coconut extract
  • ¼ Tsp coconut extract
  • Stevia to taste
  • 6-8 ice cubes

Place in a blender and whirl away.
*** I usually soak my dates overnight in water. But, I have made this without the presoak, the dates are just not as sweet.

Stop by Berry Happy Bodies for more recipes and healthy living tips!

{Pregnancy Update} 36 Weeks

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How far along are you: 36 Weeks!

How big is the baby:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She’s shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she’s in a head-down position. But if she isn’t, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an “external cephalic version,” which is a fancy way of saying she’ll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly. (source)

Baby’s Gender: We both think it’s a girl. <—change

Baby’s Name: We have a name for a boy or a girl.  Choosing a boys name was easy for us and was decided upon months ago but the girls name has been a little more challenging but we finally decided on one.

Weight Gained: 25 lbs ish?

Clothes: Mostly just wearing dresses as they are the most comfortable.

How are you feeling: I am feeling pretty good.  I actually over did it a little this past weekend because I was feeling so great. Sunday we went for a long walk, swimming, to the market, to a museum and to get a snack which left me a little worried because baby wasn’t moving around as much. I ended up calling the midwives to panic that there was reduced fetal movement but was reassured that if I had felt s/he move at least three times in the last hour things should be fine and that because I was so active that was why the baby wasn’t moving as much.  Apparently my walking, swimming, etc is similar to rocking the baby so they felt pretty content to just relax.  Monday morning I woke up to lots of movement and this baby has been crazy active since.

What do you miss: I miss the desire to eat normally- I am getting to the point where I am having slight food aversions or just no desire to eat (don’t worry I have had no problem eating just lack of desire).  I miss running more and more but I think it’s because I know that soon I will be able to get back to it so there is combination of missing and anxiousness.

Symptoms: ,

Cravings: Green Lemonade (greens, apples and/or carrots and lemon). Blueberries. Amy’s refried black beans.

How are you sleeping: Sleeping has been a little more challenging, lately my hips have been bothering me and I’m finding that I am sore in my pelvis now too.

Workouts: This week I went swimming twice, to prenatal yoga and on a few walks.  Let me tell you I should have started swimming earlier, it is amazing during pregnancy.

Things I’m looking forward to: Finishing my last two weeks of work. Getting this house in order for the babies arrival. Touring the birth center.

In other news:

We launch Naturally Family!

If you haven’t stop over to our family blog, Naturally Family, then head over now and Meet The Family.  We have been discussing this weeks pregnancy ups and downs, our baby bucket list, my labor and deliver fears, what we learned in birthing class, a recap of our babymoon, 10 must-dos before labor and a so much more.

You can also check us out on  Facebook and Twitter.