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Is it normal to become mildly obsessed with all things pregnancy and labor in the nine months of pregnancy?
I've found it's like a 50/50 split. Some people are like, “Meh, everything will be fine!” and other people (me) need to know E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. about everything.
If you're the latter welcome aboard the crazy train!
I'm sharing with you something that I learned that I'm so glad that I knew about for pregnancy symptoms and setting baby up for success.
The first trimester is basically just a giant Google fest where Google learns to just finish your searches with “while pregnant”.
“Can I eat crab meat… while pregnant?”
“Can I go on roller coasters… while pregnant?”
“Can I use this essential oil… while pregnant?”
“Can I keep taking my probiotics… while pregnant?”
THIS IS THE ONE! This is the one I want to talk to you about!
What do you know about taking probiotics while pregnant? Well, if you're interested, I'm about to tell you ALL THE THINGS!
I actually feel like the high school kid that has the answer to the exam months before the test and I want to share that all with you! –something I wouldn't have done in high school.
Before I even got pregnant, I was taking probiotics by LoveBug because I know how important probiotics are for digestion and gut health and immunity. When I found out I was pregnant -cue Google searching-
“Can I keep taking probiotics while pregnant?”
LoveBug has a prenatal AND a postnatal, so it's not only okay to take probiotics but IT'S IMPORTANT!
My favorite part about partnering with brands is I get access to their team and I get to pick their brains. I geeked out with all of the women and mamas at LoveBug and learned all of the things and now I get to share them with you!
1. Pregnancy
You either know, or you will know that pregnancy symptoms sound like a newly-developed drug commercial.
Read this next part as fast as you can: “Symptoms may include nausea, restless leg syndrome, hemorrhoids, constipation, diarrhea, itchy skin, heartburn, round ligament pain. The list goes on and on and on.”
Because our organs are literally being squished and rearranged, we've got LOTS of digestive “things” happening. I bet you see where I'm going here… Probiotics can help! Probiotics and a balanced diet (with some pregnancy cravings) help to improve nutrient absorption and to work with your digestive system instead of against it.
Probiotics help when it's a little bit slow.. (cue constipation). They help when things are a little bit fast… (cough diarrhea). Because they create a balanced environment in the gut.
Cool!
But when you're pregnant, it's not just about mom. It's also about baby. So how do the probiotics mom takes effect baby? When we take probiotics for our gut biome, it has a positive effect on the gut biome of our unborn baby!! ????????????
PLUS – Did you know that 80% of our immune system starts in our gut? If I'm honest we're kinda hookin' it up for baby's digestive and immune system before they're even born. You're welcome.
All right, so we've got pregnancy symptoms, we've got baby while they're still in the belly. Let's talk about Labor.
2. GROUP B:
The labor part, the part where you get baby from inside to outside. Have you heard of the group B strep test? I like to call it the booty swab test. ????
Yeah, I hadn't either until I geeked out with the LoveBug team.
It's one of our routine tests that we have in the third trimester, about 36 weeks.
Group B strep is a bacteria in your lower gut that's fine for adults, but can be harmful for our babies. If you test positive, you'll be given antibiotics in the hospital during labor to protect the baby from getting the strain.
Seems reasonable.
The problem is antibiotics are ruthless. They don't care if you have good bacteria or bad bacteria, they wipe it all out. So there's a potential that while you're given antibiotics during labor, your good bacteria AND your baby's good bacteria are wiped clean.
The good bacteria, if you remember, is good for your body's immune and digestive system.
About 25% of moms are testing positive for group B, and in some places, 30% of moms having a cesarean where they are also given antibiotics during labor. That means that HALF of the babies born in the U.S. are exposed to antibiotics coming into this world, but guess what?
There are some studies that show that taking probiotics with a balanced diet can help to create a healthy digestive tract throughout pregnancy and can positively affect your booty swab test.
This is why LoveBug was founded. The CEO tested positive for group B strep, had antibiotics during labor, and then was like, “Whoa, wait, what?” And Lovebug was born (pun intended).
All right, we've done pregnancy symptoms, we've done pregnancy of baby, we've done labor and delivery. Now your baby's here. How do you continue to support your baby's digestive and immune system?
3. Breastmilk + Probiotics:
If mom breastfeeds
-I want to start with, no shame in your game if you're not or you can't. We don't mom shame here. This doesn't mean your baby is SOL Lovebug also have probiotics specifically for babies!
If you are able to let me tell you a little about how wild it is. You create different milk during the day than at night. If your baby is sick, you will make antibodies to help baby through the illness. Your milk also gives your baby's vitamins and strains of probiotics. It's pretty insane.
HOWEVER, there's one super strain called B. Infantis and 75% of us don't make it naturally because of our modern diet and/or exposure to antibiotics. BUT, when it's combined with breast milk, it forms short-chain fatty acids that help to build healthy immune system and brain development for baby. So, obvi, LoveBug included it in their multi-strain probiotic for moms and babies.
WHEW ????
If you're still here, you are my freaking people!! You're the ones that want to know MORE. I hope that this information helps you with your pregnancy, your booty swab test, and the health of your baby. For me, it was super easy to just add a probiotic and know that I was doing all of these things!
As a partner, I have a discount code to share! HEYSHAYLA gets you 15% off your order on lovebugprobiotics.com!
xo Shay
