Oh, how is it Monday again?  The last couple of weeks have kicked my @$$, and I’m not sure there is a respite in sight, but I’m mostly managing blessings, not tragedies, so stress, schmess, right?  I’m well into my second trimester, (22 weeks, but who’s counting?  Me, that’s who…) and I thought I’d share my current secret weapons with you.  During the second trimester, it’s important to manage stress, get enough sleep, eat well, moisturize that bod and… tone your uterus?

About six weeks ago, I shared my First Trimester Musts, which mostly consisted of high quality supplements that improve the health of both you and your unborn baby.  I continue to take all of these supplements, and I actually forgot to include Calcium Lactate!  I take 500 mg per day while I’m pregnant, since babies basically suck the calcium right out of your bones.  Calcium and Magnesium also perfectly complement each other, and like I said in my First Trimester Musts post, Magnesium is going to be your best friend during your pregnancy; it helps with muscle cramping, sleep, stress, and it keeps you regular.  I cannot recommend it enough.  I really love mixing Natural Vitality’s Natural CALM Magnesium Supplement into my water bottle; it works wonders, and the flavors are great (they are natural, and sweetened with stevia – I love the lemonade).  It also makes me drink more water throughout the day than I normally would.

My very awesome Naturopath, Dr. Sherri Jacobs, swears by Organic Red Raspberry Leaf Tea during pregnancy.  Apparently, red raspberry leaf has been used as a uterine toner for thousands of years and it helps to promote a “fast and easy” (those are relative terms, people) labor.  The increased vitamin A intake, in the form of carotenoids of Red Raspberry Leaf can aid the woman’s immune system as well as facilitate healthy skin and bone development for the baby. The Vitamin E helps to promote better circulation in the mother whose blood volume dramatically increases during pregnancy. Red Raspberry Leaf also contains an easily assimilated form of calcium. An increased availability of calcium is necessary in controlling nerve response to pain during childbirth and in aiding bone development in the baby. The presence of fragrine allows the uterus to contract more powerfully and effectively during labor. The high vitamin and mineral content helps to replace those that are lost via blood loss in delivery. The alkaloids that are present will also aid in toning the uterus after birth as it returns back to its usual size.  A plus: it tastes very mild, a lot like green tea.  I drank one cup per day during my second trimester and two cups per day during my third trimester (most of the time I just throw a tea bag into my water bottle instead of drinking it hot). There are no guarantees in having a “fast and easy” labor, but I figured drinking caffeine-free herbal tea can’t hurt; I certainly had an easy labor with Annabel, if that’s any indication of Red Raspberry Leaf’s effectiveness.

I use Urban Moonshine’s Citrus Digestive Bitters on and off even when I’m not pregnant, but for pregnancy, I consider them a must!  They help with indigestion, heartburn, an upset stomach, and I even think they help me sleep better.  I take these drops pretty often at night before bed, especially after a late dinner, and they help SO much.

I’ve always wanted to be a “body serum person”, but I’m usually in a rush (sometimes they don’t absorb very quickly), and it’s humid and warm most of the year in Charleston, so I just never became addicted, but in order to prevent stretch marks, extra moisturizing at night before bed is a must (I normally just apply body lotion when I get out of the shower in the AM when I’m not pregnant).  Mun No. 7 Ayour Body Serum is the only body oil that allows me to dress within five minutes of application.  It leaves my skin soft and silky – never greasy – with a very subtle sheen.  It is absolutely perfect.  The secret is Organic Moroccan Olive Oil (which I’ve always thought makes the best body oil as far as texture).  Mun’s founder, Munemi Imai, combined it with the star ingredient of her cult-favorite face serum, Prickly Pear Seed Oil, a silky, anti-aging powerhouse.  And, because none of us want to smell like olive oil, she added Neroli, Lavender and Frankincense, which not only provide aromatherapy benefits, (the scent is very uplifting) but also soothe skin and increase cell turnover.  This might be the last body oil you’ll ever have to buy.

My mind tends to race at night when my head hits the pillow (I’ve decided at this point that this is what being an adult is all about).  What didn’t I get done today?  What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?  I need to start going to bed earlier…  I wonder if mango has just as much sugar as candy…  The name says it all; Lotus Wei’s Quiet Mind Aromatherapy Serum cuts through all the mental chatter and lulls me to sleep every time.  I get in bed and pump a little onto my wrists and palms and rub my hands together.  Then, I cup my hands over my nose and breathe deeply for a few minutes.  It just works.

I’ll be outlining my favorite baby products soon – is there anything else you’d like to see me cover on Mama Mondays?

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