Greta’s Tea + Maternity Pics
Remember when I announced our pregnancy and said we had been wanting to get a pet goat?
Well, we even had a name picked out for our future goat: Greta. <—best goat name everrrrr
Anyway, we ended with an even better surprise of finding out we were pregnant and moved into our new house, with an HOA that didn’t allow goats. You can imagine the serendipity when the first midwife we saw introduced herself as Greta.
I’ve seen a lot of midwives in the practice for the past 34 weeks, but Greta has remained my favorite. I’m really hoping she’ll be on call the day I go into labor, but if she isn’t, I’ll be thrilled to see any of the other midwives.
Anyway, Greta has been especially thorough and patient during each of our appointments. She knew about each of the supplements my homeopathic doctor had me on during the first trimester (and said to keep taking them), and is very kind and knowledgeable. We got to talking about tea in my last appointment, and she asked if I was still drinking the pregnancy tea:
I told her I was having a cup every other day or so, and she wrote down a recipe for homemade tea that’s especially beneficial for pregnant women.
She said that I could go to Whole Foods, Sunflower or New Life (our 3 main health food stores), and get the loose herbs- a handful of each would make about a quart. Since I’ve never made my own tea before, I was excited to give it a whirl.
It was a little intimidating at first.
The herbs are similar to the bulk bins: you grab a baggie, grab a spoon, get your desired quantity, and write down the item # on the tag.
The pricing is what weirded me out the most. On each jar was a price, like $18.99 or up to $34.99. I thought “Is this for the whole jar? A tablespoon? A lb? I have no idea. It’s going to be the type of situation where I end up paying $50 per herb or $0.50 per herb”
Thankfully, it was the latter- they’re priced per lb and I ended up spending about $2 for the herbs.
I got a new sprouting jar to make the tea in –I lost my old sprouting jar in the great move of 2011- along with said herbs (nettle leaf, red raspberry, red clover and spearmint for taste)
This doesn’t look suspect at all…..
Greta told me to add a quart of boiling hot water to a palmful of each of the herbs, and let it brew in the fridge for 8 hours.
It already smells LOVELY. I can’t wait to drink it!
I ended up making 6 cups instead of 4, and Greta said that I should drink about a quart a day.
********Of course, if you want to venture into making your own tea, talk to a doc or midwife first to see what they recommend for you.
More fun news: we got our maternity photos back from the lovely Whitney!
She was so sweet to meet us at the hotel Wednesday morning before we left to take some beach photos with the baby belly. They came out even better than I was hoping for, and I’m so thankful that she was able to do this for us. If you’re in the San Diego area and need photos, hit her up. Not only does she do amazing work, she’s a good friend of mine and a total sweetheart <3
Here are a few of my faves:
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Beautiful maternity photos
LOVE the photos 🙂 Hopefully I can make it out to Tucson before the nuggette needs 6 month photos taken!
Those photos are amazing! You are HOT! You both look blissfully happy in them.
The last picture is my favorite. You guys look so happy.
Gorgeous photos!
Pics are gorg. The tea recipe you gave is also a great one for trying to get pregnant. I’ll have to try adding the spearmint, great idea!
You make my heart warm. Big hugs gorgeous face.
Awwwwwww!!!!!! Awwwwwwww……
is all I have to say 😉 So Cute!!!!!
xxoo
The photos are gorgeous!*
LOVE your maternity photos! How gorgeous. You are such a beautiful pregnant lady, and you and your husband are such a cute couple.
Your pictures came out great!!
Aww your photos look amazing! I think the beach is the perfect setting. So beautiful!
oh no, this bump closeup makes me want to be preggo again ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you look beautiful and you’ll be so glad you have these photos.
I just brewed red raspberry leaf to drink near the end, but I’ll have to try the add-ins next time. I usually sweetened it with a bit of honey and added a squeeze of whatever citrus I had on hand. Serve over ice…It was actually pretty good!
Glad to see you’re doing well.
absolutely beautiful!!
Oh my goodness, you two make such a beautiful couple! I love the photos – you guys look so deep in love. I definitely want to get something similar done with my husband when I’m pregnant.
Those maternity photos are STUNNING! You both look so happy! And that tea looks really good! I need to drink more tea, I always enjoy it when I do but I never seem to remember to make it.
These photos make me smile!
Awwww. I love that last photo in particular. You both look so happy. 🙂
You look GORGEOUS. What a beautiful family!
Holy crap your husband is hot. And you are hot. And that baby is lucky–for many reasons! Congrats!
thank you, maddie! yes.. my husband is a good-looking man 😉
I love nettles, great for iron and breastfeeding! I found I had to stop drinking it because it made my milk flow a little too freely! Lol! I am still nursing and I actually plan on making a quart for the fridge soon since my last blood work showed low iron.
Those pics are gorgeous! What a beautiful baby you two will make!
Amazing photos!
M’awwwwwwwww so cute! Beautiful pics mademoiselle!
Gina – these are great! There’s even more gorgeous pics of you guys on your photographer friend’s blog.
**Side note: is it weird that I picture you with perfectly hot-rolled hair and eating out of a Whole Paycheck hot bar container in your hospital bed on the day you give birth? haha 🙂
hahah that is amazing. i hope they let me sneak in whole foods.. that’s the plan 😉
Gina–these are absolutely gorgeous!! What a sweet idea to commemorate your pregnancy!!
Beautiful pictures! I think the last one is my favorite:) I use red raspberry extract to help regulate my periods!
Aw, that last one is my favorite! Great photography!
I totally would have been covered in sand, if it was me haha.
Those photos are so gorgeous!!! You look BEAUTIFUL, and your husband doesn’t look half bad either. 😉
he’s very nice to look at 😉
Your photos are amazing! I have been following your blog for a while now, but have never commented. I really enjoy reading and love that you post multiple times per day!
thank you so much for saying hi, and for reading <3
xoxo
so much love in these photos!! its like shooting out of my screen
What gorgeous pictures-oh how you can feel the love and the joy!!! So pretty Gina 🙂
Those came out beautiful! I absolutely love the last two.
OHmygoodness. You two (three, actually!) are beautiful. The last two are my favorite. You can see the love so clearly!! <3
Love Love Love these!! That last one makes my heart smile 🙂 I know you always say the opposite, but you are one stylish pregnant woman!
aww, thank you friend <3
one word: BEAUTIFUL!!!
your pictures turned out great! I want to do my maternity photos on the beach!
how many weeks was that?
thank you!
33 weeks- i’ll be 34 this week
The pictures of you are wonderful, Gina!
You look soooo happy and blissed out and so does Pilot. Love that you had perfect San Diego weather while you were here; it was nasty before you got here and has been nasty ever since you left other than today it was nice. But you hit great weather and got great pics!
And red raspberry leaf, nettles, and clover…all great for helping the hormones, tone the uterus, and glad you’re brewin’ up a storm 🙂
STUNNING PHOTOS!
just HAVE to echo… BEAUTIFUL photos!
the last photo makes me want to cry!
Those pictures are so sweet!
Also that’s really neat how you made your own tea. That’s something I’ve always wanted to try. I love buying tea from loose leaf tea shops, but it can get pricey! I’m sure I could probably make a similar version myself for so much cheaper!
OMG the last photo is amazeballsingly adorable! Also, the Pilot has excellent posture. lol. 🙂
thank you! haha, must be a military thing 😉
Adorable pictures!!
Absolutely beautiful pictures!
Gorgeous pictures, Gina!!
Those pictures are beautiful, Gina! The beach is such a perfect background, and you both look great 🙂 Hope the tea turns out well!
Amazing photos! love it!! And the tea sounds delicious, Inlove herbal tea!
Ana
Hi Gina! Thank you for sharing all your pregnancy tips and tricks 😉 i am also pregnant now – 12 wks – and was wondering if i this tea you can drink throughout all your pregnancy or it is safe only on the later stages?
I’m not quite sure. I’d double check with your doc.
Congratulations!!! Very excited for you 🙂
Hey Lady, those photos are awesome! I am so glad you have such an awesome mid wife. May I ask, what were you taking from the naturepath for the first trimester?