It’s January in the North and we want to remember sledding and snow days and hot bowls of soup, not a cycle of near-constant illness that can afflict even the most prepared Minnesotan. What to do? Our midwives have got you covered.
How Not to Get Sick
More vegetables, less sugar. Prevention is about nourishing your body to maintain health and stamina, in and out of pregnancy. In general you’ll need food that is whole, unprocessed or processed very little, which, as our midwife Jessica De Filippo reminds us, can essentially be accomplished by cooking at home. Stuff out of boxes and cans doesn’t do much to support your immune system. Sugar and simple carbs are thought to even suppress it, giving viruses and bacteria the perfect opportunity to get in and take hold. Olivia Quarberg likes to counteract this problem by adding chopped and sautéed kale to whatever she’s eating for dinner. “I think of it like rice, because it can pretty much go into anything!”
Take time for your mental and emotional wellbeing. Nicole Hunter and Jessica DeFilippo both made a strong point of this when asked what might prevent illness. It’s important during this time of year especially to slow down and take stock; be grateful, every day, for your beautiful life. Breathe. Let go. Meditate. When you’re feeling happy, your immunity functions better.
Wash your hands. An easy one, but worth a reminder! Plain old soap and water will do.
Invest in high quality vitamins/supplements. We swear by echinacea, garlic, and elderberry syrup* (Jamie Huberty-Koerner makes her own!) to support us through these cold months. But while supplements are optional, if not encouraged, vitamins are absolutely essential for all of us. Pregnant and breastfeeding people especially, tune in: You need 5,000IU of Vitamin D and at least 1,000mg of Vitamin C per day, even while you’re feeling healthy, to support yourself and your baby through the dark Minnesota winter. You can get away with less if you’re careful to eat lots of citrus fruit, berries, and potatoes, but no matter what you do, be sure to read the labels on your prenatal multi vitamin and do the math properly. (Reduce your intake by whatever amount is already included in the multi.)
Consider making fire cider. One big batch of this old wives’ remedy will last you the whole winter! Take a few tablespoons per day if you start feeling symptoms, one per day for general immune support. Olivia likes this recipe!
How to Deal if You Do
Stay home. Any obligations or plans that are not urgent should be cancelled right away in order to speed your healing and to keep the illness contained. Trust us, we get it; this is always difficult, because we’re all leading complicated lives, often with many people depending on us. But that’s all the more reason to call in some favors and commit to getting well. Your life needs you to be healthy! So get creative with bribes to your support network, then settle in, turn on a humidifier and pick up a book or binge-watch a fun show.
Drink, drink, drink. Water, water, water. Olivia likes to add lemon for a natural body flush, or you can keep it simple with just plain water, but it’s imperative that you hydrate in order to get back on your feet. Hot tea with honey and lemon is nice too.
Increase your vitamin intake temporarily. Cheryl recommends doubling your dose of Vitamin D and Vitamin C for five days (that’s 10,000IU of D and 2,000mg of C) to give your immunity a nice boost. You can also double your elderberry, which Jamie swears will kick the sick right away.
Stay positive. Truly, being sick at home, especially if your kids are around (and worse, if they’re sick too!) can be really hard. Amid the yucky feelings and exhaustion, real melancholy sometimes creeps in and becomes its own problem. Put this to rest, if you can, by giving yourself a proper pep talk. “I tell my body, ‘You can do this!’” says Olivia. “I’m going to sleep so you can use the extra energy to attack those invaders!” Remind yourself that it’s not forever, that you’ll be well soon, but also remember that you DO have permission to hate it. One step at a time, one breath at a time, your body will recover.
*No data is available on whether elderberry is safe for pregnant and/or breastfeeding people, but it is probable that some caution is called for. As such, you should only use high-quality products, and never for longer than a brief period of time. We will always respect your choices about individual evaluation of risk over benefit!
Shelley DeWees is a three-time Willow client who spends her days chasing a preschooler son and toddler daughter around her (new!) house in South St Paul. Her most recent addition, another boy, arrived just this past July! Shelley also loves going to workout classes and is an avid reader.