Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26
How
Natural Living Helped Me Have a Healthy Pregnancy
Before I got pregnant for the first time, I had always heard about the benefits of natural living on the news and in magazines. However, I always believed that a natural lifestyle would be too expensive and way too much work. I pictured people spending hours in their garden and washing their laundry by hand. As I sped through my busy life, consumed by my career and social life, I just brushed off natural living as one more thing that I did not have time to worry about. However, once I found out that I was pregnant, I realized I needed to reexamine my lifestyle. No longer did it seem right to gulp down a fast food burger on the way home or skip breakfast before heading off to work. I knew that my baby depended upon me to keep my body in optimum health. Once I started investigating natural living, I discovered that it was far easier than I had ever believed, and it saved me money. Here, are a few of the things I did to make the switch to natural products without sacrificing any time or money!
Pack Healthy Meals
One
of the first areas that I changed when I was pregnant was my eating
habits. I have to admit that I had made it a habit to eat out on
almost a daily basis. Additionally, I soon discovered that many of
the foods that I ate were coated in harmful chemicals such as
pesticides.
This meant that even when I thought I was eating healthy, I really
wasn’t. So, I began my journey toward natural living by purchasing
organic fruits and vegetables. I found that these tasted delicious
and began to prepare healthy snacks that I could carry with me
everywhere I went. When hunger struck, all I had to do was reach in
my bag and pull out an organic apple or pear. Not only was this
convenient, but I also managed to save money by not eating out.
Additionally, my switch to organic produce made the transition to
preparing my baby’s food at home much easier.
Choose Natural Cleaners
As
many women do, I love the smell of a freshly cleaned house
(especially if someone else cleaned!). For the majority of my life
before pregnancy, I had spent tons of money on air fresheners,
scented candles and household cleaners that made my home smell like
the beachside. Unfortunately, I had never given a thought to how many
harmful chemicals are used to make many of the most common cleaners.
If I had, I never would have used them in my home. Once I began to
research how to raise a healthy child, I knew that I would need to
begin eliminating these types of chemicals to safeguard by growing
baby’s development.
Once again, I was surprised at how simple making my own cleaners from natural ingredients could be at home. For example, a half and half mixture of vinegar and water can be used to clean a multitude of surfaces. Add a little baking soda to some vinegar and you also have a powerful drain cleaner. For my baby, I also used homemade laundry soap and began using wool dryer balls instead of fabric softener. I also discovered that these natural cleaners still made my home smell fresh and clean without heavy perfumes. If you prefer a scent, adding a few natural oils to your cleaner such as lavender will still provide you with a lovely scented home.
Select
Cloth Diapers
As
I began to realize the positive impact that natural living had on my
diet and home, I decided to explore using cloth diapers when my baby
was born. While I had once viewed cloth diapers as an ancient
practice used back before disposables, I was shocked to discover how
far cloth diapering has come since the days of pins and stacks of
cloth. Instead, cloth diapers came in bright and fun patterns as well
as a variety of styles. Additionally, since I used natural laundry
soap, all I had to do was toss them in the washer as I would any
normal load of clothes. Once my friends noticed how easy it was and
my baby’s lack of diaper rashes, they even made the switch.
Looking back, I have my pregnancy to thank for leading me to a more natural lifestyle. Although I had always wanted to try organic cooking and homemade cleaners, it took having my daughter to shift my priorities. Now that she is a toddler, and I get to watch her grow in a safe home free of harmful chemicals, I know that I will never go back to the unhealthy lifestyle I had before. Instead, I will continue to reap the benefits of an affordable and easy way to improve my child’s life through natural living. If you have any questions or concerns throughout your pregnancy, feel free to ask your doctor. My doctor was able to advise me about everything pregnancy related- from prenatal vitamins to cord blood banking options. Being informed throughout your pregnancy leads to a happier pregnancy!
I hope you enjoyed these great tips from our new friend, Katie.
And with that I leave you with a message from Chica...................
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| Peace! |
Love, Peace, and Sandy Feet,
Mama Nic
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