Andrea says: “My first pregnancy I went it solo (without Michelle) and I ate a lot of crap and felt tired the whole time. I had a solid first trimester of nausea, during which I quit working out and never found the energy to workout again. After having the baby I had some wicked postpartum depression/rage (my husband barely survived). Common cravings during pregnancy were ice cream, and chocolate, and chocolate ice cream. 

My second pregnancy needed to be terminated at 22 weeks due to abnormalities of the fetus. The postpartum after that was even worse than pregnancy #1, leading to psych meds and constant therapist appointments. And I struggled to get a period (meaning I never got one) and to get pregnant again. Finally we visited a fertility doc who discovered that I was hypothyroidic and also very newly pregnant despite not having any periods. This is when I called Michelle. (Better late than never!)

Michelle says: “Andrea had signed up for a group sugar detox program with me, and as is often the case, reducing her sugar intake and focusing on more whole, nutrient-dense foods reduced her inflammation and helped her to become pregnant again.”

For pregnancy #3 I wanted to first focus on the baby, with the plan to figure out the thyroid after (we’re still working on that). Pregnancy #3 started similarly to 1 & 2, with a solid trimester of nausea. But after the nausea I had energy. I continued working out until week 35. My cravings (when I finally had some in the third trimester) were limited to arugula (?!?). I gained 25 lbs (versus 35 in pregnancy #1), which I lost in the first 6 months postpartum. I had no postpartum depression (despite dealing with a whole lot in my personal life that should have left me very depressed). A night and day experience to pregnancy #1.  

Michelle says: “One of the most common issues in infertility is hypothyroidism, and one of the most undiagnosed types of hypothyroidism is autoimmune (Hashimoto’s). I referred Andrea out to a functional medicine doctor who agreed to run the *full* thyroid panel that I requested, and found that she did indeed have autoimmune thyroid disease. While her doctors kept track of her thyroid replacement hormone, I educated Andrea on how to eat in a way that supported her immune system, thyroid, AND pregnancy. We focused mostly on including healthy fats, proteins, and lots of veggies. I also made sure she had a high-quality prenatal and some specific extra vitamins and minerals that we discovered she needed through Hair Mineral Tissue Analysis. She said she felt like she was actually finally getting the nutrition that her body needed!! Her cravings during this pregnancy were few and far between and included – wait for it – arugula.”

I should also say one of my biggest fears was having enough energy to be both pregnant and have a young kid (or being depressed with an infant and young kid), but my moods are super stable and my energy is on fire. I work full time, workout 4-5 days a week, and still have energy to make dinner every night and care for the kids on my own (my husband has a long commute and gets home after they’re in bed). And I credit that all to Michelle’s coaching. My diet is dialed in, supplements are focused on maintaining balance and thyroid stuff, and I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in (even pre kids!)”. 

To apply to work with Michelle and become your healthiest self, simply click the button below!