The Brewer Pregnancy Diet Recipes

Disclaimer: This list of recipes is not endorsed by Dr. Brewer Pregnancy Diet. I am not affiliated with the diet or its creators. I am not a professional of any kind. I'm just a momma who used and benefited tremendously from the diet, and wanted to give other momma's a jumping off point for food ideas!

The Brewer Pregnancy Diet Recipes

So I've blogged about my two drastically different eating styles during my two pregnancies before.

During my first pregnancy I indulged in way too much sugar, way too many carbs, and did not attempt to have any real healthfulness what so ever.
By the end I was feeling terribly sluggish, had gained 41 pounds, and gave birth to a {beautiful!} 9 pound baby girl.
Losing the weight came with extreme effort and determination. (And I actually went on to lose 15 additional pounds to reach a healthy BMI. Which was a lot of work!)

So for my second pregnancy I wanted to follow a much healthier diet.
After a lot of research I learned that the main way to control not only the mother's weight gain during pregnancy, but also the baby's is by watching your carb intake. And of course since sugar is the most worthless carb there is, you really want to limit your sugar intake.

I went on to follow the Brewer Pregnancy Diet.
This is a diet that focuses on protein, vegetables and fruit. And allows at limited amount of whole grains.
You can see my post on it here for more details on what it entails.

I didn't follow it to the letter.
(*And that's what I'd recommend to you. That you just pay attention to your body and its needs.)
Its actually a LOT of food prescribed per day, and I literally could not eat it all. (And I'm someone who likes to eat.) I just ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full. I used the brewer diet as a general guideline for what types of food to aim for. I was very careful to not go over my daily grain intake. And I was VERY careful with refined sugars, having almost none for 9 months.

So by doing that, as well as staying active (regularly swimming laps or walking), I was able to gain only 32 pounds during my second pregnancy. I felt great -- not sluggish at all. And I gave birth to a {beautiful} 8 pound 4 ounce baby girl.
*Both pregnancies lasted 42 weeks. My oven likes to really bake those baby-buns.

That's nine pounds less of expecting momma standing on the scale, and nearly a pound less of baby when she came out, this time.  
Nine pounds feels like a lot, I can tell ya.
And the postpartum weight came off with much less effort!

Me, First time with lots of sugar. Me, second time with lots of health.

(From this pregnancy post)

For those of you worried about the first trimester, I want you to know that I did not follow this diet during my first trimester. Basically the only food I could stomach was plain Cheerios in milk. So that's what I ate. But I made sure to only eat what I needed.
During my first pregnancy I was so overwhelmed by the nauseous feeling (I never threw up, during either pregnancy, I just felt constantly queazy) that I basically ate nonstop trying to quell the discomfort. I also at anything I thought sounded ok (which was mostly chocolate covered granola bars.) So I was eating chocolate covered granola bars on the hour. This was a bad idea because it did not fix the nausea for me (I just kept hoping it would) and I ended up gaining something like 8 to 10 pounds during my first trimester.
I didn't want to repeat that the second time around, so I did eat only what I could stomach, but I went for the healthiest version I could find of it. (Plain cheerios have much less sugar than honey-nut cheerios.) And I tried to eat only when I was actually hungry, and only as much as I needed. And so doing that I kept my first trimester weight gain to about 4 or 5 pounds. That made a big difference in the total pounds I put on!


Anyway....
That's just backstory, so you know where I'm coming from.

Recently I've started to want to incorporate this style of eating back into my normal routine.
(I think its a good idea while breastfeeding (which I currently am) to eat these types of healthy foods. And we are talking about having more kids, so I may as well get back in the habit now, so its easier next time.)
(Actually this style of eating, which is focused on nutritious non processed foods, is great to do any time of life! You can just alter the amounts to suit your needs. If you are not pregnant yet, but plan to be at some point, getting on board this train now would be an excellent idea. It takes some time to adjust your tastes and cooking style.)


During my second pregnancy, I had a hard time figuring out how to get all these foods into my menu.
So to help me out going back into this again, I've started to track down recipes centered around the foods on the list.

I've created some Pinterest boards where I'm saving up healthy recipes that work with the Brewer Diet.

I figured other women might like to see these boards too.

I've made a couple different ones.
There is one main one, where I am mostly putting recipes that are like a main meal which have quite a few of the different food types involved.
And then I created a few other boards that are more focused on one of the food types, and those recipes are often more suited for a snack or tiny extra meal, which can help you get all your vitamin groups in.

So without further ado here are the boards:

Brewer Pregnancy Diet Recipes

Brewer Pregnancy Diet: Recipes for Vitamin-C Foods

Brewer Pregnancy Diet: Recipes for Vitamin-A Foods

Brewer Pregnancy Diet: Recipes for Fresh, Dark Green Vegetables


I hope you let these pinned recipes inspire you, so that you feel free to alter them to suit your tastes and lifestyle, or even create something new that comes to mind after seeing these. There really are a lot of healthy possibilities!!

**Feel free to follow these boards. But just so you know they are a work in progress, so as I fill them up, your Pinterest feed may get inundated. :) But maybe thats a good thing, if you are needing some inspiration. :)
Or you can always just pin this post and come back to look stuff up on occasion.

*** Let me know in the comments below if you have a Brewer Diet Pinterest Board going yourself! Or let me (us) in on any awesome recipes of your own!

All the best to you and your growing family!!

Sincerely,
Lydia




*Click here for more of my healthy Pregnancy Tips.
(C-section and VBAC included)

Being a Mom is Intense

Its the middle of the night.
Her scream is one of a depth and proportion that I have never heard.
My two year old daughter is screaming, loud and long and hard.
I am in the hallway, running with all that I have, but I'm spinning out as I try.
My mind is tripping over all our trips to the ER in the past -- the food allergies, the RSV, the stitches...
What has happened now? What will this trip bring us?
Did she fall off her recently lofted big-girl bed? Is an arm or leg broken?
My husband is behind me, but somehow he seems like he is in front of me and all around me,
and I don't know why I feel like I should be shoving him away... he is here to help.
I just need to get to her.
I can see, with eyes I am shocked to have in the back of my head, that his legs are sliding out from under him, he is running horizontally, despite his intense effort to control his vertical run.
I fling the door open and I see her sitting up in her bed.
At least she isn't broken.

I shout, "Jasmine, what is wrong?!"
Blake shouts louder questions and demands.

I've scooped her up and have fallen to the floor,
her legs wrapped around me, her arms my necklace.
I hold her head to mine and start my chant,
"Its ok. Its ok. Its ok."

I still am not sure.
Are we going to the ER tonight?
My body is trembling. My core is shaking.
But I hold her and tell her its ok.

That scream....
what was it for?
Shaking,
chanting,
caressing.

Baby Ruby is crying now. Why wouldn't she be?
Their rooms share a wall.
Blake is gone to help her.
And I shakily rock my first baby.

Eventually through sobs she tells me
that she... needed more water.
We didn't hear her,
so she got loud.
"Really, really loud." She explains.

I could laugh.
But I'd rather cry.
I'm not sure I've ever been that scared.
And I've been scared quite a bit since becoming a mother.
Why and how she came upon a scream that was more bone chilling than any horror movie has captured I don't know. I guess the poor kid was thirsty. (She hasn't woken up at night in ages!)

We brought her in our bed.

I mean,
I still hadn't found a baby monitor for her room that wouldn't interfere with the room right next door's baby monitor. I couldn't put her back to bed and sleep after that.
We live in a tiny place. Like 700 square feet. But the return air vent is directly in front of our door, and its very loud. You can't hear over it when it's on. Which apparently is exactly when Jasmine got thirsty.

Of course she is fine and dandy now.
But my heart is pounding.
I'm not sure my adrenaline will ever stop pumping after that.

I don't remember anything before I was the the hallway and I was running towards the scariest sound I know. My child screaming.
I don't remember getting out of bed. I don't remember Blake getting up.
I must have woke up mid run.

We are all in bed now.
My heart is racing.
I'd like to have a good cry to let these terrors go, but I can't.
My daughter is playing with my hair, my fingers, my back.
Of course I won't be sleeping until she does.

As soon as we are asleep,
Ruby needs me.
And then again later.
And each time I wake up, I realize I am not over it.

Poor me...no sleep and now, Blake has to go to work.

I spend my morning hunting down a baby monitor, because now its more than a want. Its a I'm-never-sleeping-again-without-having-one-in-each-room must.

I wasn't a patient mommy.
I wasn't a patient wife. (I called Blake like 74 times about ebay auctions on monitors.)

Eventually I settle on a craigslist, older video monitor. The MHz is so different from a just-plain-radio monitor that it should work.

Thankfully we can get it that afternoon.

Thankfully that is the first and cheapest video baby monitor I've come across on craigslist in ages.
Just when we learned we'd need it.
I keep thanking God.

So... you may have seen me ask on Facebook how to get two baby monitors to work on my small house.
Well this is the crazy story of  how I ended up figuring it out.


Use one radio, one video. They are set to very different MHz.

(There may be other ways, but this is the best I've come up with. Especially for the least amount of cash! I wasn't excited about spending $200+ on something fancy.)

When Blake got home (and I had a nap) we talked about the whole thing.

Apparently I was so out of it at the time, I didn't even realize that a particularly hilarious part of this terrifying ordeal ever occurred.
Blake started telling me about how he was dreaming when Jasmine started screaming, so his response was to reply {to his dream} with an epic movie war cry as he ran towards her.
YEP.
That's why to me, in that moment, he seemed like he was in front of me and all around me as I ran through the hallway. And that explains {greatly} why I felt like I wanted to shove him in that moment.
Now that he mentions it, I can remember that.
It just was so secondary at that moment, and I was still so sleepy, I didn't retain it.
It was a war cry.
No wonder the baby woke up!

Blake tells me he was afraid the neighbors were going to call the cops on us.
(We live in a duplex. They had to have heard some of this!)

From that point on in our talk, I can't stop laughing.
Jasmine starts fake laughing with me. So I laugh some more, and so does she.

And every time I think of it now I can barely talk about it through my laughter.

But even though its funny,
It was horrible.

I have a serious, dark, creepy, bruise (I found the next day) on my left hip the size of a grapefruit - and a similar one on my right arm. I can only assume it is from sleep-running past the very tight squeeze between my footboard and dresser. It's not fun pulling my pants up and down.
My back and neck still hurt (3 days later) just as bad as when I had real, actual, whip lash from a car crash. I don't know what that is from -- but wow,
being a mom is intense.

Sometimes I just shake my head and wonder at it all.
If this is the small stuff then....

Project: C-Section Recovery

Update: This Project has been completed. You can find the article HERE.

I have a question:

I'm wanting to do some more blog posts on c-section stuff.

One of the things I have brewing in my head is a post (or maybe a series) on how to best support a women who's had a c-section.

Original Photo Credit

     I have high hopes for this little project of mine.
My "Looking Good While Pregnant" Post has gone viral via Pinterest. And So I'm hoping this future project will actually get seen by a good number of people based on that. Perhaps even go viral itself...? I would love that, not for me, but for all women who've had an emotional journey after a c-section. So we could all be more understanding of each other, and light can be shed on just how much support a c-section momma might need.

So with that in mind,
what I'm wondering is:

If you've had a c-section (especially if you had one for your first birth), or if you know someone well who has and you feel you could give some insight into these as well, would you mind sending me your thoughts on these ideas:
(and you don't have to come up with answers to all of them)

• Is there anything you wish that you had known about c-section recovery before leaving the hospital?
•  Is there anything you wish that your husband/partner/support had known about c-section recovery before leaving the hospital?
• In essence: Try to imagine a pamphlet that hospitals could send home with women and their family that could give some guidance (both physically and emotionally) to this time. What would you want included? (If you did get a pamphlet from your hospital could you share with me what it included? Was it thorough enough? Would you have added anything?) {Hospital experiences vary dramatically, not every women receives information before she goes home.}
• How could your husband/partner/support have made you feel as supported as possible after the birth?  (Both physically, and especially emotionally.)
• What was the sweetest thing your husband/partner said to you in regards to how you birthed your child? What was something you longed to hear from your husband/partner in regards to how you birthed your child? Did they say something that you wished they had known not to say?
• How could a very close friend make you feel as supported as possible after the birth? (Both physically, and especially emotionally --- Things to do, say, not say, etc.)
• What were some of the most painful statements you received from others?
• If you could magically have certain things be unspeakable in your presence (or unreadable to your eyes) what would those be? (I know there are possibly millions of these, but try to just pick the top 3 - 5,  or so. And please don't let it shake you up -- just try and breeze through this one, for your own sake. Don't try to come up with every possible sentence not to say.)
• What do you wish people knew about a c-section, or a women who's birthed via c-section?
• Were there any very painful situations you encountered? (This could very well be physically or emotionally)
• What has been the hardest thing(s) for you to deal with? (Both physically, and especially emotionally.)
• What thoughts do you battle most often?
• What would you love to hear from someone regarding your birth / your recovery / your body?
• What do you think would (or has) help(ed) you the most in your healing process?
• If you have experienced (or are experiencing) a subsequent pregnancy(ies) what has that experience been like for you? (Physically, emotionally, logistically, socially, etc.)
• If you've had any subsequent deliveries (regardless of method), how was the experience compared to the previous c-section? What did that/those delivery(ies) mean to you? (These stories may encourage women looking to have more children but fearing another birthing process.)
• Anything else you'd like to include?
• I also know that some women have a very positive view of their caesarean birth(s) and I would love to hear from you as well! What do you think contributed to your positive experience and view point? Maybe something you share with me could help someone who's struggled with theirs to begin to view it positively. And that would be AWESOME!

I know that I have a lot of my own thoughts complied on these topics, but I'd like to try and round it out with your experiences.

{Oh and in case you've just stumbled upon this blog post without knowing much about me. In 2010 I gave birth to my first born via Caesarean and struggled immensely with it emotionally. Between my pregnancies I did a lot of research, hoping to give myself the best chance at a VBAC. And in 2012 I had a successful VBAC at home. (But I remain very open minded as to birthing locations. And I would never judge a momma for choosing a c-section, repeat or otherwise. I understand that wholeheartedly.) Despite having had a VBAC, I still had/have emotional issues to work through regarding my c-section, and my heart belongs to c-section mommas.}


{Update: 3/19/13 --- I forgot to mention: I'm a Christian, and I was surprised to find that my c-section and the disappointment I had from it, challenged my faith like nothing else has. I am a work in progress right now as God continues to heal my heart. If you are a Christian and relate to that in anyway, and would like to share with me the ways it has impacted your faith and how you continue to work that out, please do! I would LOVE that! I don't plan on including it in this particular set of posts I'm working on at the moment. (It would be off topic.) But I think we could encourage each other, and perhaps it may prompt some other types of posts on the subject matter. As it is currently not something I've seen addressed online. And eventually I'd love to contribute to helping women in this area.}

If you feel comfortable commenting on this post, please do. But I'd like to leave you with my personal email, so that you can feel safe in sharing.

Please feel free to be as open as you'd like to be.

*And let me know if any of it is something you would like to be held in confidence. (I do plan on being discreet in how I share what you share with me (no names or anything overly specific), but if is there is anything you'd like to direct me on exactly how comfortable you are with having it shared, please do.) I want to be totally respectful of you.

But please keep in mind I'm hoping to share generalities with the public for the good of anyone struggling with c-section stuff.

So please send your responses to:

1lydiajohnson[at]gmail[dot]com

I'd love to thank each and every person who responds, personally, but depending on the volume of responses, I may not be able to do so, despite my best efforts. (I will try! But my two year old and 8 month old have me on my toes lately: a very mobile baby and a two year old who's working on sharing -- that's busy work!) So in advance: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

The cut off so I can compile these responses is Aug 1st, 2013. But if you could try and get your responses to me as soon as you can, that would be awesome!

And feel free to pass this along, or pin it, so I can try to get as large a cross-section of responses as possible! I'd love that!!

Ground Beef

Something I've learned is....
Well Actually, something my mom taught me is...

A great way to simplify dinner is -- when you need to buy ground beef for something, buy a large amount of it, and brown it all up at once.

Update: I haven't tried this, but a great facebook-page-follower told me she throws hers in the crockpot as soon as she gets home to brown it.  Even easier!

Once it cools down somewhat, put in in freezer bags for later.

Now you have meat ready for quick dinners.

For things like:

• Spaghetti with meat sauce
• Chili or Goulash 
• Soups
• Taco night
• Taco Pizza
• Beef Enchiladas 
• Sloppy Joes
• Lasagna
• Pizza

It really makes dinner come together faster if you don't need to brown the meat during the prep.