As February hurtles towards March, so does Olivia Stone’s first baby. Micah is due in March, and before Olivia takes off for maternity leave, I thought I would ask her some questions about babies and how she facilitated a healthy pregnancy.
If you could tell nine-month ago Olivia anything, what would it be?
I would tell myself “You don’t need to buy anything.” I bought a ton of items. I was so excited and wanted to be extra prepared, but it turns out that all my friends and family had my back. Everyone got me and Micah all the items we could possibly need.
Also, I would tell myself to document everything. I wish I had more journals and photos that I could look back on in a few years. I have truly enjoyed the process of being pregnant, even with all the stresses. I would tell any new mother to keep a daily journal. You will not regret it.
How did you change your nutrition to feed yourself and the growing baby?
I sought out a professional nutritionist, Heidi Malleske, for my workout plans and nutrition concerns. The biggest change in my diet has been increasing my protein, fiber, and daily calorie intake.
Do you have any thoughts on what Micah’s diet will be once he finishes breastfeeding?
Actually, I plan to make all of his food. I am going to use a baby-food squeeze pouch. I am going to puree fruits, vegetables, get some proteins in there, and make the pouches mostly dairy-free. The idea is that I want Micah to learn to love clean, healthy, unrefined foods.
Will you try and sway him from sodas and candies?
Let a kid live. Let them grow. Let them change. If I restrict Micah too much, it could backfire. Teaching him moderation will be key. I want him to use his knowledge to make his own good decisions. As a family, candies and fast food won’t be a normal part of our diet. Lead by example.
What is the weirdest thing you ate while pregnant?
Nothing too strange, but I did have a time where I really, really wanted Diet Coke. I hadn’t had a coke in years and I found myself craving one a lot. Also, I started dreaming about apples. In all forms. My pregnancy cravings for apples is why the apple pancakes and apple oatmeal existed on our previous meal rotation at Unrefined.
Besides working at Unrefined, were you able to get exercise while pregnant?
Yes! I had a twenty-hour a week plan. My personal trainer had me on four days of exercise, in and out of the gym. I practiced breathing and relaxation techniques as well. For the workouts, I used an app called Trainerize. It structured my workouts and helped me track my progress. I ran up until I was 7 months pregnant as well.
Any final thoughts?
Practice mindfulness and deep breathing. Allow yourself to rest. Get massages. Meditate. It takes A LOT of energy to create a human being. It can be exhausting. Rest your body and rest mentally.