Welcome LaurenM! There's another Lauren on this site too who is pregnant like me.
There's LOTS of people on this site that can help you with pregnancy tips and personal stories/experiences. Off hand I can tell you of Melissa aka Jazzysmom has a daughter, Kim aka kbn, she doesn't post often but is a huge source of knowledge and encouragement-she has 2 or 3 teenage boys and I believe is in her 40s or 50s-she is amazing! Wanderlost has 2 or 3 children, she just had a baby! And Anne who just joined has a little girl. There's lots of women here with children to offer tips. I don't mean to forget anyone if I have!!-This is the few I could think of off hand! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Lauren(LouLou) and me are preggin at the same time, so we are just starting out in this journey. I am in my 3rd month. It took me 2 months of trying to conceive. Lauren(LouLou), I hope you don't mind me speaking for you!-but she has tons of knowledge and is very active in the cf community. She knows alot, and I'm sure would be happy to answer any questions anytime. She takes alot of natural supplements too, like me.
I'm no expert on anything-except my own body and what has worked for me. Everyone is different, and all I can do is pass on whatever has worked for me and hope it will help someone else. My results speak for themselves! I'm really happy they have brought me this far.
You sound like you take very good care of yourself! Good for you! I have taken lots of supplements. I'm not on as many now that I am pregnant. Here is what I take now:
Prenatal Vitamin from New Chapter Organics. Almost all of my supplements are from New Chapter. They are a highly digestible line of vitamins and herb. They have formulas for almost everything. They are made from all food sources, so you don't even have to take them with food-thats how easy they are to digest. I've noticed an improvment in my digestive system since switching to them.
Red Raspberry for pregnancy.
I take Flaxseed/Borage oil.
Zinc, Vit C, B complex-they are in my multi but I take extra too.
I take an antioxidant compound from New Chapter.
If I am starting to get sick I take Oregano Force from New chapter, just a 2x a day pill. For immune system.
Also if I am starting to get sick or am more tired-Breathe, a mushroom complex for lung health, from New Chapter.
For morning sickness-Digestive, a ginger/honey syrup from New chapter.
Thats the basics, I did alot but it would depend on what problem you were having in particular. How is your cf? What is more severe-the lungs or digestive? See, I've taken so much stuff, some not helpful, some really helpful-but I just can't remember it all offhand. If you said what was bothering you, I might rememeber something that helped me.
The only thing I could suggest to you is to remember that with cf and pregnancy-it isn't getting pregnant that is the real hard thing. It is during the pregnancy and afterwards. As long as you don't have reproductive issues-not having anything to do with cf-getting pregnant will not be your biggest problem. If you can't conceive naturally, there is technology to help you. That is no problem-stressful, yes, but ok. Its making sure that your body can sustain a pregnancy. That you have the right lifestyle circumstances to be a mom and put caring for yourself before the baby. Thats the difference between Cf moms and others-our health must be #1 before all else-thats part of being a good mom. After the baby is here-can you do all your therapies? DO you have enough help?
Which brings me to my other point-I don't know how your health routine, besides natural stuff, is. All the supplements in the world will not make up for a vigorous chest pt routine. I firmly believe to make it as a mom, you have to be a disciplined person with your chest pt. You have to have a plan, and stick with it. Like I said above, I needed a big kick in the butt regarding my chest pt routine-thank God I had a doctor to give me that kick in the butt. Its b/c if my improvement in my chest pt and learning to do it correctly that my pfts went from 45% to 75% in a year. Do you have a cf doctor that you trust and rely on? I think personally, that they have to be your ally in this. Like I said in my above post, she respected my wishes to have a baby-she helped me get here, and I listened to everything she wanted me to do to prepare my body for a baby. She gave me a plan for a year to prepare my body and get my health in the best possible condition. No, I am not a person that blindly says-yes, doctor... to everything! Not by any means! I just happen to have a good doctor that is smart, balanced, and open to natural remedies too.
Like you, I don't think of myself as "sick" either. It is part of my life, but it is not me. Its not the first thing I say to people when introducing myself. But, I acknowledge that it is here to stay, and I do have limits on me that other moms won't have. Like-I'm going to need alot more help here than other first time moms. Getting rest, sticking to my therapy schedule after the baby is here will determine the outcome of all this. My doctor feels for me that the first 6 months after the baby is here, will be the most crucial in getting my lung function back up. So I'm trying to make plans now to do that.
Anyway, I dont' know if this helped you at all! Sometimes its good to get another perspective. Please keep asking if you have any more questions about anything specific. Keep us all updated! Congrats on your plans, I hope everything works out for you both. But let us know how you are and welcome again!<img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">
