Gretchen Jones, LM - Licensed Midwife

Gretchen Jones, LM Gretchen Jones has been assisting women with their births since 1999, and became state licensed as a midwife in 2002. She attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, where she earned a bachelor of science in Biology. Her midwifery education was at Seattle Midwifery School, one of the best direct-entry midwifery schools in the country. She has helped to deliver about 150 babies. When asked about her favorite part of being a midwife, Gretchen answers: “The postpartum home visits. I love coming to the new mother and her baby in their own home, helping with breastfeeding, and watching the family in the after-glow of birth. Being a part of people’s pregnancies, births and precious newborn times is such an honor – I really enjoy all aspects of it!” Although Gretchen specializes in out-of-hospital birth (home & birth center), she also does prenatal and postpartum care for women planning hospital births. This way, they can still receive excellent midwifery care, with hour-long appointments, nutrition counseling, and plenty of time to address the many questions relating to pregnancy, birth, and early parenting

Articles by Gretchen Jones, LM

Pre-Pregnancy Health

      Keeping your body healthy, fit and well-fed is one of the essential ingredients to having a healthy pregnancy and growing a healthy baby. And the baby's needs begin before many women even realize they are pregnant. About 50% of pregnancies in the USA are unplanned pregnancies. With that startling number in mind, all women of child-bearing age should focus on their overall health and nutrition.

      The importance of Folic Acid in pregnancy is well-known. This important B vitamin helps prevent neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. The neural tube will become the baby's spinal cord and brain, and proper development of these structures is partly dependent upon adequate folic acid. Natural sources of folic acid are dark green vegetables (spinach, kale, chard, red/green leaf lettuce), whole grains, beets, orange juice and broccoli. Most cereals and white breads are fortified with folic acid as well.

      Many folks have a difficult time getting enough of the vitamins and minerals they need through their food, especially with the increased demands of pregnancy. For this reason, a good quality vitamin and mineral supplement is recommended. If women are planning on becoming pregnant, make this supplement a prenatal vitamin.

      Exercise several times a week is another important health step that will prepare a woman's body for pregnancy. Walking is a fantastic form of exercise: make it brisk, not a stroll. Yoga is another gentle but highly effective exercise form that is excellent for pregnancy. Other health promoting activities should be regularly incorporated, including drinking enough water, reducing stress, and making healthy life-style changes like quitting smoking.

Diet and Pregnancy

Q: I recently found out I am pregnant. What kinds of things should I eat for my baby, and what should I avoid?

A: Congratulations!

      While growing a baby, you need more protein, calcium, vitamins, minerals and calories than when you are not pregnant. Eat four servings of protein a day, which can come from fish, chicken, meat, beans, whole grains, milk, eggs, etc. Great sources of calcium are milk, cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Eat fresh vegetables, fruit and a big salad every day. Add a daily prenatal vitamin and at least 8 glasses of water, and you have all the ingredients to grow a healthy baby.

      Certain things are toxic to babies, called teratogens. These include cigarettes, too much caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs. These can cause your baby to grow too small, be premature, have disabilities, or damage the brain and nervous system. These things can affect your baby even if you quit halfway through your pregnancy, so you should quit as soon as you find out you are pregnant. Some are "dose related", like cigarettes, so the fewer you smoke, the better off your baby is. Others, like illegal drugs, can affect your baby even in small amounts and should be avoided all together.

      Fortunately, most babies are not affected by teratogens the first 6-8 weeks of pregnancy. So exposure before you know you are pregnant is probably ok. Once you find out you are pregnant, let your growing baby motivate you to eat well and make healthy changes in your life.

Exercise In Pregnancy

      You are feeling big, sluggish, swollen and awkward. So the last thing you're going to do is put on some spandex and go to the gym. Working out during pregnancy sounds like an oxymoron, but the truth is some exercise every day is great for your body and your baby. And the good news for you athletic types, if you are used to doing it before you were pregnant, you can keep biking, running, hiking, etc throughout your pregnancy.

      Exercise helps your body work more efficiently in growing your baby and relieves some of the stress your body feels with its daily changes. It will actually relieve some of those backaches, leg cramps and swollen ankles. It will help regulate your blood sugar, control gestational diabetes, and use up some of those extra calories while you are "eating for two." It will prepare your body for the rigors of labor, helping your labor go more efficiently (and therefore possibly quicker!). And it will even help regulate your emotions and deal with the normal mood swings of pregnancy and motherhood.

      Gentle exercises that anyone can do include walking, prenatal yoga, and swimming. If you were not very active before pregnancy, then starting with these are a good bet. More rigorous exercise is fine too, if you are used to it. A general guideline with exercise is you can keep doing what you did before you became pregnant. When it becomes too uncomfortable, then modify the activity or switch to a gentler form of exercise.

      And speaking of exercises, don't forget those kegels!

Morning Sickness in Pregnancy

Q: I am 2 months pregnant. What can I do about my morning sickness?

A: Nausea is a common concern in pregnancy, and although morning is the most famous time to feel nauseous, it can happen any time of the day. Most women begin to feel better around 12 weeks, or 3 months, of pregnancy.

      The most common culprit is low blood sugar, which coupled with the hormones of pregnancy, can cause intense nausea and even vomiting. To help prevent or improve this, eating smaller meals more often is important. Protein-rich foods are especially good for maintaining a more consistent blood sugar. Try eating a protein snack before you go to bed to help with sickness in the morning.

      Peppermint tea and ginger tea can also relieve nausea. If you cannot tolerate tea, put a few drops of peppermint oil on a tissue and inhale the scent. An acupressure point on your wrist can also relieve nausea. To find the point, measure 3 finger-widths from the crease between your wrist and your palm. The point is below the 3rd finger, in the middle. Press firmly or rub fresh ginger on this point. There are also "motion sickness" bracelets available that press on this point.

      Some vomiting is common with nausea in pregnancy. However, you must be careful to not become dehydrated. If you are not able to keep any liquids or food down for 12 hours, consult your midwife or doctor.

Water Birth

      Water birth is exactly what the name implies: giving birth to your baby underwater. The mother is in a deep tub of warm water. The baby is born into the water, then lifted out and placed onto his mother's chest. The baby moves from the water-filled environment of the womb to the water-filled tub, and does not breathe his first breath until exposed to the air.

      The most obvious advantage of water birth is to the mother. She is able to stay more relaxed and therefore in less pain. The warmth, weightlessness, and gentle pressure of the water make the labor and birth process more comfortable. She is able to get into different positions with more ease. Often, mothers are not planning on delivering in the tub, but find it feels too good to get out.

      The newborn also benefits from water birth. The gentler transition from womb to world helps the infant adapt to his new surroundings more peacefully. After a hearty cry to clear the lungs, most water-born babes calmly look around, taking everything in, listening to their parents cooing in awe.

      A few hospitals now are allowing water births for uncomplicated deliveries, depending upon the doctor or midwife's comfort. Most water births occur when the mother is delivering at home or a birth center with a midwife.

The Importance of Folic Acid

      Currently there is a national pubic health campaign to educate women of childbearing age about the importance of folic acid.

      Folic acid, also called folacin, is a B Vitamin that reduces the risks of Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) and other birth defects by 60-75%. NTDs are caused when an embryo's neural tube, which becomes the baby's brain and spinal cord, does not form properly. Spina bifida, an opening in the spine, is the most common NTD and can cause serious life-long disabilities. Folic acid can reduce the risks of limb, urinary, and heart defects, and brain tumors. It can improve brain and nerve development in newborns.

      Timing is crucial. These serious birth defects occur within the first 6 weeks of pregnancy, often before women know they are pregnant. With 50% of pregnancies in the US being unplanned, it is important for all women of childbearing age to get enough folic acid daily, regardless of whether they intend to get pregnant.

      The best source of folic acid is one to two servings of dark green leafy vegetables: spinach, lettuce, swiss chard, etc. Other good sources include broccoli, cauliflower, beans, peas, citrus, whole grains, and enriched grains and breads. Folic acid is lost by overcooking, reheating and canning, so eat vegetables raw or steamed. Many women do not get the required 400 mcg a day and may need to take a supplement.

      So, go enjoy a salad, and eat to your and your baby's health!

Nettles

      Only a few inches tall at this time of year, the amazing stinging nettle has reemerged for the spring and summer. Most people know nettles for their sting; brush against one of these plants, and short term reaction of stinging, itching or burning occurs. But if you don some gloves and a clipper, these wonderful plants have a lot to offer us. When nettles are dried or cooked, they lose their "sting" and become an excellent source of nutrition. Nettles can be dried and drunk as a tea, or steamed fresh and eaten like cooked spinach.

      Nettles are considered a "nutritive" herb, and they can be consumed as food to fortify the body. They are very high in iron and can improve the oxygen distribution to your body. The result is more energy and clarity, less fatigue, light-headedness, and dizziness. Nettles are also a source of Vitamins A, C, D, & K, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur.

      Taken regularly, nettles have many medicinal applications, including: preventing hemorrhage, aiding the kidneys, easing leg cramps, reducing hemorrhoids, and increasing the production of breast milk.

      Another joy of this plant is that it is fresh and growing now. Before your own garden vegetables are ready, nettles is standing by to give you excellent, fresh nutrition.

Cold & Flu Season in Pregnancy

      Winter time is a season of rain and snow, but it also can be a season of runny noses, fevers, colds and the flu. Pregnant women can be particularly susceptible to colds, because their immune system is naturally suppressed. Meanwhile, they have to consider what effects medications may have on their babies.

      The first line of defense is a healthy immune system. Immune system boosters include Vitamin C, garlic, Echinacea and shitake mushrooms. Pregnant women can take 1000 - 2000 mg of Vitamin C per day, and its therapeutic effects are better if taken at the beginning of a cold. Garlic is another immune system booster, with antibiotic properties if it is eaten raw. If raw garlic is unappealing to you (or to others in your home!), consider garlic tablets. Echinacea can be taken at the beginning of a cold, and can be taken for 2 weeks at a time. Shitake mushrooms, a powerful immune booster, should be simmered for a while; the broth & the mushrooms can be eaten together or separately. Plenty of non-caffeinated liquids are essential; water is the best. When you are sick, double your fluid intake, from 2 quarts a day to 4 quarts a day.

      Some medications are safe to take in pregnancy. For the "common cold", they just provide symptom relief. Tylenol products are considered safe in pregnancy, and could be taken with moderation for short periods of time. The Flu Shot is available to pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. The Department of Health considers pregnant women a "priority group" who can receive the flu shot when supplies are low. Many pregnant women, however, choose to focus on boosting their immune system rather than being vaccinated.