Homesteading Pregnant… An Honest Discussion with Lacie Dickson

Hey you guys and welcome to this week's Edition of The Pantry chat Food For Thought this week we're tackling kind of A fun subject that I don't see a lot of People talk about it's near and dear to My heart right now as it is to Lacey's Here we go we'll go that way Lacey's heart Um and that is pregnancy on the Homestead trying to Homestead while Pregnant it brings about all sorts of Its own unique challenges and blessings And opportunities Um but today we're going to be talking About this and this is going to be a fun Chat Um but first of all I want to introduce Lacey a lot of you guys are probably Saying wow she looks really familiar and You probably know her from uh she and Her husband have a YouTube channel Mike The fit farmer and if you have not been Watching the channel you need to jump Over and check it out because they share A lot of fun things as they are Homesteading and taking you through Their Homestead Journey with their Family one of the things you can see Right off I'm just going to call it out You see and that is that if you're Watching on YouTube or on video a video Platform you can see that uh Lacy's in a Yurt she's not in a regular house so While now I asked you the other day we

I've got to give you guys the background Here with Idaho and I promise I'm going To give Lacey a moment to talk in a Second Here I'm in North Idaho and we're having Our first major snowstorm of the year And we've got storms just rolling in one After the other and so Lacey and I tried To film this about two days ago and my Internet just kept getting lost it kept Just what are you just dying yeah Yeah we're coming down so here we're Trying it again and we have a fresh Snowstorm just hitting us right now so Hopefully we make it through it but Lacey where are you because you are not Getting snowed on No uh we I'm in North Carolina just out Of Charlotte and Um it's almost 80 degrees here today in November okay that is a big difference From where I'm at we're looking at zero Degrees next week wow yeah I'm excited That it's supposed to be only 63 for a High next week That sounds good and I know Um let's see I asked you the other day But nobody got to hear it are you guys Off-grid people ask us all the time Because we're not totally off-grid but Are you we are not off grid we are Plugged in and you know right now I mean It would be great to be able to go Off-grid but that's just not at the

Place where we are right now okay but You are living in a year and a lot of People kind of Um group the two things together that if You're living in a year you've got to be Off-grid right and that's just not the Case you can be fully on grid and alert Yes and plumbing and everything just Like a regular house too we've lived Here for eight years now almost eight And a half years and it's I mean it's Built out inside just like in the other House we have electricity and plumbing And so yeah you can do it you could do It all right I love it we actually have Somebody down the road from us living in A yurt also and year round which is you Know I mean you think of like Mongolia And yeah it's there and they're Definitely living there year round in Some pretty extreme weather but up here A lot of people are like oh you can't do That and they said watch us and they did They've lived there for years and They've had uh you know a successful Time there but um but that's really fun To get to see a different type of Housing Um that you're living it's actually Easier to keep them warm in the Wintertime people think that it's it's Not people think it's the opposite but Our problem is actually keeping it cool In the summertime so we have many split

Systems to help us do that because for Years we didn't and in the summertime it Would be 100 degrees inside your house And that's just a little unbearable During the day and uh but then as long As you have a wood stove You're good to go in the winter There you go I like that that's good Information okay so today we're talking About pregnancy on the homestead you are Pregnant I'm pregnant we're actually not Very far apart in our pregnancies so Tell us just a little bit about your Family your Dynamics who do you already Have because this is not your first Pregnancy And how far along are you so I have a Daughter that's 12 uh a son that's 10 Another son that's six and this new baby Will be here in the beginning of February and I am 26 plus 4 something Like that pregnant so okay all right That's good and for me for those of you Guys who are following Um we have 10 children one of them Adopted here in the house and uh so this Is not the first pregnancy for me Definitely and I'm at about 23 weeks Pregnant now and so Um we're due pretty close I think you're In February and I'm in early March so I'm out early February so yeah okay real Close good good we found out we're Having a boy but I think I hear you're

Doing the same thing we're having Another boy too okay it is boy season Around the homestead Oh it'll be fun Um but Talk to me about like your early Pregnancy do you have a tendency to have Problems in like morning sickness how do You do with that I typically I do for my Other pregnancies I was way sick and Just I mean to the point where you're Like can't drink water and you just want To drink water but you feel sick all the Time and it wasn't morning sickness it Was from the time I woke up to the time I went to sleep kind of thing and Normally it would last until about 16 Weeks but this past year I've really Um like I did the carnivore diet for a While and I eat a lot more meat than I Used to and actually I think that has Helped with this pregnancy Um not be as sick because I would I Could get up and I could get my chores Done And but as soon as I ate something I Started feeling kind of sick which is a Little strange but um I feel like I I Was able to do a lot more this time Around than I was with previous Pregnancies So that's nice because that that kind of Keeps you moving I know you know for me That that all hit right in the middle of

The summer which is kind of right High Activity season around the homestead and Um I had a debilitating first trimester I have never had one where I'm so sick Which is interesting because I've had Ones where I'm kind of like kind of Skate through it pretty happily and yeah I don't feel great at moments but for The most part it's not a big deal And I've had them yakier than that but I've never had them to the level that I Had on this round and I was pretty much Bedridden in fact the uh The Midwives Pretty much everybody all around me said Oh you're having twins you've got to be Having twins and we have now had our Ultrasounds multiple ultrasounds and There are no twins in there so I don't Really know what happened I don't really Have any good reasoning for all of it But it was definitely a new season for Me I've never in my life been bedridden For six to eight weeks and that was that Was right about where I was Um right in the height of the Homesteading summer and so for me those Big kids having those older kids who Know how to do everything they know how To take care of everything that was Amazing as I mean that's new on a Homestead for me it's been about five Years since my last pregnancy uh the Last baby was born And

Um I had capable children but they Weren't nearly this old now it's like They just ran the homestead without me And they took care of me on top of it Josh had a lot of traveling he was doing So he wasn't even home a lot uh during The summer during that time and boy Those big kids just stepped up uh so for You how is it different this round with The older kids you said you have a 12 Year old daughter which That's like she has been super helpful And so it's funny so if whenever we told The kids that uh we were gonna have Another baby We told her and she immediately started Crying and I was like I didn't expect Anybody to cry but she said I've been Praying about this I'm praying for a baby and I was like Because the day before actually the day Before she had said something about a Baby and I was like well you know if I Have another baby I'm gonna need a lot Of help from you and she's like that's Fine I said okay I'm gonna remember this And then we told her the next day and She was all excited so she has really Stepped up Um you know she has her own chores to do And everything but you know if she sees That I'm not feeling well she'll come And you know and I'll sit down while I'm Cooking and she'll kind of help cook and

Set the table and then do all those Things too so she has really I'm super Proud of her because she's helping out a Lot and she seems eager to change Diapers and all that so that's good That's good we'll we'll take that one as Long as we can get it right any help on That front Um you know this is kind of I guess this Is kind of a rabbit Trail but I think This is really important to talk about As a mom you're probably like me you Want to find that balance of I want the Kids to help I want them to step up and I want them to be responsible but I Don't ever want them to feel like They're just doing all the work all by Themselves and you know we know that can Create in any of us even in adults we Can start feeling a little bitter about That and so I know for me I'm always Trying to like find this balance of yes I need you to step up and do the next Level because you're growing up and you Need to take on more responsibility but Also balancing that with the freedom and The gratefulness towards them Um I I really ran into this season Because I was literally in bed I Couldn't balance it I couldn't be like Hey I'm just gonna take over you take a Day off Um it was all up to them but what I did Try to do is make sure that they had a

Lot of fun and away from the farm times Too where they were able to get out and Go hang out with friends or go to the You know we have a thing that our family Does an ultimate frisbee game that's a Big social game that happens once a week In our our homeschool community and so Make sure that they're getting to that And kind of get into all the fun things Did you did you feel that same pressure Of like I need some more help but I don't wanna I I still feel that well so in the Beginning of my pregnancy I don't know It was probably around 8 to 12 weeks Somewhere on in there Mike and my two Oldest ones went away for two weeks to a Church camp so I was left with my Six-year-old or five-year-old then to do All the chores and um so I kind of I Kind of played that card of like well You know you got to go do something Really fun and I had to stay here and Take care of everything and I don't Think they really mind stepping up but Yeah I am I don't want to A one level I want them to be Independent and do these things and then On another level I'm like but I still Want them to have a good childhood and I Think that's where Mike comes and steps In and he's like they can do it if they Can do it you shouldn't be doing it for Them and you know because part of me

Feels like well as the mom I feel like I Should be doing some things for him and And then a part of me is like well yeah They kind of do need to step up a little Bit and learn how to do these things Because we're raising you know adults We're not raising you to be children so I guess I still get torn back and forth In between that but I just want to make Sure that they have a good childhood so I don't I don't even I don't have a good Answer for that No I and I think if you did we would all Know you were a fraud right because I Think that's part of Parenthood is You're just always trying to negotiate The you know the new moments that you're In because you're with living people who You need to be responsive to them and I Think that's the beauty of Uh you know a husband and wife like can I say this like super traditionally a Husband and wife raising the family is You get that male personality you get That female personality and the the two Of them together just make this complete Story that um we just don't have if it's Only one perspective so it's it's so Good when parents can work together and Find that balance together [Laughter] We need it and we and we fail and you Know we can always ask for forgiveness From our kids and you know kids are

Super willing to forgive so that makes It so much better too It really is and I know I have to pull That all the time just like you guys I Messed up I'm sorry and and they're Always so gracious so I appreciate that Okay so moving into the actual pregnancy Side Like how much for you do you feel like Has changed because of your pregnancy in Your day-to-day activity are you seeing A big change yet I have I I really don't do the chores Anymore Um I mean I guess I could but Since and we've slaughtered some animals Too so that helps too you taking the Numbers down and everything but Um In the beginning like I could do more And you know lift feed bags and things Like that even though people are like Don't do it but it's like as long as You're used to doing it it's fun but now You know it's harder to bend over and Pick things up and I had to even when I Was doing the chores if we had waterers That I had to tote around I I went and Got the um hand trucks and I'd put them On there and lean them over and so you Just find different ways to haul stuff Um we have Gorilla Carts that I could Put stuff in and just pull it and it Wasn't you know I wasn't having to carry

So much all the time but but now and I Do a lot of our video editing too so That's a big part of what I do Um but I'm not so much Hands-On with the chores right now now I Still help butcher animals I think we Still have like another run to do which I get a little iffy around that being Pregnant but Um yeah Um I guess that's the biggest thing is I Have I'm not picking up as much as heavy Stuff as I normally would Yeah I think I'm kind of the same on my Day-to-day my uh I'm laughing at you Kind of backing out of the butchering Because I'm doing the exact same thing I Don't end up with any more I guess maybe During the first trimester I might end Up with a little more ookies about that You know just the smells and the sights All involved but by the time I'm over Morning sickness I that doesn't bother Me Um but it's that all day on my feet that I just can't quite do once I get this Pregnant I need to take a lot more Breaks so thankfully I at this time in Life have all the backup help and the Kids and Josh can just kind of come in And take care of it they don't really Need me out there anyways at this point Um you know makes it go faster to have Another set of hands but it doesn't hurt

Anything if I'm not there Um so I kind of take in take up the House crew and make sure everybody's Well fed you know make sure they come in For breaks to hot meals and all that Those things but Um but yeah it's just that standing all Day and oftentimes I don't know about You but I find that when we have big Butchering days that the tables are not Always the right height for what you Need and you end up kind of especially With a big stomach in front of you you Know you're kind of like out and you're Having to lean over and it creates this Weird back pressure that's just not Comfortable yeah So yeah and thankfully we have like a Taller stainless steel table and that's What I do I take feet off heads off you Know all that stuff and then I slide it On down to horror evisceration to Somebody else so that does help a lot is Being higher up and I've just started Using Um think uh it's a belly wrap just to Give more support so that has helped a Lot too so later in the day I'll just Wrap up and it just holds you up a Little bit better I actually just ordered one of those for The first time so I'm glad to hear you Say that that's helping for you because I've never used I've used them after

Pregnancy to help like in the postpartum Period but I've never used them when I'm Pregnant so I thought It might be time I'm a little older than My last pregnancies I think I think I Can use some of these helps along the Way and still uh feel good about it so Um so that's good are there any other Ways that you find that you change your Daily what you're doing daily and even If it's inside like you're inside work In order to accommodate for being Pregnant I'm I've been getting up a little later than What I was before Um and taking naps that's you know I'll Just get to the point where people are Talking to me and I'm like I've got to Lay down like I can't process what You're even saying to me because I'm so Tired so Um that's a big thing and then trying to Just do all the things for pregnancy and Staying healthy like going on walks and I feel like it's kind of made my day a Little different than what it normally Is because you know I'm trying to go Walk in the mornings and sometimes I get To do it and sometimes I don't but and Making sure I eat Um because before I got pregnant I was Doing a lot of like intermittent fasting And stuff so now I have to make sure I

Eat more times a day and then it's more Work to eat I don't know if that makes Sense maybe it makes sense to other People too but Um I think those are the biggest things Is just taking naps and waking up a Little later maybe I I'm doing the same thing I'm getting Up a little later Josh was like you Sleep in a little bit we're fine without You in the morning so he keeps you know Making sure the house is running just Fine in the morning I feel a little Guilty because I hear everybody Downstairs working without me and I'm Just kind of snuggled into bed Um but you know that extra hour of sleep Makes all the difference in the world I'm not a nap person I I the world has To be falling apart like I have to be About falling asleep on my feet before I'm gonna go lay down and nap I just I've never liked it I don't know why I Think it's a holdover from being two and Somebody made me take a nap and I was Like I don't want to I still feel that Way I throw a little adult temper Tantrum Um but the other thing that I know that I found Is have you you know those uh I don't Even know what they're called the Pressure mats that you can stand on yeah Kitchen and oh that helps a lot taking

The strain off of the body if you have To stand for a longer period of time And especially this fall as we still had Processing Um you know lots of harvest coming in Lots of processing to be done I had a Lot of help this fall so that was really Wonderful also Um but having those pressure mats to Stand on has been a really big deal for Me oh have to remember that they're Really good they're gushy and they you Know we should talk about because when You walk across them you're like oh this Is different exactly yeah and it makes a Big difference and in fact I've noticed My teenage daughter has started taking The mat and like moving it around the Kitchen when I'm not in there so she can Stand on it in different locations Because it does actually really take the Pressure off if you have to stand in one Spot which you know that standing in one Spot in a lot of ways is way more tiring Than walking around and getting to move A lot and so that helps when you get Stuck in a spot like that Um So yeah those are kind of the big ones That I can think of Are you still sleeping well do you tend To sleep well through your whole Pregnancy It comes and goes a couple weeks ago we

Were out of town for a for a long time And you know changing beds and Everything that made it hard and time Zones so that way we were actually out On mountain time in South Dakota and so I would wake up in the middle of the Night and I'd be like oh great I can't Go back to sleep that's kind of typical For me being pregnant I'll just randomly Wake up in the middle of the night and Then it's like oh I'm awake and by the Time it's time to wake up I'm ready to Go back to sleep right but um here with The past I don't know a week and a half Or so since we've been back I've I've Actually been sleeping better so so That's nice I I you know I don't want to say Anything so strong is like I cracked the Code on my sleeping issues because I'm Only at 23 weeks I've got a lot of time For insomnia left in this pregnancy so I Don't want to I don't want to jinx Myself there but Um in the last few years I have actually Really Um moved past I was having a hard time Sleeping quite often and I always Associated it to the fact that I'd been Pregnant so often and then nursing Babies so often where I just wasn't Getting full nights of sleep and I Figured oh my body just kind of got in This habit of not sleeping

Um But I started paying really close attention To my blood sugar And same thing I started doing some Intermittent fasting and really Balancing out my blood sugar and when I Did all those sleep issues disappeared So I haven't had any yet this pregnancy Except for the really random ones like You're talking about something wakes me Up and then I just can't go back to Sleep Um but aside from that uh I've been Sleeping pretty well too which is a real Blessing because I always say you know If you can sleep you can do just about Anything yeah That's exactly right So this is not your first pregnancy on The homestead you I think you were Saying you have with uh your current Youngest you are also out on the Homestead at that point yeah with Micah I um he's six so yeah we were here and We were doing all the things we weren't Butchering chickens then but at that Time we were starting a Market Garden so It was lots of planting lots of Harvesting and and all and it was rough He was born in August so I'm super happy That this is going to be a February baby Because it was the last month of his

Pregnancy I really couldn't do anything And that's when we didn't have air Conditioning either so Um we had just set up our walk-in cooler For our Market Garden over the last Month a drug a Shay's Lounge in there And set up on TV for myself And played Candy Crush on a tablet for Like four weeks because I it was so hot It'd be 100 degrees and I just couldn't I couldn't hang it I had to to do that But I think I did pretty good up until Probably I don't know 30 weeks or so in That pregnancy being able to you know Move and plant and help Harvest and get Things together like that I I had one my Last one was a late September baby and We had an extremely unseasonably hot uh Summer and end of the summer there and We were right about 100 degrees now 100 Degrees in night North Idaho and 100 Degrees down the South are two totally Different things so I gotta say that I Have the better end of the deal right There yeah because it's a dry 100 Degrees Um so we got to just put that on the Table that's a for real thing Um but we have because it's not really That hot up here no nobody has air Conditioning so it's not a thing and so There was no out for me on this you know 100 degree weather and I was so pregnant But what I did find is that if I could

Put my feet in cold water I I was okay so I um I just would get Bags and bags of ice and I had these big Tubs and I would just put ice water in The tubs and just put my feet in there And it would like cool my whole body Down and that was a major key for me Making it through that one that and then Have you I don't even know what to call These things but have you ever seen them They're like the little neckties but They're filled with the water soaking Beads yes they probably have some really Great fancy name but you can make them At home and those were like magic for me Also because you just put this cold band Of wet around your neck so yeah I think It's because you know in your feet in Your neck in some of these places you've Got all that blood flow is just going And so if you can cool that blood it Kind of cools your whole body down Um and those were big keys for me for Surviving without air conditioning So hopefully that's a tip that can help Somebody else who gets in that position Because Babies that that pregnant that time of Year is a hard thing to swallow it is And when you have like 50 more blood Than you normally do like your body's Working harder to get everything or Moved around and you know I just well Even last week

Um I thought my prenatal appointment was For 12 30 but then I looked at my Planner and it was at 12 o'clock and I Still need to take a shower and it was Like I was like oh no and I hopped in The shower and then got out then I got Out of the shower and I was like oh I had to slow down because I have Actually passed out on the shower before Pregnant Um because I if I get too hot it's just But I know like the signs now right so Um but I encourage any other pregnant Ladies just make sure you don't get Overheated because that can yeah that's No good no it's no good and not only can You pass out but even if you don't I've I've started to overheat myself multiple Times it exhausts you for the rest of The day as your body's trying to deal With the repercussions of that and so It's just it's not worth it slow down Calm down yeah Exactly stick your feet in some ice Water that's right water I love it stick That shower cold one time I was big and Pregnant and we were actually down in Mexico and I just thought oh I could not Cool down for anything we were not we Were not on a fancy vacation where we Had like nice amenities or anything like That but I found a shower and I took a Cold cold shower and that was like night And day difference so the whole rest of

That trip I just like two or three times A day I was in a really cold shower just To keep myself nice and cool and cool Back down from that weather so even the Other night I wanted to take a bath so I Took a bath and it was hot but I don't I Stay hot when I sleep so I just turn the Cold water on before I got out and then Sat in like a cool tub for 20 minutes or So before I went to bed and actually I Slept really well that night so I think You know being cool and being pregnant Is is a big deal yeah I think so so at What point you know you're talking about Being um starting the market Garden Being really pregnant and at some point We get to where we just have to say no And we're just like it's just I just Can't and that I know for you is like For me that's really hard to do to get To a place of just saying I can't Because you know The families dependent on your labor in That place like you're kind of part of An integral team and if you disappear It puts a lot of hardship on a lot of Other people but you know there comes a Level where you just can't you can't Without repercussions that cause a whole Different set of problems that you know You don't want to do how do you manage That how do you manage making that Decision and like knowing do you deal With a little bit of guilt in the back

Like everybody else is working and I'm Not and I do because you work together As a team all the time and whenever you Can't or you feel like you can't Contribute because I mean so Mike had me Out there the other day like helping him Move electric fencing and electrified Netting and he's like here just pick This up and I'm just like okay but it's A little awkward and I mean I'll help as Much okay I can do this but I didn't Feel like I was helping at all really And it you do feel bad because you know It puts another layer of you know Response possibility on someone else and I don't know I guess I just kind of do What I can for as long as I can and then I think everybody else understands so You know you hope you hope your family Understands that right like I'm not just Being lazy like I really do need to sit Down I I know over here everybody understands And a lot of times they're pushing me to Like you need to go sit down you need to Rest and I feel like kind of that Classic mom like no I don't leave me Alone I'm fine you know let me work let Me do things Um but but there does come that point And I know for me it is challenging Sometimes it's even challenging to be Honest with myself that no this really Isn't a good idea I really shouldn't do

This and I need to stop and go rest and Over the different pregnancies Josh has Gotten Um stronger with his suggestions of like No you need to stop right now and go sit Down he's kind of learned the warning Signs maybe better than even I have yeah And it's become important to me to learn To listen to those and sit down and let Other people do it but you know you feel Bad like uh and could you get me a glass Of water while you're walking by and oh Yeah I'd love a book you know but it's Like You really do need to go take a break And you really need and you don't want To be a bother to anybody that's what I Fall into is like I don't I don't I Don't anybody to bother with me when but I mean in reality it's your family and They love you and they want to take care Of you Um but I think I have learned from other Pregnancies like when I need to go just Go take a nap because I get to the point Where I start getting really just short With people and I don't I don't want to Be mean to people but I'm just gonna Because because Mike he's very much Let's get get stuff done get stuff done Get stuff done and um he pushes me which Is good Because I'm kind of like oh oh a little More laid back than him but and he knows

Too like when I say like look I've got To lay down I'm like I I'm no good like This just give me like 30 minutes and Then I will be better Um he picked up on that more too and Like you said he he notices a lot of Stuff like do you see I think you need To eat right now or things like that I Mean he'll he'll make good suggestions And I'm like well yeah you're probably Right or have you drunk enough water Today or something like that so we have This kind of ongoing joke in our house Because in our early years of marriage It was me learning that most of the Times things were getting a little tense Josh needed to eat or yeah drink water Or go take a rest so it was like this This learning curve that I needed to say Here eat this and then it was like Magically everything was better you know But the funny thing is is in the later Years this is kind of flip-flopped and I Don't know what happened but he's Started recognizing now when I need to Eat which is good because that the joke Has been you know he gets hangry I fall Apart like if I get back I'm fine I'm Happy I'm happy I'm happy and then it's Like I step off a cliff and the world is Ending and everybody around me is going To know it and not be happy to it's like This dramatic moment and it doesn't Happen often you know like once every

Five years something like that but it's Dramatic and memorable for the whole Family so he's learned uh the warning Signs of that and he's learned to like Help me when was the last time you ate Something Oh I don't remember yeah that's not a Good answer we need to thank you Get you something to eat that's a that's A good answer so anyways that's good When we can all help each other and Depend on each other and yeah Um I know learning from my mom whenever I or anybody else who is pregnant would Sit down she would just hand us a glass Of water And Um I have thought that is so wise and That's another thing that I know that I Have had to learn is just stay hydrated Yeah um and I I often tell women I hear From a lot of women at about 32 weeks They start saying oh I'm having all These contractions I'm having hi I'm so Uncomfortable I can't sleep I'm just Having contractions all the time that is In my experience 95 a lack of water and All of a sudden your water consumption Needs go up and you've got to jump in Your water consumption you already feel Like you're going to the bathroom all The time so you don't want to drink Anymore but yeah you just got to do it Otherwise you get miserable right then

Too and Um electrolytes yeah you know making Sure you get electrolytes in your water Too has been a really big thing for me So I'm drinking all the time like I Promise I'm drinking yesterday I didn't Drink enough and my legs were a little Swollen this morning and I know that's Why it's because I didn't drink enough Yesterday so today I've been chugging Yeah getting checking along that's a Good thing to do yeah I get I start Getting almost a little bit of a Restless leg feeling when I'm not Drinking enough water and um and yeah The electrolytes really help now you Guys Lacey and I had the fun opportunity To tour the men real salt mines Um together this lesson was that March It was something yeah it was good spring And so we got to go all the way down to Like I don't know was that 800 feet it Was 800 feet An assault mine it was really fun but Ever since that moment I took home some Of their electrolytes and I'll tell you What I survived on those for my first Trimester I couldn't even drink plain Water but I could drink it if it had a Little bit of that electrolyte in it so I'm still trying to drink a little bit Of that every day and it seems to be Helping a lot I do their relight like Pretty much once a day and

Um because I I found out before that That For years I would get I would stand up Really fast and I would think I had low Iron because I'd get a little dizzy and Everything and then when I really Started focusing on electrolytes and all And I realized it actually over the Years has probably been because I Haven't had enough salt in my system so And that'll help keep the swelling and All down too because I'm prone even not Being pregnant having swelling so I've Found that it's super important you know When pregnant to make sure you're having The electrolytes because we are you know Peeing so much and drinking so much you Want to make sure all that's going good Well and I think the difference between Healthy salt and a good quality salt Versus like a table salt you know you You hear all the advice stay away from The salt because you're swelling and we Actually got to sit through a super Interesting uh presentation That the reason that people swell and I Probably am not going to do this Justice At all and I can't remember any of the Scientific terms but the reason that People start swelling up when they're Over consuming a table salt actually has To do with the additives that are put in The salt and not the salt itself and so You go to something like a a Redmond

Real salt or any other pure salt that's Mineralized and it's an entirely Different experience it actually helps You balance those levels of you know the Water in your cell and all of those Different things and helps you to have a Proper hydration balance instead of Holding on to the liquid so much and I Have personally found that to be totally True because as if I go out and I eat Some like salty let's say we go out and We get fries or you know something That's really salty in a restaurant I See myself start to swell up and I can Feel I can't put my ring on the next day And just basic little things like that But I can drink those Redmond Real Salt Relight packages I can drink quite a few Of those in a day if I need them and I've never had that reaction to it yeah I just feel better and at some point I Don't want them anymore because my body Says you have enough sodium don't drink Anymore and it's like it can totally Read it when it's that pure Real Salt And you'll you'll be able to like think A little better everything will be a Little clearer because like all your Electrical impulses from your brain Travel through a saltwater environment Because there's you know it conducts Electricity better so we all need make Sure you get like plenty of good salt Yeah

Yeah that's really important Um okay so before we wrap up what are The best tips that you could give to Other pregnant moms who are kind of like Us we're kind of like do it all do it Ourselves we can do it Like what what would be the best tips That you could give them to survive Pregnancy on a homestead Just give yourself Grace Because I don't think enough of us do That because I'm supposed to be doing X Y and Z today and I have this to put up And I have this to do and I just can't Do it all and no we I don't think we can Do it all ourselves and I don't think We're supposed to do it all ourselves And I think that's a big burden that you Know Society has placed upon us that We're supposed to be able to do Everything and even in the homesteading Community because you know well I'm Supposed to make my own better and I'm Supposed to raise my own chickens and I'm supposed to you know have a garden And it looks fabulous and never have any Insect problems or anything Um I just think you need to have Realistic expectations of what you can Do because some people some women can do A lot more pregnant than I can do Pregnant like I know somebody she was Out you know doing all her chores up Until 40 weeks and I just my body is not

Designed to do that and I think you need To figure out what works for you and go At your level and your speed and don't Feel guilty about it about not being Able to do stuff because it's totally Normal really it is Absolutely I I think that's just great Advice and I think we all need to listen To that it's easy I know for you to say It it's easy for me to say it but I have To say it to myself all the time because I still have a hard time following that Advice even though that's pretty much What I would say too one of the tricks That I've found though to helping myself Through that journey Is when you sit down and write a to-do List put at the top of it grow a baby Like seriously that is a big to do and It is taking a lot of your body Resources and your mental resources and Just having that on the to-do list every Day like okay look at what I'm doing and You know write it on there and at the End of the day you can check it off if You want but Um Put it into context that you're working Hard even if you're sitting on the couch With your feet up like your body is Working hard and the other thing for me Is kind of like just adding on to what You said ask for help and even if it has To be outside of your family or maybe

It's outside of your immediate family And you can ask a parent like you know Mom will you come do some laundry for me I'm just not keeping up or you know Whatever it is don't be afraid to if you Can hire somebody to come just help you Clean your floors if that's all it is or Ask somebody if you have good friends or A church Community you know just ask for A little bit of help there's no shame in That it's absolutely okay and like Lacey Said give yourself a lot of Grace in This period and let your kids step up a Little bit too you know let them see What they can do and if they don't do it Exactly like you do it it's okay and I Have to remind myself that like okay That's not how I would do it but it's Done and it may not be exactly right but That's okay it's done so just you know Okay you can always clean up later I Know sometimes after I've had a season Like that I'm like in the kitchen and I Look up on the feeling and I'm like How do you think the ceiling got brownie Batter all over like I probably don't Even want to know so I'm just not even Gonna ask and we'll clean it later Turn a blind eye a little bit it's okay And just yeah let yourself get help so Great lazy thank you so much for joining Us it's been a fun conversation really Encouraging for me because I need to Hear all these things but um

And blessings on the rest of your Pregnancy I just pray everything goes Well and you have that beautiful baby Boy in February Um to hold and to love on the whole Family's gonna love that so that's Wonderful thank you and I pray the same For you too because I know pregnancy is Rough plus mamas need to stick together Okay sounds good thank you guys we will See you next week goodbye [Music]