013: A Positive Pregnancy & Birth Experience to Raising a Healthy Eater with Joy McCarthy

01/13/21 • 78 min

On today’s show, I have a long time friend and colleague of mine, Joy McCarthy of Joyous Health. She is not only a mama to her sweet daughter Vienna, but she is also a holistic nutritionist, author of three best-selling books, and hosts the Joyous Heath Podcast with her hubby Walker.

I am thrilled to have her on my show as she has knowledge in so many areas that relate to mom and baby wellness. We cover so much on today’s episode including Joy's positive pregnancy experience, what foods she craved during pregnancy, how she cared for her skin and baby bump, the interventions she avoided, how she prepared for a natural birth, breastfeeding challenges, and the key nutrients for raising a healthy child.

Highlights from this episode:

Sarelle’s 44-week milestones
Joy loved being pregnant
Her food cravings and aversions during pregnancy
Avoid refined sugar to help balance blood sugar levels
Nourish your body... what you eat is growing the baby
The key nutrients Joy recommends for pregnancy
Listen to your gut, don’t take iron supplements if you don’t need too
Yoga helps manage round ligament pain
Make sure you rest during the third trimester
How Joy managed her anxiety naturally throughout pregnancy
Take time to slow down during pregnancy
Joy’s body care and bump care routine to avoid stretch marks
Bring mindfulness into your pregnancy
Joy’s pregnancy self-care rituals
Her approach to the different interventions and tests that came up
Tune it to connect with your child’s soul
Vitamin K can be administered orally to the baby
Joy’s positive approach to her birth plan
The benefits of a birthing center
The struggle with breastfeeding in the first 6 weeks
Using organic goat milk formula for top-ups
Having a supportive co-parent is essential
Allow your body time to heal postpartum
Vienna’s first foods
The challenges feeding toddlers and what you can do
Start with vegetables first before super sweet foods
The key nutrients for raising a healthy child
Kids are more deficient than adults in essential fatty acids
How much vitamin D do kids need?
Partnering with Genuine Health to create a kid’s line of supplements
Teach kids to try a food 7x
Don’t be so militant about food
You know your child best, all your decisions come down to you and your partner

Show sponsor:

Nook Sleep (use the code ULTIMATEBABY to save 15% off)

Previous Episode

012: The Fourth Trimester

This week we are diving into the often forgotten about fourth trimester.

So much planning and preparation go into baby and delivery but not enough is talked about when it comes to what to do after the baby is born. It’s a challenging, yet beautiful time with your newborn and there is so much to learn so quickly.

Jesse and I share as much as we could recollect from our fourth trimester experience with Sarelle.

Highlights from this episode:

Sarelle's 38-week milestones
The first 12 weeks after Sarelle was born (the 4th trimester)
Oral vitamin K
Encapsulating Marni's placenta
A support team after birth is essential
Making baths part of your self-care healing routine
Allowing time for your body to rest and heal
Feeding Sarelle every 2 hours (even through the night)
The challenges of breastfeeding, pumping, & top-ups
We opted for goat milk formula
Natural options to help increase your milk supply
Hiring a lactation consultant to guide our breastfeeding journey
Chiropractic care during pregnancy & postpartum (for baby and mom)
How to relieve a blocked milk duct
Healing after a vaginal delivery
Co-sleeping, bassinets & sleep sacks
Establishing a good nighttime routine
Transitioning Sarelle from co-sleeping to her crib
Dream feeding & pumping at night
Marni & Sarelle’s supplement protocols
Newborn activities, books, & toys
Bonding while babywearing
Causes of baby acne

Next Episode

014: Starting Your Baby on Solids & The Benefits of Baby-Led Weaning with Angela Wallace

On today's show I have registered dietitian, family food expert, and mama Angela Wallace. She specializes in women and children's nutrition and fitness. She loves to support families in transitioning their littles to solid foods, weaning, and tackling picky eating.

I loved picking Angela's brain on this topic. It was so relevant since we on our solid food journey and I had so many juicy questions which I am sure will relate to so many going through this stage. We get into everything from what are the best foods to start your baby on, baby-led weaning vs. pureed foods, introducing allergenic foods, how to know if baby is choking or gagging and important nutrient dense foods your baby should be eating.

An incredible conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Highlights from this episode:

Sarelle’s 45-week milestones
When should you start your baby on solids?
Babies digestive systems mature by 6 months old
The traditional vs. baby-led weaning (BLW) approach to feeding your baby
Sarelle’s 1st food
Why you should start your baby on iron-rich foods first
Follow your baby’s cue on hunger and fullness
Aim to feed your baby 1 to 2 tbsp of food
Thoughts on baby feeders - mesh vs. silicone
Plates or sectioned trays are great for picky/fussy eaters
Babies learn to bite, chew, and swallow
Offer water with mealtime
How much water should babies intake?
Sippy cups can impact teeth and dental hygiene
Baby-led weaning starts with larger pieces of soft food
Babies develop the pincer grasp between 8-10 months old
If you offer your baby pureed foods only, change up the textures
The differences between gagging and choking
Gagging or choking can happen whether you feed your baby purees or BLW
Common allergens and how to properly introduce them
Signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction
Feed your baby a variety of foods in the first 2 years
Healthy fats are important for brain development
Baby massages help encourage digestion
Foods with P (peaches, pears, plums, prunes) help constipation
Foods to avoid feeding baby before 1 years old
Baby-led weaning (BLW) book recommendations
The benefits of baby-led weaning

Show sponsor:

Nook Sleep (use the code ULTIMATEBABY to save 15% off)

Bebcare Hear - Digital Audio Baby Monitor - use the code "ultimatebaby" to save 10% off

Related links: Follow @marniwasserman and @ultimatehealthpodcast on Instagram for Sarelle (baby TUB) updates

Angela Wallace's website (Eat Right Feel Right)

Follow Angela Wallace (Eat Right Feel Right) on Facebook and Instagram

Intuitive Introductions - Baby Led Weaning Course

Boon Easy Grip Frozen Food Silcone Feeder

NumNum Pre-Spoon GOOtensils

Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder

Munchkin 360 Trainer Cup

Gill Rapley & Tracey Murkett - Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide To Introducing Solids (book)

Jenna Helwig - Baby-Led Feeding: A Natural Way to Raise Happy, Independent Eaters (book)

Subscribe to TUBP in Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Note: Some of the links above are affiliate links. Making a purchase through these links won’t cost you anything but we will receive a small commission. This is an easy, free way of supporting the podcast. Thank you!