Lemon and Salt Craving

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lemon

The vendor down the street must think I opened a lemonade business or I’m doing some crazy daily lemonade detox! I usually love sour food such as citrus fruits, pickles, sour vinegars and molasses and sour candies, but I never thought I could peel and eat 2 to 3 fresh whole lemons all at once without a single grimace (I’m sure you’re frowning just at reading this) daily! A week ago, I started this lemon snack crave. So randomly throughout the day I bite and munch into pieces of lemon generously sprinkled with salt and I strangely enjoy the experience! It’s an elixir to my “morning” sickness that strangely never occurs in the morning by the way! Instead, it only kicks off towards the end of the day.

If you’re pregnant and you’re having a lemon & salt craving, here are some facts.

Pros:

  • Lemon smell helps ease pregnancy nausea.
  • The juice of a lemon alleviates dry mouth and helps prevent dehydration when water is harder to gulp.
  • This snack is zero in fat and very low glycemic while providing many important nutrients. Lemon is an excellent source of vitamin C, is rich in fiber and a good source of other vitamins and minerals like B-complex vitamins and Calcium.
  • I’m usually an anti-salt foodie and campaigner because sodium can rise blood pressure and lead to serious heart diseases. However,  in general during the early months of pregnancy, the circulatory system expands rapidly so blood pressure is likely to drop. So adding a little salt from time to time might not be too bad.

Cons:

  • During pregnancy, many women suffer from heartburn and digestive problems. The excessive acidity in lemons may trigger or exacerbate these symptoms.
  • Help!! Teeth sensitivity!! Also citric acid may damage the enamel of your teeth.

Bottom line, you should always listen to your body and follow its signals. Cravings are sometimes signals of your body’s needs!

PG Safe Mani-Pedi

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photo-24Ladies, you don’t have to skip this feel and look-good activity while you’re pregnant. Get your usual Mani-Pedi at the nail bar by following those simple safety tips :

1.Make sure there’s proper ventilation in the nail salon as fumes might be unsafe to inhale.

2.Make sure the tools being used have been sterilized or even better bring your own nail kit.

3.Avoid  having your cuticles cut to reduce risks of infections.

4.Use “3-free” nail polishes : Free from 3 toxic chemicals DBP (dibutyl phthalate), toluene and formaldehyde that cause serious complications in fetus. Popular brands OPI, Sally Hansen and Essie are 3-free.

Favorite PG Phone Apps

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PG appsMy Pregnancy Today by BabyCenter: My pregnancy day by day, fetal development images, Pregnancy checklist, Award-winning videos, Birth clubs, due date calculator and nutrition guide.

Pregnancy Buzz by The Bump: Daily updates including what’s going on with baby and my body, customizable to-dos and appointments, and my own weekly pregnancy photo gallery!

My Pregnancy Kit

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1. One A Day Women’s Prenatal with DHA: to help keep you and your baby healthy. Prenatal Vitamins are crucial, they help reduce the risk of some serious infant health problems. Start them at least 3 months before pregnancy and keep taking them during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. A decent prenatal should contain primarily 400 to 800 mcg of folic acid, 250 mg of Calcium, 30 mg of Iron and other important nutrients like with Omega-3, zinc, manganese, iodine and vitamin B6.

2. Rejuvahealth Sheer Dot Knee-Highs: to help prevent your beautiful legs and feet from swelling (no one wants to have prego-Kardashian feet!), and to keep your varicose veins from getting worse. Combine fashion & comfort with some cute knee-highs offering subtle support.

3. Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil: to help you avoid the appearance of stretch marks or make them less visible. To be used before, during and after pregnancy. I love how this oil keeps my skin moisturized and soft and I’m addicted to the heavenly almond fragrance.

4. City Baby New York: to guide you, new mommy, in the Big Apple. This book is really a must. It covers everything from insider tips, up-to-date statistics on local hospitals and doctors, class offerings for parents and children to a rundown of New York best stores for maternity clothes, baby outfits, toys, books, and more.

5. La Grossesse des Paresseuses (Miss Lasy is Pregnant): to prepare you to all the pregnancy steps with smiles and giggles! Practical pregnancy guide and super fun read in French.

6. Maurice Carême par Domitille: to keep you serene during the inevitable stress and mood swings. I love listening to these children poems written by Maurice Carême (a famous francophone writer of children poetry) and sung in the soothing voice of Domitille. Research suggests that fetuses exposed to classical or calm music show higher levels of mental and emotional intelligence.

7. Nike Oceania Textile Low Blue Sneakers: Start your pregnancy on the right foot by treating your feet well! As winter is approaching, sneakers will be my everyday errand shoes. Keep in mind that later in the pregnancy, feet may grow larger or/and wider so opting for a ½ or a 1 size bigger can help keep the feet more comfortable particularly if your last trimester will be in a hot climate. Walking is one of the safest and most practical exercises you can do throughout your pregnancy and you can couple it with another hobby… for me that usually means nature time in Central Park with my first Bugaboo passenger and the inevitable detour to Madison for some shopping therapy!