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Writer's pictureAmy Slater

20 Weeks Pregnant with Twins: Movement, Cooking with kids, and Farmer’s Market


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Tomorrow I will be 20 weeks pregnant with the girls. My husband and I are over the moon excited. This week we had our anatomy scan. I was anxious to know that everything was ok with the girls. Fortunately, it was and we are looking forward to seeing them again in 4 weeks.

It has been nice to get back into a movement routine after a lot of sitting last weekend on our trip to the mountains. My creativity with movement has been fueled by the lovely cool mornings we are enjoying here in North Carolina. My day starts at 4:40 am. I drink a cup of ginger tea with a drizzle of local raw honey an a splash of raw milk. Then I perform various mobility routines to stimulate my nervous system. Next I either walk, swim, or perform a movement circuit. I finish with a little soft tissue work using a foam roll, trigger point ball, and trigger point rollers.

This morning I used a trigger point ball to roll out my feet, then I performed a kneeling hip flexor stretch sequence to mobilize my hips. Finally I used the True Stretch to stretch out my shoulders, upper back, chest and neck. Then I followed a new sequence:

walk one loop around my neighborhood ~1 mile (15 minutes) finishing with a brisk walk up a steep hill;

then use our new retaining wall, the slope on the side of the house, and my 10kg ViPR to perform 16 reps of each exercise in the following circuit:

ViPR front flip/back flip/side flip with squat; wall tricep dips; ViPR single leg deadlift with tilt; wall push up; ViPR alternating front lunge/side lunge with a one hand reach down to knee

I completed three rounds of the above sequence for a 1hr 5 min workout. It felt great to move outside in the wet grass under the stars.

One of the downsides to waking up before the sun is that it does not promote a good circadian rhythm. It would be ideal to wake when the sun rises and go to sleep when it sets. The best time to workout for a good hormonal rhythm is 3:00-6:00 pm. Unfortunately, like a lot of busy Moms, that is not a reality in my world yet. I first prioritize sleep. I am asleep by 8:00 pm. If something happens and I am unable to get a good nights sleep, I do not wake at 4:40 am. Movement is important, but sleep comes first.

Last night we had baked Keta Salmon, marinated beets, Cameron’s coconut roasted green beans, green salad, and rice cooked in broth. Cameron helped me prepare the beans. He washed them, rubbed them with coconut oil, and sprinkled them with a spice combo. He ate more green beans last night than I have ever seen him eat. I also think it’s important for my boys to know that the food does not just appear, you have to go through the steps to prepare it.

Today we went to the NC State Farmer’s Market. It is an amazing resources to have close to home. The farmers can come from anywhere in the state and must grow all the produce they sell. I purchase my dirty dozen produce from Tart Farms. They are beekeepers and do not use any pesticides or chemical fertilizers on their farm. Today I bought one bag of kale, one bunch of swiss chard, 8 beets, 8 heirloom tomatoes, 2 yellow and 2 red bell peppers, one red onion, 4 zucchini squash, and one quart jar of honey. I also visited several other farm stands where I purchased 2 cantaloupe, 4 pie pumpkins, and 2 butternut squash. I spent $32 on quite a bountiful haul.

Many times you can find a farmer who does not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides but they may not be certified organic. The certification process is both lengthy and costly and most farmers cannot afford it. So, it is good practice to ask the farmer before you purchase your veggies. Another tip is to ask the farmer if they sell by the case. I always buy my sweet potatoes by the case. I get 35 pounds for $17. That is a fantastic deal. I just store them in a large basket in the pantry. They keep for months if they are dry and cool. I also purchase my winter squash by the case. A mixed case of spaghetti, butternut and acorn costs $20. So, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Most of the time you can find excellent deals at your local farmer’s market.

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