Bioenergetic Guide to Pregnancy?
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I have read the Dalton studies and I'm not particularly impressed by the statistics involved and I've not seen a convincing mechanism for how progesterone raises intelligence.
That being said, I believe that progesterone is indispensable for protecting the developing brain(especially in 3rd trimester when the brain begins to accumulate omega-3s), facilitating cell differentiation, and protecting the developing fetus from endotoxin exposures. I would add that the personality observations of progesterone babies is probably valid. Progesterone, by itself, may not raise IQ but it will protect from lowered IQ.
There was a guy on the RPF whose wife took 100mg progesterone daily mixed with tocopherols, and 1 grain of thyroid. He stated that the progesterone and thyroid child was particularly outgoing, thoughtful, and energetic, in contrast to their older siblings. Normally, we expect a reverse trend.
This is unsurprising, given the observed phenomenon of thyroid hormone on brain development. Allegedly, scientists in the 40s grafted additional thyroids onto tadpoles. In one case, the alleged effect on brain growth was so severe that it caused the cranium of the tadpole to shatter. I say "alleged" because I have looked high and low for the study in question(Rey, 1948), to no avail. I suspect it to be either fake or lost.
Either way, the human brain has evolved for tens of thousands of years to have access to iodine, selenium, omega-3, and exogenous thyroid hormone. Omega-3 is not a universal benefit-not a shock to anyone here-but the role of omega-3 in the developing brain(3rd trimester to ~2 years old) is seemingly undeniable and I would not deprive a young child of omega-3, specifically DHA. Omega-3 ratio in diet has a U-shaped effect wherein very low has negative effects and very high has similarly negative effects. A balanced Peaty diet with occasional seafoods and/or grass-fed beef should be more than enough in quantity and ratio. You might get fresh fish eggs and eat those raw, as a treat.
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Dr Peat goes into detail about the effects of omega-3 oils on babies. He doesn't just think they are non essential but also thinks they are harmful
This is an extract which starts around 45mins
“I think all of the major allergic symptoms are increasing but some studies show that unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids in a woman's diet when she's pregnant seriously increase the allergies of the baby. So it isn't just the food supply is changing but the human supply is being sensitized by the stressful things in our national diet.” Ray Peat
“Experimental evidence shows that polyunsaturated (omega-3) fats retard fetal brain development, and that sugar promotes it.” Ray Peat Newsletter, Sugar Issues - Nov 2011
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Zamenhof's studies are essential reading.
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@Peatful This is a great list!
Female as well, (29yo), I had a wonderful pregnancy and a seemingly quite smart, strongheaded and well developped daughter. Getting ready for second pregnancy soon.
This is indeed an important thread, especially for single males. Getting familiar with this topic will be extremely beneficial in the future.
I was not familiar with bioenergetic principles then but was clearly naturally maxxing in progesterone (nutrient dense my whole life, very active - no symptoms besides sore chest in the first trimester, glowing throughout the pregnancy, full of energy, extremely happy, baby was also not in any hurry to leave the womb - came 11days overdue, very positive delivery).
To add to Peatful's list:
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Walking everyday (10k steps is not a bad target if you can). Consistent moderate exercise is key, baby also loves it (I kept walking post partum every day, in baby carriers)
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Stretching can help if you are stiff (HAVE YOUR DAUGHTERS PRACTISE BALLET for 10y and thank me later!)
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Perineal oil massage in the last weeks help a lot with the delivery, I believe. My mom tore with me (first born, big head), and I did not at all with mine.
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Reading ""maternity"" books is usually more anxiety inducing than else I found. I read a lot after pregnancy and had more anxiety for my "detrimental choices" than anything else. It is a pity. However, books on hypnobirth or Bradley method are quite nice to get familar with the mechanics and how to make it as wonderful as you can, if you are a bit stressed out. Ray's material can be technically overwhelming when the pregnancy brain is doing its thing, but for sure not as aniety inducing as many other books (i.e nourishing traditions sometimes has a more condescending tone than necessary).
I will not emphasize enough the reduction of stress. Do whatever necessary to remove stress sources from your life. I blocked my mother in law for months. It is okay. Your pregnancy, well-being and baby are MUCH MORE important.
First pregnancy I took the standard prenatal supps, vit D and a couple times magnesium bisglycinate for the light night cramps I got.
Next one I plan on taking ProgestE, vit D, K2, and folate (from balancedbodymind) -
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Does anyone have any comments or experience to share in regards to pregnancy at an older age? I had a child at 30 and now I'm 40 and would really like to conceive again. It's taken me 10 years to recover my health to the point where I could even consider this. Obviously it's not ideal, but I'm so much healthier now than I was 10 years ago.
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@golda said in Bioenergetic Guide to Pregnancy?:
I blocked my mother in law for months. It is okay.
I audibly keked at this. Is the father-to-be also allowed to do this (for the baby's sake, of course)?
To provide some actual value to this thread: https://t3uncoupled.substack.com/p/how-to-sire-more-sons-or-daughters
TL;DR:
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stress-like conditions generally increase the possibility of conceiving a girl;
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proportion of minerals in the diet matters: sodium and potassium favor the male sex, calcium and magnesium the female;
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timing of conception matters, the older the sperm, the better the chances for a daughter;
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the vaginal pH matters (alkaline, as in ovulation - male, acidic - female) and can be changed by various douches.
Me and my wife plan to do a high-volume lifting program and drink tons of chocolate milk around conception. The not doing the deed during ovulation part might be a bit harder, and she has vetoed putting vinegar anywhere near her vagina (can't blame her). We'll see if it works.
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Knowing what I know now, I would have gotten a dula and a home birth. At least adjacent to your "regular " doctor.
I have never had medical problems in my life, so at that time I just did not have any thoughts it could be different with pregnancy.
Be prepared for the unexpected. I had a non eventful pregnancy at what the medical establishment considers "advanced maternal age".
I became pregnant when I wanted with no problem. Carried to term without problem. Then at a 39 week check my doctor said I needed to go to hospital and be induced. Something about the babies heart rate decreasing with contractions (to the best of my memory).
To this day, because of my ensuing distrust of the medical establishment, I am not certain that recommendation to be induced was necessary.
Be aware, if you are induced, there is an extremely high likelihood you will end up with a c-section. I did. It is the worst way to give birth. I believe my body was not yet ready and producing the high levels of progesterone it does at birth time, so an induced birth is agonizing.
Knowing what I know now, I would have a birth plan - Google that. Be prepared to never let baby out of your site. Be aware of injections they might give baby, do you want skin on skin immediately after birth before they go about their "medically necessary procedures". Do you want them to bathe the baby, or rub the vernix into their skin. Know your stance on vaccines and what they might try to give you or baby in hospital. And have a plan if your plan goes south.
Also, get a competent assessment for lip and tongue ties if you are having trouble breast feeding, or if baby has reflux.
And after you have successfully brought baby into this world, know that the days are long but the years are short. You will have 18 summers with them. Let them be messy, your house does not have to be perfect, do things, get outside, let them explore and be creative.
Get outside with baby in the morning light to set them up with a great circadian rhythm.
Self care for mom after birth: often overlooked in USA, but a standard test for Europe (so I've read) is thyroid testing. It is not uncommon for the thyroid to unload stored colloid after birth (according to Ray Peat), which will result in a hyperthyroid state, which should resolve itself in a few months. Ray talks about strategy for this. If you are not aware - as I was not- it might end in the medical establishment vaporizing your thyroid. Have a plan.
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@DonkeyDude said in Bioenergetic Guide to Pregnancy?:
I audibly keked at this. Is the father-to-be also allowed to do this (for the baby's sake, of course)?
Hey, you are creating a wonderful little life. Do what you feel best to remove stress in general, and you have my personal endorsement to block whomever especially when your wife is with child!
@Sunniva said in Bioenergetic Guide to Pregnancy?:
Self care for mom after birth: often overlooked in USA, but a standard test for Europe (so I've read) is thyroid testing. It is not uncommon for the thyroid to unload stored colloid after birth (according to Ray Peat), which will result in a hyperthyroid state, which should resolve itself in a few months. Ray talks about strategy for this. If you are not aware - as I was not- it might end in the medical establishment vaporizing your thyroid. Have a plan.
Also precious insights & considerations I wish I was aware of before getting pregnant! I gave birth in Europe (Belgium) in the most standard set up but never had any blood test or thyroid testing proposed post-partum (never). Just the stupid glucose test. Post partum care in Belgium is fairly limited I found (the one checkup at 5 weeks PP to tell you you can have sex (......... ?)), I know parental policies are much more lenient in Slavic countries (Hungary looks as based as it can get).
Have a plan indeed.
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@Peatful said in Bioenergetic Guide to Pregnancy?:
stay away from fertility treatments or clinics
very interesting, what makes you add this as one of your major points?
@Sunniva said in Bioenergetic Guide to Pregnancy?:
Then at a 39 week check my doctor said I needed to go to hospital and be induced. Something about the babies heart rate decreasing with contractions (to the best of my memory).
To this day, because of my ensuing distrust of the medical establishment, I am not certain that recommendation to be induced was necessary.
Be aware, if you are induced, there is an extremely high likelihood you will end up with a c-section.
My wife and I watched this old documentary by Ricki Lake (of daytime talk show fame) called "The Business of Being Born" and one of my key takeaways was that the inducing process tends to snow ball with interventions until the woman needs a C-section.
I found the documentary online, it's a fascinating watch
https://www.bitchute.com/video/L1S3yTovYnFV/ -
@mexican_coke_fan said in Bioenergetic Guide to Pregnancy?:
@Peatful said in Bioenergetic Guide to Pregnancy?:
stay away from fertility treatments or clinics
very interesting, what makes you add this as one of your major points?
@Sunniva said in Bioenergetic Guide to Pregnancy?:
Then at a 39 week check my doctor said I needed to go to hospital and be induced. Something about the babies heart rate decreasing with contractions (to the best of my memory).
To this day, because of my ensuing distrust of the medical establishment, I am not certain that recommendation to be induced was necessary.
Be aware, if you are induced, there is an extremely high likelihood you will end up with a c-section.
My wife and I watched this old documentary by Ricki Lake (of daytime talk show fame) called "The Business of Being Born" and one of my key takeaways was that the inducing process tends to snow ball with interventions until the woman needs a C-section.
I found the documentary online, it's a fascinating watch
https://www.bitchute.com/video/L1S3yTovYnFV/Kind of what you refer to regarding the big business of pregnancy.
It’s a trap that plays on the emotions of a couple who are “struggling” to get pregnant.Obgyns will quickly refer you to a “specialist”
Unnecessary and dangerous imoEat well
Get sun
Stress down
Trust your body
Etc
These things don’t create revenue for big pharma do they?To add to this
Lets say I know 10 women that went the specialist route
And now
Three of them have cancerAdded for clarity: it’s unnatural hormonal manipulation
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@Sippy said in Bioenergetic Guide to Pregnancy?:
Does anyone have any comments or experience to share in regards to pregnancy at an older age? I had a child at 30 and now I'm 40 and would really like to conceive again. It's taken me 10 years to recover my health to the point where I could even consider this. Obviously it's not ideal, but I'm so much healthier now than I was 10 years ago.
From an interview
"Hey Danny, can you ask Ray if he had ever seen or heard of a woman regaining her fertility taking high dose progesterone? We're talking someone who has been infertile for a decade or more."
Ray Peat: When I was teaching nutrition classes, there were several women who said they had been infertile for more than 10 years. And it was a three month class. And usually there were two or three people during that class who would suddenly get pregnant, just with almost all of them, just with diet changes. But it was to increase their progesterone and thyroid and to get their estrogen under control. And one woman, a medical doctor, she had diagnosed ovarian failure when she was, I think, about 35. And by carefully taking a blood test about every week or two, she imitated the natural hormones of the cycle with small amounts, generally of both thyroid and progesterone. That doesn't take a huge amount when it's at the right time. And I think, I forget her exact age, but she was in her 40s and had been perfectly infertile for over 10 years and had a baby very quickly as soon as she got her blood test showing the hormones in the right range.
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@Sippy
Absolutely. @Peatly shared one of Ray's comments on that matter but yes you absolutely can have a healthy conception, pregnancy, and birth after 40. It will be very important to have a good understanding of your minerals, heavy metals, and hormones, so blood test and a hair/nail mineral analysis are essential. @haidut has testing on the idealabs website.
Progesterone, thyroid, and good nutrition will be essential, not only for you, but for your partner as well. Men pass on an enormous amount of epigenetic conditioning to their offspring, whoever you have a child with should make sure to also test minerals and metals as well as hormones.
Wishing you the best
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@Peatly Thanks for this quote. What tests do you think he is talking about every week or two? My naturopath says it's only useful to do a hormonal panel on the 21st day of my cycle. Thyroid testing is usually only every 6 weeks.
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@JulofEnoch Thanks for the encouragement. I have done a few hair mineral analysis tests years ago, but I didn't want to take the nutritional balancing supplements. They were full of excipients if I recall correctly. Do you know of any resources for interpreting the results and deciding how to correct imbalances? I know that it is quite complex.
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@Sippy "she imitated the natural hormones of the cycle". I think prolactin, progesterone, estrogen and perhaps thyroid.
There are other tests but I rarely hear Dr Peat suggesting some of them
Have you read From PMS to Menopause?
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micronutrients are also important for brain development and development of the body systems in general... I think these sort of things need to be stressed more
taking care of gut microbiome to pass on a healthy one to the child
fat soluble vitamins to avoid crowded teeth after the child is born like vit K2
I remember seeing my aunt bake a cake when my cousin was very young and my younger cousin tried to bite a stick of butter... Kids do that for a reason right? We should maybe just let them eat butter if they want.. They probably need it
we need to remember food sometimes only contains micronutrients in theory, it's important to remember organic can be a meaningless label you need to chase where the minerals and micronutrients actually are not just look up a chart on the internet. minerals and real nutritious food has a certain smell but its hard to describe to someone who hasn't experienced it
I believe but I haven't really tried it myself yet that a person could probably be extraordinarily healthy eating just... potatoes and apples if the soil was well taken care of
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@Sippy
They were full of excipients if I recall correctly.
So many things are these days.
Do you know of any resources for interpreting the results and deciding how to correct imbalances?
Regarding interpretation, I am no expert myself so I've relied on others knowledgeable to help me. I cannot vouch for everything this guy says but his videos on HTMA have been useful for me. If you want a real expert with a focus on mineral balancing, fertility, etc. then Andra is someone who you should consider speaking with. Her Twitter is a good resource for free knowledge. Andra is no stranger to Peat and the Bioenergetic community.
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K Kilgore referenced this topic on
