Spring is here! Time to dust off the warm layers of winter and focus on all things fresh and new. In honour of this season of rebirth and beginnings, I thought I would share 3 of my favourite foods to help support your fertility and overall reproductive health, plus a simple and fresh fertility recipe you can easily put together in under 10 minutes!

Are avocados good for fertility? Avocados are a great fertility food! One of the most important nutrients for fertility support is a good balance of different types of fat. Avocados in particular are rich in Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (or MUFAs)  which have been associated with lower rates of ovulatory infertility. Avocados are also rich in folate, potassium and vitamin A which support overall reproductive health.

​is grapefruit good for fertility? I personally love the bitter yet citrusy sweetness of a grapefruit, and I love recommending grapefruits to my fertility clients as well! They are full of Vitamin C which we already know is important for our overall health but when it comes to fertility, Vitamin C is essential in supporting optimal progesterone levels, a hormone that is essential in thickening the uterine lining. A thick uterine lining helps improve the odds for egg implantation and a possible pregnancy! Another bonus; grapefruit is also high in folate which can help regulate ovulation and support egg quality. 

​Why are pumpkin seeds good for fertility? These little powerhouses are an incredibly high source of the mineral magnesium which plays a role in hundreds of our bodily functions. When it comes to our reproductive health, magnesium has multiple roles as well! It is essential in promoting blood flow to the uterus, regulating overall hormone levels and preventing fallopian tube spasms which can affect egg implantation. When eating pumpkin seeds, look for them in their raw state versus roasted. Throw them in smoothies, on salads or your bowl of oatmeal!

If you are currently on your own fertility journey, working with a Holistic Nutritionist can be wonderfully insightful. Whether you want to improve your chances of conceiving on your own or with the help of IVF. Using food, supplements and lifestyle suggestions we work together to support you in reaching your goals. 

Yoga Mamas is offering free fertility yoga classes online until May 31, 2021.

Join together and connect in a welcoming online environment with other women who are ready and wanting to become pregnant. Lift your spirits by focusing on your amazing creative, healthy and vibrant body.

Including yoga fertility as part of your self care routine can help to:

• Lower your stress
• Reduce your anxiety
• Increase blood flow to reproductive organs
• Strengthen the body

An experienced instructor will guide you through a beautiful yoga class involving both energizing flow and relaxing restorative sequences.

​Learn nourishing yoga postures and powerful meditation principles that you can bring off the mat and into your daily life. Integrate this mindfulness into the busyness of your schedule so that you can continually reorient yourself back to a place of centred calm connection.

This online yoga class is being led via zoom. Please check your registration confirmation email for how to access the class link.

​We sat down with Yoga Mamas Doula & Spinning Babies Educator Maria Tamayo to learn about some of the key benefits of the Spinning Babies method. 
 
Spinning Babies is an approach to pregnancy and childbirth by midwife Gail Tully. This approach activates the inner nature of the body by moving in new ways. With an emphasis on anatomy and physiology, Spinning Babies works by finding ways to allow baby to release, rather than using force or manipulation.   
 
Here are Maria’s Top 5 Benefits of the Spinning Babies Program: 
 

1. Encourages a suppleness to the body promoting optimal position for baby and childbirth. 
2. Can bring comfort to your pregnancy by relieving physical aches & pains. 
3. Supports a relationship between your partner and the baby in utero, giving them a greater understanding and connection. 
4. The techniques practiced to support pregnancy can also be used as labour coping techniques. 
5. Helps you to connect deeply with your baby. 

 
Register for your Spinning Babies class with Maria, and receive a FREE one month subscription to Yoga Mamas On-Demand when you mention Yoga Mamas! Maria hosts Spinning Babies workshops online via Zoom. She also hosts Spinning Babies courses in person in Toronto when permitted.

Written by Taya Griffin, Yoga Mamas Lactation Consultant

​As an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and a mother
who breastfed two little ones, I know first-hand that breastfeeding can be
challenging.
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Accessing breastfeeding help when there are no skilled lactation
consultants in one’s area, when one is too unwell to leave her bed, and of course
during global pandemic is even more challenging. While an in-person visit may be the ideal scenario when experiencing a breastfeeding challenge, there are many benefits to why a virtual lactation consult visit may be an excellent option.

For online lactation consulting appointments, nothing more is required than a computer, tablet or phone with a good camera. Good lighting and having a second set of hands can help but isn’t always necessary. The only true need is to have a baby ready to show off their skills (or their challenges) and sometimes virtual visits can be booked right around feeding time to ensure a feed will happen.

A skilled IBCLC can help you assess and find solutions to the following issues:

1. Assessing oral structures – With guidance and some good home video skills we can work together to high level assess whether your little one has a tightness in their tongue or lip. This may affect the way that they breastfeed.
2. Assessing the latch – Using some fun props (think rubber breast!) I can help guide you to latch your baby to decrease pain and to increase the amount that they get at the breast. I also like to add a few tools to your latch “tool-kit” for optimal
3. Figuring out how to tell that your little one is getting enough at the breast –Relatable analogies and pointing out the difference between a suck and a drink can empower you to feel that you are providing enough milk for your baby.
4. Other problems include dealing with blocked ducts or mastitis, discussing options in cases where there is supplementation required and low milk supply.

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Pre-COVID and during this pandemic I have had the pleasure of helping families latch babies who previously had not been latching, direct clients in using a lactation aid (fancy name for a straw attached to the breast to give baby some flow) and I’ve also helped families by purchasing some of the things they need for their breastfeeding journey.

Online lactation appointments are available 7 days a week. If you are unable to find a time that aligns with your schedule please contact us.